Restaurant in Chagford, United Kingdom
À la carte, one Michelin star, no tasting menu.
Gidleigh Park holds its Michelin star under new chef Ian Webber, who trained here in the Michael Caines era and has kept the cooking on form. Set in a Tudor-style mansion on the edge of Dartmoor, it offers a rare three-course à la carte at £75 (lunch) or £135 (dinner) — the strongest case for destination dining in the South West.
You turn down a narrow Dartmoor lane, wondering if your sat-nav has misled you, and then the Tudor-style mansion appears through the trees. That arrival alone does something to a special occasion. But the question is whether the kitchen backs it up — and in 2025, after a period of transition, the answer is yes. Gidleigh Park holds its Michelin star under new head chef Ian Webber, who trained here during the Michael Caines era and has, by all accounts, returned the cooking to the form that earned the restaurant its long reputation. Book it for a celebration or a serious food trip to Devon. This is one of the strongest cases for destination dining in the South West.
The dining room at Gidleigh Park sits inside a grand Edwardian mansion on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, and the physical setting does real work. The Tudorbethan architecture, the grounds running to the moor, the unhurried pace of the room — all of it signals that you are somewhere removed from ordinary dining. The interior is formal without being stiff: a country house register that makes sense given what you are paying, and service that sources consistently describe as friendly and attentive without tipping into theatre. For a special occasion, the spatial experience here is a genuine asset rather than mere backdrop. If you are comparing options, few rooms at this price point in the South West read as confidently as this one. Staying overnight at the hotel extends that atmosphere considerably , the arrival and departure become part of the event, not just a footnote.
The format is à la carte, which matters. At this tier of UK dining, tasting menus dominate: you sit where you are told, eat what you are given, and leave two-and-a-half hours later. Gidleigh Park still offers a three-course structure at both lunch and dinner, which gives you actual agency over the meal. That is not a small thing when you are travelling specifically to eat here. The cooking sits in the Modern European tradition , classically grounded, driven by premium seasonal ingredients, with the kind of international inflection that keeps the menu alive without abandoning the Devon larder that anchors it. Lobster and venison appear as benchmark ingredients; the kitchen's approach is to let those materials carry the dish rather than obscure them. The Opinionated About Dining guide ranked Gidleigh Park at #84 in Europe in 2025 (up from #70 in 2024), which positions it credibly within the top tier of British country house cooking. The Michelin star, retained through the chef transition to Ian Webber in February 2025, is the more bankable signal , and the fact that Webber trained here under Michael Caines means the institutional knowledge of this kitchen was not lost. The cellar is reported to be outstanding, which at £135 per head for dinner is the right pairing to have available.
Chef Chris Eden departed in late 2024. In a different restaurant, that kind of change at this level prompts a waiting period before booking. Here, the evidence suggests continuity rather than disruption. Ian Webber's appointment in February 2025, his prior training in this kitchen, and Michelin's decision to retain the star all point the same direction. Reports from regulars describe the cooking as having regained a strong stride. If you had Gidleigh Park on your list and paused because of the chef change, the current signals support removing that pause.
Budget: Lunch £75 per person (three courses); Dinner £135 per person (three courses). Wine pairing and extras will push the dinner total considerably higher , budget at minimum £200 per head with drinks. Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12:30pm to 9pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. Reservations: Book as far ahead as possible , this is a hard reservation, particularly for dinner. The combination of a small dining room, a Michelin star, and a destination location means availability moves fast for weekends and special dates. Contact directly via gidleigh@relaischateaux.com or +44 (0)1647 432367. Getting There: Gidleigh Park is outside Chagford on the edge of Dartmoor. The access lane is narrow; a confident driver is an asset. Staying at the hotel overnight removes the drive pressure entirely and is the recommended approach for a dinner booking. Dress: Smart casual is appropriate; the formality of the room suggests avoiding overly casual attire. Highlights: Three-course à la carte format, outstanding wine cellar, Peter Alliss 18-hole putting course, garden-to-table sourcing, access to Dartmoor.
