When choosing the perfect setting for dinner with a friend on a warm summer’s evening, one place sprung to mind, The Turf Hotel in Exeter.

Perched on the banks of the Exe Estuary, this tranquil pub should be on everyone’s Devon bucket list. You can eat, stay or cook your own BBQ feast! The pub has been restored maintaining its original character with a central bar acting as a focal point.

One of the best things about the pub is undoubtedly its location, so if the weather’s nice you can sit outside and admire the view. BBQ and beer nights also feature during the summer, or you can hire one of the spaces for a ‘cook your own’ BBQ night. I experienced this on a work night out and it’s a lot of fun.

The menu…

It’s no surprise that the menu is packed full of delicious seafood treats including squid, mussels and beer battered fish & chips. The specials board was also a feast for fish lovers: chargriiled tuna steak, whole baked plaice and garlic king prawns, and pan fried skate wing, to name a few. There’s also a good choice of pub classics, with steak, nachos and a veggie burrito making an appearance.

So much choice! I opted for the Pan Fried Hake fillet served with crushed new potatoes, spring greens and salsa verde for £14.50 and my friend chose the Thai Red Chicken Curry served with rice and flatbread for £12.50.

Pan Fried Hake with crushed new potatoes, spring greens and salsa verde

Thai Red Chicken Curry with rice and flat bread

When the meals came my eyes nearly popped out my head. I had a huge stack of the most delicious looking food – golden potatoes, a plump fillet of hake, all topped with the vibrant salsa verde. I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. The food didn’t disappoint, it was full of flavour… a real treat.

Getting to The Turf Hotel

One thing that makes this place special is you can only arrive by foot, bicycle or boat. The Exe Estuary Trail connects The Turf Hotel to Exeter’s quay, so you can make a day of it. If you need to hire bikes, Saddles & Paddles is on the quayside and has all the equipment you’ll need.

Saddles & Paddles bike hire

There’s a small car park (it gets full pretty quickly) around a 15 minute walk from the pub. We parked here and had a leisurely stroll along the canal. This also meant we got to see the sun go down as we walked back to the car, which is always pretty special here in Devon.