Nestled On The English Riviera Is A Charming Coastal Town With Fresh Seafood, Beaches, And A Famous Fish Market

Brits have long loved a fresh plate of fish and chips, with proper mushy peas and a full imperial pint. An even more cherished experience is when the fish was caught that day, and one can sit and eat within view of the very harbor it came from. Seafood lovers and beachgoers will thoroughly enjoy the quaint town of Brixham on the coast of the English Riviera, just off the English Channel, with one of Britain's best fish markets containing every kind of fresh seafood you could desire.

This town of over 16,000 people resides in the southwestern portion of Great Britain, and its abundant maritime charm will delight anyone with an affection towards fishing culture (via City Population). Its two lighthouses shine into the channel at night, and its multitude of harbor shops provide crafts and souvenirs that will make splendid adornments for your home. Beautiful and historic buildings line its streets, making the perfect backdrop for a postcard. Take a pleasant after-dinner stroll admiring the multi-colored portside architecture and the variety of boats and ships in the harbor.

Even those who have no interest in the sea will find plenty to adore about Brixham. The Brixham Heritage Museum covers not only the fishing history of the city, but several other aspects of its past. As a visitor described in their Google review, it is "packed with interesting and informative exhibits of local links to Fishing/shipping, smugglers & pirates, the railways and the World Wars." For a relaxing walk in nature, head to the Berry Head National Nature Reserve, on the east side of the town, where you can explore the remains of a historic fort, enjoy stellar clifftop views, and take in a lush, green expanse of trees and hedges. 

Brixham's beaches range from long, bayside stretches to cute little coves, and they all offer wonderful views of the water all the way to the horizon. The largest is the beach at St. Mary's Bay, which is open all year, per English Riviera, and is a great place to walk your dog. It's surrounded by multi-colored rock formations and lush cliffs, and requires making one's way down a walkway with several steps. The beach is as rocky as it is scenic, and is better for a beach stroll than relaxing and tanning.

The most popular and therefore most crowded beach is Brixham Breakwater Beach, which is thankfully wheelchair accessible. If you go for a swim here, the Breakwater Beach website advises that you may even be joined by seals. Tidepools can be found in the area, and it's a local diving hotspot, so you may see curiosities like shipwrecks, seagrass, and seahorses while exploring the depths. According to the official Torbay government website, its bright, clear waters have earned it a Blue Flag status, which is a testament to its cleanliness and accessibility. Clean water like this is not so easily found, yet more of it can be seen at the nearby Sandbanks Beach, otherwise known as "the world's most sustainable beach."

For a more cozy beach experience, several small coves line the shore west of the town, surrounded by thickly wooded clifftops. These are great for relaxing and taking some stellar photos. While not quite as secluded as the tiny Channel island of Herm, which only has 65 residents, they're lovely beach hideaways where you can have a beach picnic, enjoy a refreshing swim, and lounge in the sun. Like St. Mary's Bay, these coves do require making one's way down steps.

If you live inland, you're probably used to lackluster, frozen fish sandwiches or crab and lobster that require being drenched in butter to make them more palatable. Brixham's seafood is a refreshing respite from all of that. According to the official website of the Brixham Fish Market, fish trawling got its start in this city, and it's been a fishing haven since the 14th century! You can watch local buyers auctioning their seafood supply on one of the market's tours. Book yours well before your trip as the small tours fill up fast! The market boasts record-breaking fish sales and is the top fish supplier in Britain.

If you're not into tours, Rockfish, the market's own restaurant, has everything you might desire. With over 3,000 reviews averaging 4.5 stars, you may want to taste the bounty of the sea's own flavors before adding butter sauce and a lemon wedge for a sublime culinary experience. One might expect the prices for such an experience to be astronomical, yet they're surprisingly reasonable. This is the kind of place that is likely contributing to the unexpected comeback of British cuisine.

If you prefer the traditional and even more affordable British chippy experience, Chish & Fipps fits the bill. Although it has fewer than 200 reviews, customers are consistently gushing about the freshness, flavor, and texture of the food, and it has earned a 4.6-star average rating. Since it has no online presence, it's thankfully easy to find, square in the center of the harborside street known as The Strand. An equally well-rated chippy is the Brixham Fish Restaurant which has been a consistent winner of TripAdvisor awards. It allows diners to have their peas mushy or loose and the batter is as flaky as can be.