Maiden Arch by Robert Bryant - Modern British Fine Dining in North Devon

Anniversary & Birthday celebration, we could not have chosen better. Great tasting menu, served by two lovely ladies, Amber was our waitress, we had the wine flight & she was very knowledgeable about each glass. If you’re looking for a special occasion place or just fancy treating yourself, this is definitely the place to go. Thank you Robert & team for an amazing night.

I took my husband here for his birthday, they had a cancellation so it ended up being just us there. It was an amazing night with phenomenal food and we got to ask questions to the chef! The food was on another level, an incredibly thoughtful match of flavours and textures. It is a real treat when you can see how much time and effort has gone in to perfecting a dish and all of the courses were amazing but our favourite was the Cornish cod, …sublime! We’ll be back soon!

Fantastic food in a tucked location and dinig area. My favourites included the celeriac velouté, oxtail and licorice pre-dessert. Wine flight very highly recommended with the tasting menu. What a hidden gem in Devon <3

Amazing, I love it here, i have been 3 times so far. The best restaurant in North Devon. The bar downstairs is nice for a quiet drink too. I can't wait to go back. Sometimes I catch myself day dreaming about how good the food tasted from my last visit :-) The entire experience is wonderful and is like a celebration of food. The dishes are beautifully balanced.

Fabulous atmosphere and service. The food was absolutely delicious. Every course was adapted to our culinary requirements. The wine flight was good with each course. I would avoid the oyster next time, just not to our taste. We gave it a good go but no, not again. Not expensive for the quality of the food.

This is our second visit and it didn’t disappoint. High quality ingredients prepared and presented to perfection, and accompanied by informative but not overbearing service in comfortable environment. As a culinary journey, this is simply the best North Devon has to offer. I can’t wait for our next visit.

We walked past the restaurant whilst we were in Barnstaple and booked dinner for later that week on the strength of the example tasting menu. It was great. Can’t praise the quality of the menu, and the service, highly enough. It’s genuine fine dining. Standout dishes were the beautiful halibut, the oyster with passion fruit and the fantastic blackberry-based autumnal dessert. The entire tasting menu was easily the equal of anything we have eaten in Michelin restaurants. The wine flight was good too: the wines were well-chosen. The only change I’d make would be to substitute in an English sparkling wine for the Prosecco that was matched with the starter but that’s a very small detail. We are only sorry that we live a long way from Devon and can’t become regulars! This was, hands down, the best restaurant we visited during our trip to the south west.

My wife and I booked lunch today at this amazing venue and were surprised to be greeted by the chef and owner, Robert Bryant, who explained that, he would personally serve us today because we were the only couple to book for lunch today. What an amazing experience!!! Every course was described by Robert and the presentation and dishes were simply exquisite! Also the relaxed ambiance and even the music playlist were perfect. This is really the highlight of our holiday and a truly memorable dining experience! I can see now why this unassuming venue is, quite rightly listed in the Michelin Guide ! Well done Robert and thank you for an amazing experience!!!!

Fabulous food, professional service, great atmosphere and not an arm and a leg price wise. We went on a weekday for the tasting menu. On first glance there were a few smoked items which I don’t like and the staff were more than happy to change for me. This is definitely a fine ding restaurant and the food is delicious. I had the wine flight with my five dishes and I thoroughly enjoyed most of them especially the dessert wine. We all embraced the Ouster but on reflection I couldn’t eat that again. My taste though. I would definitely recommend this hidden little treasure. The scallops were to die for as was the dessert.

Very warmly welcomed in the bar area downstairs and opted for a drink before the meal. Not all wines were available to taste by the glass and a limited selection of Rose. We did eventually find wines that we liked. We were a table of 4 and opted for the 7 course taster menu with 2 of our party went for the paired wines. One of the paired wines was not available and was repeated twice, which wasn't a problem, it just wasn't the right wine to be paired with the dish. The table for 4 we were sat at was extremely large, so it seemed as if we were sitting very far apart. No doubt the table size was perfect for 2 people, not so much for 4. However, the food was excellent, the smoked bacon butter, Lobster bisque, scallop and scallop tartar, halibut in mussel butter sauce, Dartmoor lamb and deserts - were all excellent! All in all, a very nice experience and a very welcome one in a small town like Barnstaple and we will be returning very soon.

