Our digital Welcome Guide
Devon is Foodie Heaven and our guests can start to anticipate this as soon as they receive our digital Welcome Guide. The guide helps them find their way around our self catering cottages as well as planning their holiday or short break based at Twistgates Farm Cottages. The app gives ideas and suggestions for places to visit, things to do in the SouthWest and, of course, all things related to Devon is Foodie Heaven.
Recently I was updating the Welcome Guide and I realised that the section with the most entries, and if I’m honest the section I really enjoy updating, relates to food. Suggestions for pubs and restaurants, farm shops, markets and West Country produce, cafes and ice cream parlours … it’s a long list! So this blog features just a few of our current favourite discoveries to try and convince you that Devon is Foodie Heaven!
Sidmouth Arms in Upottery village
Conveniently, two circular walks pass Twistgates and wind their ways through the beautiful Blackdown Hills each taking in nearby pubs (the Sidmouth Arms in Upottery and the York Inn in Churchinford). Quench your thirst at either with locally brewed Otter Ales. While you’re at the York, pop into the Churchinford Community store to stock up on local meats, jams, cakes and vegetables. Farmers markets are always fun and there are good ones in Taunton and Exeter. Plenty of eateries and coffee shops too.
As for cafés … in Honiton (7 miles from us and a great place for your shopping) there are many to choose from but two warrant a special mention – Toast and the Boston Tea Party, both in the high street and both have outdoor spaces for enjoying good coffee and cakes in the fresh air.
The Candlelight Inn
You’ll find a huge range of restaurants to suit every pocket and every taste, many using locally sourced ingredients. Whenever I see references to reducing Food Miles my heart sings and around us several restaurants shout this out loud and clear especially The Pig at Combe, where they source the menu within a 25 mile radius. Also banging the drum are the Candlelight Inn at Bishopswood, and the Cotley Inn (neither are in Devon but we’re so close to the Somerset borders that I hope you’ll forgive the inclusions) where beautifully presented meals are served in relaxed and atmospheric surroundings.
Even nearer to Twistgates is High Grange . Here meals are prepared and served in a covered outdoor woodland kitchen and dining area. Join one of their Feast Nights with a group of friends. Or perhaps participate in a workshop.
Farm shops and markets
Farm shops with a difference include nearby Millers (make sure to visit the Fish Shack for locally caught fish and crabs, and, not quite so close, Darts Farm Shop. You’ll find everything connected with food at Darts – their fish and chips are delicious and they offer a huge range of meat, poultry and game as well as a wonderful selection of fruit, vegetables and cheeses including the very Best of the West. It’s very easy to combine shopping there with a visit to the seaside village of Budleigh Salterton or the cathedral city of Exeter.
I could go on and on, but it’s making me hungry, so to end I’ll recommend a visit to very local Otter Valley Field Kitchen. You can sit inside, or out, surrounded by the gently rolling hills where their cows graze. These same cows provide the vital ingredient that goes into their delicious, award winning ice cream, made on site so NO FOOD MILES!
The BEST ice cream!
Come and enjoy all that Devon has to offer – countryside, coastland, relaxation, food and drink – from the comfort of our self catering accommodation at Twistgates Farm Cottages. We’ll give you a warm welcome, plenty of suggestions to help you enjoy ‘ Devon is Foodie Heaven ‘, plus access to the latest version of our Welcome Guide.
click on the BOOK tab at the top of the page or ring Suzanne on 01404 861173