The Seven Stars, Dartmouth

Nice oldy worldy pub with beams and fire. Real ale and mainly pizza based menu. What you'd want from a good old trad pub

The Seven Stars claims to be the oldest pub in Dartmouth, which wouldn’t surprise me. The long and thin interior has a central bar along the right hand wall that is bookended by front and rear seating areas. Both of these seating areas house a fireplace in the right hand wall with log burner. The leaded windows and low beams give away that this is an old watering hole. The pump clips along the beams around the bar also give away that this pub has a real ale. Dartmoor Brewery’s Jail Ale and Exeter Brewery’s Fraid Not were the options on the two handpumps during a recent Thursday afternoon visit. This is a pricey pub with half a Jail Ale coming in at £2.50, which is the same as the Floating Bridge which is this pub’s sister pub. It was quiet, apart from some background music and a handful of locals who were sitting on the stools at the bar. However, all the tables were reserved for dining later in the evening. The barman was very friendly and I’d have no problem returning here.

Now having a surprisingly plain external paintwork, it claims to be Dartmouth's oldest pub, and the compact bar area certainly has a low ceiling indicative of some considerable age, although the small dining area down a single step beyond may be slightly newer. Exposed beams throughout the ground floor, with a restaurant (not visited) above. Four of five handpumps in operation, offering Exeter Ferryman, Dartmoor Jail Ale, Otter Ale and Tribute.