The Elephant Bar & Restaurant

Torquay may once have been best known for the disastrous gourmet experiences meted out by Fawlty Towers, but the seafront Elephant is helping put it on the map for all the right reasons. Michelin-starred Simon Hulstone delivers a bold, flavour-packed gastronomic package, whether it’s golden beetroot & Vulscombe goats' cheese with elderflower dressing followed by roasted halibut with lobster royale, celeriac turnovers & lemongrass cream in the first-floor Room, or chicken liver parfait & crispy belly pork in the ground-floor brasserie. Service is friendly, the atmosphere is convivial, & there’s a lovely upstairs bar with great sea views for pre- or post-dinner drinks.