Perched on the edge of the River Dart, Waterside Bistro is well known to the local foodie foragers of Totnes. The bistro has built a reputation for locally sourced produce and delicious food. Which is not surprising since owners Matt and Delphine have, between the two of them, worked with some food heavy weights (Sloane Club in London, Scotts of Mayfair, L’Escargot in Soho, Le Gavroche in Mayfair and one of the country’s leading fish resturents, Livebait). Basically, the two of them have a passion for great tasting food that makes people happy when they eat it. Makes sense doesnt it?
Little tip, get to Totnes early and head to The Hairy Barista for coffee and cake. Walk about the town, support the local shops (check out Love Frankie and dribble over their awesome ceramics and cool interior offerings) to build up an appetite and over to WB for lunch (at this point i’m visibly doing a thumbs up in front of my laptop, but you can’t see me…so…i’m an idiot).
Lush plump locally sourced mussels, a classic. Just make sure you have a basket of bread and side of fries to mop, dip and crunch up the remaining liquor. Bloody perfect.
Flakey hake with the crispiest of skin, sitting on a zeppelin of silky mash potato sailing over a sea of creamy white wine sauce… too much metaphor? Nah, smash it into your chomp factory and get ready to drift off into comfortsville. Lovely.
South Indian vegetable curry. Warming with gentle spices and served with crispy, light onion bahjis – certainly moorish, might want to bribe the chef for extras!
Ortolana pizza, sweet with red peppers, tangy and earthy artichokes along with salty black olives… crunch this up with their own chilli oil and a crisp glass of Sharpham Dart Valley Reserve. You could share this… but don’t.
Just look at this beautiful cheesecake with the most buttery of biscuit bases and topped with caramelised banana. If you can, and I think you should, pick it up in one and gobble it down, before spoons flood in from your neighbouring diners (you know who they are).
nick hook photography 