Thomas Carr At The Olive Room

Have you ever wondered, as a Michelin-starred chef, what Thomas's favourite meal or place to dine is in North Devon? Wonder no more...
https://www.visitdevon.co.uk/…/a-chefs- guide-to-north-devon…
... Pyne Arms// The Siam Bistro// The Deli //the boathouse// Lynbay Fish & Chip Shop // Johns of Instow and Appledore
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WOW! What a response to our 4th Birthday Competition! Thank you so much to everyone for all of their kind comments, it's always very much appreciated.
So, to the bit you all want to know! The winner has been picked out of the hat (well, via an online random name picker), and the winner of our competition is......... DRUMROLL PLEASE.... Sarah Grigg King!
A huge congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part (including our followers on Instagram and Twitter)! Keep an eye out for more competitions and offers in the future!
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// THE COMPETITION HAS NOW FINISHED! WE'LL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER THIS AFTERNOON //
It's our 4th Birthday 🎉🎈🎁 and so that you can join in the celebrations, we have a present for you!
It only seems like 5 minutes ago that the Olive Room opened but here we are four years later and Thomas would like to say a massive 'THANK YOU' to everyone who has supported him to make the Olive Room the success that it is.... He'd like to say a special thank you to his son, Ben who he says is his inspiration and is the person who gives him the drive and enthusiasm to be the best he can even in more stressful times.
We'd love for you to join in the celebrations too so it's time for a fantastic giveaway!
Thomas would like to invite two people to dine with us, taking in a fantastic four-course taster menu with a paired wine flight! A prize worth a whopping £180!
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is: * Like our page * Share this post (make sure your settings are set to public as otherwise we can't see that you have shared) * Tag the person you would like to join you should you win!
The winner will be chosen at random on Monday 20th August! You can also win by entering via our Twitter account - @ThomasCarrChef or Instagram - @thomascarrchef
Good Luck!
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// Brill BLT //
Brill, bacon, lettuce and tomato with sardine ketchup.
Another of the delicious dishes which appears on our 6 and 8 course chef's taster menu.
... If you are looking for a 'brill' dining experience then we have a couple of tables that have become free next week, so why not book in? You can book online via https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/restau ra…/the-olive-room/ or call us on 01271 867831.
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As Ilfracombe is gearing up for the Round Table Birdman, we are preparing a flight of our own. A wine flight that is! We have often been asked about a wine flight to accompany our taster menus, so we are now working with our fantastic wine supplier to pair each course with a specifically chosen wine to complement the stunning dishes on the menu.
We'll let you know when our wine flights are airborne!
... Are any of our guests taking part in Birdman this year? We'd love to hear who is being brave enough!
Don't forget, you can always keep up-to-date with news through our website, where you can also book a table online - www.thomascarrdining.co.uk
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Have you ever fancied yourself as a budding chef, or have a foodie in your life who would love to learn a few more skills in the kitchen? Well we have just the place for you!
We are opening up our kitchen here at the Michelin-starred Olive Room for a one day Cookery Masterclass with Thomas himself!
... This could be a fantastic gift for someone, or a great treat for yourself!
Head over to our website on the below link for further information and to see other experiences that we can offer at The Olive Room and Thomas Carr Seafood & Grill!
https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/experi ences/
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Wimbledon may be over, but we are still enjoying strawberries and cream at the Olive Room. A delicious set vanilla cream, strawberry sorbet, shortbread, elderflower jelly, strawberry leather and meringues.
This is one of two desserts featured on our 8 course chef’s taster menu.
... Who do you know that is a two dessert sort of person?
To book your table, click on the following link - https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/restau ra…/the-olive-room/
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Thomas and the team are delighted to welcome our new head chef, Rob Bryant to The Olive Room.
To read more about about Rob and the role he will play alongside Thomas in the kitchen, click on the link below...
https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/…/a- new-face-at-the-oli…/

Seabass // Lundy Crab // Sea Herbs // Orange
We love this dish which features on our Chef's Taster Menu. A fantastic combination of textures and flavours highlighting some wonderful local ingredients.
... If you'd like to book a table, you can do so online by visiting our website - https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/restau ra…/the-olive-room/
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Thomas was delighted to be joined by two of our KickStarter backers, Michelle and Ian this weekend for their masterclass in the Olive Room kitchen. They spent the morning working alongside Thomas to create a delicious mackerel dish with pickled vegetables and herby potato dumplings. If you are looking for a present for the foodie in your life then why not consider buying them a masterclass experience?
Find out more here - https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/experi ences/