Gidleigh Park belongs to a specific category: the destination country house restaurant where the room and the setting are as much the point as the food. If you are comparing it to urban fine dining in London, that framing misses what makes this booking worth making. Against its true peers in the UK, it competes directly with [Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, a Belmond Hotel in Great Milton](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/le-manoir-aux-quat-saisons-a-belmond-hotel-great-milton-restaurant) and [Restaurant Andrew Fairlie in Auchterarder](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/restaurant-andrew-fairlie-auchterarder-restaurant) as the kind of booking that justifies a multi-night trip. For the South West specifically, it has no direct rival at this tier. [L'Enclume in Cartmel](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/lenclume-cartmel-restaurant) and [Moor Hall in Aughton](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/moor-hall-aughton-restaurant) offer comparable ambition in the North of England, but neither replicates the Dartmoor setting. If the à la carte format matters to you , and it should, given how rare it is at this level , Gidleigh Park has a structural advantage over tasting-menu-only alternatives like [Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/restaurant-sat-bains-nottingham-restaurant) or [Midsummer House in Cambridge](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/midsummer-house-cambridge-restaurant). At £135 for three courses at dinner, it also prices below multi-course tasting menus at comparable Michelin-starred destinations, which makes the value case stronger than the headline number suggests.
Book at least four to six weeks out for weekend dinner , more for key dates like anniversaries, Valentine's, or holiday weekends. This is a hard reservation: a small dining room, a retained Michelin star, and a destination profile mean availability disappears well in advance. Lunch mid-week is more accessible but still worth securing early. Contact the restaurant directly at gidleigh@relaischateaux.com or +44 (0)1647 432367.
It is possible but not the natural fit. At £135 per head for dinner (before wine), solo dining here is a significant spend for a meal where much of the value is in the occasion and the setting. If you are a solo traveller making a dedicated food trip to Devon, it is a viable choice , particularly if you stay at the hotel. For a solo meal at this price point, [Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/restaurant-sat-bains-nottingham-restaurant) and [Midsummer House in Cambridge](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/midsummer-house-cambridge-restaurant) have counter seating that suits solo diners more naturally.
Yes , it is one of the stronger options in the UK for a genuinely occasion-grade dinner outside London. The Dartmoor setting, the country house room, the à la carte menu at £135 per head, the Michelin star, and a 4.8 Google rating across 384 reviews all point in the same direction. The arrival experience , the lane, the mansion, the grounds , does the work that a city restaurant cannot replicate. Staying overnight at the hotel makes the occasion more complete and removes any logistical pressure around the drive home.
There is no direct Michelin-starred alternative in Chagford itself. For comparable country house dining in the South West, your next tier down would be strong regional restaurants without the same awards profile. For destination dining at a similar level elsewhere in the UK, consider [L'Enclume in Cartmel](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/lenclume-cartmel-restaurant) (higher accolades, more experimental cooking), [Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Great Milton](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/le-manoir-aux-quat-saisons-a-belmond-hotel-great-milton-restaurant) (more formal, higher price), or [Moor Hall in Aughton](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/moor-hall-aughton-restaurant) (similarly strong country house positioning in Lancashire). If it is Devon specifically you want, Gidleigh Park is the clear answer at this tier.
