People watching is one of the best ways to while away idle hours. Find a prime position by a window or at an outside table or bench, order your food or drink of choice, and step outside the constant thrum of everyday life to view the world as an observer. It can be a great way to get inspiration or to just contemplate and relax.
Exeter is a perfect spot for people watching. The ancient cathedral city is a vibrant hub, its cobbled streets buzzing with tourists, students and locals. When the weather’s fine, Exeter offers a whole host of great spots to sit down, take it easy and watch the great human race in action. Here are some of our favourites:
Artigiano, High Street
The smart, glass exterior of this relative newcomer to Exeter’s High Street lends itself perfectly to a spot of people watching. When the weather is unwelcoming, find a perch inside and watch the throngs go by with a cup of seriously excellent coffee in hand. The standard here is high enough that Artigiano has now expanded from the original in Exeter to Reading, Cardiff and London. Better still, Artigiano doesn’t follow high street chains in shutting when the shops shut. You can sit outside with a cup of its finest until 1.30am at weekends, switching to beer, wine or cocktails when you’ve had your fill of caffeine.
Exeter Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter is the focal point of Exeter and a must-see for any visitor to the city. And as a popular tourist spot, it’s also brilliant for people watching. After exploring the cavernous cathedral, retire to nearby Tea On The Green for a generously portioned lunch or a hot drink and a sandwich and eat outside in full view of the stunning 14th-century building. The streets and the green around the cathedral are always busy; in fact they have been the heart of the city since Roman times. They’re especially buzzy in the summer months, making them prime territory for people watchers.
Exeter Quay
Exeter Quay is renowned in local circles for its incredible choice of restaurants, cafes and bars, offering so many options of places to relax and watch the masses. The waterside draws visitors in their droves in the summertime and there’s no better place in Exeter to watch the world pass by than an outside table at one of the Quay’s many great establishments. On The Waterfront is a thriving bar and restaurant with local ales on tap, great pizza in the oven and tables right on the water (with heaters too, for cooler nights). Or if you’re after a coffee with your people watching, then Mango does a very fine cup indeed. Enjoy it with a selection of sandwiches or one of their excellent brunch dishes, all sourced locally. Inside is a truly unique cellar space, but they also have seats outside on Kings Wharf.
Exploding Bakery
The cakes and pastries at the Exploding Bakery are so good that they supply a lot of the other cafes and restaurants around the area. But if it’s people watching you’re after, their location on Queen Street is ideal, as the bakery is part of Exeter Central Station. Grab a cup of Monmouth coffee and a life-changing cake and sit outside on their nicely arranged benches and watch the crowds heading to and from the station. If this is a bit manic for your tastes, you can always take your coffee and cake around the corner into Northernhay Gardens, the oldest public open space in England. Grab a