Visitors to the historic village of Chagford – and they arrive in droves in summer – count themselves lucky if they stumble upon this casual rural inn and discover the excellent eating to be found behind its terracotta facade.

The cosy hidden gem is run by chef Ollie Vernon and partner Jordan Ralph (front of house), who serve up astonishingly lovely dining-pub dishes.

The high-quality cooking is rooted in Ollie’s commitment to ingredients from farmers who share his values regarding regenerative agriculture and sustainability. Food waste is reduced by whole-carcass butchery, done on-site.

The restaurant holds an AA rosette but the dining takes place in the laid-back locale of the pub, where locals gather for a pint next to friends feasting on fine food.

Standout dishes on the seasonally changing menu include the duo of pasture-fed Sladesdown duck with celeriac and griottine cherry jus, and ravioli of rabbit with morel, pistachio and truffle. For a quick and casual lunch, try the homemade corned beef with fried organic egg.

Ollie’s desserts are strikingly good, especially the chouxbarb crumble: a crumble-topped choux bun, split and filled with vanilla cream, pink rhubarb and vanilla ice cream.

Trencherman’s tip

Three simple bedrooms turn dinner at The Chagford Inn into a gourmet getaway on Dartmoor.