Knowstone - find brilliant food at a charming thatched village pub in mid-Devon
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The Masons Arms serves Michelin-starred pub grub in pretty village deep in the Devon country lanes
This is a magic place I've just discovered wandering around Devon's lanes. Firstly, there's a beautiful village of pastel-painted thatched cottages with gardens tumbling out over stone walls and cheery locals standing outside nodding at passers-by. Then there’s one of the best country pubs you’ll find anywhere.
Knowstone is very cute and worth a stroll at any time of year. There's a small rather nice B&B at Rosemary Cottage. Other than that there's a church, a mossy well and high-hedged lanes leading to the Exmoor foothills.
Best of all, the village pub is one of the best I've ever seen. There's a lovely old beamed bar with an enormous fireplace the size of my office and a restaurant with a quirky ceiling mural painted by a young artist from nearby South Molton. From your table or from the garden there are great views.
I saw pheasants cavorting outside - they scampered off towards Dulverton. Perhaps local explorer Ranulph Fiennes will shoot them when they get there. The worst bit is probably the smallish garden that's not particularly colourful - but there are tables out at the front too.
But the food is simply as good as anything you'll ever find in a pub. It's the most relaxed Michelin-starred restaurant I've ever found. I still can't stop thinking about the sauce with the sea bass and sugared fennel...
Drinks are normal pub prices - but food isn't. See their menus on the website by clicking their name below but beware that starters are around £10, mains £14-£18.50, and sweets about £7.50. Pie and chips this ain't - it turns out that friendly chef/owner Mark Dodson was Michael Roux's head chef for 13 years at The Waterside restaurant in Bray. It's pricey for a pub but I got by with just a brilliant main course and lots of the free homemade bread.
If you're heading west, it's just north of the A361 North Devon Link Road between Tiverton and South Molton. Most people zoom past without turning off to explore this cute little undiscovered corner. So I’ve included a photo I took of the village. It's the sort of place that makes you want to have a little stroll... and that even applied to my wife and daughter.
Useful links
Rosemary Cottage
The Masons Arms
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