Guidebook for Exeter
Food Scene
Excellent Turkish cafe serving authentic food and of course thick coffee!
12 locals recommend
Dinosaur Cafe
5 New N RdExcellent Turkish cafe serving authentic food and of course thick coffee!
Good pub with real ales and excellent food. Open late at weekends. Speak Easy cocktail bar on first floor.
The Oddfellows
60 New N RdGood pub with real ales and excellent food. Open late at weekends. Speak Easy cocktail bar on first floor.
The best in Exeter, cosy and intimate- so it gets full quickly. A couple of seats outside. Forget the global tax avoiding brands- go local!
7 locals recommend
Devon Coffee
88 Queen StThe best in Exeter, cosy and intimate- so it gets full quickly. A couple of seats outside. Forget the global tax avoiding brands- go local!
Lovely position on Cathedral Green, The Plant is a brilliant place for a healthy wholesome meat free lunch. Cosy but tables also outside.
11 locals recommend
The Plant Cafe
1 Cathedral YardLovely position on Cathedral Green, The Plant is a brilliant place for a healthy wholesome meat free lunch. Cosy but tables also outside.
Part of small independent group of pubs brewing on the premises. Great range of food including "smoked" specialties. Tucked behind Fore street.
15 locals recommend
The Fat Pig Exeter
2 John StPart of small independent group of pubs brewing on the premises. Great range of food including "smoked" specialties. Tucked behind Fore street.
St Austell Brewey owned pub on the River Exe just below Millers Crossing footbridge. Good for Cornish beer, food inc Sunday Carvery and evening sun.
14 locals recommend
Mill on the Exe
Bonhay RoadSt Austell Brewey owned pub on the River Exe just below Millers Crossing footbridge. Good for Cornish beer, food inc Sunday Carvery and evening sun.
Well established and relaxed venue serving up superb pizzas - right up to dustbin lid size! Real ales, live music some nights and superb location on Exeter Quay.
30 locals recommend
On The Waterfront
The QuayWell established and relaxed venue serving up superb pizzas - right up to dustbin lid size! Real ales, live music some nights and superb location on Exeter Quay.
A quite posh and mildly expensive "farm shop" with loads of local and regional food and drink offerings plus a very good fish and chip shop serving the very freshest mostly locally caught fish. Recommended if you have a deep wallet and a weakness for good food!
99 locals recommend
Darts Farm Restaurant
A quite posh and mildly expensive "farm shop" with loads of local and regional food and drink offerings plus a very good fish and chip shop serving the very freshest mostly locally caught fish. Recommended if you have a deep wallet and a weakness for good food!
Unique experience of dining on a moored "barge" right in the middle of the Exe estuary. Superb fish and seafood and even better if you get the weather right! Ferry service from Exmouth. Booking essential!
71 locals recommend
River Exe Cafe
Unique experience of dining on a moored "barge" right in the middle of the Exe estuary. Superb fish and seafood and even better if you get the weather right! Ferry service from Exmouth. Booking essential!
Drinks & Nightlife
Probably one of the best Wetherspoons locations you will find and only a stroll away.
12 locals recommend
The Imperial
New North RoadProbably one of the best Wetherspoons locations you will find and only a stroll away.
Quirky friendly little bar selling a range of unusual craft beers and ciders from around Britain. Independent.
The Beer Cellar
2 South StQuirky friendly little bar selling a range of unusual craft beers and ciders from around Britain. Independent.
Rambling old fire station now a very popular student oriented bar serving a good range of real ciders and ales as well as massive good value pizzas. Stays open late - very late!
35 locals recommend
The Old Firehouse
50 New N RdRambling old fire station now a very popular student oriented bar serving a good range of real ciders and ales as well as massive good value pizzas. Stays open late - very late!
Old Warehouse on Exeter Quay now tastefully converted to a good food and drink venue with a wide and changing range of craft & cask beers. St Austell Brewery owned.
11 locals recommend
Samuel Jones
37 Commercial RdOld Warehouse on Exeter Quay now tastefully converted to a good food and drink venue with a wide and changing range of craft & cask beers. St Austell Brewery owned.
Exeter's original "Gastro" pub and arguably still the best. Lots of original and arty touches and remains a true " local". A good appetite is assured after a brisk 20 minute walk across town from the flat!
28 locals recommend
The Hour Glass
21 Melbourne StExeter's original "Gastro" pub and arguably still the best. Lots of original and arty touches and remains a true " local". A good appetite is assured after a brisk 20 minute walk across town from the flat!
