The Lighter Inn, Topsham in Exeter

We are locals and love Topsham - the pub is lovely and in a great setting - the bar and service staff are friendly and efficient. We ate on a Monday bank holiday evening - unfortunately a lot of the menu wasn’t available due the the busy weekend which is understandable but it would’ve been nice to know this ahead of arriving. By the time we had eaten there were only burgers left which put a few people off and who then left. My chicken parmigiana was awful, it had what tasted like Heinz tomato soup on it and was accompanied by frozen hash brown bites - the ones you get from Iceland. I also nearly ate a small sharp piece of plastic which was in my salad. It cut the inside of my mouth. The manager was called, said “sorry about that” and disappeared never to be seen again! Wife’s fish pie was also boring and tasteless. The gin and tonic was nice. Shame really, lovely location…

Food was awful! Lovely location. Go to The Passage inn if you are going to eat in Topsham. We won’t be returning to The Lighter Inn.

We are locals and love Topsham - the pub is lovely and in a great setting - the bar and service staff are friendly and efficient. We ate on a Monday bank holiday evening - unfortunately a lot of the menu wasn’t available due the the busy weekend which is understandable but it would’ve been nice to know this ahead of arriving. By the time we had eaten there were only burgers left which put a few people off and who then left. My chicken parmigiana was awful, it had what tasted like Heinz tomato soup on it. I also nearly ate a small sharp piece of plastic which was in my salad. It cut the inside of my mouth. The manager was called, said “sorry about that” and disappeared never to be seen again! Wife’s fish pie was also boring and tasteless. Shame really, lovely location…

A great spot with huge potential... Our experience however was let down by the food - best summed up in just two words: overcooked and overpriced.

Great food (we had a trio of dishes) which included halloumi fries and falafel and it was all delicious. Friendly service too! Will come again. Thank you.

Went for lunch today to celebrate my Birthday with my parents. In a great location and we really wanted to try as had not been to The Lighter Inn before. However the table app did not work. Upon receipt all our food was luke warm. The Beer battered fish was all batter and no fish, the Pork chop was about 3 inches long by about 1 wide and my Rump steak was very small and dry, even though I ordered it medium rare. The waitress did replace my Dads Fish with a chicken salad but he was very disappointed as we all were. Could do a lot better there !

Very disappointed. Ordered drinks, starters and mains on the table QR code. Drinks came quickly. Then the mains came! We asked about starters and the waitress seemed aware of them and then asked if we were ok to have them with the mains!!! I had the beef chilli - for over £15 there wasn’t much chilli and it was cold and runny. My daughter had asked for mayo when the starters were served so I waited for this to come out. It didn’t, so I took chilli in to find the waitress stood talking to another waitress holding the mayo!!! I explained about the chilli and she took it back. It came out a few mins later much hotter but very underwhelming. We’ve been coming to the Lighter on and off for years so this was so disappointing.

A lovely little pub that is a nice stop off after visiting the antique shop. Good service, and value for money. Would recommend.

Very disappointed, especially with the food. It's a nice typically English pub by the river estuary, but the food was dry/overcooked & the service was bad. I doubt that I will be going back.

Met members of the family here for Easter Sunday lunch. 7 of us in total with 3 kids. The staff were AMAZING. Very efficient, and friendly with the kids. Despite it being really busy we were served quickly with the food coming quickly. Everyone’s meal was great! Generous portions which we all enjoyed and the deserts were a real hit. We will certainly return.

Excellent food and superb beer. Kept just right. Overall, a superb pub with a great atmosphere. Probably the best pub in the local area.

Lovely outlook but they skimp on the chips. Mostly just put paper in the cup to fill it up. And the first lot of chips were cold and soggy.

Lovely setting and tasty and varied menu parking bit difficult at lunchtime

Great service from Debbie. The food was lovely as always

Had a great time at the pub! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the food was spot on. A special shout-out to Debbie – she was friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home. Nothing was too much trouble, and her cheerful attitude really added to the experience. Will definitely be coming back!

Great meal highly recommend the fish and chips

We had a lovely meal at The Lighter Inn in Topsham — easily one of the best spots for food in the area. The menu offers a great mix of pub classics and more refined dishes, all made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. I had the chicken burger and fries and it was absolutely delicious — perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The staff were friendly and attentive, and the location right by the water makes it an ideal place to relax, especially on a sunny day. Whether you’re just stopping for a pint or looking for a great meal out, The Lighter Inn hits the mark. Highly recommend!

A well located family friendly pub offering a nice selection of food and drinks in a nice atmosphere in and outside. The staff are friendly and welcoming.

