The Golden Lion

The Golden Lion in Tipton St John, a small village near Ottery St Mary, was named among the AA Pub Guide's top 550 pubs in the UK, its Pick of the Pubs list drawn from inspectors, editors and reader recommendations. The building has the traditions of a proper village pub - low beamed ceilings, thick stone walls, and a log fire for colder days - given a fresh feel by the family now running it.

Annie took the pub on with her daughter Esme after 22 years working there, with Esme now running the kitchen as head chef, blending classic pub favourites with fresh, locally sourced ingredients rather than a standard printed menu. Outside there's a walled terrace and a grassy beer garden, both well used in the summer months. It's the kind of pub that draws people out from Sidmouth and Ottery St Mary specifically, not just passing trade from the village itself.