Restaurant at The Salty Monk in East Devon

Fantastic evening at The Salty Monk! We had the chef's tasting menu which was absolutely beautiful. The service was fantastic and we cannot recommend it enough! To top this great evening off, we were unable to get a taxi so the chef/owner actually drove us back to our hotel a few miles away! Highly recommend!

The most fabulous food, really welcoming and the most amazing building. Scouring TripAdvisor and noticing the Salty Monk as we drove by, my wife and I were impressed by the reviews, plus they’re dog friendly, and we chose to book dinner. Booking online was easy, and it shows care and passion being asked to provide a deposit to secure the booking. As we were in a short holiday break we can’t leave our dogs elsewhere, since they are two big Bernese Mountain dogs, and too be honest they’re family. As we say if they don’t allow, well behaved, dogs we aren’t coming either! We arrived and had received a warm welcome from the proprietor and immediately you notice the stringing building and decor. Part of the property is very old and full of character and has been considerately extended. The dining area was clean and welcoming. We didn’t go with small plates, instead opting to “save ourselves” for what was the most amazing and inviting choice of main courses and deserts. We did however spy that they had a selection of bruschetta in the nibbles selection on the drinks menu and had these to start, which were so good we had another round. I had the fillet steak and Tortellini with a side of broccoli whilst my wife had the plaice. Both dishes looked and tasted amazing and packed with flavour. By desert we were starting to get full so we shared the house speciality being a baked Alaska, which once again was fabulous. We had the most amazing experience, it’s a foodies dream restaurant and we’ll definitely be going back again. We hadn’t realised at first but its also possible to stay at the Salty Monk, where they have 7x differently themed rooms. These rooms all look fabulous, plus they’re a dog friendly establishment, so maybe next time when we’re on our next short break holiday.

Ate in the Salty Monk on a Friday evening whilst staying at the hotel. We all decided to go for the 8 Course Taster Menu and we were all very happy that we did. Highlights for me were the Weaver Fish, Monkfish Tails with lentils and the fillet steak. Every course hit the spot with balanced flavours. Good wine list too. All of the staff were very courteous and explained each course as they served and it was great to speak withy the chef afterwards. Thanks for a great night.

What a beautiful picturesque place to have an afternoon tea. Beautifully presented and amazing customer service. Nothing was missed. Lovely friendly service. I couldn’t recommend this place enough. Beautiful gardens and settings. Rooms look lovely too. Tick tick tick. I will definitely be back again and might book a room too. Even beats the Ivy for an afternoon tea.

What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! Spent a lovely few hours with a friend enjoying afternoon tea for her special birthday…. and what an amazing afternoon tea!! A lovely warm welcome and such a pretty cosy restaurant. The afternoon tea was quite simply stunning! Everything except the cream (understandably) was homemade, from delicious bread for the sandwiches, the lightest scones and gorgeous jam, the little tartlets, meringues and cakes and the loveliest crème brûlée. Nothing was too much trouble and the host was extremely attentive and welcoming without being intrusive. We will definitely return again as soon as we have room in our tummies! Cannot recommend this gem enough.

We really enjoyed our excellent meal; at first we were thrown by the tapas style starter but it turned out to be superb. Every aspect of the menu was well thought through with high quality constituents, well put together and beautifully presented. It's clear that great care is given to getting it right. the staff/owners were most personable. We had four different wines by the glass, each was very good and reasonably priced. Would we return? Most definitely.

Beautiful meal, thoroughly enjoyed all the courses attentive staff all evening, thank you to all the staff

Booked after reading recommendations on here and wow, I'm so glad we chose this for our anniversary meal out. It was an outstanding, all locally sourced and everything freshly made. I can't recommend it enough, and as one other reviewer said, it should be busier - it's a fantastic place and food. The menu choice is great, we had the 4 course meal, and everything was just beautiful. It was perfect. Thank you so much.

