The Swan in Mid Devon

We dropped into the Swan by pure luck, looking for somewhere to eat after a long drive to a holiday stay near Bampton. It turned out to be a real find. It's one of those rare places which manages to combine a friendly, relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with wonderful food. The menu is reassuringly limited, giving me confidence that the food is fresh and seasonal. It offers a good choice but is not sacrificing quality by trying to cover too many things. You can see the kitchen from the body of the pub too which always makes me feel that a place is honest and authentic. The Steak Frites that I ordered was probably the best I've ever eaten - just three ingredients each delicious in their own right. I have no photos of that unfortunately but we went back for Sunday Lunch which was also very good. There is a small village carpark just outside which operates on honesty basis and I'd encourage everyone to pay at least the 50p minimum charge. It was so great to find somewhere not yet policed by ticket machines and ANPR so let's support the village in that. The Swan was not open on a Mondays or Tuesdays while were we there but as this might change through the year I'd always check the website for the latest details.

Had dinner there on Saturday night. Food was pricey but delicious. Staff were super friendly, and was a nice atmosphere. Only drawback was the bill, minimum tip option of 15% felt a bit cheeky given the already high prices.

Had the most amazing Sunday lunch here last weekend - completely delicious, friendly staff, lovely atmosphere. We’ll be back!

The ‘new’ swan in Bampton - fab place - great food and service - great fun service - stunning hosts with real talent and passion - back soon hopefully!!

Out for a spring time drive and came across the Swan at Bampton. Wow… what an absolute gem of dining experience find. The front of house team were extremely warm, welcoming and the service was exceptional. Every element of the food was absolutely delicious and Alfie the very friendly Collie stole the show. Thank you all for a wonderful lunch, we will return very soon.

Had a family lunch here on Friday 5th April. The service was immaculate, prompt and very friendly - nothing was too much trouble. The food is of a truly exceptional standard, with an original and well devised menu, and great value. Lovely wines, too. We’d highly recommend a visit under its new management. The homemade rhubarb gin is a work of genius!

Amazing food. A random pub in a random village should not have food this good! It's fine dining food at only slightly more than usual pub food. Amazing service especially from Alfie t pub dog. Totally recommend.

Absolutely beautiful pub ! The staff are friendly and attentive . The food is to die for I would eat here all the time if I could ! Amazingly priced and thought out menu and the wine is fantastic. It has a lovely cosy pub feel but with class . Dog friendly too !

Best Sunday Roast I’ve ever had!

Fekkin wikked ! Good good good !!!!

First visit for food post new owners. Pros: Delicious food, good selection of drinks on tap and fantastic friendly service. Cons: Slightly small portions and the price is slightly high. Maybe a few pounds cheaper would be ideal. Would highly recommend for dinner! Will be returning!!!!

Wonderful Sunday lunch- hard to find places as we have twin babies but everyone was so lovely and understanding.. highly recommend!

So glad to see this place reopened, the atmosphere is lovely thanks to welcoming friendly staff, and I liked the new decor. The food was amazing, this takes top spot in Bampton and the surrounding area. Great selection of drinks and reasonable prices on good wine. Brilliant!

Superb meal and a lovely pub atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Great roast dinner and lovely friendly staff.

Update: Oct 3rd 2023 - pub shut. Private owners looking for new tenants. Original post below --------- Warm and welcoming on a very cold day. Log fire, convivial atmosphere and bar staff came to our table to wait on us - we'd only gone in for coffee. I have been told The Swan serve excellent meals but haven't eaten there myself yet.

We were a group of 11 - and we were all so impressed with the food. Every dish was delicious and beautifully presented. Considering the size of the kitchen it was miraculous that the chefs could produce such amazing and sophisticated dishes! The staff were great and very efficient. We all had a wonderful evening. Highly recommended.

An absolute fantastic pub. Has polite and helpful staff, lovely menu which changes regularly. The food is excellent and fairly priced. The selection of Ales and ciders is fantastic. One of my favourite pubs.

