In short
The best gastropub near Exeter is THE PIG-at Combe in Gittisham, with its kitchen-garden 25-mile menu. The Nobody Inn at Doddiscombsleigh (240 whiskies) and The Jack in the Green at Rockbeare complete the country trio; in the city, Mill on the Exe and The Fat Pig lead.
Why Gastropubs Are the Perfect Place to Bring People Together
There is a reason the gastropub has become such a fixture of British social life. It sits in that sweet spot between a proper restaurant and your local — relaxed enough that nobody feels overdressed, good enough that the food becomes part of the event rather than an afterthought. You can linger for hours without anyone hurrying you along. You can order a pint or a bottle of wine without judgement. And there is something about the warmth of a pub setting — the low beams, the wood-burners, the worn leather chairs — that makes conversation flow more easily than a starched tablecloth ever could.
Devon, and the countryside around Exeter in particular, happens to be one of the best places in Britain for this kind of dining. The ingredients are extraordinary — Dartmoor-reared meat, Brixham-landed fish, farmhouse cheeses you cannot find anywhere else — and the pubs making the most of them range from cosy village locals to award-winning dining rooms that happen to have a bar attached. If you have read our guide to the best restaurants in Exeter, consider this the companion piece: the places where the food is just as thoughtful, but the atmosphere is a touch more forgiving.
Whether you are planning a group outing, a lazy Sunday with friends, or a proper meal in the countryside, these are the gastropubs worth knowing about in 2026.
The Country Gastropubs Worth Driving For
THE PIG-at Combe, Gittisham
If you are going to leave Exeter for one meal this year, make it THE PIG-at Combe. Tucked into the folds of the Otter Valley about twenty minutes east of the city, this 16th-century manor house has been transformed into one of Devon's most distinctive dining experiences. The concept is simple and brilliantly executed: almost everything on the menu comes from within a 25-mile radius of the kitchen door. Menus are written around what the foragers bring back, what is ready in the three walled kitchen gardens, and what local suppliers have delivered that morning. They change by the hour, not just the day.
The main restaurant holds 2 AA Rosettes and the cooking is confident without being fussy — think slow-roasted local pork belly with garden herbs, Brixham fish with seasonal greens, and Devon cheeses you will not find in a supermarket. Midweek lunches currently run at two courses for around £28.50 or three for £32.50, which is genuinely good value for cooking at this level. Dinner is pricier, but the quality justifies it.
The setting is spectacular. Lush grounds, towering trees, and a rustic outdoor dining spot called The Folly that is perfect for larger groups in warmer months. This is the kind of place where a meal becomes an occasion without anyone having to try.
Midweek lunch at THE PIG is the insider move — it is easier to book, better value, and the gardens are beautiful in afternoon light. The Folly is excellent for groups who want a more relaxed, outdoor setting.
Price range: Midweek lunch from £28.50 for two courses; dinner mains from around £20-30. Location: Gittisham, near Honiton, EX14 3AD — about 20 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Essential, especially weekends. Atmosphere: Country house elegance without the stuffiness. Garden: Extensive grounds with outdoor dining at The Folly.
The Nobody Inn, Doddiscombsleigh
Some pubs you visit for the food. Some you visit for the drinks. The Nobody Inn is one of those rare places where both are worth the trip — and the building itself is half the experience. Built in the 1630s and set in the tiny village of Doddiscombsleigh, about six miles south-west of Exeter between the Haldon Hills and the Teign Valley, this 17th-century inn has a reputation that extends well beyond Devon.
The whisky collection is legendary — around 240 varieties, mainly single malts, with prices ranging from £3.50 to £99 a shot. The cheese selection runs to at least twenty local varieties, many of them farmhouse wheels you will not find anywhere else. And the food itself is proper gastropub cooking: seasonal menus built around local produce, with dishes like salt and pepper squid with lemon mayo, duck and orange pate, and a West Country sirloin steak that comes with all the trimmings for around £30.
Sunday roasts are particularly well regarded and reviewers consistently note they are good value — a rarity these days when most pub roasts seem to be creeping past the £20 mark. The inn also has rooms if you fancy making a night of it, which is not a bad shout given the winding lanes you will drive to get there.
Price range: Starters from around £7.50; mains from £16.95. Location: Doddiscombsleigh, EX6 7PS — about 20 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Recommended, especially weekends and Sunday lunch. Atmosphere: Rustic, characterful, proper old pub. Garden: Small but pleasant.
