The Old Mill Tea Room

The Old Mill Tea Room sits inside a working watermill at 23 Brunswick Place in Dawlish, family-run, with an outdoor terrace that looks straight out over the mill's own water wheel. Inside it leans rustic - vintage decor, a cosy, slightly cluttered charm rather than anything polished, and a courtyard garden that's popular with dog owners since dogs are welcome throughout.

The menu covers homemade cakes, cooked breakfasts, light lunches and cream teas, and the cream tea is the thing people come back for - warm scones, a generous amount of clotted cream and jam, and tea served properly rather than as an afterthought. It's built a strong local reputation on consistency: the same simple, well-made food and a setting that does a lot of the work, which is presumably why it sits among the higher-rated tea rooms in Dawlish rather than just another spot for a cup of tea.