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One of England's foremost country-house hotels, Gidleigh Park occupies an enclave of landscaped gardens and streams, reached via a lengthy, winding country lane and private drive at the edge of Dartmoor. The pricey contemporary restaurant, directed by chef Chris Eden, has been showered with culinary awards, including two Michelin stars. You may see why when you dig into the steamed turbot served with squash, caviar, and seaweed, or aged fillet of beef cooked over coals, with smoked bone marrow, garlic, and spinach—two of the choices you might find on the three-course prix-fixe dinner menu (£125). There's also a "lounge menu," served in the lounges or on the terrace, which includes such starters as cheese soufflé and smoked salmon, and beef sirloin and gnocchi as main courses. The wine list is formidable, and the locally pumped spring water is like no other. If you're not up to a full meal, wholesome sandwiches are offered all day. You can also order a luxury picnic hamper (£125 for two) containing an array of cold meats, cheeses, bread, salad, sweet treats, and wine, which can be enjoyed at any time and anywhere in the house, within the grounds of Gidleigh Park, or further afield. Inside the long, half-timber building, built in 1928 in Tudor style, you'll find antiques in the public rooms and in the 24 luxurious guest rooms. Note, however, that the hotel and restaurant are currently closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon, TQ13 8HH, England
Known For
- Top-notch dining experience
- Range of menu options
- Excellent wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential
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This dining-focused pub with bright, homey furnishings and a relaxed ambience looks past green fields to the ocean beyond. The frequently changing fixed-price menus (£35 or £42) feature fresh, inventively prepared meat and seafood dishes; look for plaice and brown shrimps with capers in a samphire butter sauce or rump of beef with asparagus and polenta. Leave room for some enticing desserts. Eight smallish rooms provide guest accommodations. The inn sits near the curvy coast road 6 miles west of St. Ives.
B3306, Treen, Cornwall, TR26 3DE, England
Known For
- Unusual dishes alongside old English favorites
- Cozy decor
- Peaceful rural location
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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Paul Ainsworth is gradually expanding his culinary presence in Padstow to rival that of Rick Stein, and for many foodies, Ainsworth offers the better experience. His innovative creations can best be sampled at this intimate bistro that was his original foothold in the town, where diners seated in a series of small, stylish rooms feast on ingeniously concocted dishes that make the most of local and seasonal produce. The four-course set-price menus (£135) for lunch and dinner might include scallop with acorn-fed ham and white wine velouté for starters, and for the main course, you might try the tallow aged beef fillet with short rib savarin and stuffed morels or wild turbot with mashed potato and onion gravy, as well as some astounding desserts. The atmosphere is warm and lively, with swift, amiable service.
6 Middle St., Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8AP, England
Known For
- Exciting, creative cuisine
- Friendly and approachable staff
- Vivacious atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Mon., and mid-Jan.–early Feb.
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$$ | Harbourside |
Occupying a former police station, this modern, clean-lined restaurant affords serene views over the passing swans and boats. Upstairs, the more formal restaurant serves delicately cooked dishes like pan-roasted hake with braised octopus and chorizo stew or spiced tomato lentils, polenta, and wild mushrooms, while the lip-smacking desserts include cherry parfait with marshmallow and macerated morello cherries or white chocolate mousse with berries. On the river level, the Pontoon bar has a more rough-and-ready menu that includes oysters, salads, and burgers, and with its terrace seating, it also makes a great spot for a weekend brunch, afternoon coffee, or evening drinks.
The Grove, Bristol, Bristol, BS1 4RB, England
Known For
- Warm, friendly environment
- Soothing river views
- Weekend brunches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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The restaurant within this Georgian house has magnificent views across the wooded, rhododendron-filled Tamar Valley and a sophisticated menu featuring traditional British cuisine with French and Asian elements. A typical starter and main course might be seared scallops with cauliflower, cumin, and mango followed by Creedy Carver duck with baby leeks and Jerusalem artichokes, while desserts include warm rum baba with marinated pineapple, banana, and coconut. Alongside the three-course à la carte dinner menu (£60), there's a six-course tasting menu (£80), an à la carte "casual dining menu" available at lunchtime, and an "evening lounge menu." A converted coach house and the main house contain 16 sumptuously furnished guest rooms. It's 3 miles west of Tavistock.
A390, Gulworthy, Devon, PL19 8JD, England
Known For
- Sophisticated fine dining
- Stunning views
- Menus to suit all pockets
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Tues. and Wed. for non-hotel guests
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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The finest of a slew of restaurants and cafés clustered in Bristol's trendy, newly developed Wapping Wharf harborside district, this compact venue might be squeezed into a shipping container, but punches way above what its diminutive dimensions might suggest. The seasonally changing menu is also on the small side, but every dish is startlingly original, and each is a winner. Smoked trout with Jersey Royal potatoes, buttermilk, and horseradish, for example, is an excellent start to such mains as rump of lamb, borlotti beans, and charred radicchio. Desserts are also fabulous, and you can watch it all taking shape in the open kitchen. Dishes on the seven-course taster menu (£50; request when booking) are unspecified—it may surprise but will not disappoint. The restaurant is steps away from the Floating Harbour and M Shed, and there are tables outside on the deck for warm days.
