In short
The best rooftop bar in Exeter city centre is Hotel Indigo on Catherine Street, whose rooftop terrace serves pizzas and cocktails. The View, on the eighth floor of the Courtyard by Marriott at Sandy Park, is a rooftop bar open daily from 6pm, looking out over the Devon countryside and coast, with free parking except on match days. Ludo, in the Guildhall, has an upstairs terrace. For waterside tables, head to Exeter Quay.
Contents8 sections
Where is the best rooftop bar in Exeter?
For a rooftop bar in the city centre, go to Hotel Indigo on Catherine Street, a minute's walk from the cathedral. For the widest view, go to The View at Sandy Park. For something cheaper and louder, Ludo in the Guildhall has an upstairs terrace. Those two are the rooftops we could confirm in Exeter. This guide covers them first, then Ludo, then the best terraces, quayside tables and pub gardens.
We checked every venue here against its food hygiene registration and its own website or Visit Exeter's listing in September 2026. We left out anything we couldn't confirm is still trading.
Hotel Indigo rooftop: cocktails in the cathedral quarter
Hotel Indigo is on Catherine Street, just off Cathedral Yard. It has a rooftop terrace with panoramic views over the city's rooftops. Visit Exeter lists it for handcrafted pizzas and cocktails. If the weather turns, the hotel's restaurant, Dottie's, is downstairs.
This is Exeter's most central rooftop, so it's the easiest to fit into a wider evening. Have a drink up top and then walk across to dinner in the cathedral quarter. It's weather-dependent, so on a warm Friday or Saturday evening, check with the hotel before you promise a group terrace seats. Midweek is usually easier.
Exeter has few rooftop terraces. If you're organising for more than four people, ring ahead and ask whether they take terrace bookings or seat walk-ins only. The answer changes how early you need to arrive.
The View: Exeter's highest rooftop terrace
The View is on the eighth floor of the Courtyard by Marriott Exeter Sandy Park, beside the rugby stadium just off the M5 at the edge of the city. It describes itself as a rooftop bar and restaurant with views across the Devon countryside and coastline. It's the highest outdoor table in Exeter by some distance.
According to its own site, the rooftop bar is open every day from 6pm until late. The restaurant serves lunch from noon to 3pm and dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays serves lunch only, from noon to 3pm. The menu is built on local produce, and the drinks list features local beers, ciders and spirits alongside cocktails. Parking is free if you register your car at the host stand. That doesn't apply on home match days, when the car park is shared with Sandy Park Stadium, so check the Exeter Chiefs fixtures before you drive.
You can't walk here from the city centre, but Digby & Sowton station is about five minutes away, according to The View. Treat it as a destination rather than a stop on a night out. It's the best choice for a birthday or a long summer dinner where the view is the point.
Ludo: an upstairs terrace in the Guildhall
Ludo is in the Guildhall Shopping Centre off Queen Street. It isn't a rooftop, but Visit Exeter lists it among the city's al fresco spots and mentions eating upstairs on its terrace. It's a sports bar first, with screens, games and a casual menu. The terrace is what makes it different from other sports bars.
Go to Ludo if you want an outdoor table upstairs without the cocktail prices, or if half the group wants to watch the match while the other half wants some sun. Visit Exeter mentions a "Pint & Slice Friday" offer. Check the venue's own channels for current deals rather than relying on any quoted price.
Which Exeter restaurants have the best terraces?
If you don't need a rooftop, these are the best terraces in Exeter.
The Botanist, Queen Street
The Botanist is spread over two floors in Queen Street Dining at the Guildhall. It has an outdoor terrace with rattan furniture and botanical planters. The menu suits sharing, the terrace is dog-friendly, and there's live music on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6pm. It's open late on Fridays and Saturdays. For a relaxed date night, the terrace on a warm evening is hard to beat.
Browns Brasserie & Bar, the Malthouse
Browns is in the Malthouse on Haven Road, by the canal basin on the quay side of the river. Visit Exeter calls its terrace "the perfect spot for al fresco dining in Exeter". The menu is classic British brasserie with seasonal dishes. Choose Browns when the occasion calls for something a little more polished than a pub table, such as a birthday lunch or a catch-up with people you haven't seen in a while.
Coolings, Gandy Street
Coolings is a long-standing independent on cobbled Gandy Street. Its outside tables give the lane a continental feel. It opens from noon Monday to Saturday, closes on Sundays and serves food and pizza from midday, with live music. Underneath is The Cellar, a hidden bar in the old Exeter passages that's used for private hire and cocktail masterclasses. It's worth knowing about for autumn. Coolings says its hours sometimes change, so check before a special trip.
