Devon's finest country pubs: a field-tested editorial circuit
Devon offers a density of distinctive pubs that few English counties can match. From the thatched roofs of Lustleigh to the granite drovers' inns of Dartmoor and the harbour-front taverns of the south coast, the choice is almost embarrassing. This guide is our editorial picks after several years of repeated visits.
The Drewe Arms, Drewsteignton
Tucked into a tiny village on the northeastern fringe of Dartmoor, the Drewe Arms is the closest you can come to a perfectly preserved Devon village pub. Grade II listed, thatched, and serving the local population since the 17th century, the Drewe Arms is owned by the National Trust but operated by a tenant. The atmosphere is genuinely unselfconscious: granite floors, log fires in winter, and a clientele that is roughly equally split between locals, walkers from nearby Castle Drogo, and pub enthusiasts who have heard the name.
The cask ales rotate, but expect at least one from Otter Brewery (Honiton, East Devon) — usually the bitter or amber ale. The food is plain pub fare done well: ploughman's lunches, pies, locally sourced steaks. The Drewe Arms is not trying to be a gastropub, and it is the better for it.
If you visit only one Devon pub on the strength of this guide, make it the Drewe Arms. Aim for a weekday lunchtime in winter.
The Tradesman's Arms, Stokenham
The South Hams coast is dense with good pubs, but the Tradesman's Arms at Stokenham (just inland from Slapton Sands) is a particular favourite. The pub is thatched, comfortably ramshackle, and serves a small but considered cask range — typically including ales from Bays Brewery (Paignton) and Dartmoor Brewery (Princetown). The food is several notches above standard pub fare, with an emphasis on local seafood: crab on toast as a starter, hake in seasonal sauce, sea bass when the boats come in.
The Tradesman's is a ten-minute drive from the South West Coast Path at Beesands, making it an excellent post-walk lunch stop. Book ahead in summer.
The Warren House Inn, Postbridge
The Warren House Inn on Dartmoor sits at roughly 1,400 feet above sea level on the open moor between Princetown and Postbridge, making it one of the highest pubs in the South West. Locally famous for its peat-burning fire (said to have been alight continuously since 1845), the Warren House serves a basic cask range and traditional pub food in a setting that genuinely earns the word "remote".
The pub is a magnet for Dartmoor walkers and tin-mining historians (the area is dotted with disused tin workings, and the publicans are knowledgeable). On a wet, windy moorland afternoon, the Warren House is one of England's great refuges.
The Rusty Bike, Exeter
Devon's pubs are not all rural. The Rusty Bike, in the old industrial fringe of Exeter near the river, is a determinedly modern but characterful gastropub. Cask ales from local micro-brewers (Hanlons, New Lion, sometimes Mighty Hop), and a kitchen that takes the meaning of "pub food" seriously. Wood-fired pizzas, slow-cooked beef shin, hearty Sunday roasts. The atmosphere is more laid-back hipster than spit-and-sawdust, but the place is genuinely good.
The Old Inn, Drewsteignton
A second pub in Drewsteignton — the village punches above its weight. The Old Inn is more food-focused than the Drewe Arms, and the kitchen earns the focus: a small daily-changing menu drawing heavily from local producers, with serious attention to vegetarian options (rare in deep-rural pubs). Cask ales typically include Otter and Dartmoor Jail Ale. Rooms upstairs for those wanting to stay over.
The Black Dog Inn, Lydford
Lydford is a striking Dartmoor village (the gorge is a National Trust property nearby), and the Black Dog Inn is its centrepiece. The current building dates to the 16th century but the pub on the site is older. Inside: low ceilings, exposed beams, a granite fireplace large enough to walk into, and a steady cask range from regional brewers.
The Black Dog has the genuine quality of having been there forever and not really feeling the need to advertise the fact. The food is honest pub fare with daily specials reflecting the season.
The Pyne Arms, East Down
North Devon is less tourist-saturated than the south coast, and the Pyne Arms at East Down (a tiny village inland from Barnstaple) is one of the regional gems. Run by a husband-and-wife team with serious pedigree (the chef trained in London restaurants), the Pyne Arms walks the line between proper pub and serious restaurant. The cask range is small but well-kept; the food is what brings people the long winding drive from anywhere.
The Royal Castle Hotel, Dartmouth
The Royal Castle is a 17th-century coaching inn on Dartmouth's quayside, with a public bar that locals and visitors share equally. The location alone is remarkable — facing the inner harbour, with the Dart ferry crossing regularly. The cask range typically includes regional Devon ales and a guest ale, and the food is solid pub-hotel fare. For visitors to Dartmouth, the Royal Castle's public bar is the best spot to take stock between walks along the headland and trips upriver.
The Pigs Nose Inn, East Prawle
East Prawle is the southernmost village in Devon, perched above coastal cliffs. The Pigs Nose Inn is the village pub: small, idiosyncratic, full of nautical bric-a-brac and live music nights. The cask range is limited but the atmosphere is unique. East Prawle is a long way from anywhere, and the journey is part of the experience.
The Ferry Boat Inn, Dittisham
The Ferry Boat Inn at Dittisham (across the Dart from Dartmouth) is an institution. Painted white, perched at the water's edge, and packed in summer. The cask range is regional, the food is fish-led, and the experience of sitting outside on a summer evening watching the boats is one of the great Devon pleasures. In winter, the front bar with its log fire is among the most atmospheric drinking spots in the South West.
The Wild Goose Inn, Combeinteignhead
Combeinteignhead (near the Teign estuary) is an unassuming village with an unexpectedly serious pub. The Wild Goose runs a small but rotating cask range from across the South West (Otter, Bays, Teignworthy, sometimes Cornish brewers like St Austell), and the food is several steps above village-pub standard. The lunchtime menu in particular offers exceptional value.
Practical notes for visiting
- Driving: Devon is a driver's county. Many of the best pubs are reached by single-track lanes. Speeds are slow; allow time.
- Bus services: The 39 bus from Exeter to Drewsteignton serves the Drewe Arms. Most other pubs in this list require a car or a serious walk.
- Booking: In summer, book lunch and dinner in advance. Winter weekday visits are more relaxed.
- Cask ale: Devon's regional brewers (Otter, Bays, Dartmoor, Teignworthy, Hanlons) are well distributed in pubs across the county. Asking for a "local" ale will rarely produce confusion.
- Food: Most of these pubs offer food at lunch and dinner. The Warren House Inn and Pigs Nose are simpler; the Pyne Arms and Rusty Bike are more ambitious.
Suggested two-day circuit
For a serious Devon pub weekend, our suggested route:
- Friday evening: Drive to Drewsteignton. Dinner at the Old Inn or Drewe Arms. Stay locally.
- Saturday morning: Walk from Castle Drogo. Lunch at Warren House Inn (or Drewe Arms again).
- Saturday afternoon: Drive south through the moor. Stop at the Black Dog, Lydford if time permits.
- Saturday evening: Down to the South Hams. Dinner at the Tradesman's Arms, Stokenham. Stay in Dartmouth.
- Sunday lunch: Royal Castle Hotel, Dartmouth, or take the Dart Steam Railway to Dittisham for the Ferry Boat Inn.
- Sunday afternoon: Optional cliff-top walk to East Prawle. Drink at Pigs Nose before heading home.
Closing note
This list is editorial, not exhaustive. Devon has hundreds of pubs, and several worthy candidates were omitted on the grounds that they are either too well-known to need our coverage (the Royal Oak at Meavy, for example) or too inconsistent in our experience to guarantee a recommendation. We update this guide annually as ownerships change and pubs evolve.
Found a Devon pub we should know about? Email [email protected]. We read every tip.