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Seafood fans can indulge their passion at this unpretentious, convivial spot near the harbor; wood floors, colorful wall tiles, and an array of maritime knickknacks set the mood. Fresh, locally caught fish is brought to your table for inspection before being simply but imaginatively prepared. The extensive menu offers dishes ranging from humble—but abundant and beautifully cooked—fish-and-chips to lobster and crab grilled with garlic and brandy. There's a wine bar upstairs for a pre- or postprandial drink.
7 Beacon Terr., Torquay, Torbay, TQ1 2BH, England
Known For
- Freshest seafood in Torquay
- Wine bar upstairs
- Lively atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed 3 wks in Feb., 1st wk in Nov., Sun. in Oct.–June, and Mon. in Nov.–May. No lunch Sun.–Tues., Reservations essential
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$$ | Harbourside |
Occupying a former police station, this modern, clean-lined restaurant affords serene views over the passing swans and boats. Upstairs, the more formal restaurant serves delicately cooked dishes like pan-roasted hake with braised octopus and chorizo stew or spiced tomato lentils, polenta, and wild mushrooms, while the lip-smacking desserts include cherry parfait with marshmallow and macerated morello cherries or white chocolate mousse with berries. On the river level, the Pontoon bar has a more rough-and-ready menu that includes oysters, salads, and burgers, and with its terrace seating, it also makes a great spot for a weekend brunch, afternoon coffee, or evening drinks.
The Grove, Bristol, Bristol, BS1 4RB, England
Known For
- Warm, friendly environment
- Soothing river views
- Weekend brunches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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The restaurant within this Georgian house has magnificent views across the wooded, rhododendron-filled Tamar Valley and a sophisticated menu featuring traditional British cuisine with French and Asian elements. A typical starter and main course might be seared scallops with cauliflower, cumin, and mango followed by Creedy Carver duck with baby leeks and Jerusalem artichokes, while desserts include warm rum baba with marinated pineapple, banana, and coconut. Alongside the three-course à la carte dinner menu (£60), there's a six-course tasting menu (£80), an à la carte "casual dining menu" available at lunchtime, and an "evening lounge menu." A converted coach house and the main house contain 16 sumptuously furnished guest rooms. It's 3 miles west of Tavistock.
A390, Gulworthy, Devon, PL19 8JD, England
Known For
- Sophisticated fine dining
- Stunning views
- Menus to suit all pockets
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Tues. and Wed. for non-hotel guests
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Within view of Mousehole's tiny harbor, you can dine on some of the area's freshest seafood in this popular bistro. The seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired menu takes in everything from crab soup with rouille (a sauce with breadcrumbs and garlic) and Parmesan toast to crumbed lemon sole fillets with minted pea purée. Meat eaters and vegetarians are also well catered to with dishes like venison ragu and a crispy aubergine burger with Monterey Jack and Korean barbecue sauce. The bright, white-walled dining room has a fresh, modern feel, and there are tables in the sheltered courtyard garden. The restaurant also offers delicious breakfasts and and operates a deli around the corner (No.1 Millpool Deli/Store) for takeout fresh picnic ingredients, pastries, and coffees. Self-catering accommodation is available, too.
2 Fore St., Mousehole, Cornwall, TR19 6QU, England
Known For
- Panoramic eating in a bright, modern setting
- Fresh and locally sourced dishes
- Enclosed back garden
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The finest of a slew of restaurants and cafés clustered in Bristol's trendy, newly developed Wapping Wharf harborside district, this compact venue might be squeezed into a shipping container, but punches way above what its diminutive dimensions might suggest. The seasonally changing menu is also on the small side, but every dish is startlingly original, and each is a winner. Smoked trout with Jersey Royal potatoes, buttermilk, and horseradish, for example, is an excellent start to such mains as rump of lamb, borlotti beans, and charred radicchio. Desserts are also fabulous, and you can watch it all taking shape in the open kitchen. Dishes on the seven-course taster menu (£50; request when booking) are unspecified—it may surprise but will not disappoint. The restaurant is steps away from the Floating Harbour and M Shed, and there are tables outside on the deck for warm days.
