Circa at Sandridge Barton Launches Friday Nights and Sunday Roasts at the home of Sharpham Wine – Dining Devon

Circa at Sandridge Barton is launching a set menu and tasting menu on Friday nights, as well as serving its celebrated Sunday roasts during the colder months. 

Following the hotly anticipated opening of Sharpham Wine’s new home in June this year, the destination’s stunning restaurant, Circa, is expanding its offering.

The exciting partnership offers visitors yet another reason to visit the home of Sharpham Wine, in the South Devon countryside on the east bank of the River Dart.

With a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere both inside and on the south-facing sun terraces, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy the best local and seasonal produce – alongside a glass or two of Sharpham Wine.  

Circa is now open five days a week from Thursday to Monday, 10am-4pm. On Friday evenings, the restaurant will open from 6pm-9pm offering a three course set menu priced at £35, and a tasting menu for £45, with an optional wine flight for £25.

Sunday lunches will be priced at £25 for two courses and showcase native, South Devon beef from the estate. 

The menu will change throughout the seasons, with dishes regularly adapted depending on the produce available.

Sustainability is at the heart of Circa’s ethos. The team works closely with small, ethical producers and the estate’s farmer Phil Tully to showcase the wonderful South Devon beef and other rare-breed livestock, as well as foraging for ingredients on the wider estate.

Farm-to-table restaurant Circa originally launched in Exeter in 2015 and has now moved its operation to its new home at Sandridge Barton. Rob Weeks, owner of Circa said: “The main reason we decided to come here was the fact the estate is set in its own 450 acres. We’re all keen for the new restaurant to showcase the quality of the produce grown here.”

Commenting on the partnership, Weeks said: “It’s an absolutely perfect fit because we love being hyper-local and sustainable in everything we do. And Sandridge Barton is located right in the heart of one of the most productive and fertile places in Britain. On top of that, we share the same ethos as the people who’ve been making the famous Sharpham Wines for many years.”

There are already plans to expand how much is grown and sourced from the estate. “We are looking to start growing our own veg on the estate, so there’ll be a polytunnel for salads and a rockery with herbs. The idea is to utilise the land on our doorstep to produce as much as we can,” Weeks said.

The picturesque area in and around the estate is full of world-class produce. Brixham Fish Market is less than five miles down the road, and the River Dart borders part of the estate, so the restaurant really is spoiled for choice when it comes to the freshest fish and seafood. Weeks and his team have been foraging too, with plans to import as little produce as possible.

“Ultimately the plan is for Sandridge Barton to become as much of a showcase for our locally-sourced food as it is for the exciting wines which Duncan Schwab and his team are making,” Weeks said.

As the menu changes with the seasons, visiting at different times of the year is a must to enjoy the new produce and dishes the restaurant will offer.

Booking for Circa is advised and can be made at sandridgebarton.com/restaurant.

Sandridge Barton, the home of Sharpham Wine

Sandridge Barton hosts a range of experiences including guided and self-guided tastings, allowing visitors to learn about the grape varieties grown on-site and the techniques used in the winery to craft each style of wine. A self-guided wine tasting flight is served in handmade baskets and is available seven days a week.

There are walking trails through the estate and vineyards to explore, as well as the opportunity to enjoy wines by the glass in the gallery bar or lunch in the courtyard. Visitors are invited to explore a new walking trail up to ‘Stony Field’ – a newly established 8 acre vineyard planted on a raised limestone bed in 2021 – to learn about the history of the area and admire the vines which are growing Burgundian and Champagne clones of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, which thrive in limestone soils. Children, and well-behaved dogs on leads, are welcome to accompany visitors on the estate walks and might even find ammonite fossils on their travels. 

Booking for tours and tastings can be made at sandridgebarton.com. The on-site shop stocks the full range of wines along with Sharpham Dairy cheeses and a selection of local produce to take home. Shop online at sandridgebarton.com.

The estate also offers self-catering accommodation. In the Main House, which is located close to the vineyard and overlooks the River Dart, there are six bedrooms and an indoor swimming pool. The Boathouse has two bedrooms and is located in total seclusion on the bank of the River Dart. The newly-renovated Lower Well Farmhouse will soon be available to book and offers four bedrooms located by the winery and visitor centre. All guests will have the opportunity to experience the offerings of the visitor centre. Bookings for accommodation can be made at sandridgebarton.com.

To find out more please visit sandridgebarton.com/restaurant and to stay up to date ‘like’ or ‘follow’ circadevon on Facebook and circadevon on Instagram.

To find out more please visit sandridgebarton.com and to stay up to date ‘like’ or ‘follow’ Sandridge Barton Wines on Facebook, ‘follow’ @sandridge_barton on Instagram and @SharphamWines on Twitter.