I popped in to see how our customers Beth and Stephen were doing in their delightful Bistro in Lower Street, Dartmouth.
‘So how long have you been open Beth and what made you move to Devon?’
‘We actually bought the bistro in April this year, but didn’t open until June. We absolutely knew this was the place for us as soon as we drove into the top of Dartmouth and saw that amazing view. We had been looking for a new venture for a while, the children are all grown up and we really wanted to do something together, that was different, but within the food industry, as I love cooking. My background is in finance, and my husband Stephen was in corporate management, but my mother was a baker, so I guess that is where my love of cooking and baking has come from.’
Beth is originally from Coatbridge in Scotland, her and her husband moved from Cambridgeshire and are really enjoying the historic port of Dartmouth. ‘Everyone is so friendly, and we love being by the sea’.
All ingredients are locally sourced and homemade by Beth who makes all the food, cakes and pastries herself. Stephen is head honcho on the coffee machine, serving Owens coffee of course, and he makes a very good one! I asked Beth ‘what would you say is your signature dish?’, to which she replied ‘oh it has got to be our smoked mackerel (smoked by themselves!) with creamed leeks on buttered brown toast topped off with a poached egg. A perfect breakfast and not seen much in the West Country as it is (nearly) a traditional Scottish dish, usually made with Arbroath smokies, but they are not available in Dartmouth, so we couldn’t say it was local produce, which we can with mackerel!
A touch of the highlands then in Devon, so why not pay a visit for breakfast, brunch or lunch. The bistro is brightly decorated, the welcome is warm, the coffee is fabulous (I would say that) and the food superb. I know where the kids and I will be going for breakfast soon! December opening times are Thursday – Sunday 9 – 3.30pm.
Lisa Chandler
*Great places to drink our fabulous coffee*