This Exmouth seaside diner oozes decks appeal, says Jane Rakison
Heydays, in the shape of a giant beach hut, towers over Exmouth Beach like a beacon of happy vibes.
One of the biggest joys of this cafe-restaurant is its position. Separated from the beach by just a wide pavement, it’s perfect for watching the world go by. Rollerbladers with deep tans whizz past in ripped hotpants, parents wrangle with a suite of damp mini wetsuits, while pocket-sized pooches are pushed along in pet buggies. On first glance it could be Bondi, Venice or Ipanema but quick sense check this is definitely Devon.
Heydays’ two levels of beach-view seating encourages unashamed voyeurism, and this reviewer is delighted. Yet, as entertaining as the pavement action is, the view beyond is even more captivating. Happily, this is a beachside diner for all seasons, and the sun doesn’t need to be beating down for diners to enjoy the curl of Exmouth harbour prettily dotted with bobbing boats or the zen-inducing expanse of sea and sky beyond.
There are plenty more vantage points to be found inside, where it’s clear Heydays got the 21st-century beach-diner memo about avoiding blue, boats and anchors at all costs. Instead, the theme is channelled through a pale pastel palette with details like raffia lampshades, festoon lighting and contemporary artwork.
The restaurant is broadly split into two: downstairs for walk-ins and upstairs for pre-bookers with destination dining in mind.
We headed to the first floor and found an extensive choice of crowd-pleasing dishes, including snacks and starters featuring a wide range of seafood classics. Despite that, we opted for courgetti fritters: five moist macaron-sized discs in crisp golden coats served on a bed of dill and lemon yogurt. The japanese baby back ribs starter was a more greedy choice: three generous pieces of succulent meat piled high and drizzled in ginger and honey dressing.
This is the kind of place where burgers make sense – and a whole section of the main-course menu is dedicated to them. Consider the buttermilk chicken burger with its crunchy coating and tangy house sauce. It’s imposingly tall and served with well-seasoned fries.
Or head in a different direction with a japanese whole bowl – vegan and gluten free, but picked despite these factors not because of them. Dressed with a bright togarashi mayo, this colourful dish of satisfying flavours and textures incorporated warm sushi rice, edamame beans, sweet-potato chunks, beetroot and shards of roasted nori. We pimped it further – there are plenty of pimping options at Heydays – with fresh local crab.
For dessert, a pear, damson jam and frangipane tart with fresh double cream arrived as a luscious golden slice with a crisp pastry base. We added an affogato, served with the ice cream and coffee separate to let diners dictate the coffee-to-ice-cream ratio, before crumbling in pistachio biscotti from neighbouring Rise Bakery.
Heydays is an inclusive restaurant on all levels and kids, food intolerances and allergies are seamlessly catered for. Whether you’re autumn lunching or visiting for a sunset supper, you’ll find relaxed beachside breathing space in a spot to make the whole gang happy.