This is our second visit to this restaurant and once again what an amazing meal. Service was excellent and quality and presentation of food was impeccable.

We managed to get a table even though we only booked at midday the same day. We were the only diners at 7pm and a table of 2 and of 4 came later. The room was somewhat like a living room; cosy. But now, the food. Wow. We loved it. Four courses for £50 each. My wife's favourite was the aubergine with mushroom cous cous starter. For me, the cauliflower and blue cheese tart starter was very nice. I had the venison for main, and the tart that came with it I described as a 'party in my mouth'. Sensational. I left feeling confused; why was this place not busier? How had we managed to get a same day reservation? Good food places deserve to busy and this is great.

The food is excellent, the service too. Very intimate setting. A bit outside Sidmouth it is worth driving there if you stay at the coast. A must for foodies!

Having lived in the area for nearly three years we decided on a whim to go out for dinner and to try the Salty Monk. I had a bit of trouble booking online - the website took my deposit and then left me with a blank screen and no confirmation, however a quick phone call soon sorted things out. We were greeted pleasantly on entry and shown to our table in the restaurant. The dining experience was great. An imaginative menu with well presented dishes and lovely flavours. The staff were pleasant and helpful throughout and happy to chat. The best meal out since we've been here.

Our last night in Sidmouth decided on a meal at The Salty Monk. Glad we did as it was a very pleasant experience. Amuse Bouche was tasty followed by the sharing plates and then a choice of mains , chicken and monkfish ending with pannacotta and cheesecake. Then coffee and petit fours.to finish. Slight problem with the chicken as we were served with the dish that was served to a wedding party which had taken over the restaurant. Chef came out and apologised! Maybe due to the wedding we did not get the total Salty Monk experience . However I am being a bit picky. I would recommend if you are in the area. As I always do. Don’t take TripAdvisor at face value as you could miss out on good restaurants like this.

This was our fifth visit to Salty Monk and we were not disappointed. A very friendly welcome and we were shown directly to our table. The menu was a four course affair, with a small soup with two different types of tasty bread followed by a small starter plates of appetisers - ceviche of salmon, olives, charcuterie and asparagus in a lemon butter. Then the main course with four choices. My wife had the lambs liver, faggots, mash and herb mustard sauce, and I had the pan fried skate with capers, cornichon and wild garlic gnocchi. Then a choice of fove puddings plus cheese. I had the chocolate tart with home made honey ice cream and my wife had coffee brûlée with brownie and a sauce. All of this for £50 each which I think was incredible value considering the generous portion sizes. It knocks another nameless restaurant in Sidmouth into a cocked hat. (That one offers a three course meal for 39.95 but the portions are paltry). Coffees extra but high quality. Highly recommended. I would go more often but I live 70 miles away!

Very slow service, the staff were rude and aggressive when challenged. The food, when it finally arrived was cold (and it was supposed to be warm). Had steak, and asked for medium rare, came well done and dried out. Expensive, but not luxurious.

We went for afternoon tea on mothering Sunday. We got sliced white bread finger sandwiches with cheap sliced ham and colmans mustard, chicken liver pate and cucumber in the same cheap white bread. Salmon on some sort of dense cheese bread with a thin layer...

Attentive welcome and pleasant service. Lovely meal with good choice on menu. Nice atmosphere, not noisy but busy without being slow.

We went to the restaurant during our holiday, hadn’t planned a trip but it looked so inviting. We had the seven course tasting menu, which is made on the night using the best ingredients and altered according to your personals likes/dislikes. It was all extremely...

What a great find. We were staying at the Harbour Hotel and intended to have afternoon tea there but the service was so bad the night before we looked for somewhere else. We found The Salty Monk by doing an internet search and booked on...

We found this on the internet before arriving in Sidmouth, what a great find it was. We booked for an evening meal and we had 3 delicious courses of locally sourced produce. Loved the friendly staff and informal atmosphere. Would highly recommend. We even went...

