The Restaurant
James Duckett at the Old Custom House occupies a wonderful, listed building on Barnstaple's revamped Strand, overlooking the river Taw. In earlier days this was a busy port area from where, in Elizabethan times galleons sailed to join Drake in his defeat of the Spanish Armada. Now the Strand is a wide and largely traffic free 'boulevard'.
James prepares fine food from local fresh produce. His lunches are informal and relaxed, choose from the set price two or three course lunch menu or select from a ‘tapas style’ menu of some 15 or so dishes. In the fine weather you may eat outside on the south facing front of the restaurant on the Strand or in the private rear courtyard.
Dinner is a true fine dining affair with James's dishes lovingly prepared and served. You may select from an à la carte a menu which changes in part daily to reflect availability of fresh local produce or indulge yourselves with his six course ‘taste and flavours’ menu served with wines, selected to complement each dish. You may choose to dine in either the downstairs restaurant, which has an informal bistro atmosphere, or in the upstairs panelled dining room, which has a more formal and sophisticated feel.
Opening Times
The Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesdays to Saturdays. It is normally closed on Sundays and Monday, except for private parties and for special dates, e.g. certain Bank Holidays. It is open for special, set price lunches on Easter Sunday, Mothers Day and Christmas Day
Lunch: 12:15 - last orders 14:30
Dinner: 19:00 - last orders 22:00
Pre and post theatre dinners: the Restaurant may open and close at different times by arrangement for private parties and for parties wishing to have a pre- or post-theatre dinner.
Please note that we are closed from New Year’s Day 2010 for two weeks.
We reopen for dinner on Friday 15th January. Reservations for when we reopen may be made at any time during the shut down period either by telephone or email - see contact page.
Restaurant Facilities
The ground floor restaurant is accessible by wheel chair and there is a wheelchair accessible toilet, also on the ground floor
Children are welcome at the restaurant. We do not offer a childrens’ menu but we are happy to serve smaller portions and selections from our main menus. High chairs are available.
While the Restaurant is a non smoking area we do have a rear courtyard with a covered pergola for diners who wish to smoke after their meal.
We are able to cater for most special dietary needs. As our food is all prepared on the premises from fresh local produce we can advise with confidence regarding suitability of dishes for specific allergies. We are coeliac friendly as almost all of our dishes are gluten free and we always have available a choice of vegetarian dishes.
There is ‘drop off’ space in front of the Restaurant and ample on street and municipal car parking is available close to the Restaurant. The nearest car parks are those in nearby Commercial Road and Holland Street (see 'Find us'). These and other car parks in the Town centre are within easy walking distance of the Restaurant. Car parks are free after 6.00pm.
Theatre Goers
We are normally able to cater for pre and post theatre dining, outside of our normal opening hours. Please contact us to check and inform us of your requirements.