On the evening of my wife’s birthday I had a reservation booked. We got cancelled last-minute by e-mail!

Fantastic as usual! Top quality food and excellent service. Cant fault it. Me and my partner will be back as again soon. 😁

The food is delicious and cooked perfectly

Great for food. Desserts were great. Most of the menu can be gluten free which was awesome!

Delicious evening meal, served with a smile.

Lovely fathers day meal. Service and food was perfect.

Quite impeccable in every aspect. A lovely welcome, an interesting menu and superb food. And service which made one feel special.

An excellent pub for a lunch en route to our cottage.

Best thin cheesy chips around! And we've been around....

Really enjoyed a drink on the terrace, service excellent.

The swan was recommended by a friend and it did not disappoint. The food was absolutely fantastic, fresh, tasty and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere was calm and the staff were very friendly and welcoming with a great sense of humour. Clearly they enjoy their time at work. We will definitely go back again and will recommend to all to visit. Thanks to Nic, Laura, Paul and Steve we had a great evening 🙂

Didn't stay so can't comment on accommodation. However had a very tasty and tender rack of lamb and good choice of wine. Cask condition ales in fine fettle and friendly and helpful staff. If you're in the area really worth a visit.

Friendly and good service with excellent food

If you enjoy good food nicely presented in a cosy friendly atmosphere then you will struggle to find better than The Swan. My wife and I stayed a couple of nights at this unassuming local inn and we were delighted and spoiled by a courteous host and his attentive staff. The room was comfortable and well appointed with home made brownies in the fridge.

What a treat ! Such lovely service the team at the Swan went out of their way to welcome us and make us comfortable. The highlight was a superb main dish of Plaice with mussels , and the well stocked bar came in handy !

I'm really shocked by the latest reviews and cannot disagree more! The food is fantastic and to hear the chef cooking was young was such a suprise - what a talent! The service is superb from start to finish, professional, friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The ambience is lovely, a real country pub feel with a fireplace. Myself and my husband had the steak cooked to perfection followed by warm sticky ginger pudding. Lush! Well done to Paul and his amazing team - wish we lived locally to visit more often!

Just back from The Swan, what a superb meal, this restaurant/pub never fails to deliver. Always an enjoyable experience having an meal here. The service is fantastic, with friendly, helpful staff who are attentive and professional. The pub is always busy but I have never felt neglected. The food was amazing tonight, as always. My sirloin steak with caramelised onion, mushroom duxelle and short rib was sublime. Original and very moreish. My husband's fish and chips looked and obviously tasted fantastic, nothing was left. (In fact The Swan fish and chips is what I measure all fish and chips by, it's the best!). Having had a lovely dessert we left feeling thoroughly spoilt. I can highly recommend The Swan.

The overall thought after our visit to The Swan was one of disappointment. Nowhere else in Bamptonwas serving food that evening so booked here. Long wait for service, booked for 8 but were served nearer to 9, although told numerous times that the reason for the delay being that 'we only have a very small kitchen'. 3 noisy young locals were sat at the bar eating bowls of very quickly served chips while we twiddled our thumbs. Not a good look.The food was very uninspiring and definitely overpriced. Pub food at restaurant prices. I had a dry, bland tepid burger on a cold bun that was sold as 'spiced' and my partners Haddock and chips was no more than average. Disappointed to say the least.

The overall thought after our visit to The Swan was one of disappointment. Nowhere else in Bamptonwas serving food that evening so booked here. Long wait for service, booked for 8 but were served nearer to 9, although told numerous times that the reason for the delay being that 'we only have a very small kitchen'. 3 noisy young locals were sat at the bar eating bowls of very quickly served chips while we twiddled our thumbs. Not a good look.The food was very uninspiring and definitely overpriced. Pub food at restaurant prices. I had a dry, bland tepid burger on a cold bun that was sold as 'spiced' and my partners Haddock and chips was no more than average. Disappointed to say the least. Wouldn't recommend but would certainly advise either an extension to the kitchen or a reduction in the number of covers.

