Kudos to Cosy Club: A visit to Exeter's new eclectic eatery

Simon says 'Hello'

'So what exactly is a 'Cosy Club?' I asked @CosyClubExeter on Twitter before their 15 April opening.The reply came back with cool confidence, 'Think gents club meets village hall meets cricket pavilion!' and as I tread the wooden floor boards to my table, taking in the artwork and ambiance, it all became clear. Cosy Club is that wonderful combination of modern and vintage, quirky and classic, polite and relaxed. It's the kind of of place that that you could show up wearing your finest threads or your comfiest jeans and feel like you fit in.

Exeter Cosy Club

I popped in just five days after the opening to see what all of the buzz was about and wasn't disappointed. The place was a twitter with couples, parties and families perched on delightfully mismatched chairs and benches. The waistcoated staff were friendly and welcoming.  And I just couldn't stop staring at the lampshades.

The food is as eclectic as the decor with a mix of tapas, burgers and quality mains. We ordered two pints of the deliciously malty local ale, Falls Over by Exeter Brewery, and a set of burgers one beef and one veggie for supper. My veggie burger had just the right amount of structure with a crunchy exterior and mushy centre. The fries were perfect too and washing it down with the best pint of real ale I've had since the Exeter CAMRA Festival of Winter Ales, made it all the better. For pudds, we had matching apple tarte tartin which were lovely and cinnamonny and made me happy.

Exeter's branch is the 6th Cosy Club to open in the UK, joining a roster of award winning branches in Taunton, Bath, Salisbury, Cardiff and Stamford. This charming edition to Exeter's dining scene is just what Southernhay needs. The Jack Wills-esque atmosphere makes it classy enough to sit alongside places like Southernhay House and Magdalen Chapter. While the Bike Shed-lite quirkiness makes it funky enough to bring in young blood that might not otherwise venture down the Georgian Street of an evening. And the fact that it's open for Breakfast Lunch Dinner and Drinks is an extra bonus for people like me who like eating at random times of day! Must visit for breakfast/brunch sometime to try what looks like an epic vegetarian breakfast.

Cosy Exterior