The Saddlers

The Saddlers occupies a 15th-century coaching inn on the main Exmouth to Exeter road at Lympstone, on a regular bus route, relaunched as a joint venture with Heineken at Easter 2016 after a period of closure. The carvery is the reason people come back - generous, well-prepared meats and a broad choice of vegetables, served lunchtime and evening and all day Saturday and Sunday, using local produce where the kitchen can get it.

There's a separate lounge with a double-sided open fire lit through winter, a large car park, a garden with an enclosed play area, and a covered shelter for smokers. Live music runs on alternate Fridays, and diners over 55 get 20 per cent off food from Tuesday to Saturday - a small detail that says a lot about who the regulars are and how long they've been coming. It sits on a regular bus route between Exmouth and Exeter, so it's an easy stop without a car.