What a fantastic pub, for a small village it was quite busy, but staff in the ball and minimal waiting time for drinks or food. Food was delicious, and prices were very reasonable. Would definitely stay here again.

Lovely local pub, nice open fire and very friendly

Excellent food as always but missing your amazing steak and kidney pudding.

I have eaten regularly at the Swan and enjoyed my meals. On my last visit there was a new member of the waiting team whom I found rude and unhelpful. The food is good but I shall not be back.

Excellent food and service , as always

Visited The Swan in Bampton, Devon when taking an elderly relative. The food is superb, however they are badly let down on ambience and service. The acoustics make for a very noisy environment - warning: not good for a neurodivergent person or those who get confused with lots of excess noise. Take noise cancelling earplugs. Shown to our reserved table - so far so good. Then after a 10 minute wait for menus (which didn’t appear) I had to go and ask for them. Was asked twice by two different people if condiments were required with our meal - showing the lack of communication between staff. When condiments arrived, they weren’t placed on the table, we were asked where we wanted them (on the floor?!) Should it not just be obvious to say ‘here you go’ and place condiments on the table? They’re not specifically for one person. The Swan has a good reputation, but these things drag it down. Yet as said, it’s a pity because the food is spectacular (breaded haddock fish and chips)

Took my grandma for a Sunday roast. Brilliant food as always!

Excellent lunch: tasty and beautifully presented.

Fantastic pub! We stayed in room 3 which was excellent, and we dined in the bar in the evening. The food was delicious - as was the selection of beers and wines. First class service, in a traditional pub setting, with friendly and welcoming staff. We’d give them 6 stars if we could!

Fantastic pub! We stayed in room 3, which was excellent, it has all the facilities you need, including fresh milk and chocolate brownies! We dined in the bar in the evening - the food was absolutely delicious. Our waitress recommended some wine which proved an excellent choice. This is a traditional pub - real fires, great selection of beers and wines, with high quality food - everyone was so friendly, whether you’re a local or just visiting for the area. Thoroughly deserves 5 stars!

Amazing service and impeccable food!

Great meal. Could have chosen 4 or 5 things on the menu. Nothing was to much trouble. Even made some garlic bread form my kids which wasn’t on the menu! Easily the best food around.

Stayed here for our wedding anniversary. Wow - amazing food, and atmosphere, Paul and staff couldn't do enough for us - thanks so much for helping to make it a perfect stay. We will be back !

Have been before for lunch and always great food

A long and stressful drive meant we were late for our supper booking, but they couldn’t have been more helpful. A welcoming drink took minutes and our supper was a real treat, much better than expected. The atmosphere was lovely, not always the case when...

Great good, great service, good beer.Couldnt ask for anything more. I would suggest booking. The mushroom gnocchi is fantastic. Highly recommended.

Great food and truly amazing service, it was packed and they took amazing care of us

Fantastic pub and fantastic food

Really good lunch at The Swan. Delicious food for everyone. Really good vegetarian/vegan option - not just the usual boring dishes that are often offered to vegetarians. Delicious spicy dahl with aubergine. Amazing chocolate and peanut butter pud too!

What a lovely surprise going this was, 12 is us for our Christmas meet up. Delicious standard menu and Christmas menu available. We all loved our food. The staff were very friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble. Would definitely go back

Warm, friendly atmosphere and welcome. We had a tasty & interesting evening meal.

The service was good. I chose an aubergine dish as my veggie lunch. The accompanying vegetables were delicious and not run of the mill. The pièce de résistance, however, was a disaster: a thick uncooked slice of aubergine which I attempted to eat so as...

Very average, tough but rare topside beef, soggy spuds, lumpy gravy and none of it was particularly hot, service was ok, after the smashing reviews it was a disappointment, sorry.

Lovely gastropub. Very friendly and attentive staff.

Our 2022 Christmas Party was as we'd expect from The Swan; excellent food, great service and a brilliant night had by all. Thanks for accommodating us and for the level of care given to ensure everything was perfect.

