Salcombe has a reputation for good food.  I was keen to just get some fresh bread and meat as our last shop had been at a cut-price supermarket in Plymouth.  Whilst they had done a good line in fruit and veg I wasn’t so keen on their meat, fish and dairy.

Over the course of three nights we visited a fair range of foodie places ranging from coffee shops through to fine dining.  Here’s the full list.

Visited

P W & J Coleman Butchers a proper butcher with a fine selection of fresh and cooked meat.  They even have a carousel of roasting chickens if you can’t be bothered to cook.  We picked up some steak and a range of cheeses to add to our vegetables and supermarket stocks on board.

Upper Crust Bakers this is a delightful bakery.  The front of the shop is quite small but they have a good range of bread, pastries and cakes.  They mainly bake with sour-dough rather than manufactured yeast which I prefer.  The doughnuts were incredible and a great treat after a swim at the beach; excellent

The Plaice Restaurant as you’d probably guess this is a fish and chip restaurant.  We couldn’t be bothered to cook so Tom did the fish and chip run. He had to queue but our order was freshly prepared and it turned out the fish of the day – pollock – had been caught locally.  The chips had their skin on which meant they weren’t as crisp as maybe you’d expect but we felt as though we’d had a much healthier meal… setting aside the lack of vegetables and the fried fish, of course.  Excellent fish and chips.

Sailor V Restaurant we stopped at this coffee shop for afternoon tea with ice-creams.  This is in a good location at the south end of the shopping area.  It felt like a bit of a retreat after the crowds.  The coffee shop turns into a restaurant in the evening.   We thought we’d go back but didn’t make it during this trip.

South Pool Salcombe by Kathryn Lewis

Millbrook Inn firstly, you have to book.  Secondly you have to find it.  Woe betide you if you get the tides wrong as you’ll be left high and dry with and eye-wateringly expensive taxi ride back to Salcombe.  Luckily we managed, one, two but not three. This was a magical pub/restaurant up an arm of the ria in South Pool.  It took about 30 minutes to putter up the river and then a short walk into the village.  We had a fabulous french inspired menu of fish dishes with a half bottle of wine.  The service was friendly and there was a barbecue outside for those that wanted simpler menu.  We, along with five or six other tables, left the pub at around 9:00pm to ride the tide back down to Salcombe.  Good food but London prices worth it for the magical experience.

Salcombe Coffee Shop another day, another coffee shop.  This one seemed to emulate the London independent artisan coffee shops.  It provided my only good flat white of the trip again, at London prices.  The woman in front of us in the queue said she limited her visit to one a day.  I’m not surprised as she was buying a coffee order for a family of five.

Wish List

Winking Prawn – beachside dining that has a good reputation locally but we weren’t able to try.

Crab shed – hidden away near the fishing fleet dock apparently it does good seafood but I’ll have to save until another visit.