The Farm Table is a celebration of fresh food straight from the farm, masterfully cooked and served with a smile so warm, you’ll instantly feel at home. 

A modest, rustic-chic hideaway just off the back of the main Dart’s Farm shop area invites diners in with intrigue. 

Open flames from inside the large pizza oven provide a warm glow, while wood panelling, high ceilings and freshly picked wildflowers help set the tone. Neat yet refined leather seating offers simplistic luxury, a fantastic wooden tree sculpture on the wall acts as a great focal point and live cooking open to guests tops and tails the dining area so you’re surrounded by action.

There’s a real grass roots feel to the experience – it’s homely but delivered with professionalism and sophistication.

Leave pretension at the door, as each and every member of the team delivers a warm welcome that urges you to relax. Whatever your background, their genuine attention to your experience allows you to feel that nothing is too much trouble. I honestly believe the staff here take the restaurant a step above with their approach – it’s really impressive. 

The menu showcases how to eat seasonably, well, pairing veg and herbs fresh from the farm’s soil with a selection of sustainably sourced fish and meat options – locally acquired with low-impact on the land and the industry.

If it’s not from the farm then there’s always an interesting story of origin. A vibrant community of like-minded artisan food producers, farmers and fisherman work in unison to supply one another with ingredients that share the same values. There are too many local producers to list, and it’s always interesting to learn of a locally-linked story when further afield. The recommended wine choice for example, Bourgogne – sourced from family friends of the Dart’s at their sustainable vineyard.

While vegetarians/vegans won’t be blown away by the choice, there are some fantastic dishes to enjoy much the same – including the Cornish Yarg Gnocchi. Steak lovers are very well catered for thanks to a number of dry-aged and traditionally butchered cuts, with the pièce de resistance being
the 32oz sirloin on the bone.

Stone-baked pizzas and flatbreads make up a menu of their own and are proving very popular with lunchtime and evening guests all the same.

Before you leave, head up to the Terrace Bar to enjoy a last drink from the huge selection of wines, ciders, beers and cocktails while looking over the stunning Exe Estuary – a view to remember.

The Farm Table is currently only open Friday – Sunday, and having only been open for a few weeks at time of writing, and already boasting full covers multiple weekends in a row, I can see that extending very soon. 

Words: Jake Tucker