Callington, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“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”.

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”.

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”.

“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.

“A wine bar with amazing character and great food” – Zoe Brodie & Fitz Spencer’s wine shop/deli overlooking Sutton Harbour offers some “fantastic small plates and sharing boards” – including ‘Fitzy’s Fat Boy Board’, which comprises pretty well the whole menu for £130.