My wife and I had a reservation for our second wedding anniversary and certainly picked a goodie! Excellent food supported by professional and informative service made for a thoroughly enjoyable evening. I had previously emailed Annette about making the meal more special and she helped...

Had a superb meal here last night. Great ambience in the restaurant, quiet, bit quirky but very relaxed. Food was fab. To start we had a trio of smoked salmon and a cheese and chorizo tart. Mains we both had the fish curry and to...

Lovely ambience, excellent food and a good wine list. This is perfect for a quiet celebratory meal for couples friends or family with older children. The house signature baked Alaska was a triumph!

A great restaurant, very special plates of food. We had a romantic dinner for two with the tasting menu. It was all excellent! Special mentions to the trio of salmon, the beef fillet with tortellini with slow braised beef shin, the coffee mousse pot and...

Sidford is not by any means a large place and booking an evening meal at a local B&B is not something we would normally do, but it was a short walk from where we were staying and what a great find it was. Firstly, it...

We had to book in advance as the tables are limited due to Covid restrictions being implemented well. The food and service was excellent. We had the Chef's selection for a sharing starter which was like never before. Small portions of lots of the parts...

We received a friendly welcome when we arrived and the service continued to be very good (if a little over the top). The (homemade) bread rolls were distinctly lacking in taste or at least a pinch of salt (although one of the rolls was strangely...

The Salty Monk crew had thought of everything to keep us safe from the current pandemic without causing any stress. We had our own section and all of the staff were incredibly professional and friendly. The food selection was excellent and varied and the wine...

Any concerns we had about holidaying so soon after COVID-19 rules had been relaxed were completely swept away on arrival at the Salty Monk. We were greeted in a friendly and professional manner with clear guidance about our rooms, keys, hand sanitisers, dining etc. It...

We spent the past two nights at The Salty Monk in Sidford and what a delight ! A small family run Hotel with a large comfortable bedroom, free space in hotel lounge and dining area to relax with a coffee or good book ! Picturesque...

We have passed the Salty Monk on numerous occasions and never guessed just what a wonderful restaurant it is. We stopped expecting pub style food and found ourselves in a delightfully quant restaurant that, whilst more expensive than a pub, really does deliver. The waitress was lovely, the service friendly and gently paced. The food was absolutely superb, the portions just right and the taste; wonderful. When visiting the area the Salty Monk is now firmly on our ‘to go back to list’.

This is a nice restaurant with tasty food. Not exceptional but better than average and not too pricey. Service was just right too.

We recently had an anniversay meal, with family, at the Salty Monk. The food and service was second to none. A lovely dining experience. The majority of our party had steaks-they all said they were delicious and cooked to perfection. We hope to return!

Have lived in Devon for 20 years and always wanted to go here, but a little out of our budget. But ...... now we have been we would go to this once, rather than some of the other options around twice. It is just wonderful. All the food is home cooked, and they catered for my gf and df requirements. There was a good choice for every course, and they did things differently. I opted for the salmon three ways for the starter, and have never had salmon so enjoyable. There was a small fillet that had been smoked just very slightly to make it so delicate (apparently they do their own smoking) and then it was chargrilled once cooked. Wow! I then opted for venison which was again done two ways and just beautifully presented and enough on the plate. I couldn't have dessert as is normal in places as few cater for gf and df ..... though I have recipes for chocolate fondant and chocolate brownies that would work well with them and are all made iwth gf and df ingreients ... so maybe one day desserts will be possible (apart from sorbet or fruit salad!).The ambiance of the restaurant is superb for an evening out with friends. Just the whole experience is one I want to repeat. Thank you

Delightful venue with charming staff and ambience, comfortable and welcoming. the meal was delicious but the servings somewhat modest; perfect for maintaining one's figure! Excellent wine list.

