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Embracing the trend for using leading, organic, local produce in the acclaimed restaurant of his Charlton House Hotel, owner Roger Saul searched high and low to find a head chef who is as passionate about organic produce as he is. Steve Horrell was the man who fitted the bill.

Since joining Sharpham Park Restaurant, having previously worked at Babington House, Steve has re-launched the restaurant?s approach to its food and service utilising seasonal, organic and local produce with the likes of Sharpham Park poached organic pears, chicory, dandelion and Exmoor Blue and walnuts.

Steve has also incorporated rare breed meats from the Saul?s organic Sharpham Park farm. Rare breed White Park beef, Hebridean and Manx Loghtan sheep, and Red Deer are all specialties on his menu with dishes such as beef carpaccio, spiced beetroot, watercress and horseradish.

They also cater for those who experience wheat intolerance with a menu that offers a selection of dishes that replaces wheat with the organically grown Spelt grain, which is farmed locally at Sharpham Park. Steve has created specialties such as roast pumpkin and cinnamon speltotto with chestnuts, crispy sage and Parmesan to tempt those avoiding wheat.

The wine list maintains the same high quality with an extensive and well-chosen list, there are nearly twenty selections by the glass.

This incredibly pretty house, recently brought back to life by Darren Carter and Jason Goy, now offers a restaurant with rooms in elegant surroundings. The restaurant, described as 'intimate' in one guide is painted a deep aubergine which possibly prompts a reflection on the famous remark about a leading politician, "something of the night . . . ." The effect is dramatic.

The day is split into four periods of eating, with dinner as the main event. Darren offers a two or three course menu, starting with a selection of canapés before going on to, say, starters of smoked haddock on a bed of lemon and ginger risotto, or a warm salad of asparagus with feta and quail's egg. Vegetarians are kept in mind with a delicate Mediterranean tart accompanied by garlic mash and a green pepper crème frâiche. Breast of duck on coconut noodles with a cherry sauce marks a welcome return to basics and the puddings tend to follow suit with steamed chocolate pudding accompanied by double chocolate ice cream and caramel sauce, and fresh fruit salad with crème chiboust well up the list. Menus follow the seasons and total freshness is assured.

If the contents of the cellar depend upon the temperature, though recent research now seems to cast some doubts, Bowlish House is fortunate. A spring under the cellar flags links up with a small stream to give a remarkably consistent temperature, varying no more than 2 or 3 degrees winter or summer. The enterprise is all part of a long term renovation of this beautiful Grade 2 listed Georgian Palladian house, which everyone wants to see succeed.

This historic inn is surrounded by the lush and mysterious countryside of Dartmoor National Park and is renowned as one of Britain's most unusual pubs. The building has a mix of the original stone and wooden structures, with gothic arches, a wooden door from a whaler, a serpent and numerous other antiques, which revive the charm of bygone times. It was originally built as an inn in 1282 and has undergone several transformations since.

Formerly owned by Rita and Buster Jones, who ran it with passion for several decades, the establishment is today in the capable hands of their daughter Sally and her husband Bruce. The family takes great pride in catering for different occasions, from intimate dinners to weddings.

The Rita Jones, Locker, Lounge and the Snug bars provides a distinct ambience but they are great to relax in over a drink. The inn also has a few rooms for guests wanting to stay over and take a break. While they have lunch and dinnertime fare, Bruce is well known for his breakfast specials. He uses organic produce and ensures vegetarians have enough choices too.