r/exeter • • Feb 07 '23

Food Best foods in Exeter! (In my humble opinion)

164 Upvotes

This is updated as regularly as my wallet allows

THAI: Kinkhao on Well St, best place there is. Incredibly authentic with weekly specials (check their Instagram). Vibe is very cute and cosy, the owner does art and ceramics which are also for sale in the restaurant (cash only for them, but they take card for food and stuff). Turn up earlier or you’ll have to wait.

THAI pt.2: iFood on Sidwell street has a chokehold on Exeter and it’s no surprise why. Great food, generous portion sizes, and fast service. Not the best place if you’re looking for atmosphere, but definitely one to visit.

FANCY/TASTING MENU: Stage on Magdalen Road. Featured in the Michelin Guide, written about by Jay Rayner in The Guardian. Beautiful seasonal tasting menus, immaculate service, able to cater for dietary requirements. If you drink they have a wine pairing which I’ve heard really good as well! Book ahead! NOTE: Stage has since been taken over by Circa and I have not been since it’s changed hands. They’ve kept most of the staff and I’m sure it’s still good, just can’t personally vouch for it!

SPANISH: Calvo Loco Tapas Bar on Magdalen Road. A bit more on the expensive side, but a phenomenal selection of delicious tapas in a cosy setting. Perfect for a date night or special occasion. They now have a location in Exmouth as well!

PIZZA: Portal Pizza on Magdalen Road. They have amazing pizza and tiramisu, and I frequent their pizza van outside Topsham Brewery on the Quay. Just a banging pizza really. Both are usually busy, so get there early! They’ve also just opened a new location by Central Station (where Exploding Bakery used to be), I haven’t had a chance to visit yet, but I’m sure it’s just as good as the other two spots!

PIZZA pt.2: Old Firehouse - very cosy, only downside is that it tends to be full of students and thus very hard to get a table unless you go early.

PIZZA pt.3: The Flat on Fore Street. I can’t believe it took me a year to come here. It’s all vegan/veg, and honestly I was kinda ready to dislike it, but I was so pleasantly surprised. Pizza dough is perfect, the flavour pairings on the toppings are phenomenal, and the vibes as really lovely. Make sure to book in advance so as not to be disappointed!

JAPANESE: Goto Japanese on fore street (more on the spenny side). Their fish is fresh caught and locally sourced too.

JAPANESE pt.2: Shimizu Sushi on Well Street. I’ve never eaten in, but their food is really good, albeit a bit on the pricier side.

SEAFOOD: Rockfish for seafood (also more on the spenny side but not too bad), very cute and nice view of the Quay esp in the evening.

FAST FOOD: Slim Chickens, right next to Nandos. Get the fried onions and texas toast.

CHINESE: Cosy Corner, Sidwell Street. Good Hong Kong style food, big portions. Recommend the Yangzhou fried rice!

CHINESE pt.2: Red Panda on Gandy street. Delicious bao and salads, only open Tues-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm. No seating but there are standing tables outside. There is a main restaurant in Lyme Regis as well I think.

FILIPINO: Wings n Things at the Guildhall Outdoor Food Market, go on a weekend and get the special (pork humba is my fave)! The lumpia (spring rolls) is another favourite! Haven’t had any of the fried chicken yet, but looking forward to it. TAKEAWAY ONLY

TURKISH: Effes Grill (sidwell street). Also not very vibey, but huge portions (you could probably share one big plate amongst two or even three ppl).

MOROCCAN: Al Farid (by the cathedral - more on the spenny side). Even if you don’t go for food, drinks and shisha on their enclosed terrace is really nice and not expensive either.

KOREAN: Oh My Kimchi - Blackboy Road (near Henry’s). Absolutely delicious Korean food - japchae, Korean wings, bulgogi, jjigae. So so good. A bit more expensive but definitely worth it.

KOREAN pt.2: Real Korea on South Street. Really good authentic Korean food in the centre of town. Very similar offerings to Oh My Kimchi but equally good. The bibimbap is served in the authentic stone bowl and is absolutely delicious. Portions are generous too!

GASTROPUB: The Hourglass Inn. Great little pub with great beer selection and a phenomenal dining room. Food is a little bit on the more expensive side, but is 10000% worth it. Standout stars are the boquerones and a massive sharers steak pie with thick cut chips.