Hotel du Vin's walled garden
On Magdalen Street, Hotel du Vin has walled gardens that Visit Exeter includes among the city's outdoor dining spots. The hotel has run occasional themed garden dinners, including Mediterranean-style evenings in summer 2026. It's quieter and more sheltered than anywhere on the quay.
Where can you eat outside by the river in Exeter?
Exeter Quay is the city's biggest cluster of outdoor tables. On a warm evening the stretch along the River Exe feels slower and warmer than the rest of town. Our guide to Exeter Quay's history as a social hub explains why it has always been where the city comes to linger.
On The Waterfront
On The Waterfront is on the ground floor of an old warehouse at 5–9 The Quay. Its heated terrace is the reason it's usable most of the year. Visit Exeter picks it out for its giant "dustbin lid" pizzas, made for sharing. The terrace fills quickly on sunny days, so arrive early.
The Prospect Inn
The Prospect Inn is right on the quayside overlooking the river. For an unpretentious pub with water views, it's hard to find a better spot in the city. Expect Devon ales and ciders, pub classics and outdoor seating on dry days. It's a natural stop on a dog-friendly walk along the canal.
Samuel Jones and Crave, Commercial Road
Just along from the main quay on Commercial Road, Samuel Jones Ale & Smoke House has craft beer, smoked dishes and waterside tables in a converted warehouse. Next door, Crave has a waterside outdoor area and a menu of shareable small plates, which Visit Exeter includes among the city's al fresco options. The two work well together for a group that wants to start with a drink and move on to food.
Exeter's outdoor season realistically runs from late April to early October. The venues with heated or covered outdoor space, such as On The Waterfront, stretch that furthest. Rooftops are the first to close when the wind picks up.
Which Exeter pubs have the best beer gardens?
Mill on the Exe
Mill on the Exe is on Bonhay Road, beside Blackaller Weir and the Millstone footbridge. It's one of the most atmospheric beer gardens in the city. The riverside garden is the reason to go. We cover it in more depth in our gastropub guide. If you're walking the Exe riverside routes, it's the obvious lunch stop.
The Fat Pig, John Street
The Fat Pig is an independent freehouse on John Street in the city centre. Its small outdoor area makes it a convenient spot for an al fresco drink between the High Street and the quay. It features in our pubs guide. Opening days vary through the week, so check before you go.
The Double Locks
The Double Locks is on the canal bank south of the quay and has one of the best-known pub gardens in the area. You can reach it on foot or by bike along the canal path.
For an Exeter pub garden crawl, start at Mill on the Exe, follow the river down to the quay for a drink at The Prospect Inn, then walk the canal path to the Double Locks. It's all flat and waterside, and it makes a good summer afternoon for a group.
Why is eating outside better for meeting people?
Outdoor tables take the pressure off. Silences feel comfortable rather than awkward, and there's always something to comment on, like the river, the view or the people passing. That makes a big difference when you're eating with people you're still getting to know. The meal becomes part of the setting instead of the only thing to focus on.
That's why so many of our dinners in the warmer months lean towards terraces and waterside tables. If you're new to Exeter, starting with the places that let you eat in the open air is one of the easiest ways to learn the city.
For more ideas, see our guides to the best restaurants in Exeter and the best cocktail bars in Exeter. If you want waterside dining a little further out, try our foodie guide to Topsham.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a rooftop bar in Exeter?
- Yes. Hotel Indigo on Catherine Street has a rooftop terrace in the city centre serving pizzas and cocktails. The View is a rooftop bar on the eighth floor of the Courtyard by Marriott at Sandy Park, open daily from 6pm, with countryside and coastal views. Ludo in the Guildhall Shopping Centre has an upstairs terrace, though not a rooftop.
- What is the best rooftop bar in Exeter city centre?
- Hotel Indigo's rooftop terrace on Catherine Street is the most central, just off Cathedral Yard. Ludo's upstairs terrace in the Guildhall is the more casual alternative. The View has the biggest view but is at Sandy Park on the edge of the city, so take a car, taxi or the train to Digby & Sowton.
- Can you park at The View rooftop restaurant in Exeter?
- Yes. Parking is free if you register your car at the host stand when you arrive, but not on Exeter Chiefs home match days, when the car park is shared with Sandy Park Stadium.
- Where can you eat outside by the river in Exeter?
- Exeter Quay is the main spot. On The Waterfront has a heated terrace, The Prospect Inn has quayside tables, and Samuel Jones and Crave on Commercial Road have waterside seating. Upriver, Mill on the Exe has a beer garden beside Blackaller Weir.
- When is outdoor dining season in Exeter?
- Roughly late April to early October. Heated terraces such as On The Waterfront's extend it, while rooftops are the most weather-dependent, so check before you set off on a windy day.
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