Exeter's Cocktail Scene Has Quietly Grown Up
There was a time, not so long ago, when a night out in Exeter meant pubs, clubs, and not much in between. The city has always had good pubs — that is not going to change — but the space between a pint in a traditional boozer and a dance floor in a nightclub used to be pretty thin. Not any more.
Over the past few years, Exeter has developed a genuinely interesting cocktail and late-night bar scene. Speakeasy-style venues have opened in underground cellars. A gin bar on Gandy Street has won regional awards. Wine bars transform into live music venues after dark. And there are enough well-made espresso martinis being poured on any given Friday evening to keep the whole city awake until Sunday.
What makes this relevant if you care about connection — and if you are reading this, you probably do — is that cocktail bars create a different kind of socialising. They are smaller, quieter, more deliberate. You cannot really catch up with a friend in a packed club. But a corner booth in a dimly lit bar, with two well-made drinks and no pressure to shout? That is where real conversations happen. As we have written before, small gatherings often beat big nights out, and the right bar makes all the difference.
Whether you are planning a date night, catching up with an old friend, or just want somewhere that feels like a proper occasion, here is our guide to the best cocktail bars and late-night spots in Exeter in 2026.
The Speakeasy and the Secret Bar
The Bootlegger
If you are going to do a speakeasy, you might as well commit to it, and The Bootlegger on Fore Street does exactly that. This 1920s Prohibition-inspired cocktail bar occupies an underground space with exposed brick walls, Edison bulbs, warm leather seating, cosy nooks, and secret rooms. The atmosphere is immediately different from everything else in Exeter — it feels like stepping into another era.
The cocktails are freshly crafted and genuinely creative. The mocha espresso martini and the Jaffa cake tipple are standouts on a menu that plays with classic cocktail foundations without straying into novelty territory. The food offering leans into the theme with authentic Italian platters inspired by Prohibition-era mobster dining — sharing boards of charcuterie, cheese, and antipasti that are perfect for a group.
Live music is a big part of what makes The Bootlegger special. Expect jazz, swing, blues, soul, and rock 'n' roll spanning multiple eras, with regular live acts and DJ nights. They also run a comedy night on the first Sunday of every month. Happy hour offers two cocktails for £16, and they do a bottomless brunch with unlimited cocktails and sharing plates at weekends.
The Bootlegger is at 162 Fore Street. It gets busy on Friday and Saturday nights, so arriving earlier in the evening guarantees you a booth. Cocktails run from around £9–£12.
Coolings
Coolings on Gandy Street is an independent cocktail bar that has been a quiet fixture of Exeter's night scene for longer than many of the newer arrivals. What most people do not know is that underneath the main bar lies the Cellar Bar — a secret underground cocktail experience hidden in the depths of the old Exeter passages off Gandy Street.
Upstairs, Coolings offers cocktails, pizza, and a relaxed atmosphere with live music, karaoke nights (first Thursday of the month), and an open mic night (third Wednesday). The drinks deals are generous, the staff are friendly, and it functions equally well as a casual weeknight spot or a Friday night starting point. Downstairs in the cellar, the experience becomes more intimate — cocktail masterclasses, private events, and a setting that feels genuinely hidden.
Coolings is at 11 Gandy Street. They also do a bottomless brunch, which is a good entry point if you have not been before. It is the kind of place that rewards regulars — come back a few times and the staff will start to know your order.
Coolings' Cellar Bar is worth booking for a special occasion or a small group. The underground setting in Exeter's historic passages adds atmosphere you simply cannot replicate in a ground-floor venue.
The Cocktail Specialists
The Cocktail Club
On Gandy Street — which is rapidly becoming Exeter's cocktail corridor — The Cocktail Club occupies two floors of a beautifully fitted-out bar that takes its drinks seriously. The cocktails are bespoke, mixed by bartenders who clearly know what they are doing, with a menu that covers classics and house specials in equal measure.
The atmosphere leans towards the lively end of the spectrum, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights. This is not a quiet corner-booth kind of place — it is a celebration venue, a birthday destination, a proper-night-out starting point. The 2-for-1 cocktail offer makes it accessible, and the two-floor layout means you can usually find space even when it is busy.
The Cocktail Club is at 23 Gandy Street. Cocktails range from around £8–£13. If you are planning a group night out, this is a solid anchor venue — loud enough to feel like an event, good enough drinks to justify the prices.
Crocketts
If The Cocktail Club is the extrovert of Exeter's bar scene, Crocketts is the thoughtful introvert — and we mean that as a compliment. Located in a Grade II listed building in the Gandy Street area, this was Exeter's first dedicated gin bar when it opened in 2017, and it has since won the Food Magazine Readers' Award for Best Cocktail Bar in the South West.
