Antidote in North Devon

The Antidote is a cosy and intimate restaurant serving delicious food. Sarah is very welcoming and makes dining there a very special event. We had their French menu and the cooking was exemplary, a faultless gastronomic evening.

I had the pleasure to dine at, The Antidote Restaurant, last night. It was absolutely spectacular and every course delivered a flavour explosion within your senses. I would recommend to anyone who throughly enjoys their food and wants a fine dining experience with an authentic and cosy vibe. I will be dreaming of this food and craving it for a while, I can guarantee you, that you will want to rush back and dine again. Thank you so much for the delicious meal and excellent service.

Amazing dining experience! Food, service - exceptional. It’s another level of enjoying food. Each course is a piece of art and absolutely delicious.

First time and really impressed Quite a small menu (3x mains and starters) and wine list but food quality was superb Restaurant also small so mainly couples but very welcoming ( and easy to park)

Once again this place never fails to deliver on everything!!! Food, service, cocktails, staff and the atmosphere 10/10 . You have to visit its exceptional x

We reserved a table for two, just as well as this intimate restaurant has just 14 seats. The 3 course menu had delicious options to peruse and all food was superbly cooked and presented. This was a dining experience to relish, it was a wonderful evening meal.

We visit Woolacombe every September, and always book early for a table in our favourite restaurant in Ilfracombe, always delighted by the service and the amazing food served there, a great treat every time, such good food at reasonable prices…

Simple but great Fresh local mackerel starter. Innovative main tasty courses. Two great sweets. Fab and friendly Husband & wife team serving it all up.

We had heard that Ilfracombe had a Michelin award winning restaurant from friends but for some reason I hadn’t believed that it could exist in this humble North Devon town - but we happened to walk past the unassuming front of the restaurant a few weeks ago and I immediately reserved a table to see if the place lived up to the hype. I emailed the restaurant and managed to get a booking on my birthday, which was a straightforward process. The setting is really intimate with a small amount of tables. The menu has been refined to three choices for each course, with a selection of unique cocktails, wine and beer. We were worried that the food might be nouvelle cuisine and that we might have to go somewhere else to satiate our appetite afterwards, so we opted for the bread roll to start just to be sure. My salmon starter was incredibly fresh with a zesty sauce and my partners starter was a flavourful soup. Both my roast chicken main and my partner’s pork wellington were perfectly cooked and we were both delighted by the portion size. Our desserts were just the right amount and we both felt full by the end of the meal, and agreed that this was probably the best food we’d eaten in a restaurant since moving to North Devon. We’ll definitely be back for our next special occasion!

Food was amazing and staff service was really friendly. Set in the heart of ilfracombe treat yourself you won't be disappointed

A small but good restaurant for a quiet evening meal. The Antidote is a well respected local restaurant that serves up excellent quality dishes, Unfortunately, it only offers a fixed 3 course Table d'hôte menu, which is ok if each course has something you would relish, otherwise you may be disappointment. Having said that our meals comprising leek & potato velouté starter, a Sea Bream & a Chicken main course rounded off with cold sweets were excellent, flavoursome & beautifully presented. Not too sure about the wine, particularly white wine, served in a tumbler styled glass. Finally, the restaurant regularly changes the menu, making it a little difficult to know what will be on offer on the night, when making an advanced booking.

Really lovely restaurant that we used to celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary. Really well priced at £39.90 per person plus gratuity of 10%. Food was exceptional as was the service. Nothing felt rushed, but food came in a timely manner. Waitress was really helpful. I can see why it’s a Michelin recommended restaurant. The only slight downside is that the size of the meals is small. We enjoyed them thoroughly but I was hungry afterwards. Would definitely come again and recommend to friends/family.

Well deserving of its number 1 rating. Sarah and Paul run a welcoming and stylish establishment with a small but delicious menu. We loved our meal so much we booked again for when we returned from Lundy. Essential to book in advance.

