The Elephant Restaurant

Came here for a birthday meal with my 10 year old son. What an amazing experience. The food was out of this world. We had the set lunch. And what amazing value that is. The flavours are unreal. The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere and the service is second to none. The staff are so friendly and helpful and make the whole experience really worthwhile. I've wanted to come here for 20 years and now I have and it didn't disappoint. I can't wait to come back again.

Incredible!!! What a wonderful experience. Food amazing! Such flavours. Service fantastic so attentive. Looked after us from start to finish. This is a michelin star restaurant and deserves to be. Truly incredible experience. Can't thank you enough! We will be back. A must eat if you are down this way.

This was indisputably the highlight of my weekend getaway to Torquay and something my companion and I were looking forward to when visiting. We went for the tasting menu accompanied by the wine pairing, and there was no doubt that produce used was top notch. However, the overall menu felt a bit safe, and we both agreed we would have loved to see a bit more creativity with the flavour profiles of the courses. But that being said, the food was great, as you would expect. With that being said, it was a bit disappointing that the white wine (which were the main pairing, seeing as we were by the seaside) was chilled to the degree of loosing most of its flavours and having close to no finish, making for a pretty flat tasting experience. Although warming it in our hands once served helped and made for a great pairing, it still felt a bit disappointing (we contemplated in hindsight whether it was intentional done to better suit local preferences); we mentioned this upon leaving, which was received very appreciatively and professionally. Finally, the service left a little to be desire. The madam greetings us when we entered was absolutely fantastic, but throughout service, the younger servers gave an impression of being a bit uptight and formulaic; only reciting what they had been trained with from a cue card, and when we asked any follow-up questions, they had to leave us in order to check what the right answer was. In short, a good evening that just fell short of being great based on our expectations when sitting down. However, the ice cider and beef dish were phenomenal!

An amazing restaurant with superb food. The tasting menu is very good indeed and the wine flight was very well selected. That said, the Crab dish is out of this world!

Michelin star dining on the Riviera. The English Riviera ,that is. A relaxed friendly restaurant overlooking the beautiful Torquay harbour. Run by chef proprietor, Simon Hulstone and his wife Katy, it was the first restaurant in Torquay to be awarded a Michelin star in 2006. Which it has retained every year since then and you can see why. They offer ever changing menus based around fresh, local and sustainable ingredients. It's also known as offering the best value Michelin starred lunch in the UK,£32.50 for two courses. But we are not here for that, as it's the evening. At dinner there's options for a set two or three course. Or the tasting menu,which we chose £98.50. We started with a couple of Aperitifs of the month. Port & Tonic and Limoncello Spritz. The meal starts with Sourdough and a pretty Citrus butter & sesame hummus. This was quickly devoured and we were offered a second helping. Then starts a procession of beautifully plated dishes. With each one surpassing the previous. All our favourite seafood,scallops,bbq lobster and stone bass. The star of the show was juicy tender South Devon Beef served with Artichoke and Tacos on the side. The cheese course was Baron Bigod with a delightful Lemon Tyme Focaccia & strawberry,apricot chutney. Pre-dessert of Raspberry granita. A plum lemon posset for the finale. As we gaze out of the window from our table at the sunset you could be anywhere exotic. Well we were,The English Riviera. Dining at a lovely restaurant in a beautiful location. With exceptional service and the most devine food. What more could you ask for?

We went here on a rainy evening for our wedding anniversary and were lucky enough to be given a window seat. Staff were very friendly and took our coats before showing us to our table, with an anniversary card from the staff which was a lovely touch. Nothing was too much trouble, water and wines glasses were refilled regularly from bottles on the table, even napkins were folded whilst at the loo. The food was amazing, especially the beef. We also opted for the petite bouche and Limoncello Spritz as extra starters, so glad we did as both were lovely. It was a great evening and will definitely return to try the lunch or a la carte menus.