The crab dish starter at The Swan on Friday was absolutely delicious and highly recommended place to eat. Followed by fish and chips which was light and tasty and a lovely lemon cheesecake to cleanse the palate to finish

This was one of my best ever choices for a Birthday Outing for She who needs to be seriously cossetted. From the friendly arrival, to being shown our lovely and very comfortable room to one of the best meals we have had this year (and...

Group of friends for our annual outing have to say amazing staff very welcoming and friendly and fantastic food what more can you ask for . Perfect and gert lush 😍

Good on bampton Fair met up with a few old friends talking about old times good day

Both the food & the service were fantastic. I would definitely recommend & go again. A larger party we sat upstairs & brought the dog which wasn’t a problem. Really reasonably priced too, £240 for 9 mains, 4 starters, 4 desserts & drinks including alcohol. My one comment would be that there was no kids menu. But they did have childrens food. We got the sausage & chips but it came with no vegetables which seemed weird. The Hake was the best I have ever had. The burger is MASSIVE & my teen said the Chicken Kiev was the best meal she’s ever had in a pub.

Another visit to The Swan, great to see more vegetarian options too. You know we'll be back again.

I have eaten here regularly for some time and I cannot fault the food or service. Today even my expectations were surpassed. The brown Brixham crab and mushroom, cheese gratin with delicious fresh homemade bread was delicious. I chose well with my mains having selected...

It is hard to imagine a better pub anywhere. Let’s start with the fact that it is ultra dog friendly. Actively friendly not just tolerated. Secondly the pub is a nice mix of locals and visitors all of whom are made very welcome. Finally there is the food. Top end stuff, beautifully served but no more costly than some decidedly mediocre offerings we had during our week Cannot recommend too strongly

Nice place, food was OK, drinks fine, service great... would recommend 👌

Good pub fare and friendly service.

Wonderful food, service and excellent young waitresses. Certainly well recommended and lived up to the recommendation. Thank you

Nice friendly pub with plenty of seating. I was just passing so didn't stay long.

Lovely pub. Friendly staff and great food - pear panna cotta was the best ever!

My wife & I were driving through Bampton on our way back to our holiday cottage and thought we’d have a look at what the village had to offer, it was raining heavily so we popped into The Swan to have a warm drink & some lunch.. Lovely warm welcome & the pub was very inviting, warm & great decor.. The menu looked fantastic & they use & embrace local producers which is a big thumbs up from me, reminds me of the Pig in Brockenhurst.. My wife had a fantastic vegetable soup with granary bread & Cornish butter & I tend to find it difficult to eat out as I am gluten & dairy intolerant & being a chef myself I know how challenging it can be for some places to cater but The Swan are clearly very happy to adapt any of their choices to make sure the customer is looked after.. The kitchen team made me a l couple of lovely gluten & dairy free ham rolls ( the ham was outstanding ). It’s great to stumble upon something so great, couldn’t recommend it enough, when something so simple as a soup and a sandwich can be as good as it was then you know the other offerings are definitely worth a try. Wishing The Swan many more success. Martin P

The Swan is a great small pub in Bampton very friendly and welcoming, for a small pub the food is outstanding, I can not praise it highly enough, first class service from a lovely and enthusiastic staff, and as for the food just excellent. Innovative...

A nice old inn bar staff where nice

We had a very nice meal and staff were friendly, but my friends steak was a bit tough. Hence 4 star

Good service, food and menu, friendly staff .

Really great food and reasonably priced . Great choice of food on the menu. Very friendly staff. Great atmosphere and dog friendly. I am would highly recommend.

Superb service, superb food ... an absolute delight. Birthday celebration for a 92 year old, 70 and 60 year old .. staff couldn't have been more helpful with 2 disabled in the party. Food was exquisite.. thank you, thank you, thank you... and a birthday surprise too!

The most amazing BLT sandwich we have ever eaten!! Friendly staff who couldn't do enough to accommodate. Absolutely great place which I would 100% recommend. We only stopped by for a drink, but the delicious smells from the kitchen tempted us to have a quick lunch which was delicious and which was of a standard I doubt we will come across again. Well done everyone at The Swan, whatever yous are doing to keep your team great, just keep doing!

