Addington Restaurant Guide

“Seasonal menus with delicious locally grown and reared ingredients at a fantastic setting which makes every visit a joy” – a formula that’s won foodie acclaim for this beautifully located ‘guesthouse, bakery and working farm’, where a meal (booking in advance is essential) is eaten in a very attractive converted barn. PR-wise, it has helped that owners April Bloomfield and Tom Adams had well-publicised gigs at restaurants in NYC and London before opening here.

This “romantic” hotel (owned by Olga Polizzi) occupies a “stunning location overlooking the Tamar Valley”. A diner recommending it for a date says its “roaring fires” and “old-school country-house atmosphere” help to “make up for any lack of quality in the rather traditional menu”. But that’s the only hint of criticism and all reports on its cooking were fundamentally upbeat this year. “Start with drinks on the terrace gazing at the dazzling views and then enjoy the three-course à la carte menu in the cosy, wood-panelled dining room at sunset”.

“This outstanding hotel overlooking the Tamar Valley on the border of Devon and Cornwall is a joy and the restaurant is one of its selling points” – another being the country pile’s “magnificent views”. One reporter who last visited in its heyday (in the 1980s) found it a little more average these days, but other diners praise its “well presented and tasty cooking” at “fair prices”.

A couple of miles from the entrance to Dartmoor National Park, John & Emma Hooker’s attractive coaching inn is no stranger to awards lists, currently ranking at number two on Estrella Damm’s Top 50 Gastropubs list. You’re “always guaranteed an absolute corker of a meal” (British, unpretentious, but “lavished with care”), and a “fab atmosphere” too – no wonder reporters just “love it here”.

“High-quality cooking, a buzzy atmosphere and reasonable prices” characterise locally born chef Benjamin Palmer’s six-year-old outfit “right by the harbourside”. Fresh fish and seafood dominate the menu, but there are beef and veggie options to satisfy fish phobes.

“What a fantastic new restaurant in Plymouth!” Chef Lee Calver made his November 2023 debut as patron alongside partner Chloe Lillicrap in the venue formerly occupied by well-known Rock Salt Cafe and Brasserie (RIP). The former Navy chef is aiming to provide ‘relaxed fine dining’ with an affordable brasserie-style menu. Fans say they “should be very proud of what they’re doing: the food is excellent, obviously a lot of thought goes into their menu and attention to detail is wonderful”. Top Tip – “Sunday lunches are outstanding value and delicious”.