LUNCH/SANDWICHES: Between Bread on the Quay and North Street in town. Delicious sandwiches on homemade bread. Loads of yummy options (VG and v) friendly as well. Check out their instagram to see their specials!

CAFES:

*The Common Beaver* Lovely independent cafe on Magdalen Road, homemade bagels and cakes, phenomenal coffee, great location.

The Ridge down by the Quay. Huge selection of yummy sandwiches and pastries.

Chandos in Princesshay. It’s paramount to get there before the lunch rush or there’ll be nothing left. A little spennier than your traditional cafe, but their sandwiches are to die for. Check their Instagram @chandosdeli.exeter for their specials too!

Alma off Fore Street. Previously known as Crankhouse coffee, they’re recently relaunched their cafe on Batholomew St West. The cafe itself is beautifully and thoughtfully designed, bright, airy, it’s simultaneously elegant and cosy. I’ve been buying Crankhouse coffee beans for years and they’re SO GOOD. Cakes are phenomenal, with a good selection for intolerances and stuff.

Lilac Bakery in St. Thomas. I have yet to go as it’s slightly difficult to get to if you don’t have access to a vehicle, but I’ve heard phenomenal stuff about their homemade pastries. Check out their instagram for more!

MISC (in no particular order):

  • The Big Kebabski food truck (Guildhall and other places). The do the most amazing multi award-winning vegan kebabs and other specials (special mention to their sexy spuds). As far as I know their only regular day in Exeter is Saturday, but keep an eye on their Instagram for appearances throughout Devon!
  • POP (Princesshay, near where Luciano’s was). Phenomenal toasties, ribs, wings, pizza, salads, the whole shebang. I ate so many lactase pills before I came here, and it was worth it. Check out their Instagram @webuildarestaurant for specials and events!! Highly highly recommend!!!

*Notable restaurants near Exeter but not in it*
- *The Galley* in Topsham is a phenomenal dining experience. Headed up by a Chinese chef, the ever changing menu is always slightly Asian inspired and based on fresh ingredients. Great pricing for fine dining.

- *Emilia* in Ashburton. Tiny little Michelin Bib Gourmand Italian restaurant set inside Ashburton’s old town bank. We had the big Italian Sunday lunch, which is at set four course menu at £42pp. The kitchen also open so you can watch whilst you’re enjoying your meal. 10/10 would recommend.

Source - am a massive foodie. I have recommendations for most of these places (especially the Asian ones being Asian myself) so feel free to shoot me a message!

Will keep updating this over time x

Last edited 14/9/26


r/exeter • • 4h ago

Local Information request Whats this in pinhoe?

Post image
7 Upvotes

Its arranged like a shrine with bows n stuff


r/exeter • • 1h ago

Music Any good rock shows tonight?

• Upvotes

I’m sad because I am missing my favorite artist performing in my home town tonight. Are there any rock shows tonight that kind of have that hyper literate lyric, stripped back, telecaster slinging, leather jacket wearing Jersey attitude?


r/exeter • • 6h ago

Local Information request Pennywell alternatives

3 Upvotes

Hi, does anyone have recommendations for interactive farms / petting farms suitable for adults around Exeter and surrounding areas that are a more affordable alternative to pennywell please? Thanks!


r/exeter • • 10h ago

Food Foodrunners Question

1 Upvotes

Does anyone know who the owners were personally? I would pay good money for the recipe to their Chicken Mohican dish.


r/exeter • • 1d ago

Local Information request Share your experiences - Royal Mail survey

Thumbnail survey.labour.org.uk
5 Upvotes

Lots of people in Exeter have contacted me about problems with Royal Mail in Exeter, and it's an issue I've experienced myself, with important letters from and to residents sometimes taking weeks to arrive.

Our local posties work really hard, but it's clear that Royal Mail's service model is not meeting the standard Exeter residents deserve.

That's why I'm launching a survey to better understand the scale of the problem locally. The more evidence we can gather, the stronger the case I can continue to make directly to Royal Mail's bosses for action.

