Short answer: The Prospect Inn on the quayside is the one to aim for — on the water, very dog friendly, closed Mondays. The Fat Pig is the Sunday lunch pub and does gluten-free Yorkshire puddings, closed Monday and Tuesday. The Botanist runs to 2am at weekends if you want a late one.
Right on the quayside, very dog friendly, and positioned so the river does the work. It is the best place in Exeter to sit outside with a drink. Closed on Mondays, which catches out bank holiday weekends.
Also at the Quay, with a big outdoor bar area that suits groups, and sport on the screens. Livelier than the Prospect and better when there are six of you than when there are two.
The Fat Pig is where to go, and it does gluten-free Yorkshire puddings — a small thing that matters a great deal to the people it matters to. Book for Sunday. It is closed Monday and Tuesday.
The Botanist stays open until 2am at weekends and has live music on Fridays. The hanging kebabs are its signature and are more fun than they sound. It is a bar rather than a pub, and the crowd reflects that.
Exeter closes more than you expect early in the week. The Prospect is shut Mondays, the Fat Pig Monday and Tuesday, and several places run reduced hours out of season. On a Monday in January the Quay is quieter than the photographs suggest, so check before walking down.
The canal towpath leads to the Double Locks and the Turf, both out in the fields. The Turf has no road to it — you walk, cycle or arrive by boat. On a long summer evening it is the best pub walk from the city, but check opening before setting out.
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