Devon’s best food and drink experiences – tours, tastings, workshops and more
Here are our favourite autumn 2025 food and drink experiences from around Devon. Buy as an inspired gift, book for a special day out with friends… or super-charge your own skills. Book ahead and check times and prices with the venue before making a special trip.
Don't forget the many foodie events and experiences which are part of the Taste East Devon Festival (13-27 September), and England's Seafood Feast in Torbay (26 September - 12 October).
Sweet treats
Chocolate and ice cream heaven for big and little ones…
Nicola's Chocolate | Exeter
Nicola Knight has recently rebranded from Exe Chocolate and opened her own mini chocolate factory and shop in Exeter. Explore the world of fine chocolate with her, at a Mini Chocolate Factory Tour and Tasting, or an Introductioon to Fine Chocolate Tasting. Selected dates. Visit the website.
Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium | Ilfracombe
Introduction to Chocolate Making. Learn the process of turning a bean into chocolate. Watch the chocolatier demonstrate how to hand-craft, hand-dip and decorate chocolates.. and then have a go. £75 pp. Or choose a Chocolate Bar making workshop for £55pp. Book here.
Salcombe Dairy Chocolate Factory | Salcombe
The Salchemist Experience. At the Island Street chocolate factory watch the process of bean-to-bar chocolate making in action, taste their huge chocolate flavour portfolio; then make a chocolate bar, fill an advent calendar or hand spin an Easter egg depending on the season. Adult £79, child aged 6- 12 £39. Book here.
For coffee fans
Do you live with a coffee fanatic? Are you a born barista? These three ethical Devon coffee businesses can help.
Gaia Coffee | Paignton
At Gaia, guests can roast their own coffee on the Allio Electric 1kg roaster in the community garden, explore the roasting process, discover flavour profiles, and leave with beans you roasted yourself. An engaging, sensory journey from bean to cup. Visit the website.
Owens Coffee | |vybridge
A wide range of courses for coffee lovers. Elevate your coffee game with a Latte Art Essentials Workshop (£95), Barista skills classes from coffee lover to the pro, or choose a tour of the Roastery (£25), home to some of the finest organic, Fairtrade certified speciality coffees around.
Voyager Coffee | Buckfastleigh
Up your coffee brewing skills with a Brew at Home Barista Course. This hands-on course introduces you to coffee origins, varietals and roast profiles, and covers how to brew using a variety different methods – including Cafetiere, Filter, AeroPress, and Domestic Espresso. £100. Book here.
From foraging for mushrooms, to cooking over coals, to the perfect sourdough…
Ground Up Cookery School
A wide range of courses for all interests, abilities, and ages - from Christmas Baking to Wild Food Foraging, all while championing local, sustainable ingredients and practices. Check out what's coming up this autumn and book up soon. Find out more.
One Mile Bakery | Exeter
Boudicca Woodland runs sourdough and other breadmaking classes in her Bread Shed Micro Bakery. Her classes fill up so be quick or bookmark for the next batch! Book here.
High Grange | Axminister
The regular Fire Schools at High Grange, led by Luke MacKay, cover the full range of outdoor fire cooking and barbecue techniques and butchery... in stunning surroundings. From £265pp. Book here.
Ashburton Cookery School | Ashburton
One of the UK’s top cookery schools offering inspirational cookery courses taught by a team of expert chefs. With more than 40 cookery courses to choose from, designed to suit beginners as well as advanced home cooks.
River Cottage | Nr. Axminster
Lots to choose from here, so we've picked some foraging workshops to highlight this autumn... from finding hedgerow bounty to marvellous mushrooms. Find out more.
Darts Farm | Topsham
Lots of foodie events on offer at this renowned farm shop and restaurant including a Gut Health Fermentation Workshop (25 Sept 2025) with Rachel de Thample. There's also a hands-on masterclass with Roastworks Coffee Co on 9 October and a Chocolate Truffles masterclass on 15 October and 19 November. Book here.