Had an amazing meal for my husbands 50th birthday. Looked for Somewhere special as on holiday and booked a few months in advance. The food was delicious, beautifully presented. Nothing was any trouble and the service was amazing. Thank you so much

Fantastic little restaurant. Great service, great value and amazing food. I’ll 100% be back! Thanks Luke & Izzy

The Antidote Restaurant. Great welcome, very friendly and knowledgeable service, and the food was wonderful. The Potato and leek velouté was one of the best starters we’ve ever had. And good value too.

It was our first visit and we were impressed and look forward to visiting again. The couple running this small restaurant. The menu is limited but interesting and fairly priced. Each dish was beautifully prepared and presented - taking into account local suppliers and seasonal produce. Between the four of us we tried different dishes. The menu is included in my review on the photographs.The bread provided was an excellent sour dough. The Leek and Potato Veloute was creamy and flavoursome, the chicken thigh was tasty as was the salmon. All neatly presented and although not large portion size they were not tiny portions but perfect for me. The main courses - well I had the venison which was beautifully tender and I was torn between the venison and sea bream which someone else had and really enjoyed. Probably the least inspired was the pork roll. There were two desserts and I would highly recommend the chocolate ganache - superb! The service was warm friendly and very competent They had an interesting wine list. The only recommendation I would make about the restaurant is going early so you can enjoy your meal and not too late as the restaurant is small so it can feel a bit like you are holding up the team going home when everyone else has left at 9.30. This sweet restaurant deserves our support and they should be commended for presenting such great dishes for only a few tables.

Such a lovely dinner experience! Every course was absolutely delicious. So nice to enjoy locally sourced products too!

Lovely dinner for 2 for 39.90£ each plus drinks. Lovely owners and amazing food ! Used to be Michelin 2019,2020,2021 and you can see that! 👌🏻

My partner and I dined for a special occasion. The space was inviting, relaxed and cozy. The staff member was attentive and friendly. The food was delicious. We will be back.

Amazing. Took a friend that was a pro chef for his birthday and he said it was the best meal he ever had. The other 3 of us completely agreed. The beauty of a tiny menu is everything is perfect, and it really is under £40 for 3 courses!!! Definitely a hidden gem; my family have lived around Ilfracombe all their lives and never heard of it, but that changed very quickly after I went. Meal for 4 with (many) drinks was about £250- excellent value!!! Also the house white was my all time favourite, so that was a definite plus!

Outstanding family restaurant, varied and delicious menu! Enjoyed every single course, especially the salmon starter, every flavour complimented each other perfectly! Service was also exceptional. Highly recommend!

What a lovely place to stay .made very welcome from the start .room was so cozy and brilliant size .as for the food ten out of ten lovely and hot and so tasty.will be returning very soon .

We were there for 3 nights and were delighted with the house. Rooms nicely decorated. Beds comfortable. The kitchen is fully equipped and spacious. The living room was charming with a sofa bed which was very comfortable. It's autumn, so there wasn't much to explore, but it was a charming little town, so the walks were very pleasant. Close to shops. Parking 5 minutes from the apartment. A lovely Italian restaurant right next door which served us dinner in a nice Italian atmosphere. Great holiday with the family, so we recommend it.

Amazing food and great service. Came here for a birthday meal and really enjoyed the cosy atmosphere. The salmon and beetroot was fresh and delicious. The 3 course menu was good value for money and there wasn’t too much on the menu which is great to see, as you know everything is going to be perfect. A hidden gem for sure. Would highly recommend.

I booked Antidote for my girlfriend’s birthday while we were in Devon. We weren’t disappointed, the food is amazing. Lovely cosy restaurant and the lady serving was so nice. We had the onion veloute, salmon, sea bream, pork sausage roll and chocolate and lemon posset. Everything was cooked to perfection. The price is good too at 3 courses for 39.99. Will be back as soon as possible !

We are in the restaurant and it was spectacular! The price is incredibly reasonable too.

Visited the Antiode during a short break away. I pre booked via email with high hopes. I was absolutely not disappointed, the food was delicious, service faultless a lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend.

