Devon pub's resounding unique Sunday roast is an unmissable experience

Accolades don't come much greater than being ranked as one of the top 10 per cent of restaurants around the world, especially when to get there means navigating your way through the deep depths of the moors.

The secluded location of the Dartmoor Inn in Merrivale is only part of the reason to travel for miles to visit. As magical as the backdrop is, its unique dining experience of being able to watch huge cuts of prime steaks cooked before your very eyes over open flames on its signature Ox Grill in unmissable.

Following a stunning cold winter Sunday morning six-mile circular walk from neighbouring Princetown, the warmth and rustic-ness of the historic pub was a welcomed retreat from the moor when I recently visited. As soon as you step through the door, you are greeted by the smokey smell of the grill and a welcoming, friendly vibe that has no airs of pretentiousness, despite the high-class quality food served there.

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Being a Sunday, every table is full or reserved with people from families to couples, as well dog owners with their well-behaved pooches with twitchy noses from the mouth-watering smells lingering in the air. My walking companion and I are greeted by owner and farmer Mark Bury who is behind the bar.

He and his wife Emily have taken over the pub with cosy accommodation for a second time and reopened it back in March 2024. It's easy to see why they returned because it's simply one of a kind.

The hub of the pub is its central live cooking area where head chef Frankie Johnson can be seen chucking steaks above the hot coals onto the open grill. A large wooden kitchen counter is adorned with huge slabs of different cuts of meat where Frankie can be watched as he creates his culinary magic.

Our table for two is situated in the front row of the cooking theatre but before we can even be led there, a steamy steak on the grill fills the air with smoke and sets the smoke alarm off. Mark laughs and says it is all part of the cooking drama created at the Dartmoor Inn.

Moments later, calm is resumed and we are taken to our seats at a timber table to soak up the pub's traditional features such as flagstone flooring, exposed beams and open fireplace. The Sunday lunch menu we are presented with neatly fits on one page and although it is not vast, it is still more than enough to please everyone. Although the Dartmoor Inn has carved itself an enviable reputation as a meat-eater's paradise, there are also tempting offers for those who prefer fish, as well as for vegetarians and vegans.

Sundays are slightly different in that it offers sharing options such as its sirloin joint (£56), for those who want to indulge in the ultimate, luxury roast feasts. Also popular is its tomahawk and chateaubriand.

Organic and natural is a key emphasis of not just the food but also the drinks as much as possible. What makes the meat so tender and tasty is that the traditional animals it comes from are grass-fed and are reared on farms known personally by Mark, located in either Devon or Cornwall.

Much of its fish is supplied via Brixham wholesaler Wright Brothers meaning, again, it's fresh and local as much as possible, such as the hand-dived scallops.

While waiting for my starter of scallops (£12) cooked directly in shells on the grill, I was happily kept entertained watching Frankie juggling a seemingly never ending list of orders.

Despite being so busy, he was more than happy to converse with myself and other diners and must be one of the most photographed chefs in Devon by their happy customers. It wasn't long before he personally delivered my steaming scallops fresh from the grill stating the recipe was created by him and his son.

Warning me the shells were hot, as I waited for it to cool I was able to savour the sweet smell of the sizzling hot garlicky butter. The scallops were presented in two scallop shells and were swimming in a seaweed and garlic butter sauce. It came with a big chunk of fresh, lightly toasted sourdough bread to mop it up with.

The scallops could not have tasted more fresh and were cooked to perfection with the smokiness from the hot coals coming through. The style of cooking also added depth to the sauce which was so delicious that what I really wanted to do was pick up the shell and pour it into my mouth to make sure I got to savour every last drop.

After a short wait we were then presented with our mains. My dining companion opted for the 10oz ribeye steak (£32), described on the menu as having 'rich marbling for an exceptionally juicy and flavourful experience'. It arrived fresh from the hot grill, cooked well done to medium and cut up in long slices on a plate with a sprig of rosemary.

It was served with traditional Sunday dinner side plates including roast potatoes, swede, red cabbage and cauliflower cheese. The verdict of my companion was it was the best steak he had ever feasted upon, commenting that it was delicate, divine and '100 per cent great'.

The roast potatoes it was served with were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and well seasoned. The vegetables were all perfectly cooked with the red cabbage being a bowl of Christmas spiced goodness, and the swede having a smooth mashed consistency that almost resembled a light mousse texture.

For my main meal, I opted for the fish of the day which was the sea bass (£30) with a shrimp sauce and served on a bed of smooth mash and topped with tender stem broccoli. The fish melted in my mouth, as did the creamy mash.

The sauce was subtle enough to not overpower the delicate taste of the fish and had the tiniest of shrimps in it which were a treat to find. I would have personally preferred the skin to be a bit crispier but other than that the dish was faultless.

Unfortunately, neither myself or my companion had room to try out the puddings but the choice was very tempting including classics such as cheesecakes, crumbles and brownies. We left The Dartmoor Inn with full bellies, big happy, contented smiles and the promise of a return visit.

For foodies who love top quality produce, served to perfection in a relaxing environment without any airs or graces, then The Dartmoor Inn is more than well worth the effort to visit. I have never encountered anything quite like the unique experience it provides and that's why it has been recognised in the top 10 per cent of listings around the world on Tripadvisor.