THE Horn of Plenty near Tavistock is celebrating winning a top accolade for the high standard of the food it offers its guests.

The Horn of Plenty Hotel near Tavistock has been awarded three AA Rosettes for culinary excellence. It is one of only a dozen destinations in Devon and Cornwall to achieve the accolade.

The prestigious manor house hotel adds the 3 AA Rosette award to its already impressive list of regional and national achievements in recent years.

Last year The Horn of Plenty, at Gulworthy, won ‘Best Small Hotel’ in the Devon Tourism Awards and its reputation locally stretches back 60 years.

Head chef Ashley Lewis said: ‘Our team has been together for less than a year, so to win this award is very special. We’re a close team and we’re over the moon!’

The hotel makes the most of local specialities from both the coast and countryside. Signature dishes which won over the judges include hand-picked Brixham crab, lemon gel and crab bisque, followed by pan roasted halibut with mussels, sea vegetables, broccoli and a white wine sauce. Desserts include Ashley’s chocolate and passionfruit mousse, hazelnut monte, mango and passionfruit sorbet.

Owner Julie Leivers added: ‘I’m so proud of Ashley and the team for achieving this third rosette. The AA Rosettes are about the food and service and the restaurant including the front of house because they ask us tricky questions about how something has been cooked and the provenance of it.

‘We are over the moon, just thrilled because the AA have to come out twice to give you a third Rosette and it is quite unusual for them to do that in a year.

‘They came in September and were impressed and then they came back for a surprise visit early this year. You don’t know they are coming, until you get a phone call at 10am and you get summoned in from home and they give you the feedback.

‘They came on January 24 and then they told us last week. The judge said it was the best venison he had ever tasted! It is a nice time of year to get some good news.’