The Cleave

The Cleave sits in the heart of Lustleigh, one of Dartmoor’s most charming villages, where thatched cottages, leafy lanes and old stone walls give the whole place a properly storybook feel.

This is a 15th century thatched pub and restaurant, with a cosy bar, a dining room and garden space that suits slower days in and around the village. It works naturally with routes around Trenchford, Tottiford and Nutcracker to Hunter’s Tor, where woodland, reservoirs and quiet lanes can all be part of the day.

Food is a big part of the appeal here. The Cleave serves lunch and evening meals from Wednesday to Saturday, with Sunday lunch served until mid afternoon, making it a good one to plan ahead rather than leave to chance. Tripadvisor currently lists the food style as British, contemporary and pub, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options noted.

Lustleigh has a gentle, tucked away feeling, with the village orchard, church, lanes and surrounding hills all adding to the sense that the walk and the stop belong together. After time in the woods or out towards the cleave, this is a characterful east Dartmoor pub for a proper meal, a drink in the garden or a cosy pause when the weather turns.