The Bull Inn

We had a brilliant meal in the private dining room. Lamb was amazing as was the Hake. However their best offering was the onion soup which the chef kindly gave us the hand written recipe of. Wine was great. We firmly recommend it and would definitely go back again.

To understand the Bull you need to understand Totnes. Totnes is an unusual town. A very long steep high street and virtually no chain shops (except BootsI think) . There is a proliferation of shops selling floaty clothes , and arty things. And the town is full of youngish folk dressed in a style old folks like me would class as alternative. Nothing wrong with any of this but it sets the scene. The Bull fits into the Totnes scene. Its staff are young and a bit Alternative. The menus are handwritten blackboards carried from table to table. (but inconsistently the orders are then taken on an iPad (?). The description of each dish tends to be quite long and complicated- and while its is far from being all veggie it is rather veggie focussed. I thought it was expensive (mind you I think everywhere is expensive) . But when you are paying £29 for a main course I sort of expect it to be pretty spectacular. The menu has small plates and mains and you are welcome to mix and match so you dont have to stick to starter main pud etc. I did however find £13 for a cheese board consisting of just one piece of brie ( yes-only one cheese) and three biscuits a bit much. (By contrast the next hotel we stayed in offered three cheeses with extensive trimmings for under a tenner - and it was a more expensive place). This place is the home of Shabby chic. Bare plaster unpainted ceilings etc The restaurant and rooms are by design worn- some parts seem to have been furnished by a house clearance firm -and while I found that quite OK some might resile a bit . Bed was fine. Bathroom was good but the hand held shower bit was a test. It's an old building so it has to cope with the design limitations(there is a noisy kitchen extractor in the premises upstairs but which only is noisy when the kitchen is operating). Go and try it you will probably like it . The staff are jolly nice.

The food is amazing. It’s certainly a reason to come. And Totnes is a nice town with charm, and a good base for exploring. The rooms were fine. Charming and comfortable, but ours was a bit small (almost too small). Worth a visit for the food and maybe a couple of nights (max).

after hearing rave reviews, a friend and I visited here for lunch Not particularly friendly service…..a huge lunch menu, with far too many herbs and spices listed on the blackboard We were both bitterly disappointed and did mention this to the waitress. We needn’t have bothered left feeling hungry

We didn't stay but we had an early sitting dinner at The Bull on 2 December. It was already busy and cocktails looked to be in demand. Service was great and very helpful. We had hake as mains with lovely sourdough and hummus as a starter. The fish was very fresh, well presented and tasty with great contrasting textures. Serving sizes were good. No need for side dishes and we didn't have space for desserts. Booking was essential - this place is popular and rightly so. Will be back for more soon. Nearby car park is free after 6pm, c5 mins walk.

Popped in for lunch whilst in town today, really delighted that we did! An extensive lunch time menu with a good selection of snacks, light bites and main courses, with something for everyone, not just the veggies! Friendly, attentive and welcoming service and both the presentation and taste of our food was exceptional We’ll done guys, will be returning to try the evening menu very soon