James Duckett at the Old Custom House
His lunches are informal and relaxed with a choice of fixed price 2-3 course menu or a tapas menu of some 15 dishes. In the fine weather you may eat outside on the south facing Strand or in the private rear courtyard. Dinner is a true fine dining affair with a choice of either an la carte menu or a six course tasting menu complete with complementary wines.
Dining in the downstairs restaurant, the atmosphere is lively and informal while the upstairs dining room has a more sophisticated feel. With a background in the kitchens of renowned restaurants in London and internationally, including Le Gavroche, the Square, L'Oranger, Café Roux, Banc and more, James is now putting Barnstaple and north Devon on the gastronomic map of the South West.
This is a rare treat of a restaurant. The food oozes classy ingredients, freshness and imagination. So, whether for an informal lunch or fine dining in the evening you may be sure of a truly memorable experience when choosing James Duckett at the Old Custom House.
- All food prepared on the premises from fresh, local produce wherever possible. All bread, pasta, ice cream, sorbet, buscuits, petit fours made in the kitchen
- Dining club, wine tasting club, tasting menu and regular theme (cuisine) dinners
Front of restaurant on the Strand
Downstairs restaurant
Upstairs dining room
A chocolate treat
Tapas dishes at lunch £4.00 each; two course lunch £10.00
A la Carte dinner menu, two courses from £20.00; three courses from £25.00
Six course tasting menu with wines, £50.00
- Opening Times:
Open Tuesday to Saturday
Lunch from 12.00 to 14.30
Dinner from 19.00 to 22.30
From Restaurant Guide, Diner Review, January 2009
After many years of deriding the fact that we had nowhere local to take visiting friends in return for their hospitality, along comes James and his wonderful food. Do you find yourselves patronising a restaurant and at the end of the meal saying that 'you could have done better yourselves?' Previously we had to travel at least as far as the North Cornwall coast for food worth leaving home for. In James Duckett, Barnstaple has a secret that needs to be spread. Honestly, his cooking is the best non-Michelin food we've had! He makes great use of local ingredients with imaginative twists. Amuse bouche of parsnip and vanilla; starters may be Lundy crab bisque on noodles or fabulous risottos leading onto perfectly cooked local lamb with Moroccan influences. Read no more. Switch off your computer and visit James and his welcoming team at the Old Custom House now.
From Trip Advisor, Diner Review, December 2008
Wow, what a transformation since I was last here! The Old Custom House occupies a delightful, tastefully restored 17th century building on Barnstaple's Strand, overlooking the river. It was previously a rather indifferent eatery, despite the great surroundings and it closed in mid 2007. Then, in August 2008 it reopened under the new ownership of chef James Duckett who, I've since learned arrived in Town from Spain with a CV that's seen him cooking in the kitchens of some of the most celebrated restaurants in London and internationally. Following a fantastic review by the editor of our local North Devon newspaper, I decided to try it out. Well, no praise is too high, James has elevated the cuisine to heights that we've not seen around these parts before. My wife and I went for dinner and selected from a short but tantalising three course offering. What a surprise! Think top London restaurants, slash their prices to a fraction and you've got the Old Custom House. Brilliant! Subsequently I've been for lunch, several times, and selected tapas from a impressive list of dishes. The same quality as at dinner, but very inexpensive. Forget the burger and chips or pizza, head down to the Strand for something entirely different, infinitely better, with full service and for the same price.
- Main Cuisine Type: Modern European
- Other Cuisines Catered For: Theme and wine tasting dinners
- Specialisms:
- Vegetarian Provision: Yes
- Alcohol Licence: Yes
- Private Functions: Yes
- Children Welcome: Yes
- High Chairs Available: Yes
- Take Away Available: No
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The Strand is in the centre of the Town to the north of the river Taw. There are ample Town centre car parks nearby. By foot from the High Street walk down Cross Street (opposite Butchers Row) and at the bottom on the Strand turn left and the Restaurant is 50 metres on the left. From the Square walk westwards along the Strand and the Restaurant is 200 metres on the right, opposite the Riverfront Cafe.