Oh my God simply amazing. Barnstaple has been crying out for this. Easily matches if not beats the top restaurant s we have eaten at and that is many. Outstanding service by a very knowledgeable waitress and food that really does have the wow factor. We can’t recommend this place enough

I had an exceptional dining experience with Robert, one that felt truly personal and memorable. Robert's passion, dedication, and deep knowledge of the local area shine through in every dish he creates. The food was flawless, each bite a testament to his skill and creativity. The service struck the perfect balance—friendly, informative, and thoroughly professional.

Such an amazing restaurant! The food was original and full of flavour; every course was more impressive than the last. Service was fantastic - special shout out to the waitress who was professional, friendly and incredibly knowledgeable about the food. We will be back

This restaurant is really unexpected, from an ordinary exterior shop front to a beautifully designed restaurant upstairs. The staff were courteous, polite and knowledgeable about all aspects of the food and wine. The food was top quality, clearly prepared by a chef with great culinary skills and the set menu is excellent value for money

Lovely start to the evening with friends for cocktails by the river. Food was brilliantly paired with wine, every course s sensation. Thank you for a good time

This is by far one of the best meals I have EVER had. Brilliant atmosphere, AMAZING playlist to set the chill tone, other parties but not too busy, the waitress was super friendly. My husband took me out for my birthday and this surpassed my expectations. Well done. Eat here, you will not be disappointed!!!

Absolutely perfect afternoon there for their lunchtime taster menu! We went as a 4 for my Mums birthday and we couldn't have asked for better service, music, wine or food! An all round wonderful experience that left my husband & I instantly booking un for their evening taster menu for our wedding anniversary in a few weeks. Couldn't recommend highly enough.

We dined downstairs and had a fantastic lunch. We wanted to go back again but didn't have time. HIGHLY recommend, you won't be disappointed. Nothing negative to say at all.

What super spot. Had the tasting menu which was really lovely. Robert was on holiday so Finlay look after us, well Robert you better look out he was just brillant.!! That Chicken! Jess and gang looked after so well. Wine flight was also very very good. Thanks for very lovely evening. We will be back.

Do not be put off by the street Maiden Arch is a hidden gem RB away when we visited and we were only 4 for lunch Had 4 course taster menu Felt very welcome and front of house Jess attentive and informative Great value for fine dining A few minor points on day we went - linen issue so small paper napkins, no hot water in lavatory and music system kept pausing Great choice of music Would visit again when menu changes

We had been hearing positive comments about the Maiden Arch for some time and were keen to visit the restaurant. A celebration yesterday provided the perfect opportunity and we were not disappointed! The food was beautifully cooked and presented - and absolutely delicious! The service was friendly and proficient. The whole experience was delightful and we will certainly be returning. Thank you!

We were treated to a lunchtime meal in honour of several celebrations. The day before we dropped by to ask if we could bring our golden retriever and a baby in the pram. Staff were very accommodating and assured us that would be fine. When it came to it, we were the only lunchtime reservation (a welcome quiet in the day before a very busy evening booking!) and so we were able to enjoy a very special meal for 4 (+ baby + dog). The food was out of this world, and we had the time to savour and relish each of the many courses; and to spread out in comfort in the lovely setting. A truly memorable occasion. Thank you.

Booked last minute for our Silver wedding anniversary. Best choice we have ever made. The ultimate fine dining experience, every course was outstanding but the experience was enhanced by Jess the sommelier to be. It was a unique and intimate dining experience. We wish chef Robert Bryant, along with Jess and trainee chef Finlay every success you deserve it. Thank you it was amazing you are the perfect team.

Fantastic didn't know north Devon had such a wonderful restaurant the whole night from start to finish was magical ,well done to the whole team for making it special .

