A food & drink lovers’ paradise...

What nicer way to relax than in a sunny, time-forgotten cottage garden with a good book and a glass of something chilled and sparkling produced nearby in a West Country vineyard?

Devon and Cornwall have long been known as the home of pasties and cream teas and, whilst these icons of traditional culture are still cherished by visitors and those who live here, the food and drink industry of the West Country has exploded recently, with imaginative and award-winning producers springing up all over.

Our fresh seafood, fine meat, early soft fruits and vegetables, eclectic dairy produce and artisan baking have been discovered by the best chefs, taking centre stage in the finest restaurants and earning the South West a well-deserved reputation as a food lovers’ paradise. Real ale, award-winning wines and traditional cider and juice from local orchards are served justly with great pride in most local pubs. 

Come and discover the innovative bakeries, vineyards, creameries, breweries, orchards, farm shops, farmers’ markets and foodie attractions of the South West, where you can meet producers, taste their fare, then select your favourites (or even harvest your own). Then take time to conjure those fresh ingredients into your own culinary masterpiece in the comfort of your well equipped holiday cottage. Or perhaps indulge in some professional tuition at one of the highly regarded cookery schools to hone your skills? And for a night off, book a chef to come to you whilst you relax with family and friends in one of our bigger holiday homes.

Jamie Oliver

Or, if you prefer to eat out, from restaurants with Michelin stars and those made famous by Rick Stein (Padstow), Jamie Oliver (Fifteen, Watergate Bay), Michael Caines (Gidleigh Park, Chagford) and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (River Cottage Canteens in Plymouth and Axminster) in which to celebrate special occasions, to places for everyday treats, such as the beachside Venus Cafés, there’s something for all budgets.

For foodie inspiration, there are plenty of festivals and events to schedule into your West Country holiday. Hot on the heels of the Moretonhampstead Festival of Food, Drink and the Arts, the Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink will make your mouth water from 13th to 15th April, St Ives Food and Drink Festival will be cooking up a storm from 21st to 28th May, and English Wine Week coincides with the Diamond Jubilee and May half-term this year, so you’ll find unmissable tours and tasting events at many vineyards between 28th May and 5th June, to name but a few.

When you book with Helpful Holidays, we send you our ‘What shall we do today?’ guide which is full of valuable savings vouchers and advice on the best places to eat, farmers’ markets, walks, beaches and events to help you plan and enjoy your holidays. 


Lots of information can also be found on our ‘Explore the Area’ website map. We do recommend you confirm directions and opening dates and times with restaurants, food producers and attractions when planning your trip.

Whether it’s a special meal in one of the renowned restaurants on a short break or a week-long food, wine and real ale trail, you’ll be made very welcome in the West Country. And, at the end of your break, don’t forget to pack a tasty hamper and a few bottles to share back home with family and friends!

The Venus Company - loving the beach...

We love the West Country, and being environmentally aware comes naturally. So when we heard of a local, forward-thinking organisation who was championing these principles, we were keen to know more.

The Venus Company has six environmentally friendly and socially responsible cafés, five in stunning beachside locations in south Devon and north Cornwall - Blackpool Sands, East Portlemouth, Bigbury-on-Sea, Tolcarne and Watergate Bay – and their most recent enterprise at the Shops at Dartington centre near Totnes.

Their cafés are renowned for their delicious menus of quality, locally sourced organic food and drink, whether you’re eating in or taking away. From full English breakfasts and beef burgers to paninis, salads and cream teas, Venus caters for gluten-free, vegetarian and meat lovers alike and children are made very welcome. Blackpool Sands also has a restaurant where alfresco, Mediterranean-style evening dining is available and special occasions can be catered for – the views are to die for. Venus also has a watersports arm to the business based at Bigbury-on-Sea and Blackpool Sands to help you work up an appetite!

Set up in 1995 by Michael Smith, his wife Louisa and Lee Porter, the company adopted the tagline ‘Loving the Beach’. A key business aim was to create a quality concept which encompassed their keen interest in environmental issues. The South Hams-based family business has gone from strength to strength, winning numerous sustainability awards along the way. From supporting wildlife charities to fundraising for schools, the company continues to have a positive impact at its venues and further afield.

Michael Smith says: “At Venus, we are passionate about looking after the environment. We consider the environmental impact of every business decision we take. Our goal is to minimise the impact of our business, using local and organic suppliers, reducing food miles and employing local people. We hope that our contribution - through saving energy, recycling products, centralising our operations and using sustainable materials - will help to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy our beautiful coastline and countryside as much as we do”.

The company uses countless innovative methods to boost energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint. Venus re-develops sites using recyclable materials and sympathetic landscaping (East Portlemouth), uses its own environmental specifications for new builds (Bigbury-on-Sea and Tolcarne) and uses innovative, environmentally friendly approaches when upgrading sites (Blackpool Sands). But there's also the everyday eco-savings, like low carbon vehicles for deliveries, low energy lights, motion sensors for storeroom lights and a study into encouraging customers to recycle efficiently.

Venus's suppliers are happy to help the company in its quest, too: In 2009, a 5 litre bag-in-box organic fruit juice was developed for Venus by Luscombe Organic Juices saving some 3,000 glass bottles.

Helpful Holidays and Venus are forging a long-term partnership and working together on a range of marketing activities, in particular to develop a ‘sustainable cottage scheme’ to highlight the particularly environmentally friendly holiday homes in our portfolio. We’ve seen a consistent demand from holidaymakers for information about the ‘green’ credentials of our holiday cottages on issues such as recycling, composting, water and energy saving and using local transport. We’ll keep you posted on our progress with the scheme.

So if you’re staying in the South Hams or north Cornwall, or even just visiting for a day, why not head for one of these spectacular beaches and enjoy a tasty treat from Venus? Next month, look out for our post about the Venus SUP Championship in May.


View holiday cottages in the South Hams
View holiday cottages in North Cornwall