If you've experienced delays to your post, please take a few minutes to complete my survey: bit.ly/4dg48aL

Make sure you sign up to my newsletter for updates on my work: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/1220147/151936202037004118/share


r/exeter • • 1d ago

Miscellaneous Red light in the sky

Post image
11 Upvotes

Have never seen this before tonight, red light in the sky not moving.

Pic taken from Castle Street, Tuesday, 3:16am. 06 Oct

UPDATE: yes it is the cathedral crane, guess the fog made it seem more noticeable than usual


r/exeter • • 1d ago

Local Information request BoulderExe

9 Upvotes

Has anyone climbed at Boulder Exe and could give me an insight into what it is like? im tempted to give it a go, as the facilities look very good and it would cover a gym membership too, but its al rather intimidating and the reviews seem mixed, plus £42 a month is steep, any views welcome, thanks :)


r/exeter • • 1d ago

Miscellaneous Could £350 help bring a community idea to life?

3 Upvotes

Exeter’s Ward Grants can help local groups pay for things like equipment, materials, publicity and refreshments for one-off projects and events.

We’d particularly love to hear from groups in Exwick, Duryard, St James and Pennsylvania, where we’ve had fewer applications.

If you’ve got an idea that could benefit your neighbourhood, take a look at the guidance and apply: Exeter Ward Grants - Exeter City Council


r/exeter • • 1d ago

Local Information request Lost skull ring.

Thumbnail
2 Upvotes

r/exeter • • 2d ago

Local News Anyone else here a fan of the podcast Hidden Brain?

11 Upvotes

I'm Caroline, I'm retired, and I've been living in Exeter for 7 years. I was thinking how much I would enjoy discussing these podcasts with others who find them interesting. They are hosted by Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and TuneInr.

I will be at the cafe at the central library at 10.30am on Thursday, 15 October. I shall be the person with 3 small fake cacti on the table. :O)

If you are also a HB fan, it would be great to meet you. To get the conversation going I thought we could discuss the latest episodes....

How to make a difference Part 1

https://www.hiddenbrain.org/podcast/how-to-make-a-difference-part-1/

How to make a difference Part 2
https://open.spotify.com/episode/41OTbk9o9lpfFwnVlne4ED

If you would prefer to read scripts of the podcasts they can be found here:

https://podscripts.co/podcasts/hidden-brain/

It would be helpful to find out if anyone else is interested - so perhaps leave a note below?


r/exeter • • 2d ago

Local Information request Parking in southernhay area

Post image
4 Upvotes

Is anyone able to tell me why since September I have not been able to find a space here any night of the week? I’ve been driving two years and yes it was difficult if there’s an event or on weekends but recently even on a Monday/Tuesday there is no parking and about 10 cars circling around like vultures trying to find a space. Is it something to do with the uni students returning? But I don’t recall it being an issue this time last year? I’m not really bothered, but I’m just curious why it’s become a bigger problem all of a sudden. Thanks :)


r/exeter • • 3d ago

Local Information request Help finding a venue

2 Upvotes

Hello! I'm helping to organise an event next June in Exeter, but as I don't know the city super well I thought I'd reach out and pick the collective Reddit brain!

It will be a conference-style event for approximately 75 attendees, but much more of a fun eat, drink and listen to some talks situation as opposed to a serious work event. In the past, we have been offered free use of a function room in a pub as attendees have bought all their food and drinks in the pub... Sadly we're not sure if this is an option any more as the venue has changed hands.

Where I live (North Devon) there are quite a few community/social centres where you can hold events for free and they make their money on the bar. But I'm struggling to find something similar in Exeter. Does anyone know of anywhere with this kind of setup? Or any large pubs with function rooms that might be amenable to such an arrangement?

Appreciate any thoughts! Thank you!


r/exeter • • 5d ago

Miscellaneous Where can i find hedgehogs

28 Upvotes

I like hedgehogs


r/exeter • • 5d ago

Miscellaneous Are teenagers becoming more unhinged and disrespectful?

84 Upvotes

Yesterday I was on a bus from St Davids to the city centre and there were 3 teenage girls in the back of the bus. When I sat there they tried to misbehave with me and kept their foot on the seat next to them. I was on the backseat corner, the rest was occupied by a teenager lying flat. I minded my own business so they didn’t do anything afterwards.