Went for lunch with a friend and left disappointed with the service and the food. I ordered a toasted steak sandwich but was served a coronation chicken sandwich instead, When the steak sandwich arrived it was overdone. No apology from the manager who's attitude left a lot to be desired.

Lovely food, friendly staff, fantastic view, what more do you need?!

Lovely family meal with our son on the Saturday of Mothers Day weekend. Great food & service & fine selection of Hall & Woodhouse ales. Highly recommended

Fantastic place and amazing people who run this place. We had my Mum's wake there a few days ago and cannot praise this pub enough. Well looked after and nothing was too much trouble. Thank you for making a difficult day so much easier

About 12 of us met for lunch and a catch up and all had a variety of food and drink. It was all lovely and will definitely go again.

Lovely spot , old fashioned pub with modern values and great service

Nice vibe, Lovely food & service was exceptional. Attention to detail and made aware of in-house offers which we took full advantage of. Jackie was so kind and friendly. Asset to your team. Thank you for a lovely evening meal x

Great staff, good beer and nice food. My wife likes the fact the staff are very friendly,they actually talk to you and not just put the food down like so many places now. Lovely local.

Fantastic evening! Great food and staff were lovely. Brilliant atmosphere!

I am delighted 🤩 we choose the lighter to celebrate my dad’s 60th. The manager I’m sorry I didn’t catch her name. Very welcoming and made sure all our needs were met. Our host Abi perfect 👌🏻 our drink order was taken quickly & delivered promptly. Our food order was taken quickly & promptly. I wish I knew how big my fish was going to be though, wow it was massive & unfortunately I couldn’t finish it all, but it was all beautifully cooked & meals were enjoyed by all. We will be sure to return. Thank you all for a wonderful service.

Fantastic location fantastic pub and the food and the staff could not fault in any way at all. Nothing was too much for them. Definitely will be back and will be bringing my family with me. Such a lovely pub thank you

We were looking for somewhere to have lunch not too far from the M5. Very happy to find this lovely setting and really friendly pub. Debs was so helpful from the minute we walked in. Helping to find parking and a table for us (husband with a broken leg). Really lovely atmosphere and obviously loved by the locals as it was busy even on a Wednesday lunchtime. Would love to come back in the summer and enjoy sitting outside and enjoy the view over the estuary. Thank you for looking after us so well.

We had a lovely meal at The Lighter Inn this evening. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced! The service was great and welcoming. Would definitely recommend for either a nice drink by the water or a lovely warming meal.

We had an amazing experience at the Lighter. The atmosphere was was warm and very inviting and all the staff were incredibly friendly. We love coming here and will be back.

I had an amazing experience! The service was exceptional, and the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was welcoming and made me feel right at home. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for top-notch service and a memorable experience. Will definitely be returning soon!

More things unavailable than available on the menu. Staff pleasant but inability to offer many gluten free options is surprising for the gentrified Topsham. Unlikely to return which is a shame given the location.

Had an incredible time at Lighter Inn in Topsham! Fantastic food, cozy atmosphere, and exceptional service. Highly recommend for a memorable experience!

Great if you have newborns, great food and service

Went in a big group, staff so accommodating and friendly (especially Debbie and Dawn). Food arrived quickly, recommended coming

Debbie and Dawn were so lovely and helpful!!! We had a big group of fifteen people and they made the service so quick and easy.

Debbie was AMAZING. PERFECT and so accommodating for allergies. Will be returning. Came for a Birthday dinner and really made it

Place was so lovely and friendly, debby and dawn welcomed us well:) The meal was yummy will definitely be back again, thanks!!!

I went as part of a large birthday and since stepping foot in the pub we were accommodated so well. Debbie and dawn were so helpful and friendly making our experience amazing.

Service was SO good - thank you Jackie! Nachos were the best we’ve had, really enjoyed our evening <3

Fab place.. Staff were super friendly and the food was delicious, highly recommend!!

Was having a weekend break with friends, my husband has a had a meal here before when away with work and it was fine, so we thought it would be equally as nice. 4 of us ordered the steak and I can honestly say we all received the most awful lump of grisly and tough meat, we all agreed it’s the worst piece of steak all of us have ever had. I mentioned this to the person who collected our plates and he mumbled something about the kitchen knowing this is how the steaks are and they are looking to change suppliers ( why has this not been done already ) to prevent people not returning.

A real gem on the quayside at Topsham. Good value food served by friendly staff who also gave a warm welcome. Good beers aswell.

Great place to meet family and friends.

Fantastic 2024 Christmas dinner with you guys. Food was amazing, plenty of time between servings and staff were so lovely and attentive. Have eaten out on Christmas day in the past and found places to be squashy as if extra tables added to maximise profit. Not at The Lighter, very comfy indeed. Big thanks to the whole team for working on our Christmas day, very well done all!