This is the first time I have felt moved to write a review for a restaurant. I had been to The Salty Monk a good number of years ago and was delighted with the quality of the food, the attitude of the staff and the ambience. So I booked recently because I wanted a special place to take my brother to thank him for looking after our mother.We both chose as a main course a mixed dish of fish with a saffron salad (about £23 plus extra for vegetables). To describe the dish that arrived as a main course must come perilously close to an offence under the Trade Descriptions Act. It was minute. The mixture of fish consisted of two prawns, a slice of scallop the size of a pound coin and a tiny piece of monkfish and squid. The saffron element of this miniscule fare could not by any reasonable use of English be described as a salad. Part of the enjoyment of a meal is being able to savour it whilst enjoying the company of others. This dish took less than five minutes to eat. It was tasty and would have made a pleasant starter. To serve it as a main course and charge £23 was preposterous; indeed it would have been comic if I hadn't had to pay. .Having explained that I thought it exceptionally poor value, a young man appeared clearly cross at my criticism and churlishly started to lecture me on the cost of saffron! That had nothing to do with representing five tiny pieces of seafood as a main course and charging extortionately. There was no apology, no offer to augment the dish, no offer to reduce the bill. Well, there was an apology; I had to make one to my brother. I paid and we left.So there you have it: very poor value; very poor service.

The location, ambience and staff were all glorious at The Salty Monk, but sadly the food did not match the surface elegance. We waited a considerable time for our food (apparently because my partner's vegan option took awhile to cook; nearly an hour?!) and my pasta dish was very dry and unpleasant. Sorry to leave a negative review because it was otherwise a pleasant evening, but I do think the chef needs to rethink the menu, when it's very much presented as a premium experience!

Excellent locally sourced, creatively presented, freshly prepared food. Great wine list, good value.

A full afternoon tea that easily matches those in London! A lovely mix of savouries, scones with homemade jam, small cakes and desserts. If there aren't many people there, then head to the garden with water features and several nooks and cranies.

Our party of four had a great evening meal at the Salty Monk, our second visit this year and we were not disappointed. The Salty Monk now has a selection of locally produced gins, which were rather good and each had a different flavour. Our starters were three mussel dishes and a chicken terrine which were very good and flavoursome. The starters were accompanied by an excellent sauvignon blanc which was just at the right temperature.

Me and my family were staying in Sidmouth for my graduation and I chose the Salty Monk to celebrate the occasion after seeing the good reviews on Trip Advisor.. and we were not disappointed!

We arrived during a power cut early in the day. The hostess couldn’t have been more accommodating explaining what was available ( most of the menu) . Such delicious food and a rare find that is fine dining that will accept canine companions. Highly recommended, loved it !

Chose to dine here after reading several good tripadvisor reviews... however unfortunately it did not live quite to expectations

The whole ambiance was delightful, from the point of being greeted at the front door, to being shown to a quiet waiting room to have drinks, to the meal which was delicious. The handmade chocolates were lovely. The chocolate cheesecake was special. Thanks for a wonderful evening

Ok, let me start by sharing my only regret! I have literally driven past the Salty Monk thousands of times and always wondered what the food was like. BIG MISTAKE! stop! go in! & be blown away...

Disappointment is ultimately a mismatch between expectation and experience, and in the round this is a good restaurant, which is why we had come back for a 'special occasion' dinner. It's the sort of place where you would (and could) 'splash out'. It's just at the edges where our experience was a bit 'off key'. Our starters were lovely, in fact the best dish of the meal, but our main courses were very dry, and needed a lot more sauce than was provided to make it palatable. The vegetables (extra charge) were not quite there - buttered kale without much (if any) evidence of butter in my case. It's a shame not to make the best of good ingredients which are beautifully presented. The drinks choice is good, the wine was fine (limited by the glass, but fine) as were tea and coffee. Imagine, if you will, hiring a Bentley for a special driving experience only to find a seat is torn: it still does everything it should but the gloss is taken off. We booked online, where our timeslot choices were very limited, but when we arrived there was only one other couple and they seemed to have arrived more or less at the same time. Unfortunately our experience of the 'ambience' was spoiled by a) the adjacent party taking 4 telephone calls (with loud ringtone) and b) the inappropriately "beaty" and intrusive background music - something more 'mellow' (or none at all) might be more relaxing? Perhaps a gentle request to diners to turn phones off would be possible?

