Chronicle Restaurant, Exmouth review: 1930s glam in Devon
Calling all Great Gatsby fans, there’s a restaurant in Exmouth that’ll satisfy all of your nostalgic dreams.
This Chronicle, Exmouth review details exactly what this restaurant has to offer and why you need to visit!
On our recent midweek date night, my partner Richard and I decided to check out Exmouth’s Chronicle restaurant.
The restaurant’s been open since April 2022, but we hadn’t had a chance to pop by as of yet!
However, lured in by their vintage decor and promising menu with a good few veggie options, we made a reservation (easy to do by emailing) and headed down there on a rainy Wednesday evening.
About Chronicle Restaurant
Chronicle Restaurant is on the site of the old Chronicle newspaper – hence the name!
It was always an art deco building, and the current owners kept the 1930s flair throughout its makeover.
It still has vintage wallpaper and a retro cash register, and feels very much like you’re stepping into 1930s Americana!
While The Great Gatsby was set slightly earlier – in 1922 – it instantly reminded me of one of my favourite books, which gave dining here a unique atmosphere you don’t find in many other restaurants.
The restaurant was opened by local chef and her partner – she previously owned The Swan in Lympstone before owning The Heavitree, a few doors down.
Chronicle food
“We’re not known for our small portions” the waitress laughed, as I commented on how full I was.
Chronicle serves hearty, warming meals, generally British food with a European flair, and is known for their steaks and local seafood.
In fact, when we visited, they were doing an excellent steak special – £40 for two steak meals and a bottle of wine.
Rich is pescatarian, so he opted for their catch of the day, and I perused the vegetarian menu.
Just a note: Chronicle also serves Sunday Roasts (with a veggie option), but as we visited on a weeknight we didn’t have a chance to try these!
Starters
There’s a range of starters on offer, a few of which are veggie and some which can be made vegan.
We opted for the camembert sharing platter, which came with a mound of garlic bread slices. The camembert was cooked to perfection, oozing out of its skin without going rubbery.
I did have to stop before eating it all to make sure that I had room for the main course!
Mains
I went for the mushroom stroganoff, while Rich had seabass which was the catch of the day.
The mushroom stroganoff can be made vegan, although I was asked which type of cream I preferred when ordering. I eat mainly plant-based (although I’d just had a massive wheel of camembert, so I’m definitely flexible!), so I had the dairy-free version.
It was incredibly flavoursome, with hints of different spices, and the mushrooms were very juicy.
Rich enjoyed his fish, which he reported was “amazingly supple”. Underneath, there was a bed of crispy potatoes, which I stole a few of as I enjoyed the last of my stroganoff sauce! He also had a portion of vegetables on the side.
Dessert
We were incredibly full, but, wanting to try as much of the food as possible (for research purposes for this review, of course!), we ordered a lemon cheesecake to share.
On the menu it said the cheesecake is done “our way”, and it came out in a huge glass. After the huge meal, sharing was definitely a wise decision!
The cheesecake was zesty and creamy, with crumbly biscuits at the bottom.
Just as a personal preference, I would have liked the topping a little more solid (it seemed a little more mousse-like than cheesecake-like), but I think they whipped up a fresh batch after we ordered so that might have been why it was a little runnier than most cheesecakes!
However as a dessert, it was delicious!
Drinks
I’m trying to drink a bit less, and was pleased to see that they had a couple of non-alcoholic beers and a cider on the menu.
I opted for the 0% Heniken to drink, whereas Rich had a fresh pint and a glass of red wine (not at the same time!).
I actually prefer 0% beer to alcohol-based beer, and enjoyed the Heniken! If there’s demand for it, it would be nice to see alcohol-free gin in the restaurant, which is usually my tipple of choice when I’m avoiding booze!
However, in terms of alcohol, there was an extensive menu with plenty of beers, wines and spirits, along with plenty of soft drinks, including Fentiman’s fizzy drinks, bitter lemon and ginger beer (along with coke, sprite etc).
Service
The service at Chronicle Restaurant was exceptional; the staff were friendly and accommodating, and they gave us a full brief on each item, checking for dietary requirements and offering me the plant-based cream option with my stroganoff!
Bathrooms
A special shoutout goes to the bathrooms, which were decorated beautifully, kitted out with luxury soap and hand cream, and had complimentary sanitary products in the ladies’ (anywhere that does this gets good marks in my book!).
Location
Chronicle Restaurant is located in the heart of Exmouth town centre, a two minute walk to The Strand and a five minute walk to the beach.
Click here for its Google maps location.
We prefer dining in Exmouth town centre than the beach, as we find that the restaurants are much better value.
Final thoughts
Overall, we both very much enjoyed Chronicle restaurant and its relaxed atmosphere for dining.
Our three courses took around an hour and 45 minutes, allowing us to fully enjoy the experience without feeling rushed or having to wait too long for any course.
The food was well-cooked and tasty and we appreciated how they catered to all requirements.
Chronicle Restaurant is definitely worth checking out, whether you’re living in Exmouth or on holiday to the Jurassic Coast town!
