Must-visit Gluten-Free Spots in Devon

17rlochhead
22 hours ago
4 min read

A Gluten-Free Experience of Hope Cove & South Devon

Every year, my family and I take a trip to a tiny village in Devon called Hope Cove — one of our absolute favourite places. It has seen me through my journey of discovering my gluten intolerance, and I’m happy to say that being gluten-free hasn’t changed my experience of the place.

For somewhere so small, you might think that having a dietary restriction like being gluten free would make for a pretty boring weekend on the food front. Luckily, Hope Cove is incredibly accommodating, and there are also some amazing options in nearby towns if you fancy venturing a little further afield.

We usually stop off in the nearby towns of Salcombe and Kingsbridge to stock up on gluten-free goodies. Salcombe is our go-to for finding gluten-free pasties to take home, heat up, and enjoy on the beach. Kingsbridge is where we do our supermarket shop — specifically Morrisons — to stock up on gluten-free staples (RIP their dinosaur pasta, which was my absolute favourite).

A Totnes Discovery

This year, we branched out a little further and stumbled upon an absolute gold mine. Picking my sister up from the station in Totnes turned into a full day of charity shopping and exploring the town’s local food spots.

Needing to get my matcha fix, I found The Hairy Barista on the Find Me GF app — and it did not disappoint. They had loads of gluten-free options, from sweet choices like granola and chia pots to savoury topped toasts and sandwiches, alongside a huge range of drinks and cakes.

We picked up one of the best matchas I’ve ever had, plus some baked goods and sandwiches to take away. We enjoyed the sandwiches for lunch during our charity shopping — my mum and I shared two gluten-free flavours: tofu and kimchi, and falafel. The bread was absolutely incredible: a lightly toasted ciabatta that didn’t fall apart and didn’t taste shop-bought either. The fillings were super fresh, and my personal favourite was definitely the tofu and kimchi.

We also tried a selection of baked goods. I had the granola bar, which was chewy and sweet without being overpowering, with a subtle nuttiness. However, the star of the show was the tahini brownie — genuinely one of the best brownies I’ve ever had. It was super fudgy with a rich chocolate flavour, and I’m determined to recreate it at home.

Everywhere we stumbled upon in Totnes seemed to have great gluten-free options. We found a tiny supermarket with a surprisingly large gluten-free section, where we picked up some bread, date and almond butter, and sausage rolls. At the market, we discovered a stall selling raw treats, and I picked up a layered bar with a nutty flapjack base, cashew and date caramel layers, and a chocolatey top. As if that wasn’t enough, we also found the pasties we normally buy, ready to enjoy on the beach the next day.

Back to Hope Cove

Now, I’m getting a little ahead of myself — this was only our second day — so let’s rewind to when we first arrived. Hungry and ready for lunch, there was really only one option.

One of my absolute favourite Hope Cove memories is discovering my love for crab sandwiches, so when I saw that The Cove had started offering them gluten free, we knew it had to be our first stop.

It was the perfect start to the holiday. The sandwich was generously filled and came with a lovely, fresh side salad. Packed with crab, mayo, and lettuce, it was served in one of the nicest gluten-free buns I’ve ever had — a brioche-style bun that didn’t fall apart or get soggy from the filling.

After unpacking and heading out for a very wet walk in the rain, we were ready for dinner. On the first night, there’s really only ever one choice: the local pub, The Hope & Anchor, for some much-needed fish and chips.

They offer a great gluten-free menu, including burgers, steak, mussels, sandwiches at lunchtime, and of course, gluten-free fish and chips. The fish was a large fillet with a light, crisp batter, served with thick chunky chips, tartar sauce, and peas — perfection.

Tapas, Seafood & Beach Pasties

Back to day two — after a day of shopping and one too many drinks, we headed back to The Cove for dinner. Their gluten-free options include burgers, fajitas, fish without batter, and pizza (served upstairs or available as takeaway).

I opted for a selection of tapas, one of my favourite ways to eat because I get to try lots of different dishes. We shared mussels, salt and chilli chips, patatas bravas, olives, and padrón peppers. My favourites were the patatas bravas, served in a rich tomato sauce topped with generous amounts of aioli, and the padrón peppers — huge, perfectly blistered, and finished with loads of salt.

On our last full day, I enjoyed a pasty on the beach from Totnes, filled with curried vegetables and chickpeas in a crisp pastry — the perfect seaside lunch.

For dinner, we returned to The Hope & Anchor. My sister and I shared starters of miso and bean purée and prawns. The purée was smooth and fresh, topped with crunchy cucumber ribbons, while the prawns came in a chilli and lemongrass sauce with gluten-free bread that was surprisingly soft and not crumbly.

For our mains, we both chose the whole seabream, sharing sides of truffle potato salad and crispy chilli broccoli. Everything exceeded expectations — the seabream was fresh and perfectly cooked, paired beautifully with the light truffled salad and the elevated broccoli.

Gluten free dessert option- lemon posset.

A Sweet Goodbye

On our final day, before heading home, we returned to The Cove for one last sandwich. I chose the posh fish finger club, filled with tartar sauce, lettuce, and gherkins on gluten-free toasted bread. While the bread did get slightly soggy, the fillings were generous and full of flavour.

To end the holiday on a sweet note, I enjoyed a gluten-free almond brownie from the coffee stall in the village car park once we got home — the perfect balance of sweet and salty, super fudgy, with chunky chocolate pieces.