Crocketts
Gin and cocktail bar
A small gin bar in a Grade II listed building on Upper Paul Street, just off Gandy Street, specialising in artisan gins distilled in the South West. Open since 2017.
📍 2 Upper Paul St, Exeter EX4 3NB
Our top 10 Exeter cocktail bars
If you only have one night, start here.
- Crocketts
South West gins in a listed building.
Gandy Street - The Bootlegger
A speakeasy with live jazz on Fore Street.
High Street, Queen Street and Fore Street - The Cocktail Club
Two floors of cocktails on Gandy Street.
Gandy Street - Darwin's Gin Parlour
Gin and evolution on Magdalen Road.
Magdalen Road and Magdalen Street - Badavis Lounge
Cocktails and tapas on a terrace.
High Street, Queen Street and Fore Street - Coolings
Cocktails, pizza and live music on Gandy Street.
Gandy Street - Becketts Rooftop Bar
Cathedral Green from above.
Cathedral Green and Southernhay - Hotel du Vin Bar
A hotel bar with a terrace and garden.
Magdalen Road and Magdalen Street - The Ocean Club
Cocktails on the Quay.
The Quay - Quayside Distillery and Floating Bar
A floating bar on the canal basin.
The Quay
Map of Exeter cocktail bars
Tap a pin for the bar. Numbers match the list.
Cocktail bars on and around Gandy Street
A narrow cobbled lane off the High Street with the city's tightest cluster of independent cocktail bars, plus a gin bar on Upper Paul Street.
Swipe to see all 3 bars →
The Cocktail Club
Cocktail bar
A two-floor cocktail bar on Gandy Street with party playlists and cocktail masterclasses, open until 2.30am on several nights.
📍 23 Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS
Coolings
Cocktail bar and restaurant
An independent bar on Gandy Street, just off the High Street, with cocktails, pizza and live music.
📍 11 Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS
Cocktail bars in the city centre
Around the High Street, Queen Street, the Guildhall and Fore Street, with a speakeasy, late bars and a cocktail and tapas lounge on Longbrook Street.
Swipe to see all 6 bars →
The Bootlegger
Speakeasy cocktail bar
A Prohibition-style speakeasy on Fore Street with freshly made cocktails and live jazz, swing, blues, soul and rock and roll.
📍 162-163 Fore St, Exeter EX4 3AT
Badavis Lounge
Cocktail and tapas lounge
A cocktail and tapas lounge on Longbrook Street with an outdoor terrace.
📍 47 Longbrook St, Exeter EX4 6AW
Oriels
Cocktail bar and venue
A cocktail bar and venue on the High Street with live music, resident DJs, karaoke and bottomless brunch.
📍 223-226 High St, Exeter EX4 3RH
Luna Bar
Basement bar
A basement bar on Queen Street.
📍 44 Queen St, Exeter EX4 3SR
The Botanist
Botanical bar and restaurant
A leafy bar and restaurant in the Guildhall Shopping Centre with a terrace and live music on Friday and Saturday.
📍 High St, Exeter EX4 3HP
Turtle Bay
Caribbean restaurant and rum bar
Caribbean food and rum cocktails in the Guildhall Shopping Centre, with two-for-one cocktails every day and zero-proof options.
📍 Guildhall Shopping Centre, Exeter EX4 3HP
Cocktail bars around Cathedral Green and Southernhay
The cathedral quarter, with a rooftop bar looking over the green and the Georgian terraces of Southernhay.
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Becketts Rooftop Bar
Rooftop hotel bar
The rooftop bar at Hotel Indigo, with views over Cathedral Green, champagne and cocktails, wood-fired pizza and sharing boards.
📍 3 Catherine St, Exeter EX1 1EU
Cosy Club
Bar and restaurant
An all-day bar and restaurant on Southernhay Gardens with eccentric interiors, cocktails and mocktails.
📍 1 Southernhay Gardens, Exeter EX1 1SG
Cocktail bars on Exeter Quay
The historic quayside on the River Exe and the canal basin, with bars by the water.
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The Ocean Club
Cocktail bar
A cocktail bar on Exeter Quay by the river.
📍 43 The Quay, Exeter EX2 4AN
Quayside Distillery and Floating Bar
Distillery and floating bar
A café, distillery and floating bar on the canal basin at Haven Road.
📍 60A Haven Rd, Exeter EX2 8DP
On The Waterfront
Quayside restaurant and bar
A big bar and restaurant on Exeter Quay, with cocktails and outdoor seats by the river.
📍 4-9 The Quay, Exeter EX2 4AP
Cocktail bars around Magdalen Road
South-east of the centre, with a gin parlour among the independents of Magdalen Road and the Hotel du Vin.
