EXMOOR teashop owner Kathy Fuller has won the Best in the West title only a year after buying the Dulverton premises.
Lewis's Teashop, in High Street, was one of only 12 in the country to be awarded the British Tea Council's Award of Excellence.
Judges made anonymous visits to hundreds of teashops and cafés nationwide and said they found it hard to fault Lewis's Teashop.
They were impressed by Lewis's home-made cakes, jams and chutneys and pots of leaf tea: "We don't believe in tea bags," said Kathy.
"Most people just like the good old cuppa but we do get a lot of people wanting Earl Grey and herbal and fruity teas are popular.
"We always try to use local produce with everything home cooked or baked. It's the old-fashioned cooking and recipes that people want, like blackberry and apple pie or bread and butter pudding."
Five years ago, Kathy won the same award for her previous teashop, The Corn Dolly, in South Molton: "I am delighted that I have the award in my first year here," she said.
She and her husband, David, a trout farmer at Brompton Regis, bought Lewis's a year ago and have given it an old world charm with essentially white china and walls displaying prints.
"The object is to aim to please and that for whoever comes to Lewis's it is a lovely experience for them," said Kathy.