Staff amazing and attentive, this was despite us being told and arriving earlier than expected. Food was absolutely superb so much flavour, thoroughly enjoyed every morsel. Only reason for less than perfect score was due to our own 'rookie' error. We wanted a red wine and had no preference so opted for House bottle, without checking out wine list 🤔. On receipt of bill realised that bottle was over £50, realise profits to be made however personally feel over £30 mark up on retail price a little steep, sorry.🙏

This place gets better and better. Friendly service, lovely dining room and really beautiful food from a team who are clearly so passionate about what they do. Great to have them on the doorstep!

My friend and I went to dinner to experience fine dining and we were not disappointed. A very well thought out menu which flowed perfectly and exquisite attention to detail. The sommelier, Jack, explained our wine pairing exceptionally well from the country and region to how it was paired with the menu. Excellent!

A wonderful experience well worth the £35 for 4 courses. The food was exceptional, well presented and a delight to taste. A plethora of flavours from shiitake consommé to ox cheek. Thoroughly recommend this place and cannot wait until we return once more.

Amazing food and amazing service. The Saturday lunch we had was well priced and I have to say was a great introduction to the restaurant and we will 100% be back in a couple of weeks for the signature menu. I’d strongly encourage all locals to go here as especially in the off season we need to keep amazing places like this open. Also the fish and ox cheek were absolutely amazing.

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! This is how a date night should feel. Each and every plate a work of art and the staff did not make it feel too stuffy

Food was spot on, atmosphere was great a lovely feel in the restaurant. Katie was very attentive and knowledgeable explaining each course and wine pairing making our experience even more fantastic, we can’t wait to return

Wow, just wow. Went to try the taster menu and it did not disappoint. I don’t think I could pick out a dish to rave about as I would want to choose them all. Exquisite flavours, beautiful presentation , attentive service and the wine pairing added to the meal. We weren’t rushed, having the whole evening to enjoy our meal experience and then chatted to the chef afterwards. What a fantastic restaurant - thank you .

Excellent. Worth a major detour to experience. Inventive but sensible dishes that delight and surprise. Great service and generally a really lovely experience.

We had a valentines tasting menu and I had the flight of wines. Each course was well thought out, had a great connection with some ingredients featuring in following courses and they even coped well with my wife being pescatarian. Wines were well selected and of a good quality. Staff were attentive without being there too much. Well worth a detour.

Hands Down the best fine dining experience I've ever had, from start to finish the service was spot on and the food was simply stunning, ESPECIALLY THE PASSIONFRUIT Thanks Jack and thanks so much Rob and your team, we hope 2024 onwards just gets better and better for you xx

It's not often that you come across an independent restaurant that can amaze you with tastes and flavours like Robert Bryant does Excellent meal served expertly by Jack with knowledge and enough attention as was needed Will definitely return next time we are in Barnstaple

Superb food! Everything tasted beautiful and the wine flight was amazing! Katie and Jack went above and beyond and made the experience even more special! Will be back!

We have been wanting to dine here for a long time and it certainly was worth the wait. The food was exceptional and beautifully presented. Katie made our evening even more special. She was very attentive and friendly. Jack was very knowledgeable and added to the enjoyment of our whole experience. We will certainly come again.

By far the best Restaurant and Customer Service in the area. The food was outstanding. Nothing was too much trouble. Katie looked after us perfectly making our evening so enjoyable we’ve already booked to go back.

Lovely evening at Maiden Arch. Rob produces a marvellous and truly original menu. Katie’s front of house skills could only come from someone with many years of experience in ensuring top customer service. Well done, we will be back 👍. Andy & Anne.

Another visit to Maiden arch for us, this time for our wedding anniversary. We had the Exmoor Menu with the Wine Flight. Once again, Roberts food did not disappoint. Each dish was beautifully presented and delicious. The beef in particular was a fantastic cut. In our opinion the Wine Flight adds to the meal, with the drinks chosen by Jason the Sommelier complementing each course. Jason was attentive without being intrusive, and very keen to hear feedback on his wine choices. Thank you Robert and Jason for another wonderful evening. We are looking forward to our next visit and highly recommend Maiden Arch.

