Food & Drink

It’s official! Honiton Gate to Plate is making a welcome return this summer!

Honiton is delighted to announce that its successful Gate to Plate event is returning for a second year and will be held on Saturday August 10.

The event, which is being organised by East Devon District Council and partners, celebrates East Devon’s high quality local food and traditional craft produce and the town centre will be lined with stalls and provide entertainment for all the family.

Last year’s inaugural event was attended by HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and attracted thousands of visitors.

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The latest in Food & Drink

New Rockfish restaurant is the PLAICE to be!

When you ask a server in a restaurant where the scampi is from and you are given what amounts to a postcode, you know they know their stuff.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of Rockfish in Exeter which, when it comes to the dining experience, (and here's the pun) is the plaice to be!

We were served with an array of delightful dishes including, spider crab croquettes, ceviche sardines, cuttlefish, oysters and scampi.

When the scampi tray came around, I was informed by the server that they would be the tastiest and juiciest I had ever experienced.

Food Drink Devon Awards announce last call for entries

Food and drink brands across Devon need to move quickly to enter the prestigious Food Drink Devon Awards.

The county’s leading food and drink organisation, Food Drink Devon, has announced its last call for entries into the awards. The deadline for the esteemed awards, judged by leading industry experts, is Friday 19th April. Open to both Food Drink Devon’s members and non-members, the awards can be entered online at www.foodanddrinkdevon.co.uk/awards/entry-form.

Great seafood comes to Exeter Quay

Rockfish, headed by Mitch Tonks, opens on March 18th in the heart of Exeter’s thriving Quayside location with the casual dining seafood group’s 6th restaurant.

The group will be employing 35 people locally in their first purpose built 2600 sq ft restaurant which seats over 90 inside and a further 60 outside and is located adjacent to the water at the Quay, so diners can enjoy great seafood and watch all the buzz and activity on the water.

The restaurant opens to the public on March 18th and is open 7 days a week from midday to 9.30pm.

Countdown to the Exeter Food Festival begins

Organisers of the Exeter Food festival have announced a star-studded line up of chefs and producers for the May bank holiday event including, Mitch Tonks, Michael Caines, Gareth Howarth and Josh Eggleton. The annual food and music festival sees thousands of foodies flock to Exeter Castle and Northernhay Gardens to indulge in regional produce and see the region’s top culinary talent in action.

Darts Farm hosts chef royalty

Raymond Blanc OBE and the world’s most prestigious hotel club, Relais & Châteaux, visited Darts Farm earlier this week. The group was hosted by Michael Caines MBE from neighbouring Lympstone Manor and was welcomed by the Dart brothers who proudly showcased the region’s exquisite artisan produce in their award-winning farm shop.

This impressive visit follows an announcement that Darts Farm has been shortlisted for the Guild of Fine Food ‘Shop of the Year’ Award 2019. The finalist will be announced on 11th March.

Nando’s unveils new Exeter restaurant

Nando’s is turning up the heat once again with the reveal of its brand new restaurant in Marsh Barton, Exeter, opening on 27th February to PERi-PERi fans in the South West of England.

The brand new restaurant will have room for 132 diners indoors, and 10 outside for those wanting to dine alfresco in the sunnier months. Fans will also have the option to take their PERi-PERi heat home with them, as the full Nando’s takeaway menu will be available from launch and Nando’s delivery service will launch from late March.

Food Reader Awards 2019 winners revealed

Dave Jenkins (Rock Salt Café), Lympstone Manor (Exmouth) and Chococo (Exeter) were among the winners announced at this year’s Food Reader Awards, during a celebratory feast at The Greenbank Hotel. The awards ceremony celebrated the best independent food and drink across the South West, with over 25,000 individual votes cast by readers of food magazine and www.food-mag.co.uk.

The coastal feast, on Monday January 28, was hosted by one of Salt Media’s founding directors, Jo Rees, along with Nick Hodges, executive chef at The Greenbank and sister hotel, The Alverton in Truro.

Eversfield Organic named finalist in Shop of the Year 2019

The Guild of Fine Food’s annual Shop of the Year awards, an accreditation scheme which recognises and promotes excellence in independent retail, has announced its finalists for 2019 and Eversfield Organic’s Tavistock farm shop and deli is among those in the running to win the Delicatessen & Grocer category. Having had its written entry reviewed by a panel of respected industry experts, Eversfield Organic’s farm shop and deli will now undergo two further rounds of judging, including an announced visit from one of the judges and a mystery shop.

Step Aside Whisky, There’s a New Spirit in Town

From the shores of the Caribbean and Central America, to the rugged coastline of Devon’s South Hams, Hattiers Rum: a new premium rum has launched, and it’s already accumulating gold and silver international awards.

This sustainably crafted blend combines four oak-aged rums with pure Dartmoor water to produce an exceptional spirit that’s as enjoyable on the rocks as it is in your favourite rum cocktail.

Devon fish and chip shop named best in UK

Krispies Fish & Chips from Exmouth, Devon are frying high today as they celebrate netting the enviable title of the UK’s best fish and chip shop at the National Fish & Chip Awards 2019, organised by Seafish.

Owned and operated by husband and wife team Kelly and Tim Barnes, Krispies beat off competition from nine other finalist shops to clinch the title, which has led to previous champions doubling their turnover in the twelve months following the announcement.