Gas Ferry Steps, Wapping Wharf, Bristol, Bristol, BS1 6WP, England
Known For
- Cutting-edge menus
- Unusual (and very small) setting
- Hipster clientele
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Tues. No lunch Wed.
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Locals and visitors alike make a beeline for this gastro-pub in a 16th-century building with a number of small dining spaces done in spare, contemporary country style. The elegantly presented dishes may include dry-aged moorland sirloin in a peppercorn sauce, beer-battered hake, or butternut squash risotto with salsa verde. Set-price menus are sometimes available, and there's a separate vegan and vegetarian menu. If you don't want to go the whole hog at lunchtime, wholesome sandwiches are also served every day but Sunday). Three spacious guest rooms make it possible to linger.
Moorside, Lydford, Devon, EX20 4AY, England
Known For
- Varied and interesting menu using quality local produce
- Friendly and helpful staff
- Tasty sandwich menu at lunchtime
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$$ | Clifton |
For glorious views of Bristol's most iconic sight, this restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge can't be beaten. The menu is unapologetically carnivorous, specializing in steaks and smoked meats such as pastrami and ribs, though you can also enjoy spiced cauliflower steak, braised veal cheek, poached monkfish, and burgers. Sited inside the Avon Gorge Hotel and part of the Hotel du Vin group, it is named after the two legendary giants whose competition for the hand of the beautiful Avona led to the carving of the gorge. Enjoy pre- or post-prandial drinks on the broad outdoor terrace of the adjacent White Lion bar (also a lunch option for when the restaurant is closed).
Sion Hill, Bristol, Bristol, BS8 4LD, England
Known For
- Spectacular views
- Steaks and smoked meats
- Generous portions
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.–Fri.
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For views and location, this breezy beachside eatery with a crisp, modern interior and deck seating can't be beat. On the menu you'll find hearty breakfasts and a judicious balance of meat, seafood, and vegetarian dishes for lunch and dinner, from salads, sandwiches, and burgers to smoked fish trio and pork belly ribs. There are barbecues in summer, and live music on Sunday evening.
Cliff Rd., Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4PA, England
Known For
- Amazing views
- Family-friendly setting
- Live music on Sunday night
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Mon. and Tues. Nov.–Easter
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Seafood is the main event in the two small, pink-toned rooms of this restaurant off Market Jew Street. The menu showcases whatever the boats bring, though crab Florentine, grilled on a bed of spinach with a cheese sauce, is usually available. Meat dishes might include noisettes of Cornish lamb with fennel puree and rosemary sauce in spring and summer or breast of guinea fowl or venison loin in winter. The restaurant is small—just six tables—and the semiformal style is intimate, elegant, and traditional.
46 New St., Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 2LZ, England
Known For
- Fresh, expertly prepared seafood
- Refined and traditional ambience
- Initimate setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Mon., and 3 wks Nov. and Feb. No lunch
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Exeter-born master chef Michael Caines has breathed new life into this elegant Georgian mansion overlooking the Exe estuary 5 miles south of Exeter, where he has installed three separate dining rooms to showcase his highly original recipes. The wow-factor starts the moment you arrive, with unforgettable estuary views forming a fitting prelude to the gastronomic feast to follow. The seasonal four-course lunch menu (£95), à la carte fixed-price menu (£155), and multicourse tasting menus (£180 and £195) might include such dishes as shellfish ravioli with langoustine bisque, salted Newlyn cod with lemon purée, Lyme Bay crab, samphire, and chorizo, and poached chicken with Wye Valley asparagus and wild garlic. There is a separate vegetarian and vegan menu that has choices like herb and nettle risotto with aged Parmesan cheese, while typical desserts include apple mousse with green apple jelly, apple sorbet, and vanilla foam, and mango and lime soufflé. Luxurious accommodations are also available on site.
Courtlands La., Exeter, Devon, EX8 3NZ, England
Known For
- Fabulous location
- Stylishly presented and eclectic gourmet cuisine
- Frequently changing fixed-price menus and tasting menus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon. and Tues.
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Intimate and elegant, this restaurant located within a luxury guesthouse is an ideal hideaway if you want some respite from the crowds swirling around St. Ives. Everything on the seven-course tasting menu (£49 or £69) is locally sourced and seasonal, and the chef will take the time to talk you through each dish; the menu's highlights might include lobster bolognese cannelloni with a caramelly lobster sauce, duck with Puy lentils and smoked carrot, or guinea fowl terrine with celeriac and pickled mushroom. With its boldly patterned wallpaper, the restaurant enlivens its classic style with modern decor, and there are superb views over Porthminster beach and the sea.