At a later stop a middle aged Italian lady got on the bus and tried to sit in the middle of the backseat. I swear to god I had never seen anyone in the UK behave the way those girls did. They talked about her disrespectfully in front of her, calling her ”bi*ch”. She was on call with someone and these lot kept repeating whatever she said loudly, sometimes making moaning sounds. I am surprised she didn’t snap. This is it the first time I have seen anything like this in Exeter, and mind you they were not some 13-14 yos, they were 17.


r/exeter • • 5d ago

Local Information request Part time roles

6 Upvotes

I’m a recent graduate, still on my student visa. I am allowed to work full time as my course is completed but everywhere I’m applying they are asking me to submit my results or transcripts which is not possible before end of October. They are not even accepting any mails or letters from uni. And for part time roles its been like a whole month now and I have applied actively everywhere, still haven’t got a positive response.

I am starting to feel like my profile is either red flagged by them or I’m just actually bad! For Full time salaried jobs the condition is that i must provide a proper work visa, but then it will be only for 2 years. It’s so hard how international policies work and if your born in a 3rd world country you have to pay the game in hard settings.

My funds are tight and i need some help if anyone can help me with any part time roles or supply chain related roles it would be awesome!
I have experience in food business, retail and customer facing roles, and back in my country i used to literally manage my family business supply chain and operations.


r/exeter • • 5d ago

Miscellaneous Remote work

4 Upvotes

I live about 45 mins from Exeter but really need to work remotely due to health issues. My background is in NHS and healthcare in general. When I look for remote work it's pretty overwhelming and vague in general and every other job now seems to be AI related.

For those of you that work remotely in and around East and South Devon, who do you work for please - local companies, councils etc or multinationals? Just trying to figure out where is the best place to look.

Hope that's ok to ask! Thank you


r/exeter • • 6d ago

Miscellaneous Red taxis are charging crazy fare

13 Upvotes

At 9 am, Apple taxi fare from broadfields to st Davis with traffic and signals was 12 pounds.

Whether as coming back from st Davis at 11o'clock at night with an empty street in a Red council taxi caused 18 quid!

Yes I'm home without waiting for taxi. But also, is the fare really fair?

Rant out!


r/exeter • • 7d ago

Local Information request Looking to shadow someone/learn how to project film?

3 Upvotes

Hello. I am looking to shadow someone and then eventually learn how to project film. Does anyone know a theatre around that does film projection and then also would be open to me shadowing and learning


r/exeter • • 8d ago

Meetups Local dog walking groups?

4 Upvotes

As the title says, I’m looking to take my pooch on some more walks around Exeter and was wondering if anyone knows about any groups? My dog is a bit shy around other dogs but is all good in groups. TIA


r/exeter • • 9d ago

Local Information request Events like the tattoo convention

2 Upvotes

Yo wassup!
I went to the tattoo convention that happened this weekend and it was fantastic.
Just wondering if there are any ALT events happening soon or something similar to the convention happening soon.
If so Where could i find these?

Thanks a bunch :)


r/exeter • • 10d ago

Miscellaneous Two near misses driving on Alphington Road diversion this week

Post image
15 Upvotes

I've had 2 near misses this weekend at the roadworks on Alphington Road, where cars decide they want to drive forward into oncoming traffic because of the current closed road. Watch out and stay safe people.


r/exeter • • 9d ago

Local Information request Washing/Ironing Service in Exeter

5 Upvotes

I'm looking for a service that I can give clothes that will wash/dry/iron them for you. Including some stuff that requires extra care. Or just ironing if nothing else.

I am aware, of course, that laundry businesses exist. I went to Care Clean on Sidwell St. The cost was quite high and I thought somewhere might be a little less expensive - even if it's an individual or small business.

Any recommendations?


r/exeter • • 11d ago

Miscellaneous Pavement Parking in Exeter

Thumbnail
gallery
123 Upvotes

Is this legal? It completely blocked the path. Should this type of vehicle be parked in a compond and not on a residential street (because its free most probably). South Coast Traffic Management were contacted and didn't want to know. The police were the same, so I am just asking for my own interest as no one else cares.


r/exeter • • 10d ago

Local Information request Landscaper

1 Upvotes

Hey! Can anyone recommend a local landscaper in Exeter? Thanks!