Santini's Restaurant & Bar
Perched on the Torquay Esplanade with the bay across the road, this is an independently run Italian dining room rather than a chain trattoria, elegant without tipping into stuffy, with murals of local sea life and polished timber underfoot. Dinner is served every night from around 5pm, so an evening table is straightforward through the week, backed by a bar for a pre-dinner drink. The kitchen keeps to Italian fundamentals: pizza, pasta and a rotating handful of mains, plated with a little more care than the beachfront average. It is the sort of local restaurant that suits both a casual weeknight and a slightly dressed-up occasion, all within a short walk of the water. Bookings are wise on weekends, when the Esplanade is busy and tables turn quickly.