"We went for Sunday lunch, not for the first time. The pub is a buzz of local people and the food is all freshly cooked. The staff could not do more for you."
Trip Advisor Review
"Went today after a walk with the dogs, they are dog friendly! Lovely food and staff and an excellent selection of beer. It has a traditional pub vibe with no pretentiousness."
Trip Advisor Review
A traditional country pub with a smokehouse & grill menu
The Bell is a traditional pub, dating from the 17th Century. Situated on the A388 in the village of Monkleigh, it has a thatched roof, classic pub interior and a stunning garden to the rear which is south facing and has views across the local Devonshire countryside. Currently owned and run by husband and wife team Roy and Sally, supported by a small merry band of brilliant staff, we offer real ales, great food and a relaxed atmosphere. We source local ales from Dartmoor Brewery, with Legend a staple, whilst rotating others from other great breweries. We have also sourced a great wine list, as we firmly believe wine should be as good in a pub as any restaurant. We have some 20 gins, single cask whiskies from the Scottish Whisky society and for the drivers, low or no-alcohol beers. We cater for the caffeine fans amongst us too, with freshly made coffee from beans roasted to perfection in the UK by Montrose Coffee.
The food
If you're joining us to eat, then you'll have a chance to try our smokehouse and grill menu. In 2020, Roy indulged his passion for BBQ and smoked meats and dishes by investing in an industrial smoker imported from the US. We serve up a range of smoked and grilled meat, fish and vegetarian/vegan options, with sides and salads. We also do a selection of fantastic burgers and proper, meaty ribs. Our signature slow-smoked beef brisket, pork belly or pork belly ribs in our own recipe BBQ sauce are cooked for over 16 hours, providing a melt-in-the-mouth experience!
We serve food lunchtimes and evenings, Wednesday through to Saturday and then our ever-popular Sunday roast from 1pm to 2.30pm on Sundays (sorry - no food served Sunday evenings). If you would like to join us for food, we recommend booking to avoid disappointment.
The local area
We're lucky enough to live and run a business in a truly stunning part of the country. North Devon is often described as unspoilt, with everything going for it: golden sands, rugged coastline, fairy-den woodlands, rolling hills, pretty villages, historic towns, the vastness of Exmoor and numerous coves and fishing villages tucked into the cliffs. The Bell Inn is surrounded by the rolling Devonshire countryside, with easy access to fantastic beaches and coastline such as Westward Ho!, Instow and Hartland. We are approximately 1.3 miles from the Tarka Trail, along a very quiet country lane, so an easy detour if you're walking or cycling this popular route. In addition, we are on the TRAMP walking route, which takes you through the local countryside. We're very dog friendly, and welcome the whole family for a visit and stop off whilst you enjoy Devon.
There are plenty of other attractions locally too - you can find a full list on the Visit Devon website.
We also welcome motorhome stopovers in our car park - just give us a quick call first to be sure we have space on 01805 625313.