REVIEW: The Loft balances edgy cool with a friendly atmosphere, well worth a visit

The Loft in Kingsbridge is a great blend of bar and restaurant, being family friendly but with an edgy vibe to it - I can’t wait to be here for live music nights! 

I was very looking forward to being able to review The Loft (not just because it would be the first child-free dinner date my husband Dave and I have had since the start of lockdown) but because it was one of those places I kept hearing great things about and hadn’t had a chance to try out yet. 

The entrance to The Loft

You can spot The Loft as you come up Fore Street. Sitting at the top of The Shambles on the left, next to the church, the entrance is bedecked with neon blue lights welcoming you inside. Up the steep steps, you come to the bar area where we were welcomed by owner Paul and shown to our table.

The interior is beautifully decorated with both a rustic charm and more modern twists, the blue neon lights follow you inside. While it is not a big space, it has been designed so that you don’t feel cramped or on top of your neighbours, which is even more important in a Covid world! 

The music in a restaurant is a delicate balance, and one that The Loft has got right. You need music, it’s a very strange experience to walk in somewhere that doesn’t have any, but you almost don’t want to notice it’s there. You don’t want it to overpower your conversation with your table, or make you feel like you’re shouting - The Loft has succeeded. Dave and I were chatting away and every now and then one or the other of us would just say “oh I love this song” as we recognised a real classic coming over the speakers. 

Although I’m pregnant and unable to take advantage of the gorgeous cocktails on offer, and Dave was being supportive by not drinking either, we made the mistake of not asking if they did virgin cocktails - because they do, they looked beautiful and they would have been much more exciting than my orange and lemonade, as refreshing as that was! 

Some of The Loft's cocktails - seriously look how pretty! 

When it came to ordering food, The Loft doesn’t have an enormous menu, which is great for me - big menus give me too much choice and it takes me an hour to decide what to have. I had heard very good things about The Loft’s burgers (and we saw a few of them come out of the kitchen looking amazing) but we decided in the interest of trying as much as possible, we would get the full range of tapas dishes to share between the two of us. 

Our waiter was very polite and efficient, and we never waited long for drinks, our food order or a quick check up, we felt very looked after. Paul was a great host too, friendly and always ready to help you with anything you needed. 

We started with the halloumi fries with a sweet chilli jam and they were beautifully cooked. Nice and crisp with a jam with a real kick. A great starter and something that really set us up for the rest of the meal. 

The halloumi starter

The tapas did not disappoint. For £27 you get seven tapas dishes and they were all delicious. In particular the duck gyozas, the Thai squid and the chorizo dulce were really more-ish. I even enjoyed the chorizo, which is not my favourite, but I was convinced to try some due to the yummy noises Dave was making and I’m so glad I did, the honey glaze made them just irresistible. 

The tapas spread 

When I first saw the selection, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t patatas bravas or alioli on the menu with the tapas, but I soon changed my mind. What they have is seven extra special dishes and if there is one thing The Loft doesn’t do is it doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It isn’t an authentic Spanish tapas restaurant, it’s a really fun, welcoming and relaxed place that does excellent food and delicious cocktails. 

The Loft is edgy but not pretentious, cool but welcoming. It is somewhere you can bring your family but also the place you could celebrate your 21st birthday. It is a very fine line that they manage to walk exceptionally well. 

One of The Loft's amazing burgers 

As it was, if we hadn’t had a toddler to return to we could have whiled away many hours after we finished our meals working our way steadily through the cocktail menu and chatting with each other and the friendly staff and we will definitely come back once we can do just that. 

Covid-wise, the staff were all in masks and there was hand sanitiser on the tables. We wore our masks to and from the table but not while we were sitting, and both felt very safe and comfortable there. 

Overall I was seriously impressed with The Loft. When there can sometimes be seen to be a bit of a lack of places for the younger generations to enjoy in Kingsbridge, I think The Loft really fills that gap. It is sophisticated and fun and a real asset to the town. 

More delightful cocktails

The Loft are doing Tapas Tuesdays - three extra dishes as well as the seven always on the menu and there will be four cocktails from the menu on a two for £10 offer ALL NIGHT! 

If you’re out and about at the bottom of town, it is well worth the walk up the hill, and even better, it's right next to the cinema - you could watch the latest film and then pop straight in for some tapas and some cocktails afterwards! 

Thank you Paul and all your staff for a really lovely evening.