We eat out quite a bit, but can honestly say this was the best meal we’ve ever had. So often when you go out for a meal you’re left feeling a bit disappointed, but this was amazing. The service was perfect, friendly and welcoming, the menu (3 courses, with 3 options for each) was varied and appealing, and the quality of the food was outstanding. And at £40 for 3 courses it is also incredible value. We live over 200 miles away, but would plan a weekend in Ilfracombe just so we could eat here again. Thank you so much - in case you’ve not guessed, we rather enjoyed it! 😊

Very disrespectful, the latte burnt my tongue, thing that I really really hate and wasn't expecting from a Micheline/bib gourmand restaurant, very disappointing. I'm not even gonna waste more of my time on reviewing the rest but was a normal place, whatever. I hope the owner is gonna take it fairly and not attacking me or crying for her mistake.

A first class dining experience with a great tasting innovative menu. We would thoroughly recommend this restaurant and suggest you book early as it is rightfully popular. The atmosphere was lovely, quite relaxed and a great choice of background music. The attention to detail in both the food and the place is apparent. We felt that there was also an abundance of passion emanating from the chef and the service team. Well done to the owners in creating a restaurant of this quality and in this part of Ilfracombe. We will come back again at the first opportunity. P.s my wife wants to know what the lovely fragrance was in the bathroom and where did you got it from?

Highly recommend! Accommodated our booking by allowing us early entry before the stated 6pm opening hours. The level of service and the attention to detail was excellent. Sarah in particular was incredible. She remembered every customer by name and was very attentive to everybody’s needs. The warm and welcoming environment complimented the food which was itself exquisite. If ever in Ilfacombe you must run to The Antidote!

It’s rare to find a place that simply does what it says it does - and very very well. The menu is simple and beautifully short allowing for flexibility & seasonality. Each dish is prepared and served simply with each element being considered and adding to the dish. Being family run makes for a wonderful atmosphere which adds to a great experience. The cocktails are clever, well made and delicious! Simply excellent and very well worth finding and following them if and when they change location.

Nous y avons dîné avec ma fille en octobre 2022. Après un accueil chaleureux et très professionnel, nous avons été conquises. Le cadre est très feutré, la nourriture et le service excellent. Un vrai moment "suspendu" et une adresse à ne surtout pas manquer. Pensez à réserver à l'avance !

We ate here last weekend and it was one of the best meals we've had for a long time. All the courses were delicious and the service was excellent. Small and cosy, we would certainly recommend it and would visit agian.

Had a great dinner, service was exceptional and the food was delicious.

Fabulous meal, excellent service and would highly recommend...

Verry nice barman, had a wonderfull night herre

Lovely small bistro with a tiny menu of 2-3 starters, main and dessert for a set price. It was wonderful, food was brilliant and you watch the chefs cooking behind the counter. The front of house was friendly and super efficient. Real little gem.

Amazing food and cocktails. Great atmosphere. Sarah, her husband and Harry made our night out really special.

What a beautiful date spot 🥰💕 Calm, warm and inviting. We had a beautiful date here last night. Greeted kindly by the lovely Sarah who has been a fantastic hostess from booking, all the way up to arrival. Gorgeous table layouts, cozy but inviting. Gorgeous touches like the clips holding the paper to the table, the chemist flask for water and the hand stamped menu's... adds to great ambience! The food was delightful. Simple but traditional punchy flavours. Really good temperatures. £39 for 3 courses. Very reasonable considering the talent, quality and service. The salmon was so refreshing, light with zinging acidity, accompanied with the whipped Truffle butter and sourdough... stunning! I'd love to see some vegetable Puree or oils with the chicken dish... lots of meat and again more great flavour. And the deserts both equally as astounding! We CANNOT wait to come back amd experience The Antidote all over again. Hopefully we can experience some new dishes as I'd love to see more of this amazing Chef's cooking 😍 thank you again, highly recommend!

