Devon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-devon-restaurants-named-in-squaremeal-s-top-100">Two Devon restaurants named in SquareMeal&#8217;s Top 100</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/emila-ashburton.jpeg" alt="Emilia Ashburton " class="wp-image-73043" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/emila-ashburton.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/emila-ashburton-800x800.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/emila-ashburton-400x400.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/emila-ashburton-768x767.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/emila-ashburton-500x500.jpeg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit Emilia </figcaption></figure>



<p>Every year, kitchens wait with bated breath as the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/best/uk-top-100-restaurants_238">Top 100 Restaurants in the UK</a>&nbsp;is announced by SquareMeal. This is a defining list that recognises exceptional culinary talent, compiled by expert critics AND the voting public. For 2025, two Devon eateries have made the list. Taking 37th place is Exmouth&#8217;s <a href="https://lympstonemanor.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lympstone Manor</a>, the Michelin-starred hotel and restaurant owned by chef Michael Caines MBE.  Inspectors rated the estuary setting and location, along with Caines&#8217; iconic dishes and 600-bin wine list. Ashburton&#8217;s Italian listeria, <a href="https://www.emiliaashburton.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emilia</a>, was awarded 76th place for its flavourful, generously priced dishes, with the inspectors calling it an &#8216;adorable countryside spot&#8217;. If you need another excuse for a visit, Emilia is hosting a Korean Pop-up on 2 Feb, 35pp.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-foodie-openings-in-and-around-exeter">New foodie openings in and around Exeter</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/hanlees1.jpg" alt="Hanlee's Exeter " class="wp-image-73006" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/hanlees1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/hanlees1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/hanlees1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/hanlees1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/hanlees1-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit Hanlee&#8217;s</figcaption></figure>



<p>Princesshay&#8217;s foodie fortunes change so frequently they&#8217;re hard to follow, but where one door closes, as they say, another one opens! New on the block and right next door to POP Kitchen, <a href="https://princesshay.co.uk/shops/hanlees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hanlee&#8217;s</a> on Princesshay&#8217;s Bedford Street (the former Rohan) is a new indie promising &#8216;quick food for foodies&#8217;, with a range of healthy options, including salads, sarnies and soups. Open early from 7.30am it&#8217;s also serving up granola bowls, pastries and freshly made porridge for the Southernhay office crowd. Pleased to say it was already buzzing last week when we popped by.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="999" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/puravida.jpeg" alt="Pura Vida Exeter " class="wp-image-73010" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/puravida.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/puravida-800x800.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/puravida-400x400.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/puravida-768x767.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/puravida-500x500.jpeg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit Pura Vida </figcaption></figure>



<p>Over on Queen Street, it&#8217;s the arrival of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/puravida_exeter/?hl=en-gb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pura Vida</a>, an eye-popping new pizza shop just down from Central Station, where they&#8217;re serving up deep-pan Detroit style on a sourdough base. With a slice yours from £3, it&#8217;s already shaping up to be a great student hangout, and we&#8217;re loving the groovy pink, of course. Currently open Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/12/five-bells-clyst-hydon-1.jpg" alt="The Five Bells Cyst Hydon Devon " class="wp-image-31233" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/12/five-bells-clyst-hydon-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/12/five-bells-clyst-hydon-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/12/five-bells-clyst-hydon-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/12/five-bells-clyst-hydon-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/12/five-bells-clyst-hydon-1-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>In more good news, the popular former gastropub, <a href="https://fivebells.pub/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Five Bells</a> in Clyst Hydon, which Muddy hugely rated and which sadly shut after Covid, has been re-opened by a bunch of entrepreneurial volunteers and locals. Having bank-rolled the refurb last summer, they&#8217;ve been serving food informally via quality food vans&nbsp;in the car park. Now, manager Hannah tells us, they&#8217;re in the process of getting the kitchen up and running and are rolling out a series of pop-up chef takeovers. The Jan Burns Night <em>and</em> February Comedy Night are already sold out, so they must be doing something very right. One to get on your radar.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-totnes-gets-a-sauna">Totnes gets a sauna</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-3.jpg" alt="Totnes sauna" class="wp-image-72680" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-3-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Opened last week at Dartington’s Meadowfields Campsite is <a href="https://www.southwestsaunas.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South West Saunas</a> is a wood-fired sauna, handmade in Latvia with a metal Urban Ice Tribes cold plunge – and ha! – some Kent &amp; Stowe watering cans for pouring on your friends. The temp is roughly 80 degrees C and hats are available to improve your sesh. There’s also a brand-new shower and toilet block and free parking for sauna guests.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-5.jpg" alt="Totnes sauna owners Yussef and Jake " class="wp-image-73015" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-5.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-5-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-5-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/totnessauna-5-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Owners, Yussef and Jake (who both grew up in Totnes) are both sauna devotees having used them for various health issues, and have been planning this launch since last summer – so show the guys some support and go along and try it for yourself!&nbsp;<em>Open Fri 4-8pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9am-3pm. Communal session, £15, private session for up to 8, £99</em>,&nbsp;<em>memberships available</em>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-cultural-festival-for-dartmoor">New cultural festival for Dartmoor</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1498" height="842" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/dartmoor-tors.jpg" alt="Beltane Morris credit Dorset Morri'arty" class="wp-image-73027" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/dartmoor-tors.jpg 1498w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/dartmoor-tors-800x450.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/dartmoor-tors-1000x562.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/dartmoor-tors-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1498px) 100vw, 1498px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit Dorset Morri&#8217;arty</figcaption></figure>



