Brand new Barbecue Thirteen seafood restaurant opens in Exmouth

A new restaurant has opened in the heart of Exmouth offering customers seasonal seafood with a difference. Barbecue Thirteen was previously based at the Manor Hotel in Exmouth, but opened its new premises on The Strand earlier this month.

Darren Grice is the owner and chef of Barbecue Thirteen. Although he said working at the hotel helped put his restaurant on the map, he was keen to put his own stamp on things.

“The new place has a lot of character, a little more intimate,” he said. “The kitchen is fully exposed. It’s really nice for our guests to enjoy the kitchen theater on the fire. So far it has been well received. The weekend we have been fully booked so far .”

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Darren has been cooking since 2006 and has lived in Cyprus and France. This played a role in the way he prepares the restaurant’s dishes which are all cooked over fire, wood and charcoal.

“It definitely has a Mediterranean feel, cooking over charcoal with fresh fish,” Darren said. “We don’t mess around with ingredients too much because we take what Exmouth has to offer, which is amazing. All of our fish is sourced from the South West Coast. Only what’s in season, and from there, then we’ll create a sauce and topping to go with it. Being by the sea, cooking over charcoal, it all comes together.”

Hospitality continues to face many challenges after the arrival of Covid-19, and so Darren hopes people will continue to support him and enjoy a quiet evening at Barbecue Thirteen. “We’re not going to rush you,” he said.

“Hospitality is very difficult at the moment, and we have felt it as much as anyone else – the staff have been quite difficult. It’s the only job I know. I guess the place in as a whole, to me, it’s not just cooking – it’s providing a place that people can come and enjoy in its entirety.

“We are like nowhere else in Exmouth. If you want great food, great service and a great night out then come and see us.”

Barbeque Thirteen is located at 53 The Strand, Exmouth, and opens Wednesday to Saturday for lunch, dinner and the restaurant also has a bar that opens until late.

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