*I did this review last Summer but I had to put Torquay Online on the backburner because I was too busy.*
The first in our series of reviews of Torquay’s restaurant took us down to Below Decks, a lovely little seafood restaurant on Beacon Quay. It’s location means customers have an amazing view across Torbay from the restaurant, something that’s worth the visit all on its own.
The team
Below Decks is owned by three sisters, Adele, Gayle and Michelle. A very much family restaurant, a number of relatives and close friends work here together and it definitely shows in the atmosphere. All the staff working at the time were polite and friendly, and the customers in the restaurant were well taken care of.
The three sisters take it in turns to run the restaurant, and when we visited we spent a little bit of time talking to Adele about the restaurant. Summer nights are usually hectic, so Adele was too busy to speak to us for too long, but we were really impressed by the atmosphere and attitude of everyone who was working the evening.
The View
We are so very blessed with breathtaking sea views in Torquay, and it will take a great deal to beat the view from Below Decks. The restaurant is right on the Harbour with views overlooking the whole of Torbay. When the weather’s right, it is stunning.
During our visit we were lucky to see an amazing yellow sunset. It’s worth visiting Below Decks for the views alone.
We made our visit on a Friday which is one of the busiest nights for the restaurant, mainly because they usually host live music from one of the area’s many talented singers and groups. On the night of our visit, Chris Thomas was playing and he was really well received by his audience.
There is usually a treat or two available like this delicious cake
The meal
When it came to ordering, I was impressed at the variety of food in the menus. The main menu consists of seafood along with some more traditional dishes.
There were plenty of options on the menu but sadly there was only enough room for a starter and main, so started with calamari (£8.50). The starter came with sweet chilli sauce and garlic mayonnaise, and service was in really good time considering how busy the restaurant was. As someone who’s eaten calamari all over the world, I was really impressed at the taste at Below Decks. The sauce went brilliantly with the batter, and the portion was generous.
Before I visited the restaurant, I was recommended to try the pizza by a friend who had recently been there, and I must say it was an excellent recommendation. I ordered their American pizza (pepperoni, mixed peppers, red onion and mozzarella £9.95) and I loved it. A lovely stone baked pizza with a delicious mix of ingredients that was reminiscent of the kind of pizza you would be served in Italy, and less than £10!
Live Music after the Meal
With a full stomach and on the back of a great meal, I had a little sit down outside and ordered a couple of beers (San Miguel), where I spoke to a few customers about their summer. We all agreed that although it was nice, a little bit more sun would have been perfect. I managed to catch a few songs from Chris before I headed home, happy after an excellent meal and genuinely great time at Below Decks. I’ll definitely be coming back (if they let me!).
Below Decks have two great upcoming events. Firstly, this Sunday is Mother’s Day and they have a special menu and live music. Then next Saturday its’ the St Patrick’s Day party and more live music.
Contact details
Below Decks, Unit 4, Beacon Quay, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 2BG 01803 411106 news@belowdecks.co.uk
