The Knowhere Guide

Eating and Drinking in Ilfracombe, Devon*

Ilfracombe, Devon Pubs, Cafes, Coffee Shops and Restaurants

Food

• Lots of choice in Spring & Summer though it all tends to be a bit too heavy on the traditional roasts, steaks etc.. A few more modernist places like SeaV's, The Terrace (Tapas), Atlantis & the new place that Damien Hirst is backing on The Quay .... so-so Italian in Fore Street, pub grub around every corner (mostly reheated frozen crap)....a couple of Chinese & kebab takeaways and chippies
• Manna House, Church Street, Ilfracombe. Great food at reasonable prices
• Maddys is lovely, Chic n Land is ok but I've heard rumours about the staff doin nasty things 2 the kebab meat!!!!
• At last, southern fried chickne comes to Ilfracombe oppsite the Lantern.
• How many do u want carribean, Mexican, italian, French, Vegeterian and sea all on Fore ST, and many others throughout town take aways on High St and St James Place for all ethic foods...Nandos and Chickenland open til 2 a.m. see Fore St
• maddy, chic-n-land, ketchup, the chinese
• There are some pretty interesting forms of food poisoning to be had in some of the more popular seafood restaurants on the seafront ... ask around, then go to Barnstaple for a MacDonalds.
• maddys!!!!!!!!
• If your visting 'combe and want to try some really good food try the Capstone on St James' place (on the way to the harbour). fresh seafood and good steaks. mmmmmm. Their phone number is 01271 863540
• The best restaurant I visited in the U.K. was Food for Friends in Ifracombe.

Pubs

• Got to visit the Bunch of Grapes. Good informal atmosphere, decent pool table AND you can put your feet on the furniture without getting told off!
• Tough one - it goes from the sublime to the ridiculous but few of the local pubs have anything that special to offer. Try The Pier (on the harbour) for very strong draught cider & a beer garden, The Prince of Wales for football, music and a young-ish crowd., The Britannia Hotel to see a clientele that is strictly pantomime ... otherwise boorish or boring landlords who spend most of their time drinking their stock than attracting customers ....
• The Bunch!!(Of Grapes) is one of the best in Ilfracombe!
• Do the hair dressers still sing Kareoke at the Malborough Club?
• try the Prince of Wales Fore St, the Bunch of Grapes High St for a fresh faced look...also the Pier Tavern
• The Waverley Inn on the seafront for the best pub grub in town at the best prices.
• The Bunch of grapes down teh highstreet is the best pub in combe its a good nite out, other pubs are the lamb, teh prince of wales to name a few
• There isn't a single pub worth a visit in Insularcombe ... especially if you don't talk like you've just fallen off a tractor. Expect grief and abuse (both verbal and physical) on entry and exit.
• Give up, drink at home, the marlboro club has a full size snooker table and plenty of clinical alcoholics
• Why no minors? That's the hook up spot, they don't give a shit about filling kiddies with booze, then turning them out to fill up the streets with yet more single mothers and boys bound for correctional centres. I went back for a tour of the pubs recently and discovered nobody was even visiting this hole for Christmas! Flat cider, eh?
• Lots, mostly good
• The best pub in the area is The Hele Bay Hotel. For excellent food and a friendly atmosphere. Played here is pool, darts, skittles and euchre. Children's room available and beer garden. Landlords Pat and Merv Lethaby.

Cafes and Coffee Shops

• More greasy spoons and chippies that we can count and loads of tea rooms - most are only open in the Spring/Summer though - all a bit thin on the ground come winter
• Rainbow cafe is a bit scabby, The Genie in the Lantern is lovely and theres thousands of coffee shops and tea rooms opposite the church!
• real McCafe for under 18's ...too many to list but the Genie also on High St for young people
• the Real McCaf, teenage cafe, Brollies
• a few down town and by pier

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Credits

Last updated: 2007-12-23