The Jack in the Green, Rockbeare
For thirty years, this gastropub on the London Road just east of Exeter has been a quietly reliable fixture of Devon's dining scene. Now under new management from Craig and Miranda, it is entering what feels like a fresh chapter while keeping everything that made it special in the first place: low-beamed rooms, soft leather chairs, a wood-burning stove, and a menu that takes local sourcing seriously.
The Jack in the Green holds 2 AA Rosettes and delivers upmarket modern British cooking alongside honest pub classics. The kitchen sources extensively from Devon suppliers, and the result is a menu that feels both ambitious and grounded. You can come for a proper three-course meal or just settle into the bar with a West Country ale and a lighter bite. Good local brews are always on tap.
What makes it particularly good for groups is the layout — there is a separate bar area, a restaurant section, and a function room, so you can find the right space for whatever kind of evening you are planning. Parking is easy, which matters when you are rounding up a carful of friends from across the city.
Price range: Mains from around £15-25. Location: London Road, Rockbeare, EX5 2EE — about 15 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Recommended. Atmosphere: Contemporary country pub with real warmth. Garden: Yes, with outdoor seating.
In the City: Exeter's Best Gastropubs
Mill on the Exe
If you want the gastropub experience without leaving the city, the Mill on the Exe is hard to beat for setting alone. This converted paper mill sits right on the River Exe next to Blackaller Weir, with a waterside beer garden that feels miles from the bustle of the city centre despite being a short walk from Exeter St David's station.
The original water wheel from the building's days as a working mill — it was producing paper until 1960 — is now a feature in the pub garden, which gives you some idea of the character of the place. Inside, it is spread across two floors with a contemporary finish that still feels warm and welcoming. The menu reimagines pub classics with a bit more ambition than your average local, paired with St Austell Brewery's award-winning ales, hand-selected wines, and properly roasted coffee.
It is family friendly, dog friendly, and has vegan and vegetarian options that actually feel thought-through rather than token. On a warm evening, the river terrace is one of the best spots in Exeter for a meal with friends — the kind of place where you order one more bottle and suddenly it is closing time.
The Mill on the Exe is one of the most group-friendly gastropubs in Exeter — spacious enough for larger gatherings, scenic enough to make it feel special, and relaxed enough that nobody watches the clock. It is also right by the canal path, so you can walk off lunch along the river.
Price range: Mains from around £13-22. Location: Bonhay Road, EX4 3AB — a short walk from the city centre. Booking: Recommended for weekend evenings and Sunday lunch. Atmosphere: Scenic riverside setting with contemporary pub feel. Garden: Beautiful waterside beer garden.
The Fat Pig, John Street
If the Mill on the Exe is the polished gastropub, The Fat Pig is its scruffier, more eccentric cousin — and all the better for it. This independent freehouse on John Street has built a devoted following for doing things differently. They raise their own pigs. They run an on-site distillery producing gin, rum, vodka, and moonshine. They have a smokehouse. And the menu, while small, is entirely homemade using local suppliers with a low-waste philosophy that feels genuinely committed rather than performative.
The food leans European in style — think creamy gorgonzola tagliatelle with balsamic glaze, or a Sunday roast of beef and crispy belly pork that draws regulars back week after week. The kitchen keeps things tight and focused, which means everything that comes out is done properly. It is the kind of place where the quality of ingredients does the heavy lifting.
Opening hours lean towards evening sessions during the week (kitchen from 6pm Monday to Friday), with longer hours at weekends. Saturday lunch and Sunday lunch both run, and the Sunday roast in particular has a strong reputation. As one of Exeter's truly independent pubs, it has a character that chain-owned venues simply cannot replicate. If you enjoy places with personality, you will love it here.
Price range: Mains from around £14-22. Location: 2 John Street, EX1 1BL — in the city centre. Booking: Recommended for dinner and Sunday lunch. Atmosphere: Eclectic, independent, full of character. Garden: Small outdoor area.
The Oddfellows, New North Road
Just off Exeter's high street, The Oddfellows is an independently run gastropub that gets the balance right between good food, good drinks, and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere. The open kitchen lets you watch your meal being prepared, and the cooking is earthy and seasonal — free-range meat where possible, local suppliers, and a menu that changes with what is available.
