The Paignton Vista at The Paignton Club

You're walking along The Esplanade on a decent day, and you spot this place right on the seafront. The Paignton Vista isn't your typical gastropub or chain restaurant—it's a proper members' club with actual standards, the kind of place that feels like it's been doing things its own way for years. Step inside and you've got bay views that justify the location, whether you're settling in for lunch or evening drinks. The kitchen knows what it's doing; they're not trying to reinvent fish and chips or slap truffle on everything. It's straightforward, well-executed food in a refined setting that doesn't feel stuffy. The whole vibe says you're somewhere that takes pride in what it does, without the pretension that kills places dead.