Harden's survey result
Summary
Down a narrow lane on the edge of Dartmoor, this famous Shrangri-la of fine dining occupies a large ‘Tudorbethan’ manor in beautiful grounds that border the wildness of the moor itself. It’s a “beautiful venue” with plush lounges and a series of panelled dining rooms, with “an outstanding welcome on arrival” especially for an overnight stay, from staff who contribute hugely to “a thoroughly relaxed but very smooth-running operation from start to finish”. All reports this year rated the cuisine as very good or better, with lots of diners reporting a “wow experience of old-world style and service” (“I’m frankly gutted that it took me this long to get there”). So we’ve rated it on this basis, despite the June 2024 departure after our annual diners’ poll had concluded of chef Chris Eden.
Summary
“Wow, what a treat… old world style and service… food all locally supplied, including from the hotel’s own kitchen garden… thoroughly deserving their new Michelin star!” – chef Chris Eden has delivered the goods at Andrew Brownsword’s stalwart destination, which lost its long-held accolade from the tyre men in 2019 and finally won it back in spring 2023. There’s nowhere else quite like this large, comfortable property, whose “lovely country house vibe” isn’t completely of a piece with its Tudorbethan styling, which would not be out of place in Surrey – yet here it is down a winding lane, beautifully situated in gardens on the fringes of Dartmoor. It became famous over 40 years ago under the Hendersons who were pioneers of the boutique hotel format, and has been owned by Brownsword since 2005.
Summary
“Set majestically on the upper reaches of the River Teign, on the very edge of Dartmoor”, Andrew Brownsword’s luxurious if remote Tudorbethan pile has set the standard for British country-house dining over four decades (initially under Paul & Kay Henderson, who sold up in 2005). “Service and ambience are, as always, unsurpassed” and “Chris Eden’s menu is superb” – even if he is yet to fully match the level of esteem achieved by some of his illustrious predecessors as chef, among them Shaun Hill, Michael Caines and Michael Wignall.
Summary
There is still the odd reporter who feels that Andrew Brownsword’s 100-acre Tudorbethan pile – long a gourmet destination – has lost its edge since Michael Caines left in 2016, but despite such nostalgia, reports this year were almost wholly praiseworthy. Chris Eden (who joined in 2019 from the Driftwood Hotel, where he was the first Cornish chef to hold a star in his home county) now oversees this “haven of gastro delights'', where meals “exquisite in every detail” contribute to “an exceptional experience” that's “ideal for a romantic weekend” featuring “lovely walks through the estate” (on the edge of Dartmoor).
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Gidleigh Park?
Chagford, TQ13 8HH
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinner | £135.00 |  |
 |
|
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £35.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
Chagford, TQ13 8HH
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑5:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑5:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑5:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑5:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑5:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
Best British, Modern restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Tavistock
British, Modern restaurant in Exeter
Afternoon tea restaurant in Gulworthy