I came here with my mum and aunt for afternoon tea for mothers day. The afternoon tea was lovely and the waiter was very attentive. I would say that there wasn't much atmosphere as we were the only people there and it was very quiet so we felt that we had to talk quietly.

Lovely welcome as we were ushered into the snug to wait for the rest of our party. Two of my cocktail choices were unavailable so I went for an espresso martini which as delicious. Nice table in the restaurant. Food is good but parts were watery. The rabbit starter tempted me with a rabbit jus but it was just watery in the bottom of the pot possibly from the pasta. The lamb main again was great although the fillet was over cooked and the hotpot was watery. Salted caramel cheesecake was fab. All in all a good experience but.....

We had an overnight stay here and sampled a Valentine's weekend tasting menu. The food was out of this world with amazing attention to detail - something we found throughout our stay. Our room (Lavender) was really lovely and very comfortable.

Booked a room for the night with the intention of a special treat for my partner. We received a warm welcome and were shown to our dog-friendly room, opening into a private little garden, ideal for the doggy companion. He came into therestaurant with us and was allowed to lie quietly while we enjoyed a most delicious meal. Arctichoke soup, duck liver pate and smoked duck breat, duo of salmon, cheese souffle, beef, sticky toffe pudding then arctic roll. Just the right quantity and every mouthful a tasty morsel

The quality of food at the Salty Monk is first class. All local ingredients and well put together. Well deserved of the two rosettes

We went for a family meal here. The food never fails to impress. Fantastic presentation and taste. The service was a little slow compared to recent visits but it was a full restaurant to be fair. The one thing that pit is off was the 12.5% service charge that was automatically added. Tipping should be discretionary for good service and optional. You’re almost forced to do it with this charge which I don’t like. Please lose the automatic tip and let the customer decide when it is merited. The food is outstanding though. I’m local so have never stayed in the rooms but from what I hear, they’re very good.

Had a lovely overnight stay with evening meal and breakfast. Food superb, breakfast just as good as the evening meal. Andy and Annette were excellent hosts and even invite you into the kitchen ! Accommodate very comfortable and offered everything you could need, including Home made biscuits.

This is most definitely a restaurant rather than a pub, and the standard of food provided is worthy of its AA rosette.

Stayed here on spec Friday night . Well that was lucky ! Amazing suite booked last minute, Beautiful room everything had been thought of- Lovely local sourced g+t and beer in the garden .Booked a table in the restaurant and had one of the best meals ever . Not a lengthy menu but brilliant all the same everything locally sourced , best ingredient cooked superbly -thank you chef . Would recommend to couples passing through or staying for the weekend .

We loved our evening at The Salty Monk. I was concerned that our noisy and ebullient walking party’s demeanour might have been a bit much for what at first sight appeared a rather hushed dining ambience, but this proved not to be the case. We were taken in hand by the charming manager and led on a gastronomic tour to rival our earlier cliff-side efforts on the coastal path. Like that walk, our dinner proved memorable. So much so, that I would not hesitate to say it was one of the better meals I have enjoyed. Carry on the good work and thanks for an interesting evening’s eating.

There were 10 of us and so we had a room to ourselves, which was great. The welcome, service, food and wine were all excellent. We had all the courses and drinks and it was still only £54 per person with tip.

I stayed for two nights with my daughter in August and had a lovely chilled out break. We found the owner welcoming, the room comfortable, beautifully decorated and very clean and the breakfast delicious. Would definitely stay again and highly recommend.

