Dog Friendly Salcombe: Where You Can Eat Indoors With a Dog

Short answer: The estuary beaches — North Sands, South Sands, Mill Bay and Sunny Cove — are all dog friendly, and the foot ferry is the easiest way to reach the best of them. The Pantry Coffee House allows dogs inside, and the Victoria Inn and Fortescue both take them.

The beaches and the ferry

Salcombe's beaches are estuary beaches — sheltered, calm and welcoming to dogs. North Sands is described by regulars as very dog friendly with rock pools and paddleboarding. Mill Bay and Sunny Cove on the East Portlemouth side are quieter still, and the foot ferry across is the sensible way to reach them rather than driving forty-five minutes round the lanes.

One thing worth flagging honestly: at North Sands in high summer some visitors find the number of off-lead dogs among children on the sand frustrating. The signage asks you to keep your dog in close proximity. Doing that keeps the beaches open to everyone.

Indoors in town

The Pantry Coffee House at the top of Fore Street explicitly allows dogs inside, and does gluten-free and dairy-free options. The catch is size — seating for about seven people and one table outside — so treat it as a takeaway with a bench nearby on a busy day.

The Victoria Inn on Fore Street is the best pub in Salcombe for families and dogs, with a large terraced beer garden climbing up behind the street and tables overlooking the water. The Fortescue Inn, away from the waterfront, is open from eight in the morning to midnight and has the friendliest welcome in town on most accounts.

The drinking spot

The Ferry Inn looks unassuming from the street and then you go down the steps to a beer garden hanging over the water — the best drinking spot in Salcombe. Go for a pint and the estuary view with a dog at your feet, and eat elsewhere; the food is average and priced for the position.

Where it gets tight

• The Salcombe Yawl — a small deli, better as a takeaway stop.
• Crab Shed — the best meal in Salcombe, but small and booked out.
• The Ward Room — window tables are the draw, and they get claimed early.

Walks

The coast path from Mill Bay out towards Gara Rock is about five miles as a loop and is the best walk here with a dog. Bolberry Down, west towards Hope Cove, has a wheelchair-accessible clifftop path and is free for National Trust members to park.