North Devon Food
Whether you live in the area or are visiting, there’s nothing better than trying some authentic North Devon produce. From clotted cream to locally made cheese, locally grown vegetables or locally reared meats, there are plenty of products to choose from and some great spots to get them from. There are even a few local businesses that pride themselves in serving these products in their restaurants and cafes to take the work out of it.
Head to the Market
One of the best places to find North Devon produce is to visit one of the local markets. Here you often find local businesses selling their goods and can pick up some fresh items at a great price. Examples include
- Barnstaple – Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays
- Bideford – Tuesdays and Saturdays
- Eggesford – Farmer’s Market 2nd Sunday each month (held at the Fox & Hounds Hotel)
- Hatherleigh – Tuesdays
- South Moulton – Thursdays; Farmer’s Market every 4th Saturday
Dairy Products
Devon is renowned for its dairy products with few people being able to resist authentic Devonshire clotted cream. Cheeses are also popular in the county offering traditional and contemporary flavours and styles.
Devon Cheese Ltd is known for both its clotted cream and its cheeses. The cream has a more yellow tint than the usual store-bought fare and this is because it uses milk from cows on a grass-rich diet. This creates the richer look to the cream as well as an outstanding taste. The company also offer cheeses and other types of cream, including some that are hard to find. The shop offers overnight delivery services or can be collected from the shop in Bideford.
Drinks
Tarka Springs offers authentic artesian spring water from the Torrington area of North Devon. The company was founded 14 years ago and converted an old milking parlour into a state of the art water production facility. The company offers still and sparkling water in a number of different sizes and styles of bottle so there is something for every requirement. They also offer glass bottles that make a lovely present to give when returning from a Devonshire vacation.
Eastcott Vineyard is near Okehampton and offers locally made wines as well as the chance to tour the vineyard. The company produce high-quality sparkling wines in white and rose and have been producing wines since 2009.
The south-west is famous for its cider and the Saul’s Farmhouse Cider and Apple Juice tour gets visitors the chance to see how both are made. The company also sell their ciders and apple juices, all made from local apples. They even offer locally made honey and are based in Wembworthy.
Winkleigh Cider Company offers scrumpies and traditional ciders with 30 years’ experience behind them. There are sample products to try in the shop with its oak barrel counter so you can be sure to get just the right one for your tastes. The shop is found just outside Winkleigh.
Fannycola’s is a supplier of locally made beers, ciders and wines that also offers Devon fudge and chocolates. On offer are Down St Mary wines, Winkleigh cider, ales from the Jollyboat Brewery and Big Sheep ales, to mention a few. The shop is in Torrington.
Farm Shops
Sometimes you can visit a shop that sells a wide range of things all made locally and pick up a few items in a single journey. Farm shops are also a great place to grab locally made North Devon produce, often made on the very farm that you are visiting.
Marshford Organic Foods offer a wide range of products in their shop ranging from vegetables and fruit to dairy products, bakery and meat and fish as well as drinks and items for the food cupboard. Fruit and vegetables can be ordered by the box, with everything grown organically while the dairy products range include milk, cheese, cream, yoghurt and butter.
Heal Farm Shop is in Umberleigh and offers naturally reared meats as well as country foods. It is a great place to stop off when you are planning a barbeque as they have a variety of traditional meats and some new ideas to experiment with. They also offer ice cream, locally made cheeses and funny presents to take home.
Fish
A trip to Devon wouldn’t’ be complete without sampling some of the locally caught fish. The Exe Valley Fisheries offer a range of fresh and smoked trout and salmon, haddock and eel as well as meats including chicken, duck breast and pheasant.
Eating Out
All this shopping can be exhausting so if you want to sample locally made produce in action, then the Ilfracombe Carlton is a great example of a local restaurant serving the best local food. They use suppliers from around the county in their menus and offer something for all meals from light lunches to multi-course evening meals.