The space is small, cosy, and beautifully decorated in Instagram-worthy style. The gin selection is extraordinary — weird and wonderful finds from artisan distilleries across the region sit alongside more familiar brands on gleaming glass shelves. The cocktail menu runs to 25+ options, but the real draw is the bartenders themselves. They are skilled, knowledgeable, and happy to mix something bespoke if nothing on the list catches your eye.
Crocketts is perfect for a smaller group or a date night. The intimate atmosphere encourages proper conversation, and the quality of the drinks means you will want to savour rather than rush. Expect to pay around £10–£14 per cocktail. No bookings — just turn up and find a spot.
Crocketts has over 25 cocktails on its menu, but the bartenders specialise in bespoke creations. Tell them what flavours you like and let them work — it is one of the best cocktail experiences in Devon.
The All-Day Venues That Come Alive at Night
Artigiano
Artigiano at 248 High Street is one of those shape-shifting venues that serves a completely different purpose depending on when you visit. During the day, it is a highly regarded speciality coffee house. In the evening, it transforms into a vibrant wine and cocktail bar with live music.
The transition is seamless. The espresso martini — drawing on their expertise as coffee specialists — is unsurprisingly excellent. Thursday nights bring acoustic sessions, Monday evenings feature jazz, and Friday and Saturday nights run until 1am with DJs. The wine list is thoughtful, the cocktails are well made, and the atmosphere strikes a balance between sophisticated and relaxed.
Artigiano is open until 11pm Monday to Thursday, 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 6pm on Sundays. It is a strong choice for anyone who wants cocktails without the full nightlife experience — you can sit, talk, and enjoy good drinks without feeling like you need to shout over the music. Cocktails from around £9–£12.
The Botanist
The Botanist, located in the Guildhall Shopping Centre, is known primarily as a restaurant, but the cocktail offering deserves its own mention. The botanical-themed bar serves drinks inspired by the best of botany — think Cherry Blossom Martinis, the Botanist Pornstar, and a range of seasonal specials that change throughout the year.
The outdoor terrace is the draw in warmer months — strung with warm glowing lights, it is one of the most atmospheric spots in central Exeter for an evening drink. Live music at weekends adds energy without overwhelming conversation. The cocktails pack a proper punch while keeping the flavours balanced, which is a harder trick to pull off than most bars manage.
Cocktails at The Botanist run around £10–£14. It is a reliable venue for groups, with space to accommodate larger parties on the terrace. Bookings are recommended, especially for weekend evenings.
The Caribbean and the International
Turtle Bay
Turtle Bay, also in the Guildhall area, brings Caribbean cocktail culture to Exeter with a huge range of tropical drinks, rum-based cocktails, and a 2-for-1 happy hour that makes it one of the best-value cocktail spots in the city. The Bay Bramble — white rum, blackberry liquor, freshly squeezed lemon, and club soda — is a good place to start.
The rum selection is extensive, and the Rum Share option (a selection of rums with matched mixers for two people) turns tasting into a social experience. The food menu is Caribbean-inspired and well-executed, making Turtle Bay a good choice for a combined dinner and drinks evening. The atmosphere is colourful, lively, and unpretentious — it is the kind of place where everyone relaxes quickly.
Turtle Bay does take bookings, which is helpful for groups. Happy hour pricing makes cocktails very accessible — expect to pay around £5–£7 per drink during 2-for-1 periods, £9–£12 at full price.
The Hotel Bar
Hotel du Vin
For something more refined, the wine bar at Hotel du Vin on Magdalen Street offers a cocktail experience that feels distinctly grown-up. The bar occupies a beautiful space with warm dark wood furnishings, and the Magdalen Lounge features a captivating mural by artist Hugo Dalton that opens onto a magical terrace and garden.
The cocktail menu spans champagne cocktails, negronis, martinis, spritz options, and cocktails au vin — wine-based cocktails that reflect the hotel's identity as, first and foremost, a wine destination. The eclectic wine list is a key feature, and the team are genuinely knowledgeable without being intimidating about it. They also offer a thoughtful non-alcoholic cocktail selection.
Hotel du Vin is not cheap — expect to pay £12–£16 per cocktail — but the setting justifies the premium. The terrace is particularly lovely on summer evenings. It is a wonderful spot for a special occasion, a date, or an evening where you want to feel like you are somewhere rather than just somewhere convenient. If you are looking for more date night ideas in Exeter, this should be on your shortlist.
Hotel du Vin's terrace and garden are open during warmer months and feel like a hidden escape from the city centre. Ask for a table outside if the weather allows — it transforms the experience.