I mean, what can we say?! Look how incredible Ilfracombe is looking at the moment! Who needs a holiday when you have blue skies, clear seas and fantastic places to dine here in beautiful Ilfracombe!
Speaking of dining, don't forget you can book your table for the Olive Room online here - https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/restau ra…/the-olive-room/
... Photo Credit: Justin Swain
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We have a couple of last minute tables available tomorrow evening, and rather than us tell you how delicious our taster menu is, we thought we'd share this recent review from The Best of North Devon so you can see what others are saying about us. You can read their fantastic review here - https://bestofnorthdevon.com/…/thomas-c arr-the-olive-room-…/
Book your table online now - https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/restau ra…/the-olive-room/

Thomas is very much looking forward to escaping from his kitchen at The Olive Room and heading over to Barnstaple on Monday to judge the final of the Petroc Chef of the Year Award alongside North Devon's other Michelin Starred chef, Mark Dodson of The Masons Arms. As an ex-student of Petroc Thomas is a very keen supporter of events such as these as it's a great showcase for the next generation of North Devon chefs so is interested to see the skills possessed by this years finalists!
Good luck to those competing!

It's Wednesday which for lots of people means the countdown to the weekend starts. But rather than go back to work next week with the Monday Blues, why not book a table at The Olive Room and have something to really look forward to? Choose from an incredible 6 or 8 course menu or a delicious 6 course vegetarian menu and join us for an evening of relaxed dining with the chef who Michelin describe as a "seafood supremo".
You can book your table online at www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/restaurants/th e-olive-room/

Struggling with ideas for a gift for someone who has everything? Left your present buying until last minute? Don't worry! We have your back! You can now buy gift vouchers for both our restaurants.
... Click the following link for Seafood & Grill vouchers - https://uk.resdiary.com/Vouchers/Home/Ind ex/11059
or click the following link for The Olive Room - https://uk.resdiary.com/Vouchers/Home/Ind ex/10902
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If you're dining with us at The Olive Room this weekend, maybe pop up the road to Thomas Carr Seafood and Grill after to sample a few of the 40+ gins that they stock!
Further information can be found on our website - https://www.thomascarrdining.co.uk/thomas -…/festival-of-gin/

We were lucky enough to win a competition back in March for a Taster Menu night for two and were blown away with the food! Everything was cooked to perfection, the tastes were incredible and each course was perfectly put together, we both ate things we wouldn't normally choose and could not fault a single thing! Literally THE BEST MEAL we have eaten EVER! The staff were friendly, attentive and informative about each course and helped make this a fantastic dining experience. We have been singing your praises to all! Thank you - WE WILL BE BACK. Lucy & Liam

We thoroughly enjoyed a family meal for 8 this week. The restaurant it's self is small and intimate but does not lack atmosphere by any means. The steep street, the restaurant is nestled away in, was lit simply and beautifully. The service was fantastic, professional yet light hearted and each dish we were served was explained to us and was full of taste sensation mini explosions. The Olive Room is something we will be raving about for years to come. A must visit! Delightful. I hope to return!

We had dinner at The Olive Room whilst staying at The Olive Branch guest house for a wedding at Tunnel Beaches. Me and my fiance both agreed it has to be some of the best food we've ever had. Our waiter was lovely, very friendly and welcoming. Each dish wowed us by both presentation and taste. The whole experience was amazing, and I cannot recommend this little gem of a place enough! We cannot wait to come back to Ilfracombe so we can have another visit to The Olive Room!

We had a fantastic evening there. The food was superb, refined with delicate flavours mixed in with robust favourites. Well worth a visit especially for a special occasion.

We had a fabulous meal on Saturday night, the Taster menu. If had to choose a favourite? it would be the scallops. It's easy to see why they have a Michelin star. All credit to the front of house as well. Kevin made our evening with his little snippets of information and his choice of an after dinner drink. Thank you!

We found this restaurant last year and had a wonderful tasty meal. This year we made sure that we booked to eat her again. Four of us ate the taster menu on Tuesday this week and were amazed by the flavours contained in each of the six courses. Three fish courses, one meat course and two puddings later we were all full and very very happy with our meal. My wife and I enjoyed it so much we managed to book an early table for two on Thursday later in the week. On that occasion we tried the a la carte menu, again we were very happy and satisfied with our choices. All of the food was well cooked, well presented and very tasty. The wine that we chose after speaking to Kevin (front of house) were excellent and very good value. We will certainly visiting this restaurant again as the quality of the food and cooking is, in our opinion, better than some Michelin star restaurants and better than some fish restaurants in London.

Truly amazing fish dishes, plus beef & chocolate too... Oh yes!! ���

Our local (Barnstaple) friends booked all four of us in for a birthday celebration for my wife. The restaurant was operating a restricted menu (this was communicated in the morning and the options still sounded yummy) due a chef being ill. The overall experience was still superb. The fish main (I think was brill with crab meat and crab bisque) was the single best fish main course I have ever eaten (and have eaten at restaurants with more Michelin stars than this). This (and I) was finished off with the amazing chocolate dessert. The maitre d was super friendly and the service impeccable. Amazing food and a great ambience. Try it out!!!!