Understated elegance decor. Staff were friendly and all wished us Happy Anniversary. They even gave us a card! The service was a bit slow. I only got my aperitif after my husband had finished his. After an hour we had only had one course. We were surprised that there was a charge of £12.50 for the amuse bouches that are normally included on a tasting menu. Bread was included. The pigs' checks and beef courses were not in the mouth. They accommodated changes in the menu for items we didn't eat. The courses were heavy on fish. We enjoyed all the food.

Went for our wedding anniversary while camping in Devon. The Elephant was a true dipole of the muddy field we left. Service was exquisite, ambience relaxed and sophisticated and the food was both beautifully presented and delicious. We had the amuse bouche to start with a trio of mouth sized treats, beef tartare on a perfectly crisp (prawn like) cracker, unctuous lamb croquette and a deliciously tart muddle tart. We then shared the start of chicken wings with wonderfully smoky BBQ Hen of the wood, a sate style peanut sauce and Raspberry El Hanout. I then had the line caught sea base which followed on with the Thai flavouring with a side of amazingly meaty crispy sushi rice with mushroom (think unagi don). My wife had cut with a spoon soft duck with duck leg on the side. To finish we had the strawberry pudding, the stand out delicious bay leaf flan and refreshing strawberry sorbet. To drink I had had a beer, while my wife (not driving) had prosecco, a smooth glass of red (pinot noir) and to finish a (not too) sweet Greek desert wine. All delicious. I finished with a macchiato which came with an ending trio of treats, caramel filled wafers thin chocolate, jelly sweet with raspberry coulis, fudge. All in all a wonderful way to celebrate 3 successful years together married.

This restaurant clearly earned its Michelin Star, both for food and presentation. I started with crab crumpet, fresh local crab on a crumpet with two other unique elements. My daughter started with beetroot samosas and they were gorgeous. For my main, went with the duck and it was also exquisite. Sliced thinly with a great jus and again several other elements on the plate I could not identify but added many great layers to the taste. We also shared green beans and zucchini (courgettes) and they were great. Fresh from the chef's garden and tasted that way. I normally pass on dessert but had to try it. I had strawberries with pistachio sponge, while I would have like more pistachio flavor it was also quite enjoyable. Service was efficient and I liked the pace of the meal. Pretty quick between courses (what I'm used to as an American), with the nice touch of asking whether we wanted the next course yet. They do not put on airs like many starred establishments, a family in shorts was welcomed, and the food is as good as you can get.

We ate at this delightful restaurant the night before our departure from this beautiful and fun Devon playground. The food and service were superb as well as good value for money. We ordered a fixed price three course meal. The fish was so fresh and superbly prepared. Many local diners head for the 7 Restaurant a few doors down. We had no reservations and the 7 was full so we tried The Elephant. The ambiance was delightfully quiet, dignified and somewhat reserved. The dress should reflect that type of venue. We were definitely under dressed but were welcomed anyhow. We recommend this restaurant without hesitation.

I took my partner to The Elephant for a birthday meal. Having looked at the Brasserie and the Tasting Menu, we opted for the latter which had the following courses. Amuse Bouche 'Risotto' of squid and cauliflower Hand dived Bay scallop with Cornish air dried ham and apples Pan roasted fillet of halibut on parsnip puree with a spring onion and verjus butter sauce Fillet of pure bred South Devon beef fillet with cepe and artichoke mousse, (beef is served pink) Light blackcurrant mousse with liquorice and creme fraiche or The Westcountry's finest artisan cheese selection (£7.00 supplement for cheese as an extra course) Chocolate, coffee and caramel mousse with vanilla ice cream Guatemela Estate cafetiere coffee or tea and petit fours It was recommended that we both ate from the Tasting Menu as it meant all the courses could be served together. Having never tried a tasting menu before, we were at first amused by the size of the portions presented and at one point joked that we would have to stop for a takeaway to fill up on. However, as the courses kept on coming, with just the right amount of time in between, by the end of the meal we were both quite happy. The ambiance was just right and the service was friendly and prompt throughout the evening. The food was superb and we could not find fault with a single course. This is fine dining at it's best and though some may consider it an expensive night out, expect to pay more in a big city. The Tasting Menu is £45 per person and it's worth it for a special night out. Judging by the quality of the food, we're definitely going back to sample the Brasserie Menu. Two minor points however: I was disappointed that The Room wasn't open, contrary to the website and I wasn't told this when I made the booking. This has a different menu from the Brasserie but seeing as the Tasting Menu was on offer, was not an issue on the night. The option cheese course has a supplement of £7, however the amount on the plate was again of a small portion. I would suggest missing this unless you really like cheese. These two point did not detract from the overall the dining experience at all and I have to say it was the best meal we've ever had in Torbay since moving here 6 years ago. Congratulations to Simon Hulstone and the staff who have brought in sophisticated culinary delight to a part of England that can be found lacking.