This is our third holiday in Ilfracombe and our third visit to Antidote. As soon as we decided to come back to Ilfracombe, we immediately made a Reservation. Another great evening of fantastic tasty & well presented food, excellent friendly service and great atmosphere. Thank you.

We first visited The Antidote a few years back and have been desperately trying to get in on every visit to Devon since. They’re always fully booked - and for good reason! The food we had was absolutely beautiful. We always receive impeccable service from Sarah who greets us like we’re old friends and puts us at complete ease from the moment we step through the door. The cocktails are wonderful and the atmosphere in the restaurant itself is relaxed and chill. We love it here and would have totally tried to stay the night too had we not had our dog with us! We always tell our friends and family when they visit to try and get in to The Antidote! Hopefully we can get in again on our next visit 🤞🏽

Best place to eat in Ilfracombe! We just managed to get a booking...so glad we did! It was our last night in Ilfracombe, good way to end the holiday. Friendly/welcoming staff, amazing food, great ambiance. Pretty reasonable prices considering it's a Michelin restaurant!

Superb restaurant with Michelin star quality food for a fraction of London prices. Best gem we been to for a long time. Absolutely a gem for food and hospitality. Must go there when in Ilfracombe.

Kind , attentive staff. Food was amazing. So glad it was recommended to us x

Had a superb meal this evening, top class! Would definitely recommend

Incredible food and experience. This family run restaurant does everything right, friendly service in a stylish but comfortable setting. The food is on another level, much deserving of its Michelin guide listing. The salmon starter particularly was full of punch in every mouthful, then the mains, too difficult to choose between, were superbly presented with fresh local ingredients cooked to perfection. Don’t even start me on the chocolate ganache desert.

Been waiting for so long to get a booking here for dinner and it was worth the wait. A small boutique restaurant with a delicious set menu. Very friendly and accommodating table service. Would definitely recommend!

Absolutely superb. Simplicity,Quality and excellence throughout from the amazing marmalade negroni through to the espresso. Elegant, professional and friendly service by sarah and her family. The menu was a fixed price , 3 course and was great value for the level of quality and the finesse of the dishes. The skill in the kitchen was evident in every element of every dish. Any chef that can make chicken moorish is definitely doing something very right. Top notch guys, thank you so much for an amazing meal experience.

Can absolutely understand why this is rated #1 in Ilfracombe. Superb food and service with a relaxed, warm ambience. Although the menu choices are limited, the dishes we had at every course were simply sensational. Wouldn’t be surprised if a Michelin star replaces the Michelin bib gourmand award in the next year or so.

My partner and I have agreed this is definitely the best meal out we have EVER had. Luckily we booked in advance after reading some amazing reviews on here and I am so pleased that we did! The menu is small (always a good sign in my opinion) and allergies etc are taken into consideration. The restaurant has a very small intimate feeling and the decor is very tasteful adding to the experience. The food was exquisite and every course beautifully put together and so delicious. We were recommended Romanian wine which we have never had before and this was really good too. Normally there’s always “something” not quite right with a 3 course meal but we can honestly say every single thing was absolutely lovely. For value for money - you won’t get better! We could not believe it! This is a family run business with the very talented chef, lovely wife looking after front of house and tons of other things I’m sure and their son working there too. We spoke to Sarah and they are a true inspiration of hard work and dedication of what you can achieve and I absolutely love this little gem of a place.We will definitely be back! Thank you for Antidote for this amazing experience on our holiday :) Becky and Aaron

We had a lovely stay at the Antidote, our apartment was spacious and Sarah was a great host. We were lucky enough to also have a lovely evening meal, our food was cooked to perfection.

Visited on 14th Aug. Food, service and atmosphere was extremely good. Would highly recommend visiting this amazing place.

Unbelievable. We were lucky enough to get a cancellation as the whole month was booked. Absolutely brilliant meal. If your going to ilfracombe the book before. There is nothing better x

We were lucky to have made a booking several months in advance. The food, service and whole experience was absolutely exquisite. It has to be amongst the best food we have ever tasted

We have been visiting Ilfracombe for a number of years and always look forward to dining with Sarah and Paul. The latter being widely regarded as the best chef in Ilfracombe. Excellent value for money but limited covers so you must pre book.

