Kin Khao Cafe

You'll find Kin Khao tucked away on Well Street in the heart of Exeter's city centre, and it's the kind of place that gets rammed precisely because it doesn't try too hard. This isn't pan-Asian fusion nonsense or dishes dumbed down for cautious palates. The kitchen takes Thai cooking seriously: punchy curries that actually have heat, salads that sing with lime and fish sauce, pad thai that tastes like it should. The space is unfussy—minimal decor, vinyl chairs, the kind of casual setup where you're here for the food, not the Instagram backdrop. Staff know what they're doing and won't steer you wrong. It's become the sort of restaurant Devon people drive into the city for, and the 4.8 rating isn't a fluke.