The Best Restaurants in Devon

Follow the River Taw inland from the coast and you’ll get to the river-port town of Barnstaple. Tucked down one of its alleyways is this formally laid-out restaurant showing off the skills of its eponymous chef-owner. As you ascend the stairs from the bar to the vaulted-ceilinged restaurant, anticipation builds for the set menu of ambitious, elaborately constructed dishes that highlight Bryant’s eye for flair and presentation. Strong ingredients ground the cooking and help maintain quality throughout.

In a beach destination like Croyde – somewhere you’re likely visiting when the temperatures are soaring and the sun is beating down – you need somewhere like this to rest and recuperate. A seat on the terrace presents an ideal opportunity to rest up and watch your fellow holidaymakers passing by, but the modern, stylish interior is equally enjoyable if you’d rather have some time in the shade. The cooking will reinvigorate you with its strong flavours and convincing combinations, while the friendly team keep things running smoothly.

Restaurant names don’t come much more appropriate than this. Perched on the cliffside up above Sandy Bay, this is the place to come for a spectacular view. Whether you’re in the dining room with its floor-to-ceiling windows or out on the terrace, it’s a stunning spot to watch the sun set and the light reflecting off the cliffs. Part of the family-run Sandy Cove Hotel – a longtime fixture in these parts – the restaurant serves a vibrant, technically accomplished tasting menu studded with southwest seafood.

Situated close to the harbour in the popular seaside town of Ilfracombe, this endearing little bistro is run by a couple who take great pride in local produce. That means a daily changing menu reflecting whatever ingredients are available at the time – which will no doubt include some fresh seafood – all of which are handled with care and respect so they deliver plenty of flavour. There are bedrooms available too, if you want to stay the night and explore the town.

If you find yourself exploring the North Devon countryside, you’d do well to stumble across Woolfardisworthy. This tiny little village is actually pronounced ‘Woolsery’ and often spelled as such too, making life that little more bemusing for map-readers everywhere. At its heart is The Collective at Woolsery, an immaculate collection of cottages and bedrooms, a fish & chip shop and The Farmers Arms – a beautiful pub driven by its farm-to-table ethos. Ingredients from their farm are everywhere on the menu… and they’re delicious.

The jewel in North Devon’s culinary crown, The Masons Arms holds the only MICHELIN Star in the region. Lying further inland than most restaurants, it’s well worth trading a sea view for the magnificent vistas across Exmoor National Park – plus the top-drawer cooking that ticks all the boxes for top-quality pub dining. The proudly classical cooking is a straightforward joy, with impeccable technique brought to tried-and-tested combinations. No lilies are gilded and no wheels are reinvented – it’s all about the flavours, and they are superb.

There’s so much to love about the cooking at Andria. The excellent produce and attention to detail in the technique mean that each plate bursts with clean, vibrant flavours. There is no single clear influence on the menu; inspiration could come from India in one dish and Spain in the next. Whatever the cuisine, the chefs ensure it will leave you satisfied, thanks in part to sensible pricing that allows for some overzealous ordering. In the popular coastal town of Dartmouth, this is an ideal spot after a day on the water or a stroll along the embankment.

In a town known for its independent shops and bohemian spirit, this proudly run spot is a great fit for the High Street scene. The two owners – one chef, one manager – combine to offer genuine, affable service and mightily appealing dishes with a local outlook. Low-intervention wines fit their ethos, while the menu of sharing plates, some of which are cooked over an open flame, ensure Circa is bang on-trend. It’s all wrapped up in a lovely setting too, occupying a refurbished 18th-century building.

Every neighbourhood needs a good Italian restaurant – and Emilia is proudly playing that role for Ashburton. A simple, rustic and totally loveable osteria, it’s the place to come for fresh homemade pasta and authentic, pared-back Italian classics packed with flavour. Portions are generous and the dishes can easily be shared, meaning you’ll keep smiling even when the bill is delivered. Just a minute away, the team give French cuisine the same treatment at Le Vin Perdu.

For fans of grand country houses, they don’t come much better than Gidleigh Park. Home to both a Two-MICHELIN-Key hotel and a Starred restaurant, it’s a gorgeous Tudor-style construction with tennis courts and a putting green amidst its grounds. In the restaurant, the team continue to deliver a wonderful experience, with luxury produce of the highest quality showcased in well-judged combinations. What’s more, it’s situated within Dartmoor National Park, so there are acres upon acres of natural beauty to explore nearby.

Having once been the chef at Gidleigh Park, Michael Caines knows a thing or two about impressive country houses – hence why he now has one of his own. At Lympstone Manor (a Two-Key hotel and One-Star restaurant), he offers a delightful all-round package, from the Georgian building to the exceptional cooking. Superb ingredients are, of course, the bedrock, elevated even further here by Caines’ years of experience and abundant technical skill. Each dish arrives looking immaculate and tastes just as good.

It would be remiss of you to visit a county so known for its coastline and not indulge in a full-on feast of seafood. Seahorse is the place to do that: a proudly run restaurant from Mitch Tonks, one of the big names in Devon hospitality. His son Ben is now in the kitchen, continuing the same ethos of unfussy, Italian-inspired dishes that celebrate a carnival of different fish and shellfish. Crudos, seafood pastas and fish cooked over fire all feature at a restaurant where the biggest challenge is deciding what to order.

Nestled on the edge of Dartmoor, The Cornish Arms is exactly what you want in a proper dining pub. It retains the feel of a local inn, with drinkers welcome to come in for a pint, and its cooking is so reliably enjoyable that you come here knowing you’re in for a good time. The kitchen understands the difference between detail and fuss, putting great care into the execution of each dish, while keeping them straightforward and focused on flavour. The prices aren’t too hard on the wallet either, adding further to the appeal.

Another restaurant to make the most of Devon and Cornwall’s plentiful seafood, The Galley is a cheery, well-priced spot that’s sure to lift your spirits. The cooking has a rustic edge, with plenty of big flavours, but what’s most impressive is how they work so well with the natural tones of the seafood. The ingredients are enhanced, not overwhelmed, by their accompaniments. Cheery service adds to the appeal, as does the prime location by the River Exe.