It was a Saturday night and not very busy which may have accounted for the lack of ambience.

We are not the easiest party to cater for. One vegetarian coeliac, three regular vegetarians and a pescatarian but we were all so well catered for with the most beautiful meal. The staff were helpful and friendly. We will definitely return.

We wanted to write this review to thank The Salty Monk for a real afternoon treat. We were given a voucher for afternoon tea for our 30th wedding anniversary and what a lovely present this turned out to be. We were warmly welcomed by Julie the waitress who explained all we would be eating and drinking. We thoroughly enjoyed all the savoury and sweet food and Julie kindly gave us a box to take home the cakes we couldn’t finish. We were sat outside on a beautiful sunny afternoon and enjoyed an interesting chat to Andy one of the owners. Thank you for a lovely afternoon. Highly recommend a visit here.

We were three; one of us thought it good, another average, and the third was disappointed. First, the venue and the service were impeccable, with just the right amount of attention and friendly interaction. The waitstaff knew the food - an increasing.

We stayed for my wife's birthday weekend having last been there 4 years ago and apprehensive they would be as good as we remembered. They were.......the lavender room was very well furnished and well maintained, and clean, with a foam bed and lambs wool quilt. The food in the restaurant is superb using good quality local produce which is not overly messed about with and matched with other complimentary flavours. This is a rarity in this current age and we will definitely return.

We stayed in the Lavender suite for two nights. The room was not only spotless but every little detail had been catered for, from the homemade biscuits and fresh coffee in the room on arrival to the plentiful supply of soaps, lotions etc and enough storage for a much longer stay. i could easily have moved in for a long term visit. The staff are all very friendly and accommodating. The breakfast was delicious and despite it being a very warm weekend, I enjoyed the most amazing porridge! There is plenty of on site parking and it was no bother that we were returning very late one night. I would definitely recommend and will be returning too!

The salty Monk is truly the best restaurant offering local food and drink. We’ve been there on a number of different occasions and have always received fantastic personal service. We are very much looking forward to visiting again soon.

We ate here on a Saturday evening an were able to sit outside for pre dinner drinks. The quality of the food was very high and although portions a little small for me, in reality there was probably enough. Service was good but not overly engaging, I do prefer a little more banter. Overall, this is a very pleasant dining experience just a short way from the centre of Sidmouth.

We stayed hear April 2016 & stayed in the Iris suite for my sisters wedding, we felt very comfortable but only being the two of us we didn’t use the small lounge.

We have been driving past this restaurant for some time and decided to

We dined here in early June 2018. My wife ordered Confit of Creedy Carver Duck tart, Pork Belly, Champ Potatoes and Duck Jus at £27. When the young waiter had poured a very small amount of jus on her dish, she asked him if she could have a little more. She was told that the jus was very expensive, but if she wanted more she could have some later. As the food became drier, she did ask and was served a little more - so why was it not served at the outset? it wasn't until we arrived back in Budleigh Salterton that she told me the crass remark had upset her enjoyment of the whole meal. We were due to eat there again later in the week, but cancelled.

The Salty Monk positions itself as a fine dining Restaurant. The food was very well presented and the dishes were good if not excellent, however a fish dish that we ordered was overcooked. The serving staff were professional and courteous except for a lady who appeared to be the manager/proprietor. She had an almost Fawltyesque manner about her, rude and confrontational, and certainly not suited to a customer facing role.

We stayed at the Salty Monk after a business meeting, this was our second visit and we were not disappointed.

This was our best find on our week away. The menu changes daily. The first time we had drinks on the patio followed by a delicious meal. I'm coeliac and they cater really well for this. The food was inventive And tasty. My husbands rhubarb and almond crumble with spice ice cream was the best crumble had had ever had.....and he has had a few. Well worth the prices charged including service. We shall return when we come back to lower knapp farm.