The Sunday roasts are a particular highlight: a proper choice of meats or a vegan option, all the trimmings, a big fat Yorkshire pudding, and a rich gravy that people talk about long after the plate is cleared. Upstairs, a SpeakEasy cocktail lounge adds another dimension — intimate, well-stocked, and perfect for an after-dinner drink that turns a meal into a proper night out.
The decor is a thoughtful mix of original features, vintage touches, and modern styling that gives the place warmth without it feeling contrived. It is the sort of pub that feels welcoming from the moment you walk in, which is exactly what you want when you are bringing together a group of people who might not all know each other yet. As we have written before, small gatherings in places like this tend to beat big nights out for actually getting to know people.
Price range: Mains from around £13-20. Location: 60 New North Road, EX4 4EP. Booking: Recommended for Sunday lunch and weekend evenings. Atmosphere: Warm, eclectic, independently spirited. Garden: No, but there is the cocktail lounge upstairs.
Just Outside: Topsham's Gems
The Galley, Topsham
Technically more restaurant than pub, but The Galley in Topsham deserves a place on any Devon food guide. This Bib Gourmand restaurant in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide sits on Topsham Quay with views over the River Exe, serving seafood that has earned it a place in The Telegraph's top 10 Best Seafood Restaurants in Britain.
The fish comes fresh from Brixham Harbour and the fixed-price menu treats it with real care — contemporary and traditional techniques, seasonal specials, and a stripped-back approach that lets the quality of the ingredients shine. Lunch specials start at two courses for around £17, making it one of the best-value fine dining experiences in Devon.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and Monday. The exposed brick walls and slightly scruffy-chic atmosphere make it feel less formal than the accolades might suggest, and the Topsham setting — a charming estuary town just four miles from Exeter — adds a lot to the experience. Combine it with a walk along the Exe Estuary trail and you have got a properly good day out with friends.
Price range: Lunch from £17 for two courses; dinner mains from around £18-28. Location: 41 Fore Street, Topsham, EX3 0HU — about 15 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Essential. Atmosphere: Upscale scruffy-chic with river views. Garden: No, but river views from inside.
The Globe, Topsham
Also in Topsham, The Globe is a 16th-century riverside inn that offers a more traditional gastropub experience. Now part of the St Austell Brewery family, it champions seasonal produce with a particular strength in seafood alongside well-executed pub classics. The Sunday roasts and breakfasts draw consistent praise, and the courtyard with its umbrellas and space heaters makes it usable year-round.
With 19 bedrooms, it is another one where you can make a night of it — not a bad option if you are organising a group trip and want everyone under one roof. Dog-friendly, too, which matters more in Devon than most places.
Price range: Mains from around £14-22. Location: Fore Street, Topsham, EX3 0HR. Booking: Recommended. Atmosphere: Historic riverside inn with contemporary menu. Garden: Courtyard seating with heaters.
Worth the Short Drive: More Gastropubs Near Exeter
The Puffing Billy, Exton
Tucked into the village of Exton on the east side of the Exe Estuary, about fifteen minutes from both Exeter and Exmouth, The Puffing Billy is the kind of gastropub that locals guard jealously. Head chef Sean McBride and his team are passionate about locally sourced ingredients — meats from Dartmoor, fish from Devon's coast and the River Exe, and vegetables from nearby growers. The menu changes with the seasons and everything is made freshly on site each day.
What makes The Puffing Billy stand out is the balance between ambition and accessibility. You can eat a properly good meal here without feeling like you need to remortgage — mains range from around £9.50 for mackerel with potato salad up to £17.25 for half a rack of lamb, which is remarkably fair for cooking of this quality. The pub itself is welcoming in the way the best country pubs are: dog-friendly, with disabled access, ample parking, and the sort of atmosphere that makes you want to settle in for the afternoon.
It pairs brilliantly with a walk along the Exe Estuary trail — work up an appetite on the water and reward yourself with a proper lunch. The Puffing Billy is also a strong option if you are exploring Topsham and want to venture slightly further along the estuary.
Price range: Mains from £9.50-£17.25. Location: Exton, EX3 0PP — about 15 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Recommended, especially weekends. Phone: 01392 877751. Atmosphere: Traditional village pub with serious kitchen. Garden: Yes, with countryside views.