One of the best tasting menus we have experienced - fish superbly cooked - from brill, sea bream combined with very subtle flavours of curried mussel, hake, and then a perfectly cooked fillet of beef. Very imaginative combinations of flavours all expertly executed and presented. The pudding was chocolate heaven! A small intimate restaurant - very pleasant, knowledgeable staff who kept the dishes coming at exactly the right intervals, and at the end of the meal one couldn't find fault with a thing!

Loved the meal...the 4 course menu was just the right amount of food... thankyou for some great food. ..

Insanely good food! Had 3 courses from the A la Carte menu and cannot fault one thing. The combination of flavours and the presentation are out of this world. Easily the best 3 plates of food I've ever eaten. The Michelin star is so well deserved and the front of house staff are superb too. Thank you and congratulations!

Having heard good things about here, I was eager to try it! We had a six course tasting menu, and overall it was fantastic! Really good quality food and unique combination of flavours made every course a delight. I was very full towards the end! The service was friendly and welcoming also. Would like to return again in the future!

Have eaten here twice now, this week's visit was to celebrate my birthday - so we opted for the 7 course taster menu.

Every course was delicious - 4 fish courses, 1 meat course and 2 sweet courses. Ideally we would have preferred if there had been 1 less fish and 1 more meat course - but that is just our personal choice.

The waiting staff were very attentive and explained each dish as it was served.

Highly recommend.

Fantastic meal at The Olive Room tonight. My thanks to you Tom for your hospitality and excellent meal. All seven courses of it! Absolutely perfect.

Enjoyed the fabulous 5 course lunch taster menu. Each course was superb and the combinations on each plate were amazing leading to a rounded palate. Would highly recommended to locals or visitors to the area for a fine dining experience.

Absolutely brilliant. Best food I have ever eaten. 8 course menu was a bit much for us, however. The restaurant is really quite exclusive and intimate. I have seen previous reviews complaining about the service. We are not ones to be Waited on for every need. I think the service was top notch. The staff explain each and every dish to you, service was prompt. We were never left waiting for our next course, you only needed eye contact and one of the girls would ask us if we wanted more water, was everything to our satisfaction? They did let us pour our own wine & water, however I feel this adds to the intimacy. What a great experience. Highly recommended. Will visit again. Richard & Josephine Wingrove

A wonderful meal that would wow the palate of any metropolis.



I started with an amazing duck parfait (with pear chutney) and my wife had a succulent salmon to start. Both of us had the pork belly with ham hock and a sublime yolk ravioli. Absolutely cracking. To finish, my wife had the plum crumble with vanilla custard and I had a great chocolate pud with rum 'n' raisin ice cream. Paired with Devon wine and beer and a Cornish GnT, the service was personal and perfect.



Flawless with many thanks and a hearty recommendation to anyone.

8 course taster menu. Absolutely stunning in every respect. An unforgettable experience. We are so lucky to have this restaurant in Ilfracombe.

Went last night..the food was wonderful great flavours and good sized portions!! The only very disappointing thing was the wine.. we had a bottle of the cotes du rhone.. paid £23 only to discover its one we have had before from majestic at a cost of £6.99!! It was also too cold. Such a shame.

We were lucky enough to win a competition back in March for a Taster Menu night for two and were blown away with the food! Everything was cooked to perfection, the tastes were incredible and each course was perfectly put together, we both ate things we wouldn't normally choose and could not fault a single thing! Literally THE BEST MEAL we have eaten EVER! The staff were friendly, attentive and informative about each course and helped make this a fantastic dining experience. We have been singing your praises to all! Thank you - WE WILL BE BACK. Lucy & Liam

We thoroughly enjoyed a family meal for 8 this week. The restaurant it's self is small and intimate but does not lack atmosphere by any means. The steep street, the restaurant is nestled away in, was lit simply and beautifully. The service was fantastic, professional yet light hearted and each dish we were served was explained to us and was full of taste sensation mini explosions. The Olive Room is something we will be raving about for years to come. A must visit! Delightful. I hope to return!

We had dinner at The Olive Room whilst staying at The Olive Branch guest house for a wedding at Tunnel Beaches. Me and my fiance both agreed it has to be some of the best food we've ever had. Our waiter was lovely, very friendly and welcoming. Each dish wowed us by both presentation and taste. The whole experience was amazing, and I cannot recommend this little gem of a place enough! We cannot wait to come back to Ilfracombe so we can have another visit to The Olive Room!

We had a fantastic evening there. The food was superb, refined with delicate flavours mixed in with robust favourites. Well worth a visit especially for a special occasion.

