Live and Let Live, Landscove

Sunday roast from the Live and Let Live, Landscape

An under the radar gem of a pub, with Devon stone walls, wooden tables and a cosy fireside. Here’s rated for its excellent farm-to fork-roasts, and satisfying alternatives which won’t have the veggies looking forlorn while you tuck into a choice of local Darts Farm beef or rolled lamb, South Devon chicken or moules marinière. Pop in to Hill House Nursery afterwards for some plant shopping.

Millbrook Inn, South Pool, near KIngsbridge

Sunday roasts from Millbrook Inn, South Pool in Devon

Since the new team reignited this riverside inn in 2021, it’s been going from strength to strength and multi-friends are texting telling me to go! Head chef Tom Westerland makes creative use of the cuts from the family farm reared organic and heritage breed meats to create a quality Sunday roast with all the trimmings. At £38 for the farm’s Fowlescombe beef, it tips the scales somewhat, but there’s also a choice of hogget, or a veggie glazed celeriac dish in the £20-27 range too. A recent review in the Sunday Times piped: “I’d willingly row Mary Poppins and the whole Banks family in a fleet of Silver Crosses to enjoy that dinner again.” Message received.

The Chagford Inn, Chagford

fireplace and artwork at The Chagford Inn, Dartmoor

We’re fresh from a tasting at this welcoming town centre pub (read the Muddy review) and have given it both thumbs up for its family and dog-friendly vibe and local Dartmoor-inspired artwork, all for sale. Owner-chef Ollie does the butchery, including making charcuterie, with all meat pasture fed, free range or wild. The day boat fish comes from the south coast, while veggies are sourced seasonally using local suppliers who are clearly considered friends. Drinks-wise, there’s a rotating range of local ales on tap, plus cocktails, a great wine list – with the added temptation of lovely Chagford and its walks around.

Kings Arms, Otterton

Why are the Sunday roasts so good at here? One – there’s a fab new female chef, and two – it’s part of the Greendale Group, the farm shop folks based near Exeter. No surprise then, it has a legion of fans booking into the dusky-blue dining area and airy conservatory every Sunday for Greendale silverside sourced from their own East Devon farm, roast pork and crackling, lamb, chicken, fish they’ve netted themselves on their own fishing boats and a vegan-pleasing wellington. It was a toss-up whether to use the picture of their bar with its wood-burner (the stack of roast won for obvious reasons) but rest assured it’s super-cosy and it’s dog-friendly too.

The Cary Arms, Babbacombe

Perched above Lyme Bay, The Cary Arms chefs don’t have to look far for local fish and seafood, and it’s not a bad view for you either – whether you’re tucking into Sammy’s Ale Battered Brixham Fish, oven-roasted fillets of John Dory or a traditional roast. Afterwards, there’s the beach at Oddicombe to explore and the charming cliff railway at Babbacombe.

The Ley Arms, Kenn, Nr Exeter

Scoot your Sunday roast-loving rump over to this marvellous 12th century pub, where they’ve just launched a stunning new stay option, so once you’ve washed down your slow roast Dartmoor beef, puds and gravy-soused pigs-in-blankets with a bottle of Sharpham, you can stumble over the road to Cramwell, a cosy-glam three bed cottage with more twinkly lights than Regent Street and *grabs the cozzie* a hot tub. The chef’s wife is coeliac so very happy to cater for all diets, plus they love dogs. Just don’t give any titbits to resident hound Reggie or his furry new friend, Bertie – unlike Muddy, they’re on a diet.

Circa at Sandridge Barton, Stoke Gabriel

Sunday roast at Circa, Sandridge Barton — Credit Stephen Heywood

Not moseyed over to Sharpham Wine’s new HQ yet? Here’s your excuse – the new Sunday lunch from Circa, SB’s rustic-luxe, on-site eatery. Circa have built a reputation for quality and sustainability, and being on this 450-acre estate, now they’re even more so. On the Sunday menu, a choice of hyper-local herb-roasted chicken on the bone, slow cooked mustard rub ribs eye of beef, free range pork belly and winter pumpkin wellington. Can’t decide – have all three! Washed down with a drop of Sharpham Reserve on the side, naturally.