From start to finish, everything about our evening at the Swan was excellent. Friendly and prompt greeting from a member of staff as we arrived. Waitresses relaxed, knowledgeable and super efficient. Brilliant varied menu, with some exciting food combinations. Wine list comprehensive. Our starters were...

We went on a Tuesday evening and had luckily booked as it was busy. From the moment we got there, we were impressed by how friendly the staff are. The food was excellent (great choice for gluten free) and we'd love to be able to...

If you ever needed to teach someone how to run a pub ,bed and breakfast and restaurant take them here and stay. Rooms quirky well appointed with dressing gowns fridge with water and brownies in it . Good tea and coffee facilities. Great shower and pleasant views . Dinner for two was excellent 3 courses each 1 carnivore and 1 veggie . Both well catered for almost a shame it ended . Breakfast was the fifth star . Full English was a treat local produce well cooked /presented lots of toast but the veggie one cooked by we think the proprietor was exemplary. Unusual and varied a real treat . We will and can't wait to return . Prices in a tourist location were also very fair .

Thanks to a last minute cancellation, four of us we were able to enjoy one of the best Sunday roast lunches for a long time! The friendly and efficient waitresses made us feel very welcomed, the food was beautifully presented and beautifully cooked. The panacotta...

Lovely atmosphere centred around friendly staff serving excellent food

This place is supposed to be a gem. We were told to book early....which we did. To be honest, I was very disappointed. Although we booked more than a week in advance, when we came for dinner on a Tuesday night, we (2 of us) were walked through the bustling, nicely vibed downstairs to an upstairs room, where there was only one other couple. Our order was then taken. 1 HR later I asked the waitress when our starters were coming and apparently they had forgotten to let the kitchen know our order....credit to the waitress, she did apologise, however not really what you want. So - food was ok (nothing special). The ambiance upstairs was very quiet (make sure you don't get stuck up there) and the service was very poor.

We have been visiting the Swan for over 7 years - lunches and dinners - and it rarely disappoints. Yes, the prices are a bit higher than your average pub grub meals but you are rewarded with well cooked inventive food, most of it sourced...

Exquisite meal for my wedding anniversary tonight. All the beautiful and interesting flavours of a high end restaurant with the added bonus that you feel like you've actually had a proper meal. Very warm and friendly staff; nice, relaxed atmosphere; all wonderful.

Just had a takeaway from the Swan I must say best fish and chips we have had in a long time would highly recommended you try really worth a go sure you won't be disappointed

Best pub/restaurant in the village - lovely staff and if you miss out on booking a table for dinner, order fish & chips in a box for takeaway (and eat it outside with a huge glass of wine/beer).

Food was great and the staff were friendly. We had seafood and all was fresh and delicious. Recommend to book in advance.

Had one of the best ribeye steaks that I have had for very long while well cooked and Great taste 😋

The hake/ cod dish with samphire , celeriac and potted brown shrimp and pannacotta with summer berries and sorbet were both phenomenal ❤️

Had an amazing meal celebrating my sisters big 30. All 5 of us had a selection of things from the menu , both starters and mains and everything was perfectly cooked ! The staff also made us feel very welcome. Would definitely recommend if you...

Very disappointed. Had heard such good reports that I decided to take family here for Sunday lunch. Beef was very tough and grisly and lamb extremely fatty, vegetables were standard. The upstairs overflow room where we were seated lacks atmosphere and ambiance. £90 for 3 dinners….. certainly wouldn’t visit again.

The menu prices displayed on the web site of this pub are less than actual. That is sloppy at best maybe just plain dishonest. Notwithstanding, our Sunday roast lamb was as tough as a clapper on the moor.

Delightful gastro pub set in a lovely small village. Parking in nearby car park made it easy. The welcome was excellent and the food very good. It was quiet when we visited but I imagine it gets very busy. Would certainly recommend.