Explore the world of brewing and fermenting on a beer or cider tour
Sandford Orchards | Crediton
A behind the scenes tour of the Cider Works, starting in the tank room where the cider is pressed, fermented and aged, culminating where they blend, bottle and keg. Rounded off with a cider tasting flight and a pizza buffet, with Q&A at the end. £35 pp. Book here.
Otter Brewery | Luppitt, East Devon
Enjoy a tour around the brewery, with a plentiful amount of tasting and brewery education, with hot food - main, pudding and cheese - from the brewery kitchen. £32.50pp. 16th October and 13th November 2025 – plus a special Taste East Devon event on 17th September. Book here.
Salcombe Brewery | Salcombe
Tours include a welcome drink in the Taproom, a tour of the Brewhouse with one of the brewers, and finish with a beer flight tasting and 10% discount on purcharses. Thursdays at 3pm. £20pp. Book here.
Hanlons Brewery | Newton St Cyres
A interactive journey demonstrating what goes into making the beer you enjoy so much. £30pp including Tour, Trio of Sliders (mini burgers) with fries, post-tour beer tasting or soft drink. Book here.
Rull Orchard Bespoke Cider Tasting | Across the southwest
If you haven’t been able to make a Rull Orchard’s event you can get in touch to organise a private group tour and tasting at the Orchard, or a cider tasting evening (with cheese!) Get in touch at rullorchard@gmail.com.
Cottage Beer Project | Tiverton
Enjoy learning about the journey of nano-brewery Cottage Beer Project. Owner and Brewer, Dan, will guide you through and answer your questions. Groups of 2 - 6 adults. Enquire via their website or email dan@cottagebeerproject.co.uk.
Learn about rum … and blend your own.
Devon Rum Co. | Salcombe
Visit Devon Rum HQ for an exclusive Rum Tasting Experience that includes a welcome drink and a tutored tasting of four different rums. Plus, enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at our waterside Blending House in Salcombe. £40 pp. Book here.
Two Drifters Distillery | Near Exeter
Join the team for an in-depth tour of this highly sustainable distillery, one of only a handful of UK distilleries that makes rum from scratch. Then take a seat in the Two Drifters bar, with your flight of rums and tasting sheet. One Saturday per month. £25. Book here.
Salcombe Rum School | Salcombe
Make your own signature rum. Visit the Salcombe Rum School, housed in the same waterside distillery as their gin school, for a masterclass in creating your own rum which you can bottle, label and take home. Ideal way celebrate and occasion. From £110. Book here.
Visit a distillery in Devon and explore the world of gin
Gotland Gin | Beaworthy
Enjoy a G&T or soft drink in Gotland’s al fresco covered bar overlooking rolling west devon countryside, head into the nano-distillery to learn how gin is produced, then meet their flock of black Gotland sheep. There are sharing platters to enjoy with your post tour tipple. £25 per person. Book here.
Thunderflower Distillery | Near Cullompton
Join Thunderflower for a behind-the-scenes tour of their distillery and sample their award-winning spirits with a guided tasting of their range. Selected Saturdays £25 per person. 10% discount on purchases made on the day. Book here.
Quayside Distillery | Exeter Quay
Gin School - a 90-minute experience learning about well-balanced gin whilst creating your own unique bottle to take home (£70). Or opt for an hour with a master distiller to taste your way through Quayside’s range. (£30). Both run on Fridays and Saturdays. Book here.
Salcombe Gin School | Salcombe
Learn the art of distillation and take charge of a mini copper still to develop and distil your own 70cl bottle of gin. Lessons for one, or for two to share are available. From £110. Or tour of the Island Street distillery and take part in a tutored tasting overlooking the estuary. From £50. Book here.
It’s always cocktail hour somewhere…
Mix, muddle and shake your way to a great day out.
Devon Rum Co. | Salcombe
Cocktail Masterclass. Mix, muddle, and shake your way through a hands-on cocktail making session. You’ll take charge of your own cocktail station, have an intro to mixology, then create your own rum-based cocktails. Min 4 people. From £240. Book here.
Devon Cove | Kingsbridge
Cocktail Masterclasses. Perfect for a fun night out with friends or to celebrate a special occasion. Hosted by an expert mixologist, you’ll learn how to make a range of delicious cocktails in the Kingsbridge Tasting Room. Min six people. £45 pp. Book here.
