The Oyster Shack, Bigbury: Worth Every Winding Devon Lane

Some places have been on your list so long that you start to wonder if you’ve built them up too much. The Oyster Shack is not one of those places. It absolutely lives up to it.

I’ve been meaning to make the trip to The Oyster Shack, Bigbury for ages. We drove down through South Hams, past Modbury and down towards the coast, and the journey itself is part of the experience: those narrow Devon lanes opening out to glimpses of estuary and sea, before you tuck down Stakes Hill and find the place nestled into the valley.

Back in 1989, Faye and Peter began growing and harvesting their own oysters and mussels on the River Avon, just below where the Shack now stands. The building was full of purification tanks; oyster lovers would arrive, buy their molluscs, pitch up a deckchair outside and while away an afternoon with crusty bread and a bottle of wine. The restaurant grew out of that, in the most organic way imaginable, as friends and family got involved and the whole thing took on a life of its own. That warm, slightly accidental energy is still completely present.

On sunny days there is a large outside area at The Oyster Shack where you can sit and watch your food being cooked; in winter it pulls back into a cosy indoor space. Either way, it works. It’s unpretentious in the best possible sense – buzzy, welcoming, the kind of place where families and couples sit alongside each other, and everyone is clearly having a good time.

What We Ate

We began with the oyster selection, which featured six different toppings, all of which were worth trying. The Bloody Mary version was the standout for me, although I can never resist a classic mignonette. Next, we enjoyed a delicious miso aubergine sesame salad, followed by BBQ hand-dived scallops with black pudding puree. They were just as incredible as they sound.

Mains came from the specials board: skate wing for one, sea bass with seaweed and sesame slaw for the other. Both tasted of the sea and the county in equal measure – which is exactly what you want from a place like this. The affogato for pudding was the perfect full stop: simple and right.

And the house Avon Berry gin deserves a mention of its own. Foraged, fruity, very much a taste of the South West. I’m still thinking about it.

One thing worth knowing before you go: the route depends on the tide. If the water’s out, you can take the tidal road from Aveton Gifford, which is a treat in itself – winding past the estuary with water on both sides. If the tide’s in, it’s the B3392 into St. Ann’s Chapel and down Stakes Hill. Either way, check the tides before you leave and don’t just follow sat nav blindly – the Ashford Road in particular is the kind of narrow that will test your nerve and your wing mirrors.

• Address: Milburn Orchard Farm, Stakes Hill, Bigbury, Devon TQ7 4BE
• Book ahead – it’s popular and deservedly so
• Go for the oysters, obviously, but don’t skip the specials board
• The gin. Trust me on the gin.
• AA Rosette, TripAdvisor Excellence, Good Food Guide – the awards are well earned

I’m already planning my next visit. Some places are just a bit special, and this is absolutely one of them.

This visit was gifted by The Oyster Shack. All opinions are, as always, entirely my own.