<p>Devon author and former BBC journalist, Sophie Pierce, has just announced she&#8217;s creating a new event with her artist husband, Alex Murdin, <a href="https://dartmoortorsfestival.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dartmoor Tors Festival</a> (22-25 May), in conjunction with Ashburton Arts and Field System Gallery. It&#8217;s planned as a series of talks, walks, conversations and performances with the aim of exploring and celebrating Dartmoor&#8217;s fascinating history and culture. The initial line-up includes Guy Shrubsole, the co-founder of Right to Roam and author of <em>The Sunday Times</em> bestseller, <em>Who Owns England?</em>, and Wyl Menmuir &#8211; a Booker-longlisted novelist whose new book, <em>The Spirit of Stone</em>, will be published in 2026. Sounds like a good mix of the political and the folklore to me, and it&#8217;s also a chance to see the thrilling Beltane Border Morris dancers (above). More on the line-up and tickets when further news comes in from Sophie. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-delicious-new-deli-for-plymouth">Delicious new deli for Plymouth</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1536" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/bow-deli.jpeg" alt="The Bow Deli Plymouth " class="wp-image-73031" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/bow-deli.jpeg 2048w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/bow-deli-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/bow-deli-1000x750.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/bow-deli-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/01/bow-deli-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit The Bow Deli </figcaption></figure>



<p>We&#8217;re loving the cosmopolitan menu of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebowdeli/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bow Deli</a> on Plymouth&#8217;s Stonehouse Street. Founded by Dave and Chantel Jenkins (formerly Salumi Bar and Rock Salt Café), the new culinary hotspot is just our kinda place for eating in and takeaway. Their gourmet sandwiches have us salivating (Nashville Hot Chicken, salt beef, Croque Monsieur and Madame), plus soups, pastries, and sweet treats, along with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. There&#8217;s also a selection of booze and readymade cocktails to shop, along with local eggs, honey, West Country cheeses and freshly baked loaves from Heyl Bakery. Bring us back a homity pie if you&#8217;re stopping by!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-muddy-awards-2025-news">Muddy Awards 2025 news</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="420" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/01/WELLBEING-e1546011952174-1-720x420-1.jpg" alt="wellbeing " class="wp-image-13057" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/01/WELLBEING-e1546011952174-1-720x420-1.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/01/WELLBEING-e1546011952174-1-720x420-1-300x175.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></figure>



<p>Calling all business owners! The Muddy Awards are back for 2025 (launching Tues 25 Feb) and we have a new Awards category: Wellbeing Specialist. We&#8217;re talking the businesses that fine-tune our mental and physical health, from meditation and acupuncture to cold therapy and life coaches. Know someone who fits the bill? Do spread the word puh-leese, and <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/awards/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sign up for Awards updates here</a>.</p>


Where’s made SquareMeal’s Top 100, plus other local food and festival news

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