Places to eat in Torquay

The area around Torquay Marina is a great place to venture to explore the town’s cafés and restaurants, and it has the added advantage of being just a few minutes’ walk from our Torquay Seafront hotel.

One of the closest recommended restaurants to our hotel is Pier Point Restaurant and Bar, a stylish all-rounder on the promenade near the pier with sweeping views across the sea. Open for – deep breath – breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, drinks and pre- and post-theatre meals, the popular restaurant has been a mainstay in Torquay for over a decade thanks to its great food, amazing location and quick service.

Head further around the coast towards the Marina to find Bianco's Italian Restaurant, a cosy and romantic Italian eatery with a menu that spans all the classics. Their set menu is a great option if you’re in a rush or can’t decide, with well-priced two or three-course options all including a bottle of house wine.

At the end of the Marina on Beacon Hill is The Elephant, a classy and sophisticated brasserie. As you’d expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant, it has the prices to match – but the set lunch is possibly the best value-for-money Michelin quality lunch you’ll get with change from £30 per person for three courses.

Heading away from the coast and into the main shopping district, Small World Tapas is the top-rated Tripadvisor restaurant in town, and it’s not hard to see why. With delicate, immaculately presented plates and an adventurous menu that changes regularly, they cover everything from traditional tapas dishes to vegan sushi, dates wrapped in smoky bacon and a wide range of desserts. It’s supposed to be a sharing plates concept, but with food this good, you’re a seriously good person if you can bear to share

There are few things better than a good burger, and the burgers don’t come much better than Meat 59 near the Union Square Shopping Centre. An independent outlet launched in 2014, they make everything in house including their patties, sauces and ketchups. There are 10 burgers to choose from, plus the option to build-your-own, while they also do a great range of fries, dips, starters, desserts and ice creams.

Rounding out our selections is Hanbury’s Fish & Chips in Babbacombe. They’ve perfected their fish and chips over 30 years, and with the beach and Lyme Bay just a short walk away, it’s the perfect place to grab your fish supper and take in the views. Alternatively, head to the newly licensed restaurant and eat in, with a wide range of beer, wine and spirits, including several of their own home-brewed beers.

In the heart of Torquay’s main shopping district on Union Street, the Green Leaf Cafe is highly recommended if you need to refuel or rest your legs. Open seasonally from Spring until the end of the year, it’s an upmarket, contemporary café serving a wide range of breakfast and lunch options at very reasonable prices.

For coffee with a real zing – and plenty of alternative flavours – head to the Calypso Coffee Company on Fleet Street. An independent coffee house, they do some of the best cuppas in town from cold brews to flat whites and espressos. The fun doesn’t just stop there, however, as they sell a full range of home-brewing equipment if you want to recreate that coffee at home, and also serve a range of loose-leaf teas, as well as excellent cocktails, wines and spirits.

Heading back towards our Torquay hotel near Torre Abbey Sands is The Singing Kettle, a charming and laidback café best-known for its oversize breakfasts and scrumptious cream teas. The small but concise menu also includes gluten-free options and do a fantastic range of hot chocolates and cakes, the perfect thing after a bracing walk along the beach.

If you’re heading over to Oddicombe Beach, Bygones or the Model Village, then make sure to detour to the nearby Driftwood Cafe on Fore Street. A small and homely café that lives up to its name with a strong coastal interior, it’s one of the region’s hidden gems with amazing coffee, cakes, breakfast and lunch options not to forget their homemade ice cream.

Finally, if you’re out in Cockington Country Park and looking for that perfect post-park pick-me-up, the Weavers Cottage Tea Shoppe comes highly recommended. A genteel thatched-roof café, they serve award-winning cream teas (the scones are truly delightful), light lunches and a wide range of speciality teas and coffees. And, if you still have room, their luxury homemade ice cream made nearby at the Old Mill is the perfect finish.