Connoisseurs of all things coastal, these culinary masters based in Dartmouth prepare exquisite fish and shellfish dishes that will give you a whole new appreciation of traditional favourites and contemporary variations.
Enjoying an envy-inducing spot on the banks of the River Dart in the well-healed riverside town of Dartmouth, the Seahorse restaurant is a revelation. The kind of venue seasoned-foodies seek out and celebrate with unbridled applause, it is run by those who seriously love great food, for those who seriously love great food.
With numerous awards under their apron strings, the Seahorse restaurant has been listed in the Top 100 in the National Restaurant Awards for the last 10 years, having been ranked number 1 for Devon. It has also been voted Best UK Restaurant in the Observer Food Awards, as well as nominated by the Good Food Guide as the Best UK Seafood Restaurant. Impressive.
So, what is their secret? Largely focusing on seafood-based dishes, the staff at the Seahorse source the vast majority of their ingredients from Dartmouth and Brixham’s fish markets. Considering their fare to be the best in the world, they combine the highest quality, local produce with the sincerest reverence and skill to ensure the potential of each ingredient is fully maximised.
“We believe that seafood of this quality requires skilful but simple preparation to enjoy it as it's best and this is at the heart of what we do”. Careful to pay homage to the amazing natural flavours that come from their ingredients, much of their seafood is roasted over an open charcoal fire at the restaurant and sprinkled with just the right amount of seasoning, herbs and home-made olive oil.
Amongst their heavenly offerings, they serve a number of speciality dishes. Choose from classic favourites like mussels (grown in nearby Elberry cove) and fillet of hake, house favourites such as roasted monkfish and Cornish lobster with garlic butter, or go for something you may not have tried before like cuttlefish or squid.
Of course, whilst certain variations make regular appearances on the menu, most of what is featured is subject to daily availability, making it all the more tempting to go back more than once! For those wanting to try something other than seafood, you can look forward to finger-licking options such as the restaurant’s legendary rib of angus beef roasted over the fire, or tuck into delicacies sourced weekly from markets in Milan and Paris.
If you would like to book yourself a table, the Seahorse offers a full menu in addition to a set menu with 3 courses for £20 during the week and certain times at the weekend. To relax pre or post your meal, diners are also invited to enjoy a drink in the restaurant’s bar. And, making sure that no one has to volunteer as ‘driver’, the restaurant will even organise a chauffeur service for you too!
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The Seahorse, 5 South Embankment, Dartmouth TQ6 9BH | 01803 835147 | www.seahorserestaurant.co.uk
