High Tide

High Tide started life as a coffee shop inside the Sea Dog Art Gallery on Beacon Hill in Exmouth, run by Lydia, before relocating to Lympstone and reopening at The Old Bridge House on The Strand. The move traded the gallery setting for a spot right on the water in one of the estuary's prettiest villages, and the cafe has kept the same small, personal feel throughout.

It's a genuinely small space - around ten seats inside and another eight out front - built around good coffee, sandwiches and homemade cakes, with a carrot cake made to a traditional recipe that regulars single out. Staff know most customers by name, and the pace is unhurried rather than a grab-and-go stop. It's an easy place to end up spending longer than planned, especially with a table outside looking over The Strand toward the water.