Best restaurants on Dartmoor
The best Dartmoor restaurants generally come in two guises: beautifully rustic pubs where you can rock up in your wellies after a yomp with the dog to sink craft ales and tuck into polished pub food; and grand country houses serving exquisite multi-course menus in panelled dining rooms steeped in history
Both have their place. Head to the heart of Dartmoor in the United Kingdom and find restaurants to suit any occasion or attire.
Hotel Endsleigh, Milton Abbot
Grade I‑listed Hotel Endsleigh is the former residence of the Duke of Bedford, and the Devon contingent in The Polizzi Collection’s trio of boutique hotels. The grand building enjoys sweeping views across its beautiful grounds – designed by 18th-century landscape gardener Humphry Repton – and over the Tamar Valley.
Head chef Thomas Ewings diverts guests’ attentions from the greenery beyond the windows with smart dishes employing luscious local ingredients such as smoked Lydford Estate venison. His polished creations are savoured in a wood‑panelled dining room complete with roaring fire and original features.
The Dartmoor Inn, Lydford
The Dartmoor Inn has made a name for itself in the region thanks to its perfect balance of smart dishes and relaxed vibes. Chef Jay Barker‑Jones and wife Tess took over in 2019 and have since picked up honourable mentions including silver in the Devon and South West Tourism Awards, and Front of House Team finalist in the Trencherman’s Awards 2023.
Ever-developing menus mirror what’s in season and produced locally, as well as seafood to reflect the pub’s equidistant proximity to Devon’s north and south coasts.
Bovey Castle, North Bovey
Sweeping driveway: check. Warm welcome from the porter: check. An array of traditional rural pursuits, from fly fishing to falconry: check. Neo-Elizabethan manor Bovey Castle is the epitome of the English country house experience, with a sumptuous spa thrown in for good measure.
Its three-AA-rosette fine dining restaurant, Great Western Grill, reopened recently following a major refurb and now includes a Champagne and oyster bar for pre-dinner bubbles. Its sister restaurant, Smith’s Brasserie, presents a more relaxed, Mediterranean-inspired dining offer for those staying more than one night. Both restaurants make the most of the estate’s abundant produce, including beef, game and seasonal vegetables.
Mill End Hotel, Chagford
Perched on the banks of the River Teign, this converted 15th-century flour mill is an idyllic spot for lunch, cream teas or a candlelit dinner. Almost every element of the daytime Lounge and Lawn menu and à la carte line-up has been crafted in-house by head chef William Broom and team. Even the bottled water is tapped on-site from a deep moorland source and put through a seven-stage filtration process.
The Mill End is super dog-friendly, so bring your pooch along for a weekend on the moor.
The Horse, Moretonhampstead
Chef-owner Nigel Hoyle dishes up Mediterranean-inspired cooking in a classic pub setting at The Horse. Thin-crust, twice-risen focaccia dough is piled high with locally sourced and Italian-imported artisan ingredients for superior pizzas with names such as The Eastern (spiced lamb) and Vesuvio (v. hot). Seasonal specialities include homemade bresaola: Dartmoor beef topside cured for two weeks in red wine. Visit with a crowd and order to share.
Two Bridges Hotel, Princetown
The ornate fireplaces, grand old clocks and paintings, polished brass and copper and a well-stocked bar of Two Bridges Hotel are precisely what you’d hope to discover after a day tramping over tussocky hills.
Within this characterful setting, head chef Josh Chan utilises hyper-local suppliers as much as possible to curate Dartmoor-centric menus featuring the likes of guinea fowl with asparagus, morel, butterbean and lime jus, and duo of Devon pork (honey-glazed belly and loin) with cinnamon carrot and smoked pomme puree. Evening guests can enjoy the four-course signature menu for an elevated experience.
The Chagford Inn
Visitors to the historic village of Chagford count themselves lucky if they stumble upon the casual Chagford Inn and discover the excellent eating to be found behind its terracotta facade. It’s run by chef Ollie Vernon and partner Jordan Ralph (front of house), who serve up astonishingly lovely dining-pub dishes.
The quality cooking is rooted in a commitment to using ingredients from farmers who share the pub’s values regarding sustainability. The restaurant holds an AA rosette but the dining takes place in the laid-back setting of the pub, where locals gather for a pint next to friends feasting on fine food.
Bearslake Inn, Okehampton
The ancient 13th-century Bearslake Inn, with its thatched roof and granite stone walls, is a perfect fit in a landscape of dramatic moorland. Inside, cob walls, low beams and narrow passages lead to a labyrinth of rooms where guests can find a cosy place to dine – evidence of the pub’s former life as three separate cottages.
Seasoned head chef Dolton Lodge (formerly of The Galley in Topsham and The Lamb at Longdown) upholds his reputation for precise, flavoursome cooking with an ethos that revolves around quality seasonal ingredient. These are crafted into gastropub classics such as cider-braised pork belly with roast Cornish cauliflower, confit potato and Granny- Smith-and-cider jus.
Live and Let Live, Landscove
Great dining pubs should tick the following boxes: seasonal dishes crafted from local produce, a home-from-home atmosphere sans stuffiness, and a warm welcome for everyone. The Live and Let Live pub hits full marks under the guidance of chef Iain Dawson, whose signature style has taken the pub to the next level.
Iain’s rural cooking feels right at home in this rustic setting. Produce from nearby farms, South West seafood, and foraged ingredients from hedgerow and field come together in dishes packed with flavour. Mains such as pork chop with celeriac puree, cider and fennel jus and triple mustard are rich, hearty and honest, a jostling amalgam of smoky, salty, caramelised and sweet flavours.