The database does not confirm a bar dining option at Gidleigh Park. Contact the restaurant directly before your visit if this is important to your plans: gidleigh@relaischateaux.com or +44 (0)1647 432367. Given the country house format and the à la carte menu structure, the experience here is oriented around the dining room rather than informal bar seating.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gidleigh Park | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | ££££ | “What a relief… the departure of Chris Eden in late 2024 doesn’t seem to have rocked the boat” according to reports on this famous culinary destination, which seems finally to have regained a more impressive culinary stride in recent years. As one regular notes, “Michelin must have thought so, too in continuing in 2025 the (deserved) one star award after the appointment of Ian Webber [in February 2025] as the new chef – who fortuitously trained at Gidleigh in the Michael Caines days – and who the hotel knew would be a set of very capable hands” . Down a narrow lane on the edge of Dartmoor, you turn a corner to suddenly find yourself in this “gorgeous” ‘Tudorbethan’ mansion in scenic grounds by the moor. “It’s a thoroughly professional but relaxed operation” with service that’s “friendly and attentive without being overdone” and whose “imaginative and assured cooking matches the surroundings” . And, you don’t have to indulge in tedious tasting menus either with the menu format here being a good ol’ fashioned three course à la carte, be it at lunch for £75 per person; or dinner for £135 per person.; As you drive down the narrow, winding lane leading to Gidleigh Park, just know that you will be handsomely rewarded at the end of your journey. Situated inside a grand Edwardian mansion, this is the epitome of country house dining; the setting, both inside and out, is beautiful, while the cooking is underpinned by superb premium ingredients from lobster to venison. Their delicious natural flavours are showcased in classically based dishes with the odd dash of international flair. Any visit here is a joy, but staying over in the hotel makes it feel all the more special.; Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe Ranked #84 (2025); HIGHLIGHTS: • TUDOR-STYLE COUNTRY HOUSE • PETER ALLIS 18-HOLE PUTTING COURSE • GARDEN-TO-TABLE • OUTSTANDING CELLAR DIRECTIONS & ACCESS: Website and contact information E-mail: gidleigh@relaischateaux.com Tel. : +44 (0)1647 432367 MEMBER SINCE: 4.8/5; As you drive down the narrow, winding lane leading to Gidleigh Park, just know that you will be handsomely rewarded at the end of your journey. Situated inside a grand Edwardian mansion, this is the epitome of country house dining; the setting, both inside and out, is beautiful, while the cooking is underpinned by superb premium ingredients from lobster to venison. Their delicious natural flavours are showcased in classically based dishes with the odd dash of international flair. Any visit here is a joy, but staying over in the hotel makes it feel all the more special.; Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe Ranked #70 (2024); Michelin 1 Star (2024); Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe Ranked #145 (2023); World's 50 Best Best Restaurants #19 (2003) | Hard | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | ££££ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
How Gidleigh Park stacks up against the competition.
Book at least four to six weeks out for dinner, especially on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is closed Monday and Sunday, which concentrates demand across five service days. Lunch on midweek days is your best bet if you need flexibility — at £75 per head for three courses, it is also the stronger value entry point. Contact directly via gidleigh@relaischateaux.com or +44 (0)1647 432367.
It works for solo diners who want a serious meal in a relaxed setting — reports consistently describe the service as friendly and attentive without being formal or stiff. The à la carte format (rather than a chef's tasting menu) means you set the pace. That said, Gidleigh is a destination hotel surrounded by Dartmoor, so a solo visit without an overnight stay requires driving a narrow country lane both ways; factor that in if you are ordering from the wine list.
Yes — the combination of a Michelin-starred kitchen, a Tudor mansion setting, an outstanding cellar, and à la carte freedom makes it one of the more natural choices for a special occasion in the South West. Staying overnight in the hotel removes the logistics of the drive and turns dinner into a full event. At £135 per head for three courses before wine, it sits at a price point where the occasion needs to justify it, and the setting generally does the work.
There are no direct Michelin-starred competitors in Chagford itself — Gidleigh is the destination. For comparable country house dining elsewhere in Devon and the South West, The Elephant in Torquay (one Michelin star) offers a less remote option. If you are open to a full destination trip, Lucknam Park in Wiltshire and Belmond Le Manoir in Oxfordshire occupy a similar tier but differ in format and feel. Gidleigh's specific draw is Dartmoor proximity combined with à la carte rather than tasting-menu-only service.
The venue data does not confirm a dedicated bar dining option. Gidleigh Park operates as a hotel restaurant, and the Relais & Châteaux property format typically centres service in the formal dining room. For the most accurate current answer, check the venue's official channels at gidleigh@relaischateaux.com before assuming informal seating is available.
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