Emilia

Tonight we had the pleasure of dining in one of the most gorgeous little Italian restaurants we have ever visited. It was so authentic, for a moment you thought you were somewhere in Italy. The food was divine, it was fresh, exciting, very authentic & it was all cooked in front of you. An instant favourite 😎🔥🥳

+6

The food here is as good as the Michelin star Italian restaurant River Cafe but 1/3 of the price. It really is incredible food. The restaurant itself is lovely, really warm and intimate and it’s great seeing the chefs work in the kitchen. What a fantastic restaurant to have in Devon.

Enjoyed an excellent sharing lunch menu. Wide range of Italian food to fit all tastes and needs. The pappardelle was silky smooth and the damson and mascarpone ice cream are a true taste of authentic Italian cuisine. The waiting and cooking staff were very helpful, cheerful and polite.

A birthday present for a friend. I have been once before with my husband three years ago. Food was as good now as it was then! Bring back the chocolate mousse with marmalade and olive oil!

A "now-not-so-hidden" gem of Italian home cooking in Ashburton that's dog friendly. The restaurant has a big table in the centre, a 4-5 people booth in one corner, and several 2-people seatings dotted around - one of them being on high chairs by the kitchen which is a best spot if you enjoy chef-watching. As a party of four, we ordered the whole menu including the offal of the day (braised pork skin). We loved every dish. Our dog also enjoyed a couple of gravy bones from the staff. We had high expectations before we arrived (Tom and Clare from Ducksoup, Italian cooking, small plates, extensive natural wine list, ticking all our boxes), and we were still pleasantly surprised. The menu seems to be updated quite frequently ~weekly, so I'll be sure to revisit soon!

+6

Outstanding Italian influenced food with very good service. Order different dishes and share between you for the best experience. Had dinner for 2 on Saturday night with a couple of drinks each - just £50 a head which was very good value given the quality of the food and service.

Had one of the best meals I've had in Devon here. Everything that passed my lips (including wine and coffee) was outstanding. Service was friendly but not overbearing, the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting and I also thought it was reasonably priced. Cannot wait to come back.

+1

Amazing food. Had lunch, tastiest starter I have ever eaten, tallegio with sweet pickled prunes Followed by a lamb and artichoke ragu with freshly made pasta, simply sublime Great service and interior Can't wait to return

Most charming of restaurants we have visited in a while. It's up there with Little French in Bristol. Offal of the day utterly superb. Catered for our two vegetarian guests so well. varied menu just wanted to sample it all. William Sitwell was right in his review last year.

I’m sorry I don’t have photos. They charged it for me! They let’s us in 2 hours earlier, so we won’t miss our meal because our timetable chnaged. She was amazing! Food was brilliant. I strongly suggest to eat at Emilia, the Pasta, the risotto, the aubergine, the bread - everything was terrific

Newly opened at the end of June, Emilia is the new venue by superstars of simplicity Tom Hill and Clare Lattin. Known for their Soho institution, Duck Soup (an all time favourite of mine). Tom & Clare have left the bustle of Soho so that they can now focus on this new project, bringing their version of simple Italian cooking, hyper-local ingredients and low-intervention wines to the west country, and they've nailed it (obviously). Honestly, Everything we ate was a highlight but I want to give a big nod towards the offal of the day which for us was chicken livers with artichoke and farro and also the crab plate. Go with a group of four and you can comfortably order the whole menu or go by yourself and have a plate or two and a glass. Either way Tom and Clare have you covered. Emilia is a safe bet, and if it's local to you then I hate you with jealousy. 😂

+6

Absolutely delectably LOVELY. Such a delicious menu, flavours were incredible, portions were GENEROUS and service was amazing. We sat at the chefs table up front and the chef himself served us our meals?! Was so lovely. Such a happy smiley chef! Perfect little find in good ol Ashburton. Also pricing is very fair!

Incredibly impressed by this beautifully authentic kitchen, sit up close with your chefs, wonder at the herbs and spices, salivate over delicious meals and thirsty for their fabulous selection of wines. I loved it what a fantastic experience.

+1

Best meal that we’ve eaten this year (& we visit a lot of lovely restaurants!). We visited for lunch on a whim during a birthday trip to Devon & we will definitely be back. Food was utterly divine, gorgeous and interesting menu & drinks selection, atmosphere perfect and overall superb experience. Love the inclusion of offal. Fab veggie menu. Enjoyed sitting at the window and watching the world go by. Try the sparkling local red wine! We will definitely make an effort to visit again in future. And the new sister French bistro restaurant. Superb!

The food was exquisite. Delicate flavours with richness and depth. Honestly couldn't fault any of the main dishes. The service was friendly and the atmosphere great, even at 6pm on a Thursday evening. My only reservation is that, despite eating three courses, we came away hungry. The oxtail with chick peas was a classic, hearty dish, but the portions very modest and the other dishes were similarly sized. Good bread to support the mains would have helped a lot, but at £5 a portion (we had some with the starters), one felt... well, a little short- changed to be honest. A shame. But do try it for yourself - there's much to enjoy.

Exceptional cooking throughout the whole meal and an absolute joy to watch the chefs preparing everything in front of us, sat at the counter of the open kitchen. Seasonal & high quality ingredients (many items home grown/local) and excellent flavours across everything we ordered. The aubergine and ricotta dish was the star of the menu (charred peaches/mackerel/ lamb ragu with pappardelle made in house also delicious) and the fig leaf ice cream had incredible flavour. I couldn’t fault any of the dishes. Good drinks menu especially non alcoholic options. Service was friendly and attentive and accommodating our dog (treats and water). On a hot day it was very (slightly uncomfortably) warm in the restaurant is my only minor negative but appreciate there isn’t much that can be done when you’re sitting near cooking food. Noted some other reviews stating poor portion size which I must say seems like a load of nonsense. I would 100% recommend and return. Thank you for a memorable meal 💛

+3

The reviews are true! This is a lovely restaurant serving outstanding food in a lovely albeit small space. I wanted to post multiple pictures of the food, but we were too busy enjoying the delightful plates. Highly recommend.