My wife and I visited here and had an enjoyable meal. Friendly staff and nice food, although portions are small. However, we felt it was overpriced and have had better for less. Also, it really frustrates when restaurants automatically add a service charge and then ask if you'd like to remove it. If I want to tip I will and don't like to feel forced.

We had a lovely evening at The Salty Monk last night! The restaurant itself was atmospheric and had lots of character with white beams and tasteful interiors.

Sidford is not quite Grantchester and is certainly not just outside Cambridge, but it does share some of its rural surroundings and there is certainly a very comforting atmosphere inside the Salty Monk!

We enjoyed a three night stay at The Salty Monk and the food on all occasions was excellent. A varied menu was offered for breakfast and even simple choices were beautifully cooked and presented by friendly, efficient staff.

You must visit if you are in the Sidmouth area

Whilst we did not stay at the hotel, we took friends to the restaurant for dinner. The restaurant is pleasantly decorated, airy and, though bijou, quite spacious - with good sized tables, not cramped together.

We stayed here on a recommendation as a dog friendly place and absolutely loved it. Our rooms were connected on one side of the hotel and we had a private entrance into the room straight off the garden - absolutely ideal for dogs and children.

I am going to be a bit gushy about this restaurant because it is really good - and I cannot tell you how rare that is. Both of us thought our meals were much more enjoyable than at our local Michelin place. Not so fancy, but definitely more enjoyable.

An urban location on a junction did not at first bode well for a relaxing and dog friendly stay. The car park was small and was full, having driven round to the adjoining street in the hope there was a second car park we returned...

Just well cooked, imaginative food. Not the cheapest dining in the area, but well worth the little extra.

Visited again after some years. Atmosphere has changed, more informal, for me not quite as good. Before, feel it was more elegant; could sit in armchairs before the meal with sherry and nibbles while poring over the menus; so much more relaxing. This time straight to the table. However made very welcome with attentive service throughout. Excellent food from wide-ranging menu. Oh, we're going back for their gin-tasting evening in October.

We did not stay here but came for dinner. Apart from one other diner who came after us we were on our own so sat down with some trepidation. However we had an excellent meal with very good service. Loved the puzzles on the tables, fun to try and a talking point.

We have been to this restaurant a number of times before and have never been disappointed. The quality of the food, the cooking and presentation are outstanding. The service is excellent and they go out of their way to please. Excellent wine list and good recommendations given without being overpriced. Thoroughly enjoyed our evening.

Return visit and we like the look of the less formal dinning rooms. Another great meal. These guys are consistently good and we particularly like the fish dishes. Looking forward to going back now we are more locally placed to visit them. Top marks again!

Excellent selection of starters and mains. Local meat and fish. All very well presented. Very good wines, and a reasonable mark-up on them. Recommended, but book early!

Delicious Afternoon Tea - highly recommended.The sandwiches were so fresh and fillings were a selection of chicken, egg and mushroom & pepper on really soft bread - all really delicious!Then came the amazing Scones - savoury with smoked salmon and plain with cream and amazing jams that you can taste the berries.Honestly - we all felt pretty full - and we still had a very large selection of cakes to try and also a small pot of creme caramel each .. just amazing! Most importantly, the tea was fresh leaf leaf tea in an insulated Tea Pot - making a really good pot of tea.A really enjoyable experience, lovely choice, high standard and excellent value for money. We look forward to coming back.

Absolutely wonderful afternoon tea. Beautiful selection of sandwiches, small cakes and fresh scones. Each of us had a different favourite. A very special treat.

Our party of four dined at the Salty Monk and had a wonderful experience. The staff greeting us were very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, its preparation and the source of the ingredients. I had the terrine starter which was very tasty followed by the turbot which was beautifully cooked, presented and very tasty. I followed this with the chocolate tart which was superb and the presentation was immaculate.Overall a wonderful dining experience, with very capable staff and a wonderful menu.

