Horn of Plenty - Tavistock

Over the years, the Horn of Plenty at Gulworthy has acquired near-legendary status in the West Country. The setting – in five acres of trim gardens and wild orchards high above the Tamar valley – is worth a detour in its own right, and the 200-year-old stone house has lost none of its inviting charm. Meals are served in a spacious dining room with a conservatory extension overlooking the grounds, and the menu spotlights Scott Paton's enthusiasm for home-grown, local and regional produce.

Top-drawer ingredients are garnered from Devon and beyond, and they are given harmonious modern treatment. Roast pigeon might be wrapped in a potato and served on a foie gras salad, while steamed red mullet appears on a sautéed crab cake with ginger and spring onions. Devonshire lamb also puts on a show – perhaps with wild mushroom salsa, basil mash red wine and garlic froth. To finish, there could be lemon pannacotta with marinated oranges and lemon sorbet or passion fruit bavarois. A fine choice of French wines is augmented by a sound selection from the rest of the world.