Gas Ferry Steps, Wapping Wharf, Bristol, Bristol, BS1 6WP, England
Known For
- Cutting-edge menus
- Unusual (and very small) setting
- Hipster clientele
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Tues. No lunch Wed.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Here's a change from the usual food in Exeter: a Portuguese bistro in the heart of pedestrianized Gandy Street, offering an authentic menu of Iberian specialties. The extensive menu includes such traditional dishes as frango à brás (chicken with chopped potatoes and onions, sprinkled with olives and parsley), francesinha (a steak sandwich from Porto, with spicy sausage, ham, cheese, and a salty beer gravy), and polvo à lagareiro (confit garlic octopus with crushed new potatoes). There's an impressive choice of vegetarian alternatives, and among the numerous desserts, you'll find an assortment of dangerously delicious pastéis de nata (egg custard tarts), accompanied with coffee, liqueur, ice cream, or just served plain. The decor in the two bright, neat rooms features the cork and tiles of the restaurant's name, enhanced by modern Portuguese art. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.
15 Gandy St., Exeter, Devon, EX4 3LS, England
Known For
- Authentic Portuguese dishes
- Extensive menu
- Egg custard tarts for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Tues.
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Locals and visitors alike make a beeline for this gastro-pub in a 16th-century building with a number of small dining spaces done in spare, contemporary country style. The elegantly presented dishes may include dry-aged moorland sirloin in a peppercorn sauce, beer-battered hake, or butternut squash risotto with salsa verde. Set-price menus are sometimes available, and there's a separate vegan and vegetarian menu. If you don't want to go the whole hog at lunchtime, wholesome sandwiches are also served every day but Sunday). Three spacious guest rooms make it possible to linger.
Moorside, Lydford, Devon, EX20 4AY, England
Known For
- Varied and interesting menu using quality local produce
- Friendly and helpful staff
- Tasty sandwich menu at lunchtime
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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This little restaurant near the cathedral adds a continental touch to quiet Wells. French and Mediterranean influences are at the forefront of the lunch and dinner menus, which showcase seafood dishes such as crayfish salad, tuna carpaccio, grilled sea bass with asparagus, and roast fillet of hake with couscous. Other choices include roast duck breast with stir-fried vegetables and Lebanese spiced minced lamb. Desserts intersperse French patisserie items (like choux bun with Chantilly cream) with such enticements as affogato and pistachio frangipane and strawberry tart. There are set-price lunch and dinner menus too, including a five-course seafood menu (£65).
5 Sadler St., Wells, Somerset, BA5 2RR, England
Known For
- Mediterranean-style dishes
- Popular with fish aficionados
- Tasty desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Tues., and Thurs. No dinner Sun.
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$$ | Clifton |
For glorious views of Bristol's most iconic sight, this restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge can't be beaten. The menu is unapologetically carnivorous, specializing in steaks and smoked meats such as pastrami and ribs, though you can also enjoy spiced cauliflower steak, braised veal cheek, poached monkfish, and burgers. Sited inside the Avon Gorge Hotel and part of the Hotel du Vin group, it is named after the two legendary giants whose competition for the hand of the beautiful Avona led to the carving of the gorge. Enjoy pre- or post-prandial drinks on the broad outdoor terrace of the adjacent White Lion bar (also a lunch option for when the restaurant is closed).
Sion Hill, Bristol, Bristol, BS8 4LD, England
Known For
- Spectacular views
- Steaks and smoked meats
- Generous portions
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.–Fri.
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For views and location, this breezy beachside eatery with a crisp, modern interior and deck seating can't be beat. On the menu you'll find hearty breakfasts and a judicious balance of meat, seafood, and vegetarian dishes for lunch and dinner, from salads, sandwiches, and burgers to smoked fish trio and pork belly ribs. There are barbecues in summer, and live music on Sunday evening.