Bar Buoy | Exmouth
Cocktail Compass. A one-off Tour, Talk and Tasting Event at the home of Bar Buoy handcrafted, ready mixed cocktails in Exmouth. Thursday, 18 September 2025, 7pm – 9pm.
Azu Spirits | Across the southwest
Unique blind tasting group experiences. Let the Azu experts guide you through the diversity of single malt whisky, premium craft spirits or cocktails. They'll come to you, whether it’s a celebration, at your holiday home or a corporate event. 2-3 hours £35 per person. Find out more.
Growing, farming and foraging
Learn more about working with nature to produce food more sustainably…
The Pig at Combe | Honiton
Dig a little deeper into THE PIG’s ‘plot to plate’ ethos with their free Kitchen Garden tours every day at 11am. Explore what’s growing in their veg patches and polytunnels, ask the friendly gardeners your questions. Book for a special tour with gardener and writer, Toby Buckland on 17th September. (£50pp inc. lunch). Find out more.
The Husbandry School | Near Ashburton
If you are interested in growing more of the food you eat and wish to do so in a natural and sustainable way then Husbandry Skills courses are ideal. Or take the family and spend the day exploring nature and picking great things to eat. Book here.
Ben's Farm Shop and Occombe Farm Shop | Apple Days
Celebrate all things apple, with pressing, tasting, cooking and plenty of family-friendly activities at two of Devon's friendliest farm shops. Find our more about Ben's Farm Shop Charity Apple Day on 28 September HERE, and Occombe Farm Shop's Apple Harvest on 27/28 September HERE.
For lovers of vines and wines
Most vineyards are delighted to show your round their little patch of heaven and take you on a guided tasting through their vines and wines…but be quick as most tours take place May to September.
Sandridge Barton Winery | Stoke Gabriel
Several different types of tasting experiences here, from a Vineyard Safari (£45), to casual self-guided (£15) to in-depth guided tastings (£22) and tours of their stunning sustainable vineyard and winery on the banks of the River Dart. Book here.
Torview Vineyard | Beaworthy
Tours start in the vineyard, bringing you up to date with the vines’ development and the impact any recent weather. Then move into the winery, to show you what is involved in making award-winning wines and a tasting of three wines. 90 minutes. £12.50 pp. Book here.
Pebblebed Vineyard Tours | Marianne Pool Farm, Clyst St George.
Every Thursday & Saturday to 18 September 2025. Enjoy a glass of sparkling Pebblebed, before setting off, with head winemaker Alex, for a guided tour and an in-depth tasting of all wines. To finish, enjoy a selection of artisan cheese and charcuterie. £30pp. Book here.
Venn Valley Vineyard | near Barnstaple
Enjoy a walk through this tranquil vineyard. Guided by the owners, you'll learn their story and about their unique approach. Taste up to four wines. Tours run at 10.30am and 2.30pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and on Sundays at 10.30am. Maximum of 20 people per tour. Book here.
Alder Vineyard | near Okehampton
April to October £15pp. Embark on an adventure through their Devon vineyard. Walk through the vines with winemaker Tom, and discover the mud, sweat and most of all the laughter that comes with growing grapes at the foot of Dartmoor. Book here.
Lily Farm Vineyard | Budleigh Salterton
A guided tour of the vineyard and the Lily Farm story, life cycle of a vine from planting and how they care for the vines throughout the year. A tasting of four award winning still and sparkling wines. Tours take place May to September. Friday and Saturday at 11 am. £15pp. Book here.
Wellhayes Vineyard | Tiverton
Vineyard tours run on Wednesdays and Sundays from May to September, including a visit to the winery, a walk through the vineyard, a glass of sparkling wine, a cream tea and samples of the liqueur truffles made with the spirit they make on site. Book here.
Lyme Bay Winery | Axminster
Private guided tasting sessions in their Cellar Door shop, where they’ll talk you through each wine, explaining where the grapes are grown, how it’s made and give you a few tips on buying wine. You’ll leave with Winemaker’s Notes on each of the wines sampled. Book here.