DON'T be fooled by the quiet charms of Porlock Weir - it's home to one of Somerset's finest chefs.

Nestled in the entrance of the small harbourside is The Cafe at Porlock, which is run by the award-winning team of Andrew and Sarah Dixon.

After opening in November 1999 as Andrew's on the Weir, the restaurant quickly established itself as one of the best places in Britain to eat.

And don't just take our word for it - it gained the prestigious three AA rosettes for its food just 10 months after opening.

The restaurant re-branded itself in 2011 as The Cafe Porlock Weir and hasn't looked back since.

But why the change?

Andrew said: "With what was going on in the industry at the time we just felt like it was the right thing to do.

"We wanted to offer a less formal style of dining and keep everything very simple.

"It's because that's what people want more nowadays, there are a lot of popular pubs that serve great food and have recognition for it.

"I think before when it was Andrew's on the Weir people had this perception that it was going to be somewhere really expensive and posh.

"But now it is a lot more relaxed but while still offering high quality food.

"Everything I use is sourced from around Exmoor and the West Country.

"Our oysters are from here in Porlock, just half a mile down from us and we're really starting to get a reputation for those."

Andrew fell in love with Exmoor while working as the head chef at The Crown Hotel in Exford.

He said that when they left Exmoor, he and Sarah felt like they had made the wrong decision and were delighted when the old manor house in Porlock Weir came up for sale.

As well as offering food, it is also a very popular hotel.

The cafe serves a delicious Sunday Roast, oysters, sandwiches, afternoon teas and is currently taking part in the Exmoor Food Festival.

Andrew added: "We use a lot of seafood, I really love cooking fish and if I eat out I usually have fish.

"My crabs and lobsters come from Lynmouth, and it's from a guy who also is a taxi driver there so sometimes when he's taking people over this way he'll have the crabs and lobsters in the car with him and stops off on the way.

"I get great Ruby Beef from my butcher and a rare breed middle white pork from Little Oak Farm in Timberscombe and when in season, our asparagus comes from a farm in Withycombe."

Andrew has his hands full running the popular eatery in Porlock Weir with his wife Sarah as he's also currently undertaking his teacher training.

He adds: "For me it just felt like a natural progression.

"I've been cooking a long time now and I've done a few classes and wanted to do more as I'd love to run cookery courses one day.

"I have quite a lot of knowledge of the industry but the hospitality industry is in crisis, there aren't as many people coming through to cook now and I want to change that if I can.

"I'm really enjoying it because it has opened my eyes and has made me think differently about a few things.

"Its very different to learn in a kitchen and it can get quite intense and this is very different.

"I think the qualifications will bring some real benefits."

So what else for The Cafe?

"When we changes over to The Cafe, we handed back all of our awards and Rosettes because we wanted a clean break.

"It was something I felt like we needed to do at the time.

"But now I feel like it is time to perhaps go for them again.

"Watch this space."