TOUCAN CAFÉ BISTRO
‘TASTE OF THE WEST’ AWARDS
We have just received a GOLD AWARD (to add to our 2008 Bronze Award!) from 'TASTE OF THE WEST 2009'. for our daytime café, along with a SILVER AWARD for our evening restaurant. The Taste of the West scheme has been running since 1991 and provides a definitive guide to the very best places to eat quality, regional food and drink in the South West.
Industry expert judges visited us twice anonymously during the daytime and evening, looking at quality of food, cooking and service, ambience and evidence of local sourcing with knowledgeable staff. We were the highest points scorer in the county and are now in the running to be awarded the South West Regional title.
The judges' feedback was very positive, including:
"The Toucan restaurant was full of atmosphere. Simple friendly service, excellent food, cooked very well. Really bubbly atmosphere, full of people chatting. Nice and relaxing."
"Excellent value for money."
"Simple homely food that is cooked with real skill. Excellent use of flavours. Very fresh and very filling."
"Of particular mention – the lemon posset and vegetarian curry were sublime!"
"Very friendly, knowledgeable and unobtrusive staff."
"The café has a folder full of producers/suppliers which is superb. There is also information on the back of the menus, plus pictures on the walls up the stairs of suppliers."
"Very friendly, helpful staff - looked after us very well."
"Excellent, very fresh, great sandwiches, cake and fantastic homemade scone."
"Very interesting menu – just what you would hope for in a country café."
About us & our local suppliers
As food and restaurant lovers ourselves, we took over the Toucan in 2007 with the aim to provide really good, freshly made meals using locally sourced ingredients, in cosy, relaxed surroundings with first class customer service. Having now been established for over 2 years, we have many very satisfied customers, who, we are pleased to say, return time and time again.
Whether you would like a quality freshly ground coffee and homemade cake, or a three course evening meal and a good bottle of wine or local beer, you will always receive a warm and friendly welcome and we will do our utmost to satisfy any special requests you may have.
Why not turn your evening into a special occasion by joining us for a meal? We offer a varied and interesting menu which changes every week. You can be sure that all our food is freshly prepared and cooked on the premises. Our starters, main courses and puddings are carefully chosen to include seasonal ingredients which have been sourced from local farms and producers and you will always find meat, fish and vegetarian options. We open for evening meals on Fridays and Saturdays, and some Thursdays (for special events). Booking is recommended. Click on the link below to see this week's evening menu.
Our wine list has been carefully selected for quality and variety and we are especially pleased with our choice of house wines which are also available by the glass. We offer over 30 wines from all over the world and are proud to promote wines from local vineyards too - we think that you will be pleased by our award-winning local Devon wines including the white and rosé wines from Yearlstone, Devon's oldest vineyard near Bickleigh. www.yearlstone.co.uk
Our restaurant is set on Brook Street in the pretty Devonshire town of Bampton, which is set in a conservation area right on the edge of the gateway to Exmoor national park, which makes us a great place to stop off for refreshments before or after your walk or cycle across the Moors. Bampton is steeped in history. The Bampton charter fair, which celebrated it's 750th anniversary in 2008, is internationally famous and attracts musicians and visitors alike from far and wide. In recent times, Bampton has become famous for its floral displays during 'Bampton in bloom' . The town has won the national 'Britain in bloom' competition no less than six times. You can lose yourself in some of the little alleyways that lead off the main street and find yourself next to some characterful cottages or the pretty church, then come to the Toucan and relax over a cup of coffee and snack, or lunch with a glass of wine or local beer.
www.bampton.org (for more local details)
If you are looking for somewhere to stay, we particularly recommend 'Heron House' for Bed and Breakfast or Overmill Cottage (self catering), both of which are a stone's throw from the Toucan.
www.stayheronhouse.co.uk
www.overmillcottage.co.uk
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OUR LOCAL SUPPLIERS & PRODUCERS include..
MEAT
THE BUTCHERS SHOP, BAMPTON, DEVON
STILLMANS BUTCHERS, TAUNTON, SOMERSET
WESTONS FARMS, BAMPTON, DEVON
CREEDY CARVER, CREDITON, DEVON
HAWKRIDGE FARMHOUSE, CREDITON, DEVON
COMPLETE MEATS, HONITON, DEVON
KERSCOTT FARM, SOUTH MOLTON, DEVON
ARK CHICKEN COMPANY, SILVERTON, DEVON
GERALD DAVIES BUTCHER, DULVERTON, SOMERSET
HAGGETTS BUTCHERS, SILVERTON, DEVON
OAKMOOR FARM, MOREBATH, SOMERSET
OSTRICH MEAT COMPANY, SOMERSET
FISH
EL PESCADERO, BRUSHFORD. SOMERSET
EXBRIDGE FISHERIES, BRUSHFORD, SOMERSET
DAIRY
GUNDENHAM DAIRY, WELLINGTON, SOMERSET
WESTONS FARM, BAMPTON, DEVON
VALLEY VIEW FARM, STOODLEIGH, DEVON
SALCOMBE DAIRY ICE CREAM, SALCOMBE, DEVON
HAWKRIDGE FARMHOUSE, CREDITON, DEVON
BREAD
BAWDENS BAKERS, BAMPTON, DEVON
FRUIT & VEGETABLES
BAMPTON FRUIT & VEG, BAMPTON, DEVON
THE RUSSELLS MARKET GARDEN, OVERMILL, BAMPTON, DEVON
PRESERVES
ROSE FARM, SOMERSET
HAWRIDGE FARMHOUSE, CREDITON, DEVON
DRINKS
YEARLSTONE VINEYARD, BICKLEIGH, DEVON
SHARPHAMS VINEYARD, TOTNES, DEVON
EXMOOR ALES, WIVELISCOMBE, SOMERSET
SANDFORD ORCHARDS, CREDITON
SHEPPY’S CIDER, WIVESLISCOMBE, SOMERSET
EDGEMOOR WATER, KENTISBURY, DEVON
MILES TEA, PORLOCK, SOMERSET
BRIAN WOGAN COFFEE, BRISTOL
Where are we?
From the M5 exit at junction 27. take the A361 toward Tiverton. At the Roundabout take the A396 north toward Bampton and Dulverton. Drive for approximately 4 miles exiting the village of Cove and take the B3227 at the roundabout by the Exeter Inn (signposted Bampton). Bampton and the Toucan restaurant is approximately 1 mile further. As you enter Bampton, continue over the small bridge and the Toucan can be found on the left hand side after a short distance.
There is unrestricted parking in Brook Street and there is also a small car park, just by the bridge. There is also a further large car park within a short distance.
