We’re often asked where the best place to eat fish is in Torquay. If you’ve not been to stay at The 25 before, the reason guests often want to eat fish is that just a short ferry ride across from Torquay is the town of Brixham, which is also part of the English Riviera. Brixham has a fishing port which lands the largest value of fish anywhere in the UK. It therefore makes sense to eat some of that delicious, locally caught fish literally the same day in a restaurant overlooking the sea or harbour. So, here’s a few of our favourites:
Number 7 Fish Bistro
When it has the word “fish” in its name then you know the menu is going to be mainly fish, and at Number 7, they don’t disappoint. The main issue here is deciding which fish dish to eat – not only is there a large menu, there’s a lot of specials too. Then just as you think you’ve made a decision, owner Paul will bring a tray of fish to your table to show you some of the fish they’ve caught that day, and describe a whole host of ways they can cook them for you. Located just up from Torquay harbour. Why not enjoy a pre-dinner drink and appreciate the view in their wine bar upstairs before dinner?
Rockfish
Celebrity chef Mitch Tonks runs this small chain of restaurants across the South West, with this one in Torquay harbour and another just over the water in Brixham. Their motto is “Tomorrow’s fish is still in the sea” and the fresh fish part of their menu will change daily depending on what has been caught that morning. The waiting staff are knowledgeable and will go through what’s available. A great place to try something you’ve not had before. Friendly staff too. Located in Torquay harbour.
On The Rocks
Just a 15-20 minute stroll through Torre Abbey gardens and along the seafront brings you to On the Rocks, overlooking the sea. On a fine day you can sit outside in the sun, or in an evening they do have umbrellas and heaters too. Their menu is not exclusively fish, but they do include many fish dishes, including delicious Brixham mussels.
PierPoint
Recently taken over by the award winning Paignton Pier Chippy Company, their new menu is heavily fish weighted, all of course caught locally in Torbay. They are not currently taking bookings at the time of writing, so If you turn up and can’t get a table, you could always visit their fish and chip takeaway next door and enjoy them in the evening sun whilst sitting on the pier.
The Elephant
Our local Michelin star restaurant, owned by chef Simon Hulstone, is just up from Torquay harbour and it doesn’t come much better than this. As you will imagine, at their level of expertise, all dishes are exquisitely prepared and presented using the finest locally sourced ingredients. This usually includes local fish and seafood. Why not try the tasting menu to sample even more dishes in one evening? We can recommend the matched wines to bring out the best of the flavours too.
Brasserie at The Bay
When you hear that chef Callum Tasker from Brixham has spent much of his professional career honing his skills with Simon Hulstone at the Elephant and Mitch Tonks at Rockfish and Seahorse in Dartmouth then you’ll see why he is passionate about championing local produce. His cuisine is 'broadly British' with French and Italian influences and you’ll regularly find local fish dishes included in his menus. We can also recommend the tasting menu here. Enjoy coffee in the lounge on comfy sofas afterwards.
Other restaurants like Bombay Express (just a 5 minute walk from The 25) also serve local fish. To be honest, if an independently owned restaurant in Torquay doesn’t serve at least one local fish dish then I’d be asking why. So, if you’re a fish lover, then Torquay is the place to be! You can eat fish in a different restaurant every day of the week.
I hope you find this information useful and you enjoy some fabulous meals during your stay.
If you have yet to book your accommodation, check out our 5 star, award winning boutique B&B at www.the25.uk
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