What a great little gem of Ilfracombe! We were not hoping for a table without a booking in the nr1 place on Tripadvisor but decided to give it a go and luckily for us there was a cancellation. The food was nothing but amazing both presentation and taste were executed to perfection. Great flavours! Very cosy small place with friendly and attentive service. Very reasonably priced for a Michelin Star place. Was such a great finish of our holiday on the way back from Cornwall to Birmingham. We would recommend the place to everyone. Hope to be back one day soon.

We booked in for a holiday treat and weren't disappointed, a wonderful evening with really beautiful food and lovely atmosphere.

Visited here this week whilst on holiday, luckily we had booked months ago. The whole experience was fantastic, we were met with a warm welcome, service was brilliant, the restaurant is spotlessly clean and the food was out of this world. We will definitely return if we holiday here again and definitely recommend to anyone looking for a high quality meal.

The food is exceptional and being a small restaurant the atmosphere is very intimate. A real find!!!

The food is exceptional and being a small restaurant the atmosphere is very intimate. A real find!

Outstanding food and even better service! Would definitely return to this little marvel close to the harbour

Amazing food and service! The sea bream was incredible and the wine was lovely. Definitely would recommend. Great value for money for the quality of food provided 👌

The Antidote carries the Michelin Bib Gourmand which is awarded for quality and value. Don’t confuse it with a Michelin star. I booked here with great anticipation, and booking is recommended as it is fully booked for the foreseeable future. Three courses from a small menu for £35 is admittedly very good value as the dishes are executed excellently. They are little flavour bombs, beautifully presented. However, the dishes are tiny. I’m not saying that from the perspective of someone greedy. Unless you have the stomach of a five year old you are going to leave feeling hungry. With each course finished in a couple of mouthfuls, you are in and out in an hour. As a dining experience I found the brevity to be disappointing. I’d be happier if they extended the menu to 5 courses for which I’d gladly pay the extra cost, creating a dining and social experience. As a final note, I feel so sorry for anyone seated right next to the loo door. The loo door opens directly to the toilet, no inner door to save anyone from the sights or smells within.

Went here with my girlfriend and wow - the food was incredible! Amazing value too - would expect to pay at least £50/60 a head in London! Susan - front of house - was so friendly and service was great! The two of us together tried almost everything on the menu and it was all delicious. Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a nice meal out!

Lovely to have a bit of fancy food in Ilfracombe. I had the trout salad (tartare) which was superb. Then the bass which was also delightful. Wish I went for the ganash rather than the rhubarb cheesecake but all was excellent. The negroni was lovely

You must book or you will miss out on a small gem. Both the food and the care by the front of house are simply beyond compare.

A superb meal that fortunately we had booked well in advance as walk-ins couldn't get in due to its popularity. A well thought out menu that suited us perfectly. Sarah the hostess is just brilliant, knowing names and greeting everyone personally. For a seaside town it is a gem of a find. My starter was as pretty as a picture!

Amazing boutique restaurant... Good and service outstanding... Great ambience. Chicken parfait a delight. Trout starter was amazing... And the duck with heritage carrots was devine. Finished with rhubarb cheesecake that was so good, didn't have time to take a photo. Book early....

Just had a three course meal at this lovely Michelin star restaurant, the food was absolutely amazing from start to finish! Sarah made us feel very relaxed and welcome. Food and service was brilliant, thank you so much and can't wait to eat there again.

We booked well in advance, having read all the great reviews. So glad we did as the hosts told us they are booked well into August. The are only a handful of tables and a very short menu - always a good sign IMO. Between us we tried virtually every dish, all of which were acclaimed. Special mention must go to the cured trout, served with dill, cucumber and a spiced curry sauce. It was a treat - full of flavour and so fresh. The chocolate ganache to close was also sublime. A small selection of fair priced wines compliment the food. Friendly service.Overall, top draw dining.

