Mesita Tapas

Mesita is a Basque tapas bar on Topsham's high street, a few doors down from the Exe, done out as a warm, stylish room built around good Spanish ingredients rather than fussy technique. The kitchen leans on hand-carved jamon iberico, quality anchovies dressed simply in olive oil, and dishes like albondigas - the idea being that the produce does the work rather than the plating. Behind the restaurant there's a paid car park, and Topsham train station is a five-minute walk, so it's an easy stop off the branch line.

Out back is a small sherry garden, leafy and sheltered, for anyone who wants a chilled glass of fino rather than a full sit-down meal, and there's a bar for sharing plates without booking a table. An attached bodega shop sells hand-picked Spanish and Basque products to take home - oils, tinned fish, that sort of thing. It keeps limited hours, open Wednesday to Saturday evenings with Saturday lunch as well, and does bookings for weddings and private events outside the regular sittings.