Fantastic food and service with great wine pairings

We went for dinner with the family. The food was wonderful as was the maitre de. Can’t recommend it enough.SPG

This must be the best restaurant in all of north Devon. Tasting menu superbly designed and presented. Full of flavour, but not overwhelming. Cosy relaxed ambience and helpful staff.

My son and I had lunch (Exmoor menu) on Saturday 27th August. The meal was faultless, locally sourced delicious ingredients cooked with the lightest of touches by chef. We hope to return and try the tasting menu another time. Service also very professional and unobtrusive. All in all a gem of a place.

Fabulous dining experience - beautifully prepared food in a relaxed atmosphere. First rate service from the waiting staff. The chef (Rob) is clearly passionate about what he does and has created something truly unique in North Devon. A real gem of a restaurant that should be top of your list for a special occasion.

It is fine dining and a lovely sounding menu. Made booking based on Michelin recommendation. It has a way to go to obtain a star and needs to focus on the details to go further. When my wife and I went there were 13 covers in the upstairs of the premises which are approached up an alleyway that is not very welcoming. On entering you are led upstairs through an empty bar and informed once everyone is in the door will be locked. Plastic flowers do not make a good impression and smack of cost cutting. There was one person acting as maitre d , sommelier and general server for all tables. He did a good job but it added to a lengthy meal, 3.5 hrs. A couple of dishes were not quite as described, the sauce was not split with the lamb and there was no strawberry as mentioned with one of the desserts. Overall a pleasant experience but could do better with a bit more attention to detail .

Exceptional. Absolutely beautiful, food cooked to perfection. The waiter explained each dish and the wine. Went with 2 friends. If you want somewhere special this is the place.

A very special treat indeed. Full of flavour and each dish was presented beautifully. A great evening

An oasis in a county of burger and chips. Last minute booking got us a great table. Tasting menu and accompanying wine flight - amazing. Will be going again.

Outstanding food and service as always.

Enjoyed a lovely lunch yesterday. The 5 course menu was excellent value for money, every course was delicious and beautifully presented. Great service from Jason, who looked after us. We’ll definitely be back…highly recommend.

Wonderful food and service, a really lovely meal

Excited to find Michelin * restaurant in Barnstaple but unfortunately so very disappointed! Food was very mediocre, we had the £75+ VAT Signature Menu..was it filet we ate or was it veal ? Absolutely tasteless but relied on the sauce we felt. The Ocean dish…...

Exceptional restaurant for local area. Great for a special occasion. It’s a single set menu. Only option is with or without wine pairing! It’s a small restaurant with plenty of atmosphere. It is pricey but well worth it given the number of courses and quality...

The food was exquisite and the service was excellent. And amazing evening

We enjoyed a fantastic meal last night, unable to pick a favourite of all the dishes. They were all so beautiful and tasty. The wine flight made it extra special as did the great service. Thank you, we'll definitely be returning again.

We shall talk about this meal for a long time, indeed, until our next visit. From the design features in the restaurant to the details of the food presentation, from the excellent service to the matching of wines to food the whole experience was a...

We enjoyed the tasting menu and accompanying wine flight. The high quality fresh ingredients made for some delicious, beautiful, and perfectly prepared courses which were well-complemented with some thoughtfully selected wines.

Nice place to eat lovely staff but the food for the price wasn’t really up to our standards. I always look for a Michelin recommend restaurants and this was a let down. Very out of season menu and I’m a little confused how it got...

The best restaurant for miles. It's pricey, but you get what you pay for, with superb food, service, and wine list.

We had a lovely evening of amazing food, special service - an evening to remember. Thanks to Rob for the wonderful food, Jason for the service and entertainment and bonus thanks to the secret visiting chef for the fish course !

A welcoming unhurried ambience. Excellent service and as for the meal, it was the best I have had in Devon. I meant to photograph each course but got lost in the tasty deliciousness. Very satisfying and an excellent time. The food and the front of house is absolutely the best. The menu is set and I can recommend the wine pairing for an epicurean experience par excellence. I will return for sure.

