The Crabshell Inn, located in the charming town of Kingsbridge, is a fantastic place to visit for tourists as well as locals. It is easy to understand why this location frequently draws large crowds, given its prime location on the estuary front. After being recently acquired by the St. Austell brewery, this pub can now provide its customers with a wide selection of regional lagers and ales. Kingsbridge has a strong summer economy and has long been a favorite vacation spot. With sand beaches and eccentric towns like Salcome nearby, Kingsbridge makes the ideal family vacation destination. The Crabshell Inn has been a well-known establishment for a while, so after the most recent transfer of ownership to the St. Austell Brewery, we had to check to see if the atmosphere remained the same. 

What's On The Menu?

For any event, The Crabshell Inn offers a wide selection of cuisine. Check out the menu below. Whether you're interested in a fresh fish dish or a typical British pub lunch, this establishment caters to all. 

Our Experience

We discovered the crabshell inn when searching for "the best restaurants in Kingsbridge" on Google. We had to find out if this venue would live up to its lovely position after reading the description of the inn selling its estuary-side location. Naturally, when you hear that a restaurant will have views, you immediately think, "This is probably going to be expensive," and in this case, you would be correct. However, the value for the money is excellent. Our initial thoughts were that we could see why this site is so cherished. All of the outdoor benches near the river were already taken when we arrived on a Wednesday at 12 p.m.; this may have been because the sun was shining and the temperature was 21 degrees. Fortunately, there were still tables under the shelter outdoors where we could enjoy the breathtaking views. Kingsbridge is lucky to have a stunning estuary that extends for around 8 kilometers. We can understand why people adore the scenery because, on a hot day, watching the boats and paddleboarders pass by can be really soothing. Unfortunately, we picked a day when the tide was out, so all we could see were immobile boats buried in the mud. We realized that this was just terrible luck and that it was time to immediately tuck into food and alcohol rather than worrying about the lack of water. As you can see from the menu above, the prices are quite eye-watering compared to your supermarkets and fast food joints, but how is the quality? Here is our own analysis of the Gareth Burger, Popeye's Pizza, and two crab sandwiches as a table of four. 

The pizza was enormous and a wonderful value for the money; the toppings were perfectly cooked, the crust was thin and crispy, and you could taste how freshly made the dough was. The 'Gareth burger' was just ridiculous. With a side of effectively seasoned chips served in a pretzel bun with the added bonus of giant onion rings, it is clear why this eatery sells a significant amount of them each week. The meat was tender and melted in your mouth, topped with black mayonnaise. The combination just worked. Even though it costs a whopping £18.95 for a burger, you will definitely be satisfied after that monster. The crab sandwich, however, was disappointing. It wasn't that it wasn't fresh—it was—but one of our members unhappily bit into a shell on the second bite, forcing them to examine the sandwich to see whether there were any more inside. Once that's in your thoughts, you might decide not to order that same portion again; however, it might have just been bad luck. With birra moretti costing £6.10 for a pint, the alcohol costs seem a little more than at your typical pub, but you would expect to pay this in today's society. Are we going to go back to the Crabshell Inn? Definitely on occasions of significance, as the ambiance was fantastic and the customer service was top-notch.  One thing that needs to be mentioned is that the crabshell inn is a little stroll from the town center, but it is definitely worth it because of the breathtaking views.

OUR SCORE

7.75/10

GOLD RATING

ALL IN ALL 

The Crabshell Inn has a lot to offer from local cuisine to beautiful views. Although the venue is slightly out of the main town Centre you will have a pleasurable walk along the remarkable estuary (when there is water). Prices may put people off but the chef is at the top of their game, yes we found a shell in the fish sandwich but it takes nothing away from the rest of the menu.