What a Surprise! A smart place (and no punn!) They gave me the BEST Fish and Chips I have ever had!! Well done them. Staff were attentive and informed. The menu was as Gordon Ramsay would suggest short but good. 9/10 I would recommend

First Impressions go along way in my book, so when we walked into this quite empty restaurant at 8.45pm and after a couple of minuets waiting was met by the waitress who on asking if they had a table for two, the waitress then proceeded to look at her watch and in an indignant manner said oooh yes. I was on the verge of waking out but I am pleased to say I didn't, because the food was excellent. I had Scallops followed by Venison (which was cooked perfectly) we finished of with a selection of cheese's, my partner had Mussels followed by belly pork, to finish she had ice cream and sorbet. The waitress throughout our meal seemed to want to rush us which when you are paying over £80.00 for a meal I do like to take my time. We didn't leave a tip for her so unfortunately if you share tips at this restaurant blame the waitress Natalie (that's the name on the receipt) for this. I would recommend this place for a nice romantic evening providing this waitress is on a night off.

The Elephant is a really good place to eat. Michelin star and plenty of awards. It's not cheap but you get what you pay for with food made from quality ingredients prepared and cooked to a high standard. There is a Brasserie and an upstairs restaurant but the Brasserie is smart and atmospheric and there is an overlap on the menus. The standard is high and consistent and there is a decent selection of wine with some reasonably priced bottles from the old and new world. Service is friendly and efficient. Last meal involved quail egg salad and smoked trout starters; sea bream and halibut mains well presented with good fresh flavours. An excellent lemon tart with nicely sharp passion fruit sorbet and creme brulee with rhubarb and rhubarb sorbet rounded things off well. Set price dinners and a good place to go for lunch too. Parking on Beacon Terrace if you are lucky otherwise there is a public car park a short walk away.

REALLY NICE RESTAURANT.... EXCELLENT SERVICE Before visiting this restaurant I was a little bit concerned about some of the reviews so we booked a table at The Orange Tree. However, I booked our reservation on the wrong day so when we arrived on Saturday 26th February, THe Orange Tree were unable to seat us due to my mistake. Fortunately The Elephant had space to seat us at the last minute. I am so glad that we chose to dine here in the end. Food was superb, service was excellent. They even take note of who has ordered what, so when the food arrives your order is placed in front of you without you having to say 'thats what I ordered etc' Food was fantastic, ambiance was superb, service was great. Host was a little hostile at first but she soon turned out to be friendly. Me and my partner live near London and always dine out at places such as THe Ivy, OXO Tower, Blakes, Gaucho etc and this restaurant was just as good as the London restaurants. Cant wait until we can go back.

I have tried the Elephant several times and have been disapointed on each visit.I did give the benefit of doubt as the first time was its opening week some years ago . If you want a much better meal and cheaper try No 7 just up the road.

We ate upstairs which is a lovely restaurant with delicious food and a great atmosphere. Tis quite expensive but well worth it. A table for two by the window overlooking the harbour would be the perfect romantic meal.