Mill End Hotel and Restaurant

This converted 15th-century flour mill, set on the banks of the River Teign, is a multi-award-winning and utterly idyllic spot for lunch, afternoon tea or a candlelit dinner on Dartmoor.

Whether plumping for the daytime Lounge and Lawn menu or visiting for the à la carte line-up, relish the fact that almost every element on the plate has been crafted in-house by head chef William Broom and his kitchen crew. This includes the bread, cakes, sauces and even the bottled water, which is tapped on-site from a deep moorland source before going through a seven-stage filtration and purification process.

Dinner in the two-AA-rosette restaurant is a decadent affair featuring locally landed seafood, South West cheeses, meat from nearby farms and a raft of local suppliers including Devon Venison. Ingredients are fashioned into thoughtful dishes plated with flair.

A taste of what’s on offer includes Sladesdown Farm chicken and pork terrine with pickled veg; battered fish du jour with pommes allumettes, buttered hispi cabbage, brown shrimp and tartare sauce; and twice-baked cheese soufflé with forest fungi mushroom, chestnut spinach and black truffle fondue. Take post-dinner drinks in the smart lounge.

In the summer months, bag a table in the lush garden to munch on casual plates such as a ploughman’s lunch or a Mill FLT (fish finger, lettuce and tomato) sandwich.

Feeling organised? Restaurant bookings can be taken up to three months in advance.

Trencherman’s tip

Mill End has a number of bespoke rooms and suites for guests bringing canine companions. Pampered pooches are waited on hand and paw throughout their stay with welcome packs, breakfast sausages and dedicated dining areas.