Food & drink

Devon may be famous for its wonderful cream teas, yet this is only part of the story. The range and quality of fresh local, often organic, seasonal produce make it truly a food lover’s paradise. Many of the food and drink producers are also open to visitors, so you can even taste before you buy. The excellent choice of pubs, restaurants and cafés offers something for every taste and budget. From Michelin star dining to wholesome home-style cooking, you don’t need to be a gourmet to enjoy freshly caught seafood or great fish and chips beside the seaside!

To get you started, here is a selection of the places we like:

Foodie days out

Manna from Devon Kingswear - Try their bread, fish, tapas workshops or one of their family days. Great fun!
Occombe Farm Nr Paignton - Working farm with organic butchery and artisan bakery. Events and activities all year round
South Devon Chilli Farm Loddiswell - Visit the farm, sample their own sauces, preserves and chocolate, or buy chilli plants and seeds
Salcombe Chocolate Academy - Learn to make your own truffles, or visit the chocolate shop and stock up on treats

Fine dining

White House Chillington - Long lunches to slow suppers in Chillington
The New Angel Dartmouth - Still Michelin star dining, now owned by Alan Murchison
Burgh Island Hotel Bigbury - Daily menu of fresh local produce at this listed Art Deco hotel
Queen Anne Restaurant Goveton - Awarding winning restaurant at Buckland-Tout-Saints Hotel

Fish and seafood

Seahorse Restaurant Dartmouth - Local fresh fish and seafood cooked over charcoal
Oyster Shack, Bigbury - ‘That seafood place’. A summer hotspot, so book early!
Rockfish Grill Dartmouth - Fresh fish and seafood for all the family in Dartmouth
Wildfire Bistro & Bar Dartmouth - Champagne and lobster as the sun goes down over the river

Pubs

Millbrook Inn South Pool - Recommended by all the pub guides and more. By car, 10 mins from Kingsbridge
Pilchard Inn Burgh Island, Bigbury - Enjoy a pint and a plate of oysters
Dartmoor Union Holbeton - 16C inn with its own micro-brewery. Restaurant (booking essential) and bar food
Floating Bridge Dartmouth - Great atmosphere and probably the best beer-battered fish and chips in Devon
Peter Tavy Inn Nr Tavistock- 15C inn on the edge of Dartmoor, serving good food and real ales. Recommended by all the pub guides.
Steam Packet Inn Totnes - Pub in an old converted riverside warehouse. Good restaurant standard food.

Fun ideas

Captain Flints, Salcombe – homemade pizzas, pasta, burgers, steaks and ice-cream specials – great for kids!
Riverford Kitchen Enjoy a feast of freshly picked organic seasonal produce in an award winning restaurant.
Party on a picnic boat Dartmouth - Fun for all the family – try the pirate picnic!
Garden Room Restaurant Galmpton - Stop off at Burton Farmhouse for a cream tea to remember
The Winking Prawn North Sands, Salcombe - Beach café and BBQ. Fresh fish and seafood – cut above café food. Great for all the family
Duster’s Bistro , Salcombe - Cosy continental-style bistro by the sea. Daily specials and live jazz on Sundays. Booking recommended.

Cafés and delicatessens

The Old Bakery Kingsbridge - Fantastic Sunday brunches. Also lunch, dinner and paella on request. Family friendly and just a walk away!
Mange Tout Deli & Café Kingsbridge - Great for lunch, good coffee and you’ll find it hard to resist buying some deli food
Kingsbridge Creamery - Delicatessen and patisserie, specialising in local Devon produce
Venus Café Blackpool Sands - Everything from breakfast to evening BBQs. Organic and locally produced food. This branch is open all year
Effings Totnes - Fine foods for fun! Deli selling speciality foods from Devon, the UK and Europe with tiny restaurant at the rear

Staying in

Red Earth Kitchen Kingsbridge - Simple food- big flavour! A range of delicious gourmet ready meals. Also a mouth-watering deli and café
Aune Valley Meat Loddiswell - Visit their farm shop or order online for free delivery to Lower Coombe Royal. Locally reared meat
Heron Valley Loddiswell - Award-winning organic juices and Devon cider. Order online or available in Red Earth Deli in Kingsbridge
The Local Food Company Ivybridge - Quality South West food and drink, including a range of ready meals, delivered to your door.
Riverford Farm Shop Staverton - Butchery, bakery, organic vegetables and organic dairy products. Ready-made meals and soups.

Drink

Pebblebed Vineyards Topsham – Take a vineyard tour, sample the wines, adopt a vine
Sharpham Vineyard - Visit Sharpham, take the tour and sample their wines and cheeses. Small alfresco café (Easter to September) if fine
Plymouth Gin - Visit Blackfriars Distillery, opened in1793, the oldest working distillery in the country
Quercus Brewery - Small family-run brewery and beer shop near Kingsbridge.

See also Food - the South West’s food magazine for further inspiration.