The Sloop Inn, Bantham

Windy walk on the beach first, slap-up Sunday lunch later! Both are excellent, this being an award-winning 14th century pub a stone’s throw from the beautiful Bantham sands with views of Burgh Island.

The Old Smithy, Welcombe

Kirstie Allsopp’s cosy local (she has a holiday home here) is a charming 13th century thatched inn with a good pub garden, who do scrumptious Sunday Roasts with a rotating selection of beef, pork, lamb and gammon options alongside a fantastic nut roast. And their gluten-free meat and veggie gravies are prepared from scratch over 3 days from fresh stocks.

The Nightjar Inn, Aylesbeare

This Muddy Awards finalist knows how to serve up a Sunday lip-smacker: Fordmore Farm topside of beef, chicken supreme with sausage and cranberry stuffing, and pork belly from the excellent Kenniford Farm. So tough to choose.

The Duck at Yeoford

Muddy’s bete noire is a rubbish wine list (“What wines do you have? White or red.”) so hurrah for The Duck, who not content to let chef James’ blow you away with his brilliant cheffery, do over 20 wines by the glass. No surprise it’s on Sawdays’ list of 40 Best Pubs in the UK for a Sunday Roast. How about a roast pork loin or a grilled seabass option and a tasty homemade goat’s cheese risotto for the veggies? Do. Go.

Furzeleigh Mill, Buckfastleigh

Planning a stomp on Dartmoor this Sunday? How about a home-cooked lunch with all the trimmings at this hidden gem on the east side of the moors? A 16th century former mill, it’s family run and if you fancy making a night of it, there are 10 en suite rooms, blending modern four posters with ancient beams nicely.

The White Hart, Dartington, nr Totnes

Muddy’s go to when we fancy a slap-up lunch with the fam, all from local farmers, and somewhere close to walk it off – Dartington estate’s beautiful gardens with its ancient yew trees and Henry Moore sculpture.

The Black River Inn, Black Torrington

Love the taste of wood-fired food? Alex and Gill at Black River Inn made the unusual move to replace their gas fired oven with a hearth during lockdown and now everything from their tapas, to curry and Sunday roasts is cooked in this sustainable way.

Winslade Manor, Clyst St Mary

Sunday lunch sharing platter for two in a cool, Georgian manor with silky cocktail skills and a brilliant chef in Matt Mason? Don’t mind if I do. Tuck into roast sirloin of beef, free-range chicken breast, slow braised shoulder of lamb, boned and rolled pork belly, beef fat roasties, cauliflower cheese, swede, braised red cabbage, Yorkshire pudding and proper gravy.

Ocean View at The Dome, Plymouth

Hungry for city sightseeing and sea views? Head to Plymouth’s seafront for lovely local Cornish beef, ‘shrooms from Dawlish or slow-cooked pork belly, washed down with sticky toffee pudding and a cocktail or two. A two-course lunch is £23.50 so despite the luxe Art Deco style it won’t break the bank.

Masons Arms, Branscombe

An upmarket thatched St Austell Brewery pub that feels like an indie, thanks to its quality menu and stylish decor. It was packed on a rainy midweek night, so booking for Sunday lunch, served from 12pm with a choice of two meats, plus vegan and vegetarian options, is essential. There’s a pretty terrace with thatched parasols around the pub and if you want to walk it off, the Branscombe to Beer coast path for afterwards.

The Sea Trout Inn, Staverton

The Sea Trout Inn Staverton Sunday lunch

A hidden gem in a village near Totnes with a medieval bridge and a heritage stop on the South Devon Railway, locals like to combine this roast with a Sunday stomp though the woods and riverside from the Dartington Estate. Your reward is a tasty choice of Devon beef or pork belly, free range turkey crown or mushroom and cranberry nut roast. The portions are really generous, the veg super-fresh and the prices purse-friendly.

20 cosy Sunday roasts with all the trimmings near you

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