Soulshine

At first glance, Soulshine is a humble café – a cluster of bar stools fronting a silver espresso machine, with a selection of cakes placed on the bar. Follow a corridor, however, and you enter a semi-secret dining room – a bohemian space with a profusion of potted plants, artworks and lots of primary colours. Locals drop by to plunder a similarly colourful small-plates menu four evenings a week. The kitchen lets ‘truly locally sourced ingredients’ speak for themselves: moreish Baron Bigod brie with salted walnuts and a drizzle of Devon honey, for example, or Dorset venison, pork and sloe salami with cornichons. There’s also plenty of imagination at play in tightly choreographed medleys such as peach with whipped ricotta, pickled onion and almonds or beetroot with barley, black garlic and hazelnuts. Puddings include simple, satisfying offerings such as a spiced apple tart or affogato with locally roasted Goose & Badger coffee. Also look out for set-menu supper clubs, winning breakfasts, and special events including ’a special sausage festival’. A succinct but eclectic wine list seals the deal.