The Divers Arms

Head up to Babbacombe and you'll find yourself in a neighbourhood that feels properly lived-in, away from the seafront bustle. The Divers Arms sits right on Babbacombe Downs Road, and it's the kind of place where regulars prop up the bar on a Tuesday afternoon and nobody bats an eyelid when you nurse a pint for two hours. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious—you're not paying for designer cocktails or Instagram backdrops, just good company and well-kept ales. Food-wise, it's traditional pub fare done right: think proper pies, fish and chips that don't disappoint, and the kind of comfort food that actually tastes like something. On weekends it gets busier with families and locals catching up, but it never loses that neighbourhood-pub feel that makes Torquay worth exploring beyond the touristy bits.