The Five Bells Inn, Clyst Hydon
A little further east towards Cullompton, The Five Bells is a thatched 16th-century village pub that has quietly built a reputation for excellent gastropub cooking. The menu leans heavily on seasonal Devon produce, and the Sunday roasts — which feature in our guide to the best Sunday roasts in Devon — are worth planning your weekend around. The setting is pure Devon: rolling countryside, a proper beer garden, and the kind of unhurried pace that makes city life feel very far away.
Price range: Mains from around £14-22. Location: Clyst Hydon, EX15 2NT — about 20 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Recommended. Atmosphere: Thatched country pub with character. Garden: Lovely beer garden with countryside views.
If you are visiting from outside Devon and want to make a weekend of the gastropub trail, several of these places have rooms available. The Nobody Inn, The Globe in Topsham, and THE PIG-at Combe all offer accommodation — check our guide to the best places to stay in Exeter for more options.
What's New on the Exeter Gastropub Scene in 2026
The Exeter gastropub landscape continues to evolve. Several venues have invested in their outdoor spaces over the past year, reflecting a post-pandemic appetite for al fresco dining that shows no sign of fading. The Mill on the Exe has expanded its waterside terrace seating, and The Fat Pig now runs occasional smokehouse pop-up evenings through the summer months.
The wider Devon gastropub scene received a boost when the Muddy Stilettos Top 100 Gastropubs list for 2026 included five Devon entries — a strong showing for a county that sometimes gets overlooked in favour of the Cotswolds and Home Counties. The Puffing Billy and The Jack in the Green both featured, alongside some South Devon entries worth a longer drive.
One trend worth noting: several Exeter gastropubs have started offering more plant-based options alongside their traditional menus. The Oddfellows now runs a dedicated vegan Sunday roast, and The Mill on the Exe has expanded its vegetarian menu significantly. If you have mixed dietary requirements in your group, these places make it easy for everyone to eat well together.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best gastropub near Exeter?
- THE PIG-at Combe in Gittisham is the destination pick, cooking a 25-mile menu from its own kitchen garden. The Nobody Inn and The Jack in the Green are the other country gastropubs worth the drive.
- Which Exeter gastropub is best in the city itself?
- Mill on the Exe combines riverside setting with reliable food, The Fat Pig on John Street brews its own beer and smokes its own meat, and The Oddfellows is the city-centre choice.
- What is special about The Nobody Inn?
- A 16th-century pub near Doddiscombsleigh with one of the country's great whisky collections — around 240 bottles — plus local cheeses and a serious wine cellar.
- Do Devon gastropubs need booking?
- For weekend lunches and dinners, yes — THE PIG-at Combe and the Topsham pubs especially. Midweek you can usually walk in.
Why Gastropubs Are Perfect for Group Dining
There is a reason we keep coming back to gastropubs when planning Dinners With Friends events. The format is inherently social. Unlike a formal restaurant, where the table layout and service style can sometimes create barriers between people, a gastropub invites you to relax. Sharing plates get passed around. Conversations overlap. Someone orders a round and suddenly the whole table is comparing opinions on local ales versus ciders.
The food quality means the meal itself becomes a talking point — moving past small talk is so much easier when you are all genuinely enjoying what is on the plate. And the relaxed pacing of a pub meal — nobody rushing you, the option to add another course or just linger over coffee — creates the kind of unhurried atmosphere where real connections form.
Sunday lunch is peak gastropub time and most of the places on this list book up well in advance. If you are planning a group outing, book at least a week ahead — two weeks for The Pig, The Galley, and The Nobody Inn. Midweek is almost always easier and often better value.
If you have been thinking about getting out more but the idea of a big night out feels like too much, a gastropub dinner is the perfect middle ground. Good food, warm atmosphere, no pressure. If you have been feeling the pull to socialise without breaking the bank, a midweek gastropub lunch with friends might be exactly what you need. And if you fancy pairing your gastropub meal with a great pint, our guide to the best craft beer and taprooms in Exeter covers the local brewing scene, many of which supply these very pubs.
For more on where to eat and drink across the county, have a look at our Devon food and drink heritage guide, our roundup of the best pubs in Exeter, or if you fancy something more refined, our guide to the best wine bars in Exeter.
Ready to Make It Happen?
The best meals are the ones you share. If any of these places have caught your eye and you would like company to enjoy them with, we would love to help.