The Millbrook Inn

Since the Owens family took over this pub in the pretty village of South Pool in 2021, they’ve been honing its culinary character. Now, it’s gone next-level with the arrival of Elly Wentworth as the pub’s exec chef.

Elly most recently headed up The Angel of Dartmouth and has worked at prestigious establishments including Restaurant Hywel Jones at Lucknam Park. She has also represented the South West three times on the BBC’s Great British Menu.

Elly has incredible produce to work with at the Millbrook, as the pub’s sister business Fowlescombe Farm (she also heads up its Refectory restaurant) supplies meat from native and rare British breeds.

Her precise, produce-led approach centres on provenance; the kitchen takes its cue from what’s reared on the regeneratively tended land, as well as what’s landed on the nearby coast.

At the pub, these ingredients form dishes such as roasted rump of lamb with chargrilled summer vegetables and black olive tapenade, and hearty pork chop with roasted fennel and french mustard sauce.

For ultimate comfort eating, organic grass-fed beef – dry-aged for 45 days and served with chips, greens and peppercorn sauce – is pretty hard to beat.

Trencherman’s tip

Stylish guest accommodation at two cottages across the road delivers Egyptian cotton sheets, luxury toiletries and a slap-up breakfast in the morning.