The Gin Parlour
Darwin's
Tucked away at 29 Magdalen Road in the St Leonards neighbourhood, Darwin's is the kind of gin bar that looks and feels like it belongs in Kensington — except it is a ten-minute walk from Exeter High Street, on one of the city's most characterful independent streets. The interior is warm, intimate, and beautifully appointed, with the kind of low lighting and considered decor that makes you sit up slightly and pay attention to what you are drinking.
The gin selection is outstanding — local artisan distillers from across Devon sit alongside a curated international collection. Darwin's also stocks craft beers from Powderkeg Brewery and a well-chosen wine list, so non-gin drinkers will not feel left out. The food is a collaboration with nearby Herbies Restaurant, offering small tapas-style plates that pair beautifully with a G&T or a gin-based cocktail.
Darwin's is open Tuesday to Thursday 5pm–11pm and Friday to Saturday 3pm–11pm. If you love exploring the Magdalen Road neighbourhood, this is the perfect spot to end an afternoon of wandering through the area's independent shops and cafes. Cocktails and gin serves from around £8–£12.
The Mermaid
Down in the basement at 11b Gandy Street — below Exeter Phoenix's Maker Mart — The Mermaid is an elegant underground cocktail bar that opened in 2021 and has quickly become a favourite among those who know about it. The vibe is subtly glamorous: candlelit, cool, and slightly mysterious in the way that only basement bars can be.
The drinks menu covers classic cocktails, craft beers, and premium spirits, with a good selection of locally sourced charcuterie if you want something to graze on. The real draw is the monthly jazz night, hosted by saxophonist Pete Canter with a house band — it transforms the space into something genuinely special, the kind of evening you would expect to find in a much larger city.
The Mermaid is open Wednesday to Thursday 5pm–midnight, Friday 4.30pm–2.30am, and Saturday 4pm–2.30am. It is one of Exeter's best late-night options — and if you are already on Gandy Street for drinks at Coolings or The Cocktail Club, ducking into The Mermaid afterwards feels like discovering a secret.
If you enjoy cocktails paired with live music, combine a visit to The Mermaid's jazz night with an earlier gig at Exeter Phoenix upstairs — the two venues share a building, making it one of the best back-to-back evenings on Gandy Street. Check out our live music venues guide for what is on.
Summer 2026: Rooftop and Terrace Season
Exeter's cocktail scene comes alive differently in the warmer months. The Botanist's fairy-lit terrace is already one of the most popular outdoor drinking spots in the city centre, but there are other options worth knowing about. Hotel du Vin's garden is a hidden gem that most people walk past without realising it exists. Artigiano's pavement seating on the High Street catches the late afternoon sun perfectly. And if you want a proper rooftop experience, Ludo's on Queen Street has Exeter's best roof terrace with panoramic views across the city — they serve cocktails alongside their food menu, and on a clear summer evening it is hard to beat.
For those willing to venture slightly beyond the city centre, the Exeter Quay area offers waterside drinking at On The Waterfront, where the heated terrace overlooking the canal is perfect for a sundowner cocktail. It is the kind of evening that makes you appreciate living in the South West.
Why Cocktail Bars Are Perfect for Real Connection
There is a social science to why cocktail bars work so well for building friendships and deepening existing ones. The environments are designed for conversation — lower lighting, comfortable seating, music that creates atmosphere without competing with voices. The ritual of choosing drinks, tasting something new, and sharing recommendations creates natural talking points that bypass awkward small talk.
Cocktail bars also encourage smaller groups. You are unlikely to organise a cocktail evening for fifteen people. Four to six is the sweet spot, and that is exactly the group size where real connection happens — large enough to have energy, small enough for everyone to be part of the conversation.
Exeter's cocktail scene makes this easy. Whether you prefer the theatrical atmosphere of The Bootlegger, the intimate expertise of Crocketts, or the refined elegance of Hotel du Vin, there is a bar in this city that matches the kind of evening you want to have. The best nights out are not always the biggest ones — sometimes, they are just the ones where you actually talked to the people you were with.
Planning Your Night Out
A few practical tips for navigating Exeter's cocktail scene:
Most of the bars in this guide are within walking distance of each other. Gandy Street alone has The Cocktail Club, Crocketts, and Coolings within a two-minute walk. You could easily do a cocktail crawl without needing a taxi.
Friday and Saturday nights are busiest everywhere. For a quieter experience with better service, Thursday evenings are often the sweet spot — many bars have live music or special events, but the crowds are manageable.
If you are exploring the wider food and drink scene in Exeter, pair this guide with our best restaurants guide for dinner-and-drinks combinations, or check out our best social clubs guide for regular meetup options that go beyond the bar. For something more relaxed, our wine bars guide covers Exeter's best spots for lingering over a glass, and if you prefer hops to spirits, the craft beer taprooms guide has you covered. And if you are new to Exeter, a cocktail bar crawl along Gandy Street is one of the best ways to fall in love with the city.