We joined Debbie and the team at The lighter inn for Christmas Day lunch this year and we were absolutely blown away! Having eaten out on Christmas Day only a couple of times before our experience hasn’t been brilliant, but the team changed all of this. The food was delicious and the service was prompt & super friendly. The atmosphere in the pub was warm, welcoming and super festive! It was decorated beautifully and the whole team had a smile on their face and there was a feeling of calm despite us knowing how busy the day was! Our heartfelt thanks to the team for such a brilliant Christmas day. We can’t recommend enough.

A very nice spot, staff are friendly and atmosphere is very welcoming. Reasonably priced as well. Will be coming again.

The atmosphere is good. The food is really nice. A wide range of drinks to have. The downside is they are expensive. Double Morgans and coke cost me £8.80 and a 0% cider was £5.50. Once a month or so treat but that's the only reason for a 4*. A server with long black hair was awesome. Very upbeat and good banter

A warm welcome and service. We both had fish and chips. Light crunchy batter. And sweet fish. Wine reasonably priced. Would definitely return

Our organisation has been coming for a few years now and we still LOVE coming here! Absolutely stunning meal and the staff couldn’t do enough to make our experience as pleasant as you could imagine! We will definitely be back! Thank you so much!!

Will come here again and again! Brilliant service, amazing staff and fab food!

Staff are amazing. Especially Jackie she’s a legend

It was amazing to return to Topsham after almost 20 years and to see that the Lighter, and the staff, were still as warm and welcoming as I remember. The food was so good that we ate there 2 days on the bounce.

Fantastic food and service from all of the team at “the lighter” we will be back!

Popped in for a late lunch with my mum, good service, lovely food, great quality sausages with the sausage and mash and the grid iron steak was very tasty.

Really festive atmosphere, service & food. We booked the Christmas menu, meat eaters, vegan & veggie too - all delicious.

Great food and company. Jackie waited on us and was lovely.

Very nice pub in topsham. Food was exquisite and service was next level. Highly recommended

We chose the lighter inn for our 2024 xmas team meal. The venue is lovely, situated on the river in Topsham. On arriving we were immediately made to feel welcome by the bar staff and then taken to our table. The service was professional, prompt and genuine. So far so good! and then the best bit, the food! we all had different options from the xmas menu and all commented on how tasty it was. The roast potatoes were incredible. the turkey succulent, the pie a perfect blend of pastry and meet, the vegan option was the nicest I have had. The courses came seamlessly too, overall the best xmas meal you could wish to have

Amazing food great atmosphere 10/10 service

Lovely and unpretentious place with great food and drinks and a great atmosphere. They have a mean sticky toffee pudding!

If you are in Topsham, summer or winter, make sure you visit the Lighter, friendly pub, service is excellent, food is good and the range of drinks is amazing 👏

Food was good, generous portions and tasty. Friendly service

I visited the Lighter Inn last week and oh my god what a find, gorgeous pub with great food ! But what stood head and shoulders above everything were the staff, friendly, efficient and professional. My daughter has an allergy and it was picked up on straight away, we were given a tablet to show us the food she could have. We felt totally safe knowing the pub made such an effort to ensure she didn’t have anything she was allergic too. Shout out to Jackie who I believe is the manager, if she’s not she certainly should be

Lovely cosey feel in fabulous Topsham

Orders chips took an hour and a half to get to the table it wasn’t busy at all so very poor service didn’t even come to the table ask how anything was ver very poor won’t be coming back ever again

Lovely place very friendly staff and child friendly

Lovely staff food & atmosphere. I had a really nice time.

A great place to grab a drink but the food is very average and over priced for what it is. A few years back it used to be much better quality but now it's very bland, basic and generally not the best cooked. I would definitely recommend coming here, just not for the food.

Lovely pub in a beautiful setting. Staff very friendly.

A group of us met in Topsham for a walk and lunch. Not knowing how many would turn up, I had booked for 12. In the event, there were 17 all keen for a lunch. All credit to the team at The Lighter for accommodating us all on a very busy day, even managing when we turned up an hour earlier than planned. The food was excellent, the service too. Wholeheartedly recommend the smoky fish pie. Best fish pie I have ever eaten, and I have tasted quite a lot. Well done chef. Handshake from the South Devon Ramblers.

Beautifuly decorated pub with gorgeous views of the sea, the staff are friendly and welcoming. Good prices and lots of parking available. Downsides.. the calamari was like chewing burnt rubber and didn't taste like calamari unfortunately. The ladies toilets isn't really suitable with the babychanging where it is. It would be better in the disabled.