What a fantastic evening! A big thank you to Robert and his team at Maiden Arch. Special thanks to Jason, Jess and Callum for making our evening so special. The food was delicious, the wine expertly paired and the service was top notch. Most definitely will be back again. Highly recommend Maiden Arch to anyone. Nick and Beth

From start to finish, a fantastic experience. Ambiance in abundance, staff - outstanding - Jason in particular, went over and above our expectations. The tasting menu was innovative, seasonal and simply delicious, paired with exceptionally good wines with each course. Rob, the owner was kind...

Excellent experience. Very special. Delicious

After many years, Barnstaple finally has a restaurant which deserves accolades for wonderful cuisine. A group of us had the Exmoor Menu. The food was delicious and could not be faulted, as was the wine and the service. Well done.

We had the Exmoor tasting menu for supper to celebrate a birthday and it was absolutely delicious. Each mouthful had been prepared with such care and thought. The cooking was of the highest skill that I have ever tasted. We were so well looked after...

We had an exceptional dinner here for a special occasion. The service was fantastic and the food was very lovely.

We first went to Maiden Arch in late 2021 for a weekend birthday lunch and talked about how exceptional the food was for a long time thereafter. We’ve been back for a significant birthday celebration with a small group of friends (6 of us in...

With the impending closure of Number 8 in Bideford while they change locations, we wondered where else we could go for dinner. It's over 30 miles away but this is it. We had the Exmoor Menu, the smaller menu, and it was brilliant. How they...

We had the 5 course taster menu and a glass of wine plus a pudding wine. Every meal was exceptional and served by a knowledgeable, friendly waiter. The white wine was delicious and the pudding wine was spot on, albeit I wish it was served...

My wife and I have eaten in a good few Michelin star restaurants and Robert's dining experience is way up there along with them! We had the signature menu and we were not disappointed. Everything was just excellent and the surroundings nice and comfortable. We...

A party of four and we were all of the same opinion. We had Robert's Signature Menu - it was extremely good value and 3+ hours of remarkable fusion of taste, presentation and exceptional quality food. It was 'fine dining' at it's very best. Robert...

I visited Maiden Arch with my mum and aunty. We had the Exmoor lunch menu. Everything was amazing, service was fantastic and the food was faultless. Will definitely be returning!

Such a great experience . We had the taster menu with the wine flight. Each course was bursting with flavour and was visually appealing too , with well paired wines. Great service within a comfortable setting . Can't wait for our next visit. Not only...

I don't know where to start everything was faultless. We had the signature menu along with the wine flight. We were greeted by Jason and were taken to our tables upstairs to a nice old rugged room with beams with tables which were neatly laid...

From the all the seaside pasty and chips. We both thoroughly enjoyed the ambience and Exmoor tasting menu, a surprise tucked away just off the Barnstaple High Street. We hope in these hard times such wonderful cuisine will prosper and if you are in the...

I don't know where to start everything was faultless. We had the signature menu along with the wine flight. We were greeted by Jason and were taken to our tables upstairs to a nice old rugged room with beams with tables which were neatly laid out and well spaced apart. The signature menu consisted of canapés, followed by a welcome seeded bread, smoked bacon butter and crispy iberico ham with Langham Culver Classic Cuvee Pinot Noir Meunier Chardonnay. Next was tortellini lobster with white Sharpham Dart Valley Reserve Madeleine Angevin. The Ocean with turbot, mussels, cucumber casserole, caviar and herb oil was very tasteful, especially with the glass of Rose D'Anjou Grolleau & Gamay. We went onto the chicken, new season carrot, glazed chicken wing, crispy chicken skin and split chicken sauce. The next was Loin, Shoulder, asparagus, peas, split lamb sauce with a glass of Tokara 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon. We finished with a glass of Casa Silva Late Harvest 2019 Gewurztraminer Semillon Viognier desert wine with mango and coconut passion fruit. The final was chocolate and flowers purely amazing tastes and flavours. Well done Robert and the Team Five stars from us. Kevin and Theresa.....

For those skimming reviews – Maiden Arch is superb, it’s relaxed, it’s welcoming, its incredible food cooked to show off the natural flavour of each individual element. It’s not a place you pop into for a quick bite, you commit to the whole evening, and...