27 The Terrace, St. Ives, Cornwall, TR26 2BP, England
Known For
- Fine dining away from the crowds
- Inventive tasting menus
- Wonderful sea views
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. in Jun.–Sept. and Sun.–Wed. in Oct.–May. No lunch
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Fresh seafood landed at the nearby quays, such as sea bass and hake, features high on the menu at this Barbican eatery, but you will also find pastas, risottos, steaks, and slow-cooked duck-leg confit. Cornish mussels or grilled scallops make an ideal light lunch, while desserts include crème brûlée served with salted caramel ice cream or raspberry and Champagne sorbet. The modern decor in the two dining areas—upstairs and downstairs—is crisply white, the service is enthusiastic, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly.
33 Southside St., Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 2LE, England
Known For
- First-class service
- Creative and delicious food
- Tasty desserts
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A 14th-century inn and a row of thatched cottages make up this pub-restaurant with great views over the Bristol Channel. The kitchen mixes local cuisine with European influences, so expect dishes like Exmoor rib-eye steak and roasted artichoke, tomato, and black olive Provençal tart. There's fresh seafood year-round, and a superb game menu in winter. Booking ahead is advisable for the restaurant; otherwise, just show up for the bar menu, which features such snacks as soused mackerel fillet and crab sandwiches. In the attached hotel, corridors and creaking staircases lead to cozy guest rooms decorated in stylish print or solid fabrics.
Riverside Rd., Lynmouth, Devon, EX35 6EG, England
Known For
- Traditional pub decor and ambience
- Good range of local ales
- Delicious seafood and local meat dishes
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Part of chef Rick Stein's empire, this French-leaning bistro with contemporary art adorning its walls has a secluded feel. The menu is strong on seafood but also offers succulent steaks and tasty vegetarian choices, featuring dishes like whole grilled lobster, a warm salad of monkfish, prawns and fennel butter, and ravioli with porcini mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and hazelnuts. Look out for the set-price menus that are sometimes available. When the weather's nice, you can dine in the sunny walled garden, and Ruby's Bar next door offers a cozy nook for gins and cocktails. Upstairs are 10 spacious bedrooms individually decorated with stylish modern pieces.
4 New St., Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8EA, England
Known For
- Unpretentious fine dining
- Smart but lively ambience
- Walled garden for eating outside
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Housed within the historic Plymouth Gin Distillery in the heart of the Barbican, this restaurant owned by a distinguished local culinary duo is a cheerful spot for a quick lunch or a more leisurely evening meal. The menu might include locally caught hake with Shetland Isle mussels and potato gnocchi; pea and mascarpone risotto with goat's cheese; or a steak from the charcoal grill. To finish, try one of the toothsome desserts, perhaps the whipped vanilla cheesecake with strawberries. There are good set-price menus at lunchtime and early evening, and you can sample gin cocktails in the Refectory Bar on the same premises, made with the Plymouth Gin distilled on site.
60 Southside St., Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 2LQ, England
Known For
- Buzzy atmosphere
- Cool distillery location (with plenty of house-made gin on the menu)
- Friendly staff
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Tues.
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Set back from Torquay's harbor, this elegant eatery offers sophisticated but relaxed dining, with views over Torbay from its Georgian windows. The innovative menus offer such starters as Brixham crab with sour apple jelly or hand-dived scallops with whey-butter sauce and pickled grapes, and, among the mains, you might find rump of lamb with Provençal-style vegetables or roasted monkfish with ravioli of salsify and fennel. The highly skilled kitchen is matched by the pleasant and attentive wait staff. At lunch, you can choose between the set menu (£28–£32) or a set-price à la carte menu (£53 or £68), which is also available in the evening alongside a multicourse tasting menu (£90).
3-4 Beacon Terr., Torquay, Torbay, TQ1 2BH, England
Known For
- First-class service
- Delectable dishes
- Fixed-price menus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed late Dec.–mid-Jan. and Sun.–Tues. in early Sept.–early Apr.
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Slightly off the tourist track but only a few minutes from the cathedral, this classic gastro-pub offers a winning combination of traditional decor lightened with tasteful modern touches and great, locally sourced food. The eclectic menu includes such standout dishes as Madras chicken curry, confit of duck, and beer-battered haddock. It may appear small at first sight, but there's a second dining area with a similarly cozy feel upstairs. Good local ales are served at the bar.
1 St. Thomas St., Wells, Somerset, BA5 2UU, England
Known For
- Warm, intimate atmosphere
- Extensive menu with some great English classics
- Good range of beers, including local ales
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun.
