Devon’s best food and drink experiences – tours, tastings, workshops and more
Here are our favourite autumn 2026 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 (12 - 20 September), and England's Seafood Feast in Torbay ( 21 September - 4 October).
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 the waterside Blending House in Salcombe. £30 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. £35. Book here.
Sweet treats
Bean-to-bar chocolate heaven for big and little ones…
Nicola's Chocolate | Exeter
Nicola Knight has runs her own mini chocolate factory and shop in Exeter. Explore the world of fine chocolate with her, at a Bean To Bar Chocolate Making Day, children's chocolate making events, or a Taste Chocolate Differently workshop. Selected dates. Visit the website.
Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium | Ilfracombe
Lots of workshops on offer including an Introduction to Chocolate Making. Learn the process of turning a bean into chocolate. Watch the chocolatier 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.
Barbers Bean To Bar | Totnes
Chocolate workshops with chocolatier Michael Barber, including Christmas Truffles Making and a brand new Make Your Own Advent Calendar workshop. Selected dates. Book here.
Foraging to focaccia - cookery and baking classes for all
Ground Up Cookery School
A wide range of courses for all interests, abilities, and ages - from cookiing up a Sri Lankan Feast to Wild Food Foraging & Cookery, to Perfect Pies, 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 baking classes in her Bread Shed Micro Bakery. Try a Festive Baking Day, Italian Baking or her ever-popular Introduction to Sourdough. 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 50 cookery to choose from, including half-day, full-day and weekend courses, designed to suit beginners as well as advanced home cooks. Find out more.
River Cottage | Nr. Axminster
Lots to choose from here, including Hands on with Fish and Shellfish, Hedgerow Foraging, and The Ultimate Mushroom Foraging Day, and many more. Find out more.
For coffee fans
Do you live with a coffee fanatic? Are you a born barista? These three ethical Devon coffee businesses can help.
Owens Coffee | |vybridge
A wide range of courses for coffee lovers. Elevate your coffee game with classes from coffee lover to the pro. Choose a Latte Art Essentials Workshop (£95), gift a Student Grind: Barista Skills for University (£95), a Home Barista Masterclass (£95) or Tour the Roastery (£25). Owens is home to some of the finest organic, Fairtrade certified speciality coffees around. Book here.
Voyager Coffee | Buckfastleigh
Up your coffee brewing skills with a Brew at Home Masterclass. This is a 3.5 hour an immersive, hands-on masterclass designed to help you truly understand coffee, and brew it exceptionally, every day. £100. Book here.
Visit a distillery in Devon and explore the world of gin
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
Craft your own signature gin under the guidance of our head distiller. Gin School is a hands-on journey through botanicals, distillation, and the art of gin making. (£70 or a Couples Experience £110)). 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.
Cocktail class time!
Mix, muddle and shake your way to a great day out.
Devon Rum Co. | Salcombe
Private 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. £50 per person. 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.
Explore brewing and fermentation on a tour
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. £34pp. Selected dates in September, October and November, plus a special Taste East Devon event on 16th 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.
Cottage Beer Project | Tiverton
Enjoy learning about the journey of nano-brewery Cottage Beer Project. Owner and Brewer, Dan, will guide you through the quirks of small scale brewing and answer your questions. £21pp. Groups of up to eight adults. Group Tour & Tasting also available. Enquire via their website here or email dan@cottagebeerproject.co.uk.
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. These sell out very quickly so book ahead! Book 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 (£48), to casual self-guided (£15) to in-depth guided tastings (£24) 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.
Huxbear Vineyard | Chudleigh
On a Huxbear wine tour you will discover how the boutique Devon vineyard started, the vineyard calendar and their winemaking processes. £14.50 per person. The last tour of the season is Wednesday 9th September at 2pm. but make anot for 2027! 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.
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. £30pp. Book here.
Pebblebed Vineyard Tours | Clyst St George.
Every Thursday & Saturday May through September. A guided tour of the vineyard and tasting in the winery with winemaker, Alex. Then enjoy a selection of farmhouse cheese and artisan charcuterie with a glass of wine in hand, overlooking the beautiful vineyard. £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 all year round at 10.30am and 2.30pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and on Sundays at 10.30am. £20 pp. Maximum of 20 people per tour. Book here.