Swipe to see all 2 bars →
Darwin's Gin Parlour
Gin parlour and cocktail bar
A gin parlour on Magdalen Road themed around Charles Darwin, with local and international gins and a short list of classic and signature cocktails made with fresh ingredients.
📍 29 Magdalen Rd, Exeter EX2 4TA
Hotel du Vin Bar
Hotel bar
The bar at Hotel du Vin in the former Eye Infirmary on Magdalen Street, with a lounge that opens onto a terrace and garden.
📍 Magdalen St, Exeter EX2 4HY
Exeter cocktail trails
Three routes in walking order, with the time between each bar. See them all on a map.
Gandy Street and the centre
5 bars · about 12 minutes on foot in total
- 1Crocketts2 Upper Paul St, Exeter EX4 3NB
- 🚶 about 1 min to the next bar
- 2The Cocktail Club23 Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS
- 🚶 about 1 min to the next bar
- 3Coolings11 Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS
- 🚶 about 2 min to the next bar
- 4Oriels223-226 High St, Exeter EX4 3RH
- 🚶 about 8 min to the next bar
- 5Badavis Lounge47 Longbrook St, Exeter EX4 6AW
Fore Street to the Quay
3 bars · about 8 minutes on foot in total
- 1The Bootlegger162-163 Fore St, Exeter EX4 3AT
- 🚶 about 6 min to the next bar
- 2The Ocean Club43 The Quay, Exeter EX2 4AN
- 🚶 about 2 min to the next bar
- 3On The Waterfront4-9 The Quay, Exeter EX2 4AP
The Cathedral and Southernhay
4 bars · about 13 minutes on foot in total
- 1Becketts Rooftop Bar3 Catherine St, Exeter EX1 1EU
- 🚶 about 5 min to the next bar
- 2Cosy Club1 Southernhay Gardens, Exeter EX1 1SG
- 🚶 about 2 min to the next bar
- 3Hotel du Vin BarMagdalen St, Exeter EX2 4HY
- 🚶 about 6 min to the next bar
- 4Darwin's Gin Parlour29 Magdalen Rd, Exeter EX2 4TA
More Exeter bar guides
- Hidden and late-night barsHidden and late bars in Exeter: The Bootlegger, The Cocktail Club, Oriels and Luna Bar.
- Date nightRomantic cocktail bars in Exeter for a night for two: Crocketts, Badavis Lounge, Becketts
- Fun bars for groupsLively Exeter bars for birthdays, hen and stag dos and nights out: Crocketts, The Bootlegg
- Gin, rum, whisky and tequilaThe best Exeter bars for gin, rum, whisky and agave: Crocketts, Darwin's Gin Parlour, Quay
- Cocktail trailsReady-made Exeter cocktail trails on foot, Gandy Street and the centre, Fore Street to the
Know before you go
- 🗓️ Book at the weekendThe smaller bars fill up on Friday and Saturday. Book where you can, or go early.
- 🚶 It's compactGandy Street, the High Street and Cathedral Green are a few minutes apart. The Quay is about ten minutes downhill.
- 🚆 By trainExeter Central station is a short walk from Gandy Street.
- 🆔 Bring IDYou must be 18 to drink and many bars ask for ID if you look under 25.
Your questions
What is the best cocktail bar in Exeter?
Start with Crocketts on Upper Paul Street for gin, The Bootlegger on Fore Street for a speakeasy and The Cocktail Club on Gandy Street for a big night. Darwin's Gin Parlour on Magdalen Road is worth the short walk.
Where are the best areas for cocktails in Exeter?
Gandy Street has the most cocktail bars close together. The High Street and Queen Street are busiest, Cathedral Green has a rooftop bar and the Quay is best for drinks by the river.
Is there a rooftop bar in Exeter?
Yes. Becketts at Hotel Indigo looks over Cathedral Green.
Where are the best gin bars in Exeter?
Crocketts specialises in gins distilled in the South West and Darwin's Gin Parlour has local and international gins.
Which Exeter bars are open late?
The Cocktail Club is open until 2.30am on several nights and The Bootlegger and Oriels are late bars. Hours change, so check before you go.
Who wrote this guide
This guide is written by the team at M.AD Agency. We run cocktail festivals in more than 20 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland and have worked with hundreds of bars since 2022. We love Exeter's bars, so we put this guide together from our own research and trusted local guides.
No bar paid to be included and nobody can buy a place. We check the guide regularly as bars open, change and close.
Our nearest cocktail festivals to Exeter
Want your bar in this guide?
Run a cocktail bar in Exeter that should be here? Get in touch at alice@m-ad.co.uk and tell us about it.