Barbara King

The Food Shop is a large wooden and glass building situated at The Shops at Dartington, on the edge of the Dartington Hall Estate, two miles from Totnes.

What’s on offer?

Over 60% of what’s on offer is from Devon, with many of the food producers being members of Food Drink Devon (an accredited not-for-profit membership organisation that promotes quality Devon producers), another 20% is from the West Country. Devon Drinks is an offshoot of the Food Shop that stocks 95% of its goods from the county, again showcasing local artisanal produce.

Name some of the local products we should buy in your shop?

We have a number of products made for us by dedicated local food producers who are at the top of their game. I would suggest the Dartington Gin & Tonic Marmalade, or the Organic Fudge! All the pies, pasties, quiches and cakes are made by small, quality-driven local producers. Our organic ciders, and indeed the craft ale, are made by local companies. And of course, we distil our own gin on the premises, with the help of Cosmo Caddy and the Devon Distillery.

Why buy from you?

The Shops at Dartington is operated as a social enterprise with all contributions going to support the Dartington Hall Trust (a registered charity). So, buying from us not only gives you something interesting to eat, but also helps support the many programmes it runs.

What’s new at the Food Shop?

Our latest product is Raspberry and Gin jam, made for us by the Devon Scone Company, but we are constantly adding new items from small producers, such as Kimchi from Carey’s Kitchen in Moretonhampstead, or Ghee (which is really good to cook with) from Happy Butter in Totnes.

What’s new at your sister shop, Devon Drinks?

We are now selling a selection of vegan beers from Barnaby’s Brewhouse in Staverton. And you can come and try our fifth, limited edition batch of Elmhurst Gin from our newly-opened, on-site distillery.