For a decade, Wild Artichoke has quietly been one of Kingsbridge’s most distinctive dining experiences - a place where strangers became friends, food was shared without ceremony, and the atmosphere felt less like a restaurant and more like a dinner party.

Now, after 10 years in their industrial warehouse venue, co-owners Jane Baxter and Samantha Miller have hung up their aprons for the final time.

While the news marks the end of a culinary chapter, the duo are keen to reassure the town that the lights are not going out on the space itself.

“It really does feel like the end of an era,” Jane says. “But also the right time.”

The pair have worked side-by-side for nearly 20 years, beginning at the Riverford Field Kitchen before launching Wild Artichoke. Together, they shaped a style of hospitality that was both refined and refreshingly unpretentious.

One memory in particular still makes them both laugh: Jane’s apron string once became tangled in a piece of equipment, slowly winding itself around her as she worked. Instead of rushing to help, Samantha and another chef dissolved into helpless giggles.

“I was practically being strangled,” Jane jokes. “And they were just laughing.”

It is a small moment, but one that captures the spirit of the kitchen: warmth, humour, and joy found in the everyday chaos of hospitality.

“It was always a social experiment,” Samantha continues. “We put random people together and by the end of the night they’d be hugging, swapping numbers, and realising they lived just down the road from each other.”

Those connections became the Wild Artichoke trademark. The guestbook is a testament to its impact, citing marriage proposals, regular couples who “worked the table” to get everyone talking, and several diners moved to tears on the final night of service.

“I didn’t realise it meant so much to so many people,” Jane admits. “There’s a lot of love for this place.”

The decision to close was a practical one. Jane admits her knees were “telling her it was time,” while Samantha is retraining as a personal trainer, ready for a new chapter after years of late nights and long commutes back to Torquay..

“Hospitality is hard,” Samantha says. “The rewards are getting smaller, the hours longer - sometimes you just know when it’s time.”

Over the years, Wild Artichoke hosted weddings, birthdays, cookery demos, pop-ups, community events and countless celebrations.

The pair proudly proclaim how they employed dozens of local people, nurtured young staff finding their feet, and brought visitors into Kingsbridge who stayed, shopped and explored.

While details remain under wraps, a new owner is already in the pipeline to take over the bespoke venue – a quiet reassurance at a time when so many doors in hospitality are closing for good.

“It’s been a privilege,” Samantha says. “I feel like we’ve just been guardians of this space.”

As for Jane and Samantha, they leave with gratitude; to their loyal customers, to their staff, to their local suppliers, and to Kingsbridge itself.

“Every night felt like a party,” Jane says. “And that was because of the people. So thank you.”

Wild Artichoke may be saying goodbye - but its legacy of generosity, connection and shared tables will linger long after the lights have gone down.