One of the restaurants found in Exeter’s quaint village suburb of Topsham, The Restaurant at the Salutation Inn has seen major redevelopment in recent years. Originally a pub, it has become an inn, offering lodging of a quality that matches that of its food. This food is a loving tribute to the history of traders and seafarers who have looked to Topsham for lodging over the centuries.

The port town of Topsham is home to this reimagined 17 th century coaching inn which specialises in fine dining experiences and overnight stays in bright and airy interiors. Enjoy a decadent lunch or dinner at this salubrious venue located on Topsham’s Fore Street and just a few hundred yards from the River Exe. While owner Tom Williams-Hawkes takes delivery of the locally landed fish (and oversees SALT – the inn’s new deli specialising in seafood to cook at home), head chef Luke Heaver puts the briny finds to delicious use in the kitchen.

Having trained under star chef Michael Caines, Tom Williams has put food at the forefront of this inn in the riverside village of Topsham. Afternoon tea is served in the glass-roofed atrium or, for something more substantial, you can book into the restaurant for seafood-strong dinners using fish caught locally, including Devon crab and Dorset sea bass and mackerel. Exeter is a 15-minute train journey or drive, though Topsham is worth exploring too.

In nearby Topsham The Salutation Inn and its Glasshouse proved to be a better experience overall. Despite the slow service it is worth the 10 minute bus or taxi ride out of central Exeter. The vintages on the wine list and I were probably the youngest things there: a mid-week lunch in a small maritime community will always be the graveyard shift for clientele who – and I mean this in the nicest possible way – are in the winter of their lives.

If you are a food lover and wanting a truly special fine dining experience then The Salutation is a must. Situated in Topsham, the restaurant is famous for creating dishes and tasting menus that take the diner on a journey through their palette. Offering weekly changing tasting menus; you have the choice from 4, 6 or 8 courses with the option to adjust a menu to suit your requirements if you so wish.

If you fancy really treating yourself - or someone else - then the Salutation Inn in Topsham have an incredible patisserie. They also serve a quintessentially British afternoon tea in their light and airy glasshouse, featuring a selection of scones, delicate sandwiches, patisserie, biscuits and speciality teas and coffee. Perfect for a special occasion.

Good-quality food at reasonable prices”, including “brilliant local seafood”, is the attraction at this restored Georgian inn from locally born chef-patron Tom Williams-Hawkes (ex-Gordon Ramsay and Gidleigh Park) and his wife Amelia. In summer 2024 they rejigged the venue to operate as a café by day and a restaurant by night, with a new bar area.

Fine Dining Restaurant, GlassHouse and Accommodation set in the heart of Topsham, close to Exeter in Devon. The restaurant at The Salutation Inn offers a choice of three tasting menus, using some of the finest ingredients from such businesses as Greendale Farm, Celtic Sea Fare, Ritters, Richards and Country Cheeses.

Enjoy the finest foods from the South West, beautifully presented and technologically perfected by The Salutation’s head Chef Tom Williams-Hawkes. The restaurant menus are designed to offer a food journey for all to experience in unique settings. https://www.salutationtopsham.co.uk/

Escape to one of Topsham’s grandest buildings, The Salutation Inn, for a relaxing afternoon enjoying a high tea in their light and airy Glass House. Choose between a Devon cream or savoury tea, full afternoon tea or treat yourself to a sparkling Nyetimber tea. View menu | Book now

The Salutation has been serving customers in Topsham, just outside the city, since 1720. Now featured in the Michelin Guide for the quality of its menu, guests can expect to find local produce like Devon crab, partridge and locally caught skate.

In an old ship-building town on the Exe estuary, this updated 18th-century coaching inn is today a contemporary restaurant-with-rooms with clean-cut, modern accommodation and a reputation for fine food.

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