Fantastic - highly recommend. Brilliant food, service and ambience. Will be back

Food was incredible. The pickled mushrooms and the hake were to die for. Great service and great selection of wines. Lovely atmosphere set in an old bank in the centre of Ashburton. Highly recommend.

Beautiful restaurant, outstanding food and brilliant staff! Must visit

An old bank converted to a Fantastic little bistro. The menu on the back of the strong room door was a lovely touch! limited but eclectic menu Italian inspired. Open kitchen great service and a good wine list! A real find.

What an amazing little restaurant. Friendly helpful staff and the food was great

The highest quality ingredients. The flavours blew us away. Very grateful for the amazing hospitality. We’ll be back again soon. Love Tim and Char

Really cute little restaurant with unusual dishes and flavours. I enjoyed being able to see the chefs in the open kitchen and the waiting staff gave excellent recommendations on wine. Overall great food and experience.

Outstanding food, in such a beautiful, warm, friendly and calm environment. We ordered most of the dishes on the menu and they were all an explosion of flavours in the mouth. Simple food turned into magic!

Had an absolutely delicious dinner at Emilia. Our favourite was the fregola- so flavoursome and the cuttlefish was superbly cooked. We will be back.

Emilia is a charming place serving small plates of beautifully-prepared food with fresh, simple ingredients. The ambience is warm and informal, and you can watch the chefs cooking. A unique dining experience!

A local gem. Very tiny restaurant and kitchen. Must reserve. The menu is very creative and authentic. The food excellent. The team is wonderful. We had a splendid time.

Delicious meal with very friendly staff. We loved sitting at the kitchen bar. Thank you - we will be back!

Simon thank you for a brilliantly organised lunch for our guests. The food, service and atmosphere of Emilia is fantastic and I’d highly recommend a visit for anyone considering.

Delicious food with well considered flavours. Very attentive and friendly staff with a great atmosphere. Would recommend

Our favourite local gem. Consistently outstanding, breathtaking food, exceptional service, beautiful atmosphere.

Arrived without a booking but got a seat at the kitchen and was able to chat with the friendly chef and his staff as they prepared my meal. What a meal it was! Delicious. I'm glad I got talked into dessert by the lady I was sitting next to because that was outstanding too. Overall, it was a really cool and vibrant experience. Highly recommended.

I cannot recommend Emilia highly enough. We’ve eaten here a few times and it never disappoints. Absolutely wonderful menu which changes weekly, but always surprises and satisfies. If you’ve never eaten here before, reserve your table and revel in tastes, flavours, and atmosphere you’ll find nowhere else. 5-star. 10 out of 10. A+++.

My partner and I visited Emilia’s for the first time last Thursday to celebrate our anniversary, and it was a wonderful experience. The food was absolutely delicious - full of flavour and beautifully prepared. The atmosphere was warm and cosy, with a friendly vibe that made us feel really welcome. I especially loved the open kitchen - it’s great to see the chefs at work. The service was excellent too - attentive without being intrusive. I recommend booking in advance, as it’s a popular spot for good reason.

Just mind-blowing delicious! Don't miss this as you visit the area. Bookings mandatory, as walk-in is very limited. Located in the old bank building, it's a small place and you can see the staff cooking as well. It all adds to the atmosphere.

A lovely welcome, seated immediately. Was a long time before drinks orders taken, wines are plenty and half decent, poor beer and cider options. This is a lovely place, setting is cozy and the kitchen on show. This creates a somewhat eye stinging fine haze and for some folk, a mildly uncomfortable temperature. The food, is sublime. There is a style of plate sharing, however the portions are not really "sharing " portions. That's the one star off. The service is great, can't fault that. Definitely worth a visit. Thanks folks.

Firstly, Its a very (very) small place, we as a coulle had to share a table for 6, so it can always feel a bit awkward. Food is of high quality, unfortuntely there simply just isnt enough of it for the money being charged. 3 of the mains were described by the friendly staff as 'starter portion size' and being honest, those described as 'more like main meal size' are really not. You end up ordering about 6 or 7 dishes between 2 of you. Thank goodness for bread and oil. Wine - there isnt a reasonably priced bottle amongst it with prices for the cheaper options hovering around £35-£40. So whilst you cant describe it as a bad experience, i couldn't recommend it on the basis of £120 for an italian mezze experience with a glass of wine, whilst nice, still left me hungry and a bit like id been politely mugged. All the best to the restaurant, but probably just not for me.

The food here is absolutely delicious – full of flavor, beautifully presented, and clearly made with care. Every bite was enjoyable, and I would definitely recommend it for taste and quality alone. Compliments to the chef! That said, I was a little disappointed with the portion size. We ordered the dish for two people, but the serving we received was nearly identical to what we saw brought out for a single portion at another table. For the price and expectation of a “for two” dish, it felt a bit underwhelming. Overall, amazing flavors and a great dining experience, but I think the portion sizes for shared dishes could be improved to match the menu description and price point.

I’ve been a few times and will no doubt return a few times. Ever changing menu, some which are fantastic, others OK. OK wine list, with a mostly French and Italian selection. Markup is fairly reasonable. Service is always great. If you book far enough in advance, you’ll get the table for two otherwise you’ll probably end up sharing a table with someone never felt intrusive. Probably the best option you’re going to find in the area and more reasonable than their London restaurants.