Ashburton, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“Very relaxed but with always interesting food” – this organic and ethical pub-with-rooms won the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s coveted Sustainability Award last year – recognition of the efforts made by the team led by founder Geetie Singh-Watson, a self-styled ethical publican who sold her flat in London to rescue what had been a run-down local boozer. The locally sourced food does not just tick the sustainability box: “the local ingredients are varied and excellent, in intriguing combinations. eg. beetroot and sheep’s curd starter is simple, yet tasty and on a recent visit a cod’s head was on the menu”.

“This reliably consistent beacon of Michelin star excellence handily placed by the yacht club and marina is an absolute stalwart”, having held the accolade since 2006. “Both the kitchen and front of house continue to deliver”, with much of the produce for the restaurant grown on owner Simon Hulstone’s 100-acre Brixham farm. Occupying an elegant Georgian townhouse, it’s relatively informal by the standards of foodie temples, and there’s a sensibly priced à la carte alongside the fancier tasting options.

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.