Great destination to cycle to on a sunny day. Located where the Exeter canal joins the Exe Estuary with great food, local beers but alas- not a hotel any more! check opening times out of season. Can also be accessed by ferry from Topsham when tides are right.
36 locals recommend
The Turf
Great destination to cycle to on a sunny day. Located where the Exeter canal joins the Exe Estuary with great food, local beers but alas- not a hotel any more! check opening times out of season. Can also be accessed by ferry from Topsham when tides are right.
Essentials
Nearest convenience store for most things. Opposite Central station. Open 7-10 daily.
7 locals recommend
Co-op Food - Queen Street
37-39 Queen StNearest convenience store for most things. Opposite Central station. Open 7-10 daily.
Community owned and run shop/cafe selling locally produced food and drink. Well worth a visit!
The Real Food Store
3a Queen StCommunity owned and run shop/cafe selling locally produced food and drink. Well worth a visit!
Arts & Culture
Exeter Phoenix
Gandy StreetLive music, theatre, gallery, various classes and a bar!
Exeter's most comfortable cinema showing both mainstream and independent films. Nice cafe/bar.
29 locals recommend
Picturehouse Exeter
51 Bartholomew St WExeter's most comfortable cinema showing both mainstream and independent films. Nice cafe/bar.
Everything Else
The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
Prince of Wales RoadSmall but interesting museum on University campus. Free entry.
If you've walked, cycled or got the train to Exmouth, this is where you can expect great fish and chips. Best eaten out of the paper on the sea front! Applies to drivers too but you would miss out on a very scenic not to mention eco-friendly train ride along the Exe estuary from Exeter Central.
Capels Of Exmouth
11 Imperial RdIf you've walked, cycled or got the train to Exmouth, this is where you can expect great fish and chips. Best eaten out of the paper on the sea front! Applies to drivers too but you would miss out on a very scenic not to mention eco-friendly train ride along the Exe estuary from Exeter Central.
Exhilarating walk around the Dawlish Warren sand spit starting from Dawlish Warren station after a lovely short but scenic train ride from Exeter St Davids. Either ignore or embrace the initial stretch which is full on amusements and fairground rides!
56 locals recommend
Dawlish Warren
Warren RoadExhilarating walk around the Dawlish Warren sand spit starting from Dawlish Warren station after a lovely short but scenic train ride from Exeter St Davids. Either ignore or embrace the initial stretch which is full on amusements and fairground rides!
Lots of well managed and sign posted forest walks and cycle trails on high ground overlooking Exeter.
88 locals recommend
Haldon Forest Park (Forestry England)
Bullers HillLots of well managed and sign posted forest walks and cycle trails on high ground overlooking Exeter.
Just a 15 minute train ride from Exeter Central on the Exmouth line, Topsham is a lovely old riverside town that was once the second busiest port in England. Now a more genteel if "Fulham-ised" sort of place with a variety of shops, restaurants, cafes,and pubs. Good for a day out with lots of good walks.
106 locals recommend
Topsham
Just a 15 minute train ride from Exeter Central on the Exmouth line, Topsham is a lovely old riverside town that was once the second busiest port in England. Now a more genteel if "Fulham-ised" sort of place with a variety of shops, restaurants, cafes,and pubs. Good for a day out with lots of good walks.
Plenty of rescued donkeys obviously plus tea room etc but also a good place to enjoy lovely walks along the coast to the village of Branscombe or the regency seaside town of Sidmouth. Free entry and a very worthy cause.
80 locals recommend
The Donkey Sanctuary
Plenty of rescued donkeys obviously plus tea room etc but also a good place to enjoy lovely walks along the coast to the village of Branscombe or the regency seaside town of Sidmouth. Free entry and a very worthy cause.
Central entertainment venue hosting a wide variety of acts from cabaret and well known bands to the long established Exeter Comedy Club.
Exeter Corn Exchange
Market StreetCentral entertainment venue hosting a wide variety of acts from cabaret and well known bands to the long established Exeter Comedy Club.
A multi-million pound refurbishment has turned this into one of the foremost museums in the south west if not the country. Well worth a visit.
122 locals recommend
Royal Albert Memorial Museum
Queen StreetA multi-million pound refurbishment has turned this into one of the foremost museums in the south west if not the country. Well worth a visit.
Handily close theatre on the University campus showing everything from Shakespeare to Panto and Symphony Orchestras to Opera plus many independent theatre productions.
35 locals recommend
Exeter Northcott Theatre
Stocker RoadHandily close theatre on the University campus showing everything from Shakespeare to Panto and Symphony Orchestras to Opera plus many independent theatre productions.