Up Close: Combe Farm Shop and Café

This week I headed over to the The Combe Farm Shop and Café to buy some nice food and check out their recently refurbished café.

The Combe Farm Shop has been open for approximately two years, and since opening it has been constantly growing and improving. 

Situated halfway between Honiton and Gittisham, the Combe Farm consists of a Farm Shop, café, fresh fish counter and vending machines selling fresh milk, milkshakes and other dairy products. The vending machine is open 24 hours a day.

The fish counter, Fresh Fish at Combe, was opened in December 2021 by a Lyme Regis fisherman, Barry Trevett and his step-son Darcy. . It sells a large range of fresh-of-the-boat fish and shellfish, including Pollock, Haddock, Cod, Hake, Smoked Fish, Dover Sole, squid, crab and lobster.

The café, which has recently been refurbished, is run by Joanna Marker, whose family own the wider Combe Estate.

Just recently the farm shop was awarded Gold by Taste of the West for its goat sausages.

The Farm Shop is full of delicious goodies including a craft butchers, cakes, ice-creams, bread, local vegetables and wine and artisan chocolates. There is also a small section selling items such as candles and greeting cards.

I often buy meat from the farm shop but this time I was tempted by Fresh Fish at Combe. Barry was very friendly and helpful and he talked me through the different options available. I bought some very reasonably priced mackerel – which I can highly recommend. If you're not used to cooking fish, he can explain how to cook it and prepare it for you.

The café and Farm Shop always buy their products from as close to Gittisham as they can, much of it coming from within just a few miles. For example, the eggs come from Fowlers Eggs (near the Hare and Hound), the pork comes from Talaton and the coffee is produced by Buzz Coffee Roasters in Sidmouth.

Next stop – the café. There are benches in the attractive courtyard for customers to sit on, but it was hot when I paid a visit, so I decided to sit inside. It is a fairly small room and simply decorated, and it has a cosy atmosphere. The café staff were extremely friendly and welcoming. I had a pot of tea and tried their Honey Flapjack.

All the cakes are made onsite by Joanna. My flapjack was excellent – full of flavour and really soft, sticky and chewy. It was also enormous, but I don't think my family were too upset that I brought half of it home to share!

The café is open for breakfasts and lunches. On offer are bagels, BLT sandwiches, burritos, smoothies and their range of cakes.

I'd highly recommend The Combe Farm Shop for a visit. It is an easy cycle from Honiton as the cycle path takes you almost straight there. Alternatively, it is only a short drive past the Honiton Industrial Estate and there is plenty of free parking.

The Farm Shop and fish counter and café are open from 9am. They close at 4pm but on Thursdays the Farm Shop stays open until 5.30pm.

You can find out more information about the Farm Shop here https://www.facebook.com/combefarmshop

The Farm Shop, café and fish counter are all situated here.