Maiden Arch is superb. It’s relaxed, it’s welcoming, its incredible food cooked to show off the natural flavour of each individual element. It’s not a place you pop into for a quick bite, you commit to the whole evening, and you leave it floating in the knowledge that you have just experienced the finest food prepared and cooked to perfection. 3 days on from eating at Rob Bryant’s Maiden Arch in Barnstaple and I’m still having flashbacks that make me close my eyes, smile and get that warm fuzzy feeling. Simply put, it was without question the best meal I have ever had in my life. Every single course was beautifully prepared and presented but more than that, every single course complimented each other to create an entire meal which was so perfectly balanced that we left not feeling gluttonous but happy to be alive. Rob Bryant is a culinary genius.

Dining as it should be. Time to enjoy the food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Exceptional food and service. A place to visit

If you are after a culinary experience then this is it. The restaurant is classy, the food is exquisite, and the whole experience is exceptional highly recommended.

We very much enjoyed the tasting menu at this high end, but small and intimate resturant. It is hard to pick a favourite course, as I couldn't fault any of them. However, I could easily have eaten the Ocean course every day for the rest...

My wife and visited Maiden Arches after we had heard great things about the food so my daughters got me a voucher for my 50th. We booked for a Saturday evening and we’re met by Karen at the front door who was welcoming and extremely...

Cancelled us at last minute, had been looking forward to this for months, had booked in local hotel too, ruined weekend. Won't be visiting again, avoid unless you are willing to take risk of last minute cancellation by them. Poor.

Cancelled us at last minute, had been looking forward to this for months, had booked in local hotel too, ruined weekend. Won't be visiting again, avoid unless you are willing to take risk of last minute cancellation by them. Poor.

Thank you for an amazing meal and wine flight. How beautiful the food was presented and how amazing it tasted. The table laid beautifully. Crisp white linen. Shining cutlery. Attention to detail. Comfy chairs. Perfect room temperature. Lots of space. Every course served - an...

Absolutely the most delicious, well cooked and beautifully presented lunch we’ve eaten in a long time. We will visit again, probably for dinner next time. I would definitely recommend.

This was our first visit to Maiden Arch but it will certainly not be our last! We thoroughly enjoyed every course and every element. The food and service was faultless and comparable to any Michelin restaurant we have been to. Thank you Robert & team...

Really enjoyed the winter tasting menu, all the courses were amazing, the fish course was particularly special. Cannot wait for our next visit

This was my second visit to Maiden arch and it will certainly not be my last. From the moment we walked in we were warmly welcomed by the team and offered a good selection of cocktails to choose from while we enjoyed a veloute in...

Food was absolutely fantastic - best dining experience we've EVER had (we've been to many Michelin restaurants over the years and Robert Bryant's Maiden Arch is just the best)

This is a fabulous restaurant in the heart of north devon, the tasting tasting menu was exquisite, each course was a delight, cannot recommend it enough, a restaurant we can’t wait to go back to.

As the only customers for lunch, our table for 6 should have been an easy serve for a fixed 3 course meal. Only 1 red wine available by the glass from a choice of just 3 wines. Having been reminded the day before of one...

Tucked away in a side street in Barnstaple - the location understates the quality of food and service that Robert and his team is delivering —— Each course of The Exmoor Food Fest menu was outstanding,, Book a table , you won’t be disappointed…

Very relaxed dining with a very tasty taster menu for the Exmoor promotion well worth the price.

The food and service were impeccable. It was a limited menu being lunch time however the food served was amazing. Sea Bass, followed by Venison.....Yum! Included was a warming chestnut & truffle veloutte with the most amazing home made bread. A must for locals, and...

A friendly atmosphere with incredible tasting food. The quality of the food is the best around and I would recommend to anyone to try. Hats off to the chef

Our first time at Maiden Arch today. If you appreciate food, then this is certainly a must to visit. My palette was touched by the most amazing flavours. This was a memorable lunch and I will certainly be going again. Perfect service, perfect food. My...