Cliff Rd., Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4PA, England
Known For
- Amazing views
- Family-friendly setting
- Live music on Sunday night
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Mon. and Tues. Nov.–Easter
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Overlooking Swanpool Beach a mile south of Falmouth, this popular eatery has a lively buzz and a menu that showcases the best seafood to be found in Cornish waters. Plump and juicy scallops from Falmouth Bay, mussels served with baked focaccia, wild prawns in 'nduja sauce, lobster with garlic and herb butter, crab risotto, and plain old fish-and-chips are among the favorite items on the family-friendly menu, while cocktails and mocktails can be ordered at the table or in the adjoining alfresco bar. Staff are young and enthusiastic, and the ambience is relaxed. Book a table on the outdoor terrace for the best experience—Pendennis Castle is visible just across the bay. Swanpool Beach is a stop on the Falmouth Coaster bus route.
Swanpool, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 5BG, England
Known For
- Buzzy beach restaurant
- Relaxing sea views
- Fresh, local seafood
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed 2 wks in Jan. and Mon.–Wed. in Nov.–mid-Feb.
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Fresh seafood landed at the nearby quays, such as sea bass and hake, features high on the menu at this Barbican eatery, but you will also find pastas, risottos, steaks, and slow-cooked duck-leg confit. Cornish mussels or grilled scallops make an ideal light lunch, while desserts include crème brûlée served with salted caramel ice cream or raspberry and Champagne sorbet. The modern decor in the two dining areas—upstairs and downstairs—is crisply white, the service is enthusiastic, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly.
33 Southside St., Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 2LE, England
Known For
- First-class service
- Creative and delicious food
- Tasty desserts
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A 14th-century inn and a row of thatched cottages make up this pub-restaurant with great views over the Bristol Channel. The kitchen mixes local cuisine with European influences, so expect dishes like Exmoor rib-eye steak and roasted artichoke, tomato, and black olive Provençal tart. There's fresh seafood year-round, and a superb game menu in winter. Booking ahead is advisable for the restaurant; otherwise, just show up for the bar menu, which features such snacks as soused mackerel fillet and crab sandwiches. In the attached hotel, corridors and creaking staircases lead to cozy guest rooms decorated in stylish print or solid fabrics.
Riverside Rd., Lynmouth, Devon, EX35 6EG, England
Known For
- Traditional pub decor and ambience
- Good range of local ales
- Delicious seafood and local meat dishes
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This small and buzzing bistro has a rock-and-roll flavor, thanks to the walls adorned with posters of music icons. Diners squeeze onto benches and into booths to savor dishes made with local seafood, including a majestic bouillabaisse, or just a simple "Samburger." Steaks and "super salads" are also on the menu. You may have to wait for a table, but there's a slinky lounge-bar upstairs for a preprandial drink.
20 Fore St., Fowey, Cornwall, PL23 1AQ, England
Known For
- Best burgers in Cornwall
- Large portions
- Friendly service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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Part of chef Rick Stein's empire, this French-leaning bistro with contemporary art adorning its walls has a secluded feel. The menu is strong on seafood but also offers succulent steaks and tasty vegetarian choices, featuring dishes like whole grilled lobster, a warm salad of monkfish, prawns and fennel butter, and ravioli with porcini mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and hazelnuts. Look out for the set-price menus that are sometimes available. When the weather's nice, you can dine in the sunny walled garden, and Ruby's Bar next door offers a cozy nook for gins and cocktails. Upstairs are 10 spacious bedrooms individually decorated with stylish modern pieces.
4 New St., Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8EA, England
Known For
- Unpretentious fine dining
- Smart but lively ambience
- Walled garden for eating outside
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Housed within the historic Plymouth Gin Distillery in the heart of the Barbican, this restaurant owned by a distinguished local culinary duo is a cheerful spot for a quick lunch or a more leisurely evening meal. The menu might include locally caught hake with Shetland Isle mussels and potato gnocchi; pea and mascarpone risotto with goat's cheese; or a steak from the charcoal grill. To finish, try one of the toothsome desserts, perhaps the whipped vanilla cheesecake with strawberries. There are good set-price menus at lunchtime and early evening, and you can sample gin cocktails in the Refectory Bar on the same premises, made with the Plymouth Gin distilled on site.
60 Southside St., Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 2LQ, England
Known For
- Buzzy atmosphere
- Cool distillery location (with plenty of house-made gin on the menu)
- Friendly staff
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Tues.
