FOOD AND DRINK
Seafood off the day boats, cream teas, hotel dining and independent cafés.
EAT AND DRINK
WHERE TO EAT
Sidmouth’s food scene is small, independent and quietly confident. You will find seafood restaurants a short walk from the seafront, pubs that take their Sunday roasts seriously, and cafés where the cream tea is treated with respect. Most places are family-run, many welcome dogs, and the best fill up quickly, so it pays to book ahead for dinner and at weekends.
SEAFOOD · VICARAGE ROAD
A small, contemporary dining room built around seafood and British cooking. Diners praise the freshness of the fish, the house-made desserts and an attentive, relaxed team. Booking ahead is recommended.
SEAFOOD · FORE STREET
A family-run restaurant known for generous portions, a lively atmosphere and a friendly welcome. Dogs are welcome.
PUB · OLD FORE STREET
A traditional old-town pub serving hearty, freshly cooked British food with daily specials and vegetarian and vegan choices. Open from morning to late evening.
PUB · TEMPLE STREET
A well-loved local with a weekly-changing menu, real ales, a pretty garden and a reputation for Sunday roasts. It fills quickly, so book ahead.
CAFÉ · CHURCH STREET
Homemade scones with generous cream and jam, good coffee and a quiet spot by the churchyard. Dogs welcome.
CAFÉ · HIGH STREET
Cooked breakfasts, Sunday roasts, coffee and cakes, served in a covered courtyard that suits any weather. Welcoming to families, dogs and dietary needs, and busy on Sundays.
CAFÉ · HIGH STREET
A bright café known for breakfast and brunch, from eggs Benedict to a full English, with carefully made coffee. Dogs welcome.
ICE CREAM · MARKET PLACE
Handmade gelato and sorbet made on the premises every day, a short walk from the beach. Its Pear and Ricotta ice cream was named Supreme Champion Product at the 2023 Taste of the West awards, and the flavours range from Biscoff and pistachio to vegan sorbets. Dogs are welcome. Seating is limited.
DINNER · OLD FORE STREET
An upstairs restaurant with a stylish, warm setting and a varied British menu, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. A good choice for a relaxed evening meal.
SEAFOOD · THE ESPLANADE
Sustainable seafood delivered fresh from Brixham each morning and cooked simply, in the restored Drill Hall on the Esplanade. There is a terrace overlooking the beach, and it is open daily from noon to 9pm. Dogs are welcome, with water bowls provided.
FINE DINING · SIDFORD
Contemporary fine dining in Sidford, just outside Sidmouth, with a daily-changing menu built on West Country ingredients and a gluten-free speciality. Dinner is served Tuesday to Saturday and afternoon tea is available by reservation. It holds two AA rosettes. Booking is online and a booking fee applies.
PUB · THE ESPLANADE
A seafront pub with a beach-facing terrace and a contemporary British menu that includes seafood and pizza, alongside craft drinks and cocktails. Dogs are welcome and tables can be booked online.
ITALIAN · FORE STREET
A family-run Italian bistro serving pizzas, pasta and seasonal specials, with indoor and outdoor seating. Open daily for lunch and dinner, with takeaway and online booking.
CAFÉ · THE ESPLANADE
A café and restaurant on the Esplanade, serving breakfast and daytime meals close to the beach.
INN · THE ESPLANADE
A seaside inn on the Esplanade serving seaside classics, fresh seafood and light bites, with indoor tables and a patio. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Inside tables can be booked, while the patio is first come, first served.
BAR AND RESTAURANT · MANOR ROAD
A restaurant with views over Sidmouth Bay, serving classic British dishes such as fish and chips, with a three-course meal deal and an extensive drinks list. Open daily from midday.
PUB · BOWD
A country pub and carvery just outside Sidmouth, serving home-cooked food, with the carvery running Wednesday to Sunday. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices and a children’s menu are available. Dogs are welcome (let them know when booking), and there is a children’s play area and plenty of parking.
PUB · YORK STREET
A traditional town-centre pub serving homemade food made with local ingredients, with award-winning real ales and an award-winning garden. Dogs are welcome in the bar. Food is served at lunchtime and early evening, and tables can be booked online.
CAFÉ · CONNAUGHT GARDENS
A family-owned café and cakery in a historic tower within Connaught Gardens, serving homemade breakfast and lunch, cakes and scones, with seating indoors and outdoors.
PUB · SIDFORD
A traditional Devon inn at Stevens Cross in Sidford, about two miles from Sidmouth, serving good-value pub classics with daily specials, particularly locally caught fish.
CAFÉ · PROSPECT PLACE
A café-restaurant on Prospect Place, close to the beach, serving daytime meals.
HOTEL DINING · THE ESPLANADE
Fine dining in the Belmont Restaurant, with table d’hôte and à la carte menus, plus casual dining with sea views in the Horizon Restaurant. Sunday lunch is served and tables can be booked online.
PUB · WOOLBROOK ROAD
A family-friendly pub with a large beer garden, serving classic pub dishes with small plates for children. There are three en-suite bed and breakfast rooms, and tables can be booked through the website.
HOTEL DINING · GITTISHAM, NEAR HONITON
A 16th-century manor house hotel near Honiton, where the menu centres on kitchen garden produce and local flavours that follow the micro seasons. The Folly serves freshly baked pizzas and homemade treats, is open seven days a week and welcomes dogs. Booking is online.
CINEMA · RADWAY PLACE
A classic single-screen cinema that opened as a live theatre in 1928 and has shown films since 1929. There is a licensed bar and coffee lounge upstairs, with sweets and snacks. Hearing loops, subtitled screenings and audio description are available, and the ground-floor seating is wheelchair accessible. Visitors praise the friendly staff and ticket prices that sit below the big multiplexes. Check what is showing before you go.
FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
Put your hotel, guesthouse, restaurant or shop in front of visitors planning their time in Sidmouth.
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