Neil's Restaurant

Neil's Restaurant sits a short walk from Sidmouth's esplanade and beach, run by proprietor and chef Neil Harding, who trained in some of Bristol's top hotels before moving to Devon in 1988 to be closer to the seafood he wanted to cook. The fish menu changes daily depending on what's landed at Brixham, and the set three-course evening menu comes with saute potatoes and fresh vegetables as standard, with extras like Lyme Bay lobster available as a supplement.

It's a licensed restaurant built around fresh, seasonal seafood rather than a broad all-things-to-everyone menu, and the fixed-price format - around £39.95 to £44.95 per person - reflects a kitchen that knows exactly what it's doing rather than one padding out choice for its own sake. Ranked third of 78 restaurants in Sidmouth and holding a 4.8 Google rating from 256 reviews, it's built its reputation over years on first-class service and seafood that's barely left the boat.