We had afternoon tea here on a rainy afternoon. Very warm welcome! Delicious afternoon tea, far more than we could eat. The best thing was that they prepared a separate gluten free afternoon tea for our son, which tasted just as fantastic as the 'normal' one. We really recommend this place!!!!

Didn't get much for your money..Afternoon tea was very disappointing small portions and not much to share with others didn't think it was very good value for money

From arrival to departure the staff at The Salty Monk couldn't do enough for us.. welcoming, thoughtful and attentive. We were seated in the inner area and had the place nearly to ourselves so it felt like our own private dining room. There was a good choice of starters and mains. The turbot was perfectly cooked though I wasn't sure of the role of the clear broth it was sitting in. I should have asked instead of gobbling it down! The deserts looked inviting but I plumped for the cheese and there was a range of four, delicious and mostly local. First time here and I'd go again.

Although not overly busy we were isolated in a different part of the restaurant.The atmosphere was sadly lacking - especially as an additional bedroom was under construction immediately adjacent to our table. No work was being done at the time but the rear view of plasterboard shuttering is not great, even if there is a sculpture in between!The waitress seemed to be working alone and was rushed.We chose the restaurant as the sample menu promised 'different' food that my wife enjoys - game, offal etc. Sadly the menu on the day did not reflect this so convention took it's course.The food was not distinctive and failed to meet our expectations - especially having read other reviews. My wife left some of her pork as it was tough and tasteless. Neither of our desserts was up to scratch - the coconut ice cream was returned as it was more like vanilla - the waitress was not surprised so it is obviously not the first time.The venue has a lot going for it - unfortunately most of it had gone when we were there.

Never disappointing, another superb meal with good recommendation on wine. Reassuringly safe for gluten free diets and what a delight to have their own made gluten free bread rolls with a choice of herb flavoured butter.. Service excellent as is the menu choice. They are always happy to adapt to our dietary requirements or offer an alternative. Looking forwrd to going back.

Great food and service a must if your in the area.We were made very welcome as soon as we arrived food was perfect and at a reasonable price.

This is fine dining in a beautiful environment both inside and out. The food was of a gourment standard and worth the relatively high prices. Very good and friendly service.

My husband and I were staying a short drive from The Salty Monk and had read some excellent reviews of the restaurant, so we booked a table for Saturday evening. We were made to feel very welcome and the service was very good. The food was delicious and the steak was perfectly cooked. It was a very nice dining experience and we would definitely come back if we are in the area again and would highly recommend.

We dined here for the third time with standards as high as ever (in spite of renovations going on ) The welcome , food and service were all excellent. The quality of the crockery,cutlery and table decorations was particularly pleasing at a time when shabby chic or anything goes seems to be the in thing ! All courses were noteworthy but I would single out the smoked salmon starter, and also the skate enjoyed by two of our party. One small criticism is the price of some of the wines. We holiday in Devon once a year and hope to be booking at The Salty Monk in 2018.

We booked dinner at The Salty Monk, Sidford, for our silver wedding anniversary. At the time of booking, I mentioned to the owner that it was a special occasion, and, our first dinner here.We had 3 courses. When the wine was brought to our table, after my husband tasted it, the bottle was just put in the cooler, and we were expected to help ourselves. The terrine was like firm rubber - perhaps that is the way its meant to be ? The bread was accompanied by an unusually flavoured butter, which we were not too keen. we felt the customer should have been told what it was, and, offered a choice of normal unsalted butter or whatever flavour that was meant to be{ smoked butter ?}. Main course of duck was okay. One of the deserts was a pistachio sponge type dessert - again, it was so firm, not much flavour & felt like it had not had enough time to defrost. I ate some of it to try, but, just could not force myself to eat it - and, I normally like desserts, so extremely disappointing. We did inform the staff who cleared our table about the desert, however, no offer of an alternative was made. We then ordered coffee. The cost of 1 desert was taken off the bill, but, we were extremely disappointed with the food, and, this very expensive (bill was approx. £100) .