We had a fabulous meal on Saturday night, the Taster menu. If had to choose a favourite? it would be the scallops. It's easy to see why they have a Michelin star. All credit to the front of house as well. Kevin made our evening with his little snippets of information and his choice of an after dinner drink. Thank you!

We found this restaurant last year and had a wonderful tasty meal. This year we made sure that we booked to eat her again. Four of us ate the taster menu on Tuesday this week and were amazed by the flavours contained in each of the six courses. Three fish courses, one meat course and two puddings later we were all full and very very happy with our meal. My wife and I enjoyed it so much we managed to book an early table for two on Thursday later in the week. On that occasion we tried the a la carte menu, again we were very happy and satisfied with our choices. All of the food was well cooked, well presented and very tasty. The wine that we chose after speaking to Kevin (front of house) were excellent and very good value. We will certainly visiting this restaurant again as the quality of the food and cooking is, in our opinion, better than some Michelin star restaurants and better than some fish restaurants in London.

Truly amazing fish dishes, plus beef & chocolate too... Oh yes!! ���

Our local (Barnstaple) friends booked all four of us in for a birthday celebration for my wife. The restaurant was operating a restricted menu (this was communicated in the morning and the options still sounded yummy) due a chef being ill. The overall experience was still superb. The fish main (I think was brill with crab meat and crab bisque) was the single best fish main course I have ever eaten (and have eaten at restaurants with more Michelin stars than this). This (and I) was finished off with the amazing chocolate dessert. The maitre d was super friendly and the service impeccable. Amazing food and a great ambience. Try it out!!!!

One of the best tasting menus we have experienced - fish superbly cooked - from brill, sea bream combined with very subtle flavours of curried mussel, hake, and then a perfectly cooked fillet of beef. Very imaginative combinations of flavours all expertly executed and presented. The pudding was chocolate heaven! A small intimate restaurant - very pleasant, knowledgeable staff who kept the dishes coming at exactly the right intervals, and at the end of the meal one couldn't find fault with a thing!

Loved the meal...the 4 course menu was just the right amount of food... thankyou for some great food. ..

Insanely good food! Had 3 courses from the A la Carte menu and cannot fault one thing. The combination of flavours and the presentation are out of this world. Easily the best 3 plates of food I've ever eaten. The Michelin star is so well deserved and the front of house staff are superb too. Thank you and congratulations!

Having heard good things about here, I was eager to try it! We had a six course tasting menu, and overall it was fantastic! Really good quality food and unique combination of flavours made every course a delight. I was very full towards the end! The service was friendly and welcoming also. Would like to return again in the future!

Have eaten here twice now, this week's visit was to celebrate my birthday - so we opted for the 7 course taster menu.

Every course was delicious - 4 fish courses, 1 meat course and 2 sweet courses. Ideally we would have preferred if there had been 1 less fish and 1 more meat course - but that is just our personal choice.

The waiting staff were very attentive and explained each dish as it was served.

Highly recommend.

Fantastic meal at The Olive Room tonight. My thanks to you Tom for your hospitality and excellent meal. All seven courses of it! Absolutely perfect.

Enjoyed the fabulous 5 course lunch taster menu. Each course was superb and the combinations on each plate were amazing leading to a rounded palate. Would highly recommended to locals or visitors to the area for a fine dining experience.

Absolutely brilliant. Best food I have ever eaten. 8 course menu was a bit much for us, however. The restaurant is really quite exclusive and intimate. I have seen previous reviews complaining about the service. We are not ones to be Waited on for every need. I think the service was top notch. The staff explain each and every dish to you, service was prompt. We were never left waiting for our next course, you only needed eye contact and one of the girls would ask us if we wanted more water, was everything to our satisfaction? They did let us pour our own wine & water, however I feel this adds to the intimacy. What a great experience. Highly recommended. Will visit again. Richard & Josephine Wingrove

A wonderful meal that would wow the palate of any metropolis.



I started with an amazing duck parfait (with pear chutney) and my wife had a succulent salmon to start. Both of us had the pork belly with ham hock and a sublime yolk ravioli. Absolutely cracking. To finish, my wife had the plum crumble with vanilla custard and I had a great chocolate pud with rum 'n' raisin ice cream. Paired with Devon wine and beer and a Cornish GnT, the service was personal and perfect.



Flawless with many thanks and a hearty recommendation to anyone.

8 course taster menu. Absolutely stunning in every respect. An unforgettable experience. We are so lucky to have this restaurant in Ilfracombe.

Went last night..the food was wonderful great flavours and good sized portions!! The only very disappointing thing was the wine.. we had a bottle of the cotes du rhone.. paid £23 only to discover its one we have had before from majestic at a cost of £6.99!! It was also too cold. Such a shame.