Well managed, busy, and atmospheric quay side pub, with excellent and friendly staff, backed-up by a good food and drinks range. Well worth a visit when in Topsham.

Nice place, lovely people. Had the roast, which was lovely, but a few extra veg wouldn't have gone astray. One strip of carrot and parsnip seems a bit stingy. But what can you say for £10.

Very nice place staff friendly, food good. Dog friendly and accepted my dogs in with open arms. Very quiet throughout meal but got excited on going and barked so got them outside quickly. A rude man at the bar made a comment about them so due to this fact will not be returning very upsetting and so not needed after I apologised to everyone. Other than leaving you wouldn’t have know they were in the pub

Good value food. Vegan choices available. Good service and atmosphere.

Lighter Inn plated roast was the best I have had for a long time. Great service and great relaxing place to eat. Well done the lighter good to see some places still can provide great meals.

Great selection of beers & brilliant location

We just enjoyed a very nice Sunday roast and the service was excelleny. Will definitely return soon!

The staff here went above and beyond for my nans 90th birthday meal, especially Debbie. Even treated her to a glass of fizz and slice of cake. We will definitely be visiting again.

We had the best time ever for my mum's 90th family meal.The food was lovely,the atmosphere was great,and the land lady was amazing she was so kind and even gave my mum a prosecco from herself.my mum had a lovely time thank you xx

Lovely spot on the Topsham Quay to watch the sunset with a pint!

Very underwhelming nearly £17 each for what looked like a microwave meal not impressed and would not recommend!

I went for lunch with a friend. The steak in a ciabatta roll was so tough I could only eat half of the meat. My friend ordered the club sandwich which didn't have any chicken in it. When I took it back for her I was told that they don't put slices of chicken in it, the chicken is mixed in with the mayo. There was definitely no chicken at all in the sandwich she was served, it was just a piece of bacon, a bit of salad and mayo. I wouldn't recommend anyone eats there based on what we were served.

Really accommodating and friendly staff with quick service! Food and drink were absolutely delicious!! Highly recommend

Great ambience, friendly staff, tasty food, inexpensive. I felt very comfortable here!

Met here when picking up family for a weeks stay in the area and impressed with the location and menu returned for the full dining experience later in the week and were not disappointed. Food good across a range of options, wide choice of beer and despite being very busy service remained friendly and timely.

Very nice pub overlooking the water. Food was good ,normal pub grub

Very dissapointed took my friend for a birthday lunch. Our fish finger sandwich was OK but the chips were luke warm and soggy. My husbands cheese and ham toasty was appalling the bread was all soggy and half the filling was under the sandwich ? Looked like it had been dropped on the floor and plonked back on the plate! No garnish or anything I wish I'd taken a photo of it. We sent it back and after 10 minutes he was asked if he wanted a replacement ??!! We had finished our meals by this time. Also the service was not great the man behind the bar was very surley and not very friendly..unable to make eye contact. We had a bad experience here a few years ago but thought we'd give them anther chance but I'm afraid we won't be returning ever again..

Strolling through Topsham we ended up deciding to have dinner at the Lighter. We certainly weren't disappointed. Good food in a very relaxing atmosphere with great staff always willing to help. It's been a very long time, decades, since I last had a beer in the pub. Was nice to go back again. Geoff

Excellent pub on the key side for something to eat, be it a light snack or lunch. We had the sharing platter, delicious. Good selection of real ales highly recommended.

Service with a smile. Food delivered quickly and hot. Not our first visit and not our last. Well done to all. Mentions for Pat, James and Freya.

A severe disappointment compared to previous experiences. Poor communication by staff and an unwieldy tablet-based allergy system. Despite being local we will not return.

There were an unexpectedly large number of guests for a Monday Evening, but we were greeted and found an alcove table for five people straight away. Staff coped brilliantly despite the number of guests, and made us feel welcome. We enjoyed a good meal. Excellent. We look forward to returning. September 2022. Another excellent meal with a last minute booking. Sept 2024. Unfortunately totally chaotic, will not return.

Great place super staff quick service

I haven't been to the Lighter since it became a Hall and Woodhouse. I have always enjoyed the pub with a great setting next to Topsham quay, a lovely indoor area and a great outdoor area now vastly improved. The atmosphere early was good with numerous drinkers and diners. The prices of food and drink were fairly high so I was expecting good quality food. I was unfortunately very disappointed with both the starter and the main course. The food was extremely mediocre and not worth the money. Service was good and was able to order everything through a phone app. I would go again for drinks but would not dine again.

Lovely walk around Topsham in the beautiful sunny weather. Stopped here for a drink and a bite to eat, was lovely.

Beautiful setting, don't expect fine dinning, it is what it is, but worth it for the setting