I have been meaning to write a review on these guys for a while. I visit the area often and was recommended to visit here. I have been there three times, and the food is amazing, I can never visit North Devon enough, but this place is the complete icing on the cake, when I am able visit.

An amazing gem. Walked past, saw this place and had to go. The food was tremendous as was the service. Tiramisu one of the best I have ever had.

We were very lucky and managed to get a table for Friday evening, choice was limited but each course was very well thought out and our meals absolutely amazing! Oh and the cocktails are very good too! Nice friendly service in a covid 19 safe environment, would definitely eat here again!

The owners are working super hard and it shows. The service, ambience and food was exceptional. We’ve eaten in some top restaurants, and this really impressed us. The food was amazing, the wine list was superb and the down to earth nature of the staff and interior was just lovely. We would definitely return.

This is one of the best restaurants I have ever visited. The food was excellent and beautifully presented. Sarah took such care to look after us. The overall experience was fabulous and the Marmalade Negroni to start with, was sublime. I can't rate this cosy restaurant high enough and it was so reasonably priced.

We were delighted to find this restaurant. They provided a good service in these difficult times and the food was outstanding. Prepared to order flavours were lovely and catered for my allergy. Would have like a larger main course.

Superb food, very well priced. Michelin star quality. Lovely.

A lovely experience for a very good price. We received a really warm welcome from the moment we walked in, and the food was phenomenal. We had a haddock starter, with myself having duck and my partner having sea bream for the main, with a delicious tiramisu and apple tart for desert. I would highly recommend The Antidote to anyone, the price was more the reasonable for a thoroughly enjoyable evening with a great host, food, wine and price.

We visited the Antidote for dinner on Thursday 16th October. The meal was superb, a fantastic menu with well presented and cooked food. We had a great week away in the area and it was one of the highlights of our stay

We were staying in Ilfracombe + booked a meal at this tiny restaurant. We were warmly welcomed by name by Sarah, the chef’s wife, who looked after us really well. The atmosphere is very relaxed. The menu is short, making the choice simple. The food was delicious + beautifully presented with decent sized portions + reasonably priced at £27.90 for three courses. The wines are well priced + cocktails are great. Due to current government restrictions there are only 4 tables, so booking is essential.

Utterly fantastic! We stayed at Antidote for 5 nights and dined for one. The food was absolutely incredible and the accommodation was brilliant. Thank you to Sarah and Paul.

Went for an amazing meal at Antidote last night with my hubby. Down in north Devon for a staycation after our abroad plans were changed, haven’t been disappointed so far! Antidote is a cosy but quality little find. The menu is compact and fresh. Really nice not to have to trundle through huge menu. Love the fact this is an independent family run business delivering on its promises! The duck parfait was out of this world and the sours cocktails smashed it too! Don’t come to Ilfracombe and miss out on this little gem, definitely book early.

The food is great, smallish portions, but with the set meal of 3 dishes we found the amount fine. Onion & Parmesan volute, beautiful Book well in advance - it's a treat.As with many places now, the door remains open, so would advise on taking a coat to keep the chill off if not sat by the radiators.

Ate here with friends and had a fantastic experience. Fortunately we had booked a while ago and I could understand why.The food & service were excellent.In these strange Covid times - this felt like an element of 'normality'. The restaurant had done everything to ensure everyone's safety, without spoiling a fantastic evening.Although the Menu was 'small' (choice of 3 Starters, 3 Mains & 2 Desserts), when you have good quality ingredients and a very good Chef, it doesn't matter.The four of us loved it.

Had the set meal in a lovely atmosphere, we couldn't fault the food although the portions were quite small but this fine dining so expect that when you go in. However it was still a lovely evening.

Just back from an amazing evening at Antidote. Every course was stunning and beautifully presented. Cocktails and wine really good. Service unobtrusive but personal. Definitely a place to go to.

Beautifully presented, delicious food with a great selection of wines and cocktails (or mocktails if you're alcohol-free). All situated in a relaxed dining atmosphere with awesome friendly service. An absolute must if your in the area!

Fortunately we pre booked a few weeks ahead. An excellent meal, beautifully presented excellent service from the husband and wife team.

We booked this restaurant on a recommendation and probably would not of booked it from just passing, and how lucky we did, Due to CV19 it is hard to get a table anywhere. How lucky were we? It was by far the nicest meal we had during our stay the restaurant is small and cozy the menu limited but the food makes up for the lack of choice, it was delicious cooked to perfection and very reasonable priced it is run by a family and they are doing an amazing job, we will be back and I will make sure we book well in advance. Thanks Antidote you were superb.

We had an absolutely delicious dinner at Antidote - one of the best in town. Superb to find Michelin star cooking and wonderful service. We'll be back 👍

We booked the Antidote as a special treat for our belated Golden wedding celebrarion and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. One of the best restaurants we have visited. Food delicous .Thank you

We booked the Antidote anout 3 weeks ago for our special treat for our belated Golden wedding anniversary whilst we were staying in Ilfracombe. The restaurant is small with only 4 tables in use due to social distancing. The atmosphere is realaxed with background music. The food is superb. They have a 3 course fixed menu and our meal was one of the best we have had. I needed a gluten free meal and they catered for me without a problem. A treat not to be missed

I booked this online some weeks ahead, as we wanted to go on a Saturday evening, (they're currently closed Sundays to Tuesdays) and certainly made the right choice. As it's quite small, they now have a limited set menu , but don't let that put you off - everything we had was exquisite. The staff were really friendly and it was a real joy to eat there.

Ilfracombe has its fair share of grubby tea rooms, ropey take-aways and pubs with cut-and-paste menus, they’re as ubiquitous as seaside rock and saucy postcards. One of the jewels in Ilfracombe’s slightly wonky crown though is The Antidote Restaurant in St. James Place, a stone’s thrown from the picturesque harbour. We were greeted on first name terms as soon as we got to the door and warmly welcomed, while reminded to sanitise our hands prior to being let through the roped off door. Ordinarily I would’ve found the rope a bit pretentious, but with such a small and intimate space it makes perfect sense to stop people just wandering in. Everything about this tiny restaurant makes perfect sense; the menu is sparse at first glance, but there was not a thing on it that we would not have been more than happy to eat. Everything is familiar and non-challenging, but cooked so perfectly and with such attention to detail that, no matter what you’d ordered, you’d be delighted with. The duck liver parfait was silky smooth and intense, with rings of lightly pickled onion to slice through the richness. Even the sourdough toast was perfectly toasted to just the right level of ‘brown’. The chicken breast was filled with just the right amount of herby stuffing so as to not overpower the taste of the bird which was plump and juicy. Mashed potato was smooth as you like and even the hispy cabbage had just the right level of bite left to it.Finally, the apple tart with vanilla ice ream was the perfect ending to an extremely pleasant meal.The wine menu, like the food, was very carefully curated and offered something to everyone and at very reasonable prices too. Food and wine aside, the restaurant is decorated simply and stylishly. It’s not at all stuffy, but manages to make you feel you’re in for a very special evening. The service was also some of the best I’ve come across; knowledgable, passionate and completely unobtrusive yet attentive. A lot of thought has gone into this little place and I thoroughly wish more places would take note. Just like its name, ’Antidote’, everything makes perfect sense.

Exceptional food quality, great wines and cocktails and faultless service. AND great value. Other restaurants take note.

Really nice food, excellent service.

This is an absolute must visit if you’re in the area!! The food is divine, the atmosphere fantastic, staff (Sarah) lovely, really really good value too given how good the food is. I couldn’t praise this place enough. Cocktails delicious too. My girlfriend and I booked 2 weeks in advance so I would encourage people to do the same. You MUST visit!

Stayed in Cornwall and a stopped in Ilfracombe on way back. Had the best meal in the Antidote. COVID-19 precautions in place were very good. Friendly service, good ambience and really tasty gourmet food.