Two Devon restaurants named among UK’s best as Dartmoor venue shines in Top 100 list

Two Devon restaurants have been named among the best in the country in the new Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2026 guide, published this week, with Gidleigh Park in Chagford leading the way for Dartmoor.

The nationally recognised guide is based entirely on diner feedback, drawing on more than 30,000 reports submitted by around 2,500 people. 

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Harden’s remains one of the few printed, survey-led national guides and aims to reflect genuine customer experience rather than the assessments of inspectors.

This year’s edition lists 2,800 restaurants across the UK, but only 100 make the prestigious Top 100.

Gidleigh Park re-enters national spotlight

Gidleigh Park, set on the edge of Dartmoor near Chagford, achieved No. 34 in the UK, making it the highest-ranked Dartmoor venue and one of only two Devon restaurants to earn a national Top 100 place.

The guide highlights Gidleigh Park for its “imaginative, assured” cooking, “friendly, attentive” service, and “gorgeous” woodland setting. 

Diners praised what they called a “professional but relaxed operation”, reinforcing its long-standing reputation as a destination dining room.

ABOVE: Gidleigh Park, Chagford (Image: The Harden Guide)

Peter Harden, co-founder of the guide, noted the significance of Gidleigh Park’s return to prominence.

“Going back 20 years, Gidleigh topped our annual diners poll on numerous occasions and I’m happy to see it re-emerging as one of the UK’s foremost destinations,” he said.

He added that chef Michael Caines’ move to Lympstone Manor means Devon now boasts two Top 100 winners, reflecting the county's continued culinary strength.

Lympstone Manor secures second Devon spot

Lympstone Manor, overlooking the Exe Estuary near Exmouth, was ranked No. 51 and is described as delivering a consistently high-level dining experience in an elegant country-house setting. Diners regularly highlight both the cooking and the location as stand-out features.

ABOVE: Lympstone Manor, Exmouth (Image: Maypm)

A strong year for Devon and Dartmoor

In total, 35 Devon restaurants appear in the wider Harden’s 2026 guide, including notable South West high-scorers such as Crocadon (Saltash), Àclèaf at Boringdon Hall (Plympton) and Glebe House (Southleigh), all of which earned “Outstanding” ratings.

Dartmoor and its surrounding area also performed well, with inclusions such as:

• The Dartmoor Inn, Lydford
• Riverford Field Kitchen, Buckfastleigh
• Cornish Arms, Tavistock
• Hotel Endsleigh, Milton Abbot

The South West overall placed seven restaurants in the national Top 100, underlining what Harden’s describes as the region’s “continued strength” in high-quality dining.

ABOVE: The Dartmoor Inn, Lydford (Image: Jamie Townsend)

Despite pressures across the hospitality sector, editor Peter Harden said many South West venues show “remarkable resilience”.

“What our survey shows is the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade,” he said. “Diners expect very high standards, restaurants have had to work harder than ever to stand out.”

With Gidleigh Park and Lympstone Manor once again recognised among the UK’s best, Dartmoor and Devon continue to cement their position on Britain’s culinary map.