Where to Eat in Kingsbridge: The Best Food in the South Hams

Short answer: Verse is the best new restaurant in the South Hams and the only place in this guide with a perfect rating — book well ahead, evenings Wednesday to Saturday. The Crabshell Inn on the quay is the social centre of town.

The best meal in the South Hams

Verse. Monthly changing menus, beer bread, slow-roasted garlic with focaccia — and the only place in this whole guide carrying a perfect rating. Evenings only, Wednesday to Saturday, and you need to book well ahead.

It is the reason to base yourself in Kingsbridge rather than Salcombe for an evening.

On the quay

The Crabshell Inn, a 17th-century inn with indoor and outdoor seating on two levels looking up the estuary. Crab pizza, lamb skewers and a good Sunday roast, and it is the social centre of the town. DJ sunsets in summer.

Reliable and well priced

• Seven Stars on Mill Street — crab linguine, ham hock, a well-made steak sandwich and a strong beer list. Opens at three on Mondays.
• Creeks End Inn, next to the long-stay car park — a well-regarded Sunday carvery with a proper vegetarian alternative and separate gluten-free fryers.
• The Cove at Hope Cove, twenty minutes away — two floors with sea views, open until midnight.

With a dog

Seven Stars, the Crabshell, Creeks End and the Cove all welcome dogs. Verse is not listed as dog friendly.

Why Kingsbridge eats well

It is the market town the whole South Hams shops in, so the restaurants serve residents year-round rather than a summer crowd. That is why they are open in February and why the standard holds up.

Small Devon restaurants have small dining rooms. Book at weekends and always for Sunday lunch, and ring rather than relying on a booking form out of season.