Sunday Lunch at the Dartbridge Inn Buckfastleigh, Devon

One of the truly wonderful things about visiting and dining in England is the Sunday dinner. It can be found at any number of places. You would expect to find a good Sunday dinner at a fancy restaurant but truth be told; the best dinners are at country pubs and inns. If you have the impression that food in England is bland and over cooked, it is time to rethink that myth.

When we are visiting England, which we do with great frequency, we go out of our way to find a great Sunday dinner. Sometimes we find a carvery style of dining which is basically a buffet where different meats are carved for you and the sides and sauces that accompany them are also available.

A typical one might have a roast of beef, then roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roasted root vegetables and great beef gravy. It can also be lamb, pork and chicken or turkey.

On this particular Sunday we had been driving around in Devon and were on our way back to our bed and breakfast. We were hungry and we knew it was getting pretty late to find a good place to eat. We passed up a pub in the town of Paignton and as soon as we had regretted it because we never saw another place for miles.

Just when we thought we were going to have to settle we came upon the Dartbridge Inn Buckfastleigh Devon. It is a very typical looking British country inn, white and black and looking hundreds of years old. The parking lot still had a lot of cars so we were pretty confident that there was still food to be had.

The Dartridge Inn also offers lodging. It has a storybook appearance. Going inside didn't dispel the image at all. It was a bit of a faded gem with the bar area as soon as you enter. Keep going through the restaurant is in the back. The tables are numbered. The special are on a board on the wall and over the fireplace.

There are also menus on the table. Decide what it is that you want and then go back to the bar and tell the barman what you prefer. Let him know what your table number is so that your food can be delivered to the correct place. You can also give him your drink order.

The Dartbridge Inn had the usually Sunday dinner choices and we opted to try two roast beefs and one lamb dinner. It took a while but when the plates were delivered they made the wait worthwhile. The plates were heaping with slices of meat, a lovely big Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, carrots and gravy. With the addition of horseradish, it was just this side of fabulous. The meat was far from well done and had great flavor.

The dining room was filled with people of all ages from family groups to seniors. It was a cozy and comfortable place. We really wished that we had room to try ones f their puddings but we didn't. I would come here again if we are ever driving through Devon, I actually would like to try staying here. I highly recommend the Dartbridge Inn. On the way out, stop by at the bar again and pay for your meal. You will be amazed at what a good value it is.