Dine on the freshest seafood plucked from local waters at these tide-to-table restaurants in the South West
The River Exe Café, Devon
Holding a special licence from DEFRA, The River Exe Café has permission for local fisherman to deliver their catch straight to the kitchen of its custom-built barge restaurant floating on the Exe Estuary, giving it seafood freshness creds that are hard to beat.
On April 1 (no fools here), the Devon institution will fling open its seasonal doors once again for a very special year at River Exe as it celebrates its 15th anniversary. Plan a visit to devour impeccable seafood, with many of the dishes having an eastern influence (inspired by head chef Jack Sharland’s recent travels in Asia), including the likes of thai red fish curry, served with a side of shimmering sea views. The super popular seafood platters are also making a welcome return this year.
Working with local fishermen to guarantee the best possible quality, Neil of Starcross catches fish using traditional rod and line before pulling up alongside the barge with his freshly caught wares. Local supplier S&J Fisheries, meanwhile, is a family-run local business which buys daily from the Brixham and Newlyn fish markets, guaranteeing The River Exe Café menu is crammed with a whole range of species, all with a focus on produce from smaller in-shore boats for supreme quality.
Beach House Falmouth, Cornwall
Less than a minute from Swanpool Beach’s golden sands, Beach House Falmouth is perched on the cliff edge, making it the perfect place to indulge in a feast of sustainably sourced seafood.
Fresh and local are the watchwords here, with droolworthy seafood menus showcasing local ingredient talent via Porthilly oysters, whole grilled Falmouth Bay lobster and crab, as well as whole market fish from Newlyn.
The hot seafood platters are a must-order for larger groups, and can be pimped up further with whole lobster or crab. Those wanting to get as close to the beach action as possible can take a seat on the restaurant’s terrace or head straight down to the sand where their Cool Box horsebox serves up indulgent seafood to-go such as crispy squid, trout tartare and crab-loaded fries.
Seeking a seafood sundowner spot? Drop in on the summer DJ nights for a slice of Ibiza, Cornish-style.
Catch at The Old Fish Market, Dorset
Not many restaurant names better capture the sound of rushing waves and the longing for just-caught seafood than Catch at The Old Fish Market.
Set on the first floor of Weymouth’s Grade II-listed Old Fish Market, the tasting menus are testament to the rich bounty of Dorset’s coastal waters. Evolving with the seasons, the freshest fish is picked for dishes such as braised cuttlefish with smoked potato and tuna belly with wasabi.
Chef Ben Champkin works with renowned fishmongers Weyfish (who are based in the market beneath the restaurant) together with local fisherman to ensure everything is sustainably sourced and ultra local.
Tasting menus feature all manner of premium seafood: crab, cuttlefish, Bluefin tuna, ray and more, all of which can be traced back to the very boat upon which it came into shore. With sustainability front of mind at Catch, you can be sure any offcuts are returned to the fisherman to use as bait to reinforce the circularity of the local fishing community.
Ardor, Cornwall
For a true slice of the Med in the South West, head to Ardor in St Ives.
Dorian Janmaat spent most of his childhood in Spain, so there’s nothing he doesn’t know about Mediterranean-influenced food and cooking. The flavourful menu is awash with Cornish seafood that’s fire-kissed over charcoal and crafted into small plates, tapas and mezze dishes.
Sit at the chef’s counter to watch them team create seafood magic, starting with Newlyn sardines, roast garlic aioli and burnt lemon, plus a few slurps of Porthilly oysters with shallot vinaigrette, savour Cornish monkfish barbecue skewers served with mojo rojo sauce, or feast on the grilled whole fish cooked over an open flame to enhance the natural flavours.
While the daily changing specials board features fish by renowned supplier Matthew Stevens, all ingredients – fishy or otherwise – are chosen for quality, sustainability and flavour, enhanced and reimagined by Dorian using the ancient cooking method.
Puro by Tommy Thorn, Somerset
Taking the fresh fish stakes up a notch, Masterchef: The Professionals finalist Tommy Thorn crafts the most beautiful seafood (and non-seafood) dishes for his tasting and à la carte menus.
Dishes are created using local and seasonal produce, and although the food influences span the globe, it’s the local ingredients that give the dishes their hero status, whether its starters such as crab raviolo with sea herbs and shellfish sauce or pan-fried brill with courgette, basil and tomato fondue.
Puro’s passion for perfection extends to its long-standing seafood suppliers, including Kingfisher in Brixham and The Conscious Food Company in Nailsea (just 10 minutes down the road from Puro) both of whom epitomise Puro’s appetite for sustainable seafood caught locally off the shores of Devon and Cornwall.
Back at the restaurant, with matching wines to enjoy from Puro’s sister wine bar Vintage & Wine, found at street level above the cosy basement dining room, you can be guaranteed unpretentious and umami-packed seafood dining.
Enjoyed our pick of seafood restaurants in the South West? Check out more curated round-ups.
We choose the companies included in our features based on editorial integrity. Occasionally, some inclusions will be handpicked from clients with whom we have a commercial relationship.
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