Short answer: The Mill Street Brasserie is the best dinner in Bideford and it is tiny, so book. Amalfi Bar and Cafe opens at seven and is noticeably cheaper than most. The Boathouse at Instow is the best-loved pub in the area.
The Mill Street Brasserie. Beautifully decorated, highly rated, and small enough that walking in on spec rarely works. Book.
Amalfi Bar and Cafe on the High Street opens at seven, is spotless and dog friendly, and is noticeably cheaper than most — coffee around the £3.40 mark rather than the usual seaside price. On a family trip that difference adds up.
The Boathouse at Instow, facing the estuary. Mussels rated the best in north Devon, lobster, good cocktails and the best sunset seat in the area. Ask for a table facing the beach and book for evenings.
The Thatched Inn at Abbotsham, next to the Big Sheep, has covered outdoor booths with heaters and fairy lights, generous pub food, a good children's menu and a carvery. Dogs in the bar and the booths, but not the restaurant.
The Bideford Railway Heritage Centre has a café in a restored railway carriage, right on the trail. Cheap, charming, and a better stop after a walk than it sounds.
Amalfi, the Boathouse and the Thatched Inn's bar all take dogs, and the Tarka Trail is flat, paved and mud-free whatever the weather — the best winter dog walk in north Devon.
Devon's good rooms are small rooms. Book at weekends and always for Sunday lunch, and ring rather than trusting a booking form out of season.
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