Dining Devon

Dining Devon A guide to places to eat, product reviews, dining events, and food news in Devon. Also local food hero Q&A's. We especially love independents. PR Friendly.

A magazine style blog of Hotel stays, Restaurant, Pub, Cafe and Product reviews from the Exeter & Devon area. Honest opinion about food and eating out in Exeter and Devon. We float about Exeter and further afield in Devon, eating and writing about the places we visit, the shops we buy from and the restaurants we eat in. But it's not just restaurants; burger vans, chippies and even ready-meals are a source of opinion and review.

Can't wait to visit! ❤️
26/05/2026

Can't wait to visit! ❤️

(AD) Spring has sprung and Summer is fast approaching! Now is the time to give your palate a spring clean and get your m...
26/05/2026

(AD) Spring has sprung and Summer is fast approaching! Now is the time to give your palate a spring clean and get your mouth watering thinking about those delicious summer flavours!

Chef Gideon Hitchin, known for his unique take on modern British food, will be exploring and celebrating the best of the English Summer in a 4-week pop-up at the beautiful Poachers Inn, in the village of Ide this June. Gideon’s reputation for his incredible menus became widespread from the success of his restaurant The Giant Club in Axminster. Since then, he has been followed by food-lovers across the UK. His dining experiences always sell-out with incredible reviews. His most recent series of evenings was at The Custom House on Exeter Quay.

This is THE time of year to be eating early summer delights and the menu will feature so many of them! Spring lamb, nettles, elderflower, asparagus…the first new potatoes and of course strawberries. Not to mention zesty garden herbs and the first crunchy baby vegetables...

Some of the food will be cooked over fire, some will be raw and everything will be delicious!

The Poachers Inn is a lovely, traditional pub in a pretty village just outside of Exeter. The pub is cosy and has authenticity and charm in abundance and is a perfect place to stop and think about all the wonderful things the English Summertime will bring - especially the food! Free parking is available at the pub or in a free car park very nearby.

All 5 courses for £45. Menu might vary slightly but not much. Full veggie/vegan alternative menu available All diets catered for, dogs welcome.

Booking link in comments: ⏬
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Sample menu (actual menu may change according to availability)

BBQ mackerel on chopped summer salad

Stinging nettle soup with spider crab

Asparagus with poached quails eggs & hollandaise

BBQ rump of lamb with warm new potato salad & wild sea beet

Local strawberries, meringue & chantilly with home-made strawberry sorbet
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Vegetarian menu (vegan alternatives available too)

BBQ halloumi (vegan alternative: padron pepper) on chopped summer salad

Stinging nettle soup with curd cheese (vegan alternative: roasted oyster mushroom) & croutons

Asparagus with poached quails eggs & hollandaise (vegan alternative: asparagus with veloute & toasted seeds)

Slow-cooked fennel & courgette tart with warm new potato salad & wild sea beet (can be vegan)

Local strawberries, meringue & chantilly (vegan alternative: vegan ice-cream) with home-made strawberry sorbet
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Drinks info: Tony, the landlord of The Poachers, has a very well stocked bar including cask and keg ales. He will also be supplying some fresh, summery wines to accompany the meal.

Tell your friends! Groups welcome. Dog friendly.

(Caption Text and photos courtesy of Gideon Hitchins)
Dishes in the photos include:
- Local asparagus emulsion
- BBQ lamb rump with wild sea beet
- BBQ bream with chopped salad and little gem
- Nettle Soup with spider crab
- Cold pressed rapeseed oil and quails eggs



🐟 John Dory glory - o‑fish‑ally done right. If you’ve never tried John Dory, this is your sign. It’s mild and slightly s...
23/05/2026

🐟 John Dory glory - o‑fish‑ally done right.

If you’ve never tried John Dory, this is your sign. It’s mild and slightly sweet - the kind of white fish that feels really special. Don't be afraid about it being on the bone, it is firm yet flaky and pulls away beautifully.

🐟 Keep an eye out for it at Rockfish where the seasonal catch is marked right on your tablecloth so you can see what’s landed and choose something brilliant.

🍋 With a squeeze of lemon, a bit of butter, maybe a herby sauce… and you’ve got a plate that’s pure seaside happiness (did you know they do unlimited chips?!). 🍟

Another notable dish was the haddock and bacon chowder which was thick, smokey and deeply comforting, it was a proper hug in a mug.

The smoked haddock, traditionally smoked in Grimsby, delivered real depth of flavour, balanced beautifully by the bacon.

We enjoyed this and other fishy delights at the latest opening, in Sidmouth.

I was also so pleased to enjoy some English wine alongside our meal - they offer Sugrue South Downs sparkling, plus a non alc Salcombe Gin too!

Set inside the town’s former drill hall, the space has the feel of an old fish market or hall - high ceilings, beautiful arches, and plenty of retained character with a fresh touch. Thoughtful details, from tiled finishes to illustrations, give a nod to Sidmouth’s iconic features and coastal setting.

What is lacking by way of sea views is certainly replaced by an internal sense of place and story.

Swim down, and dive into the freshest fish landed and prepared at Brixham, brought to your plate at whichever Rockfish venue you head to.

[AD Invited]

SpudBros TO LAUNCH EXPRESS STORE IN BARNSTAPLEGRAND OPENING TUESDAY 19TH MAY AT 12PMFREE SPUD FOR FIRST 100 CUSTOMERSONE...
18/05/2026

SpudBros TO LAUNCH EXPRESS STORE IN BARNSTAPLE

GRAND OPENING TUESDAY 19TH MAY AT 12PM
FREE SPUD FOR FIRST 100 CUSTOMERS

ONE OF 30 NEW ROADSIDE LOCATIONS PLANNED ACROSS THE UK AS PART OF PARTNERSHIP WITH TASTER AND EG ON THE MOVE

Tomorrow, the UK's most-followed jacket potato creators, SpudBros will officially launch their latest Express store in Barnstaple. Together with Taster, the European leader in creator-led food brands, and EG On The Move, the opening forms part of an ambitious plan to roll out 30 new roadside locations across petrol forecourts over the next three years.

The new launch follows a succession of acclaimed SpudBros Express openings in London, Liverpool, Sheffield and Portsmouth, alongside EG On The Move concessions in Blackburn and Wakefield, which marked the brand’s first dedicated move into roadside and forecourt retail. Designed to serve the millions of customers stopping at forecourts every week, the expansion reflects growing demand for fast, affordable and high-quality food on the go.

The Barnstaple opening is one of fifteen new locations confirmed for this year alone and signals a major new phase for the rapidly growing partnership between SpudBros, Taster and EG On The Move.

Purpose-built for high-footfall, convenience-led environments, the SpudBros Express concept has been designed to deliver freshly prepared, fully loaded jacket potatoes in minutes without compromising on quality, flavour or portion size. Whether it’s a quick lunch on a long drive, a satisfying stop between meetings or an early morning bite, the format has been developed to cater to every part of the day. The recent introduction of a new breakfast menu further reflects the shared ambition to serve customers from the first mile of their journey to the last.

Each location serves the brands cult-favourite menu items, from the Tram Classic loaded with garlic butter, the signature three-cheese mix, beans, crispy onions and world-famous tram sauce, to the Spudfather topped with chilli con carne, tuna coleslaw and bolognese, alongside the ever-popular build-your-own option.

To celebrate the launch, the new Barnstaple store will be giving away a free spud to the first 100 customers from 12pm. Doors will remain open until 10pm. The new Barnstaple concession is located at Roundswell Roundabout, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 3NP and will be open seven days a week from 11am -10pm.

Jacob Nelson, co-founder of the SpudBros, said: We’ve always wanted to make SpudBros as accessible as possible and taking the brand roadside is a huge part of that vision. Seeing people pull up during a long journey and grab one of our potatoes within minutes is something we’re really excited about. The response to the EG On The Move sites so far has been incredible and Barnstaple feels like another big step forward for us.

Bertrand Peyrat, CEO of Taster, said: SpudBros is one of the most exciting food brands in the UK right now because it combines genuine cultural relevance with an exceptional customer experience. Together with EG On The Move, we’re building a modern roadside food concept designed around quality, speed and convenience, and Barnstaple is another important milestone in that journey.

Zuber Issa, EG On The Move CEO, said: We’re delighted to continue expanding our partnership with SpudBros and Taster as we further strengthen our foodservice offering across the UK. Customers are increasingly looking for high-quality, freshly prepared food whilst travelling, and SpudBros Express delivers exactly that in a format perfectly suited to modern roadside retail.

Dessert of dreams... If I could just pop in for dessert at Rockfish, and eat this tarte tatin...I would. That may sound ...
16/05/2026

Dessert of dreams... If I could just pop in for dessert at Rockfish, and eat this tarte tatin...I would.

That may sound odd, given their focus is on fish and seafood, but they've got this bad boy down to a T.

This pud is worth the 20 min wait - warm and glowing, with soft apples and yielding curves. Sticky with caramel, and sweet in that slow, buttery way that clings to every tender slice.

Beneath, the pastry is the perfect supporting act - golden, crisp, and delicately cracking under your spoon, soaking up just enough syrup to taste luxurious without ever turning heavy.

With a scoop of cool, creamy Magagascan vanilla gelato and boom💥... it all turns silkier still, melting into the caramel and bringing that gorgeous contrast of warm-and-cold, soft-and-crisp in every mouthful.

Dreaming of my next dessert date...🍏🧈🥧

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