Smart Fish Bar

Smart Fish Bar sits on Exwick Road, a proper neighbourhood chippy that has built a loyal following well beyond its own street. The fryer turns out the usual battered classics alongside burgers, kebabs and sausages, and the queue out the door on a Friday night is a fair sign of how it is rated locally - customers regularly rank it among the best fish and chips in Exeter.

What sets it apart is the gluten-free operation: a separate fryer is kept purely for gluten-free orders, gluten-free vinegar is on hand, and the shop has built a reputation as one of the more reliable gluten-free chippies in the city, not an afterthought squeezed into a normal fryer. Sides run to chips, curry sauce, gravy and both regular and sweet potato fries, with chicken fingers and nuggets for kids. It gets busy, especially at weekends, so a short wait for fresh-cooked food is normal rather than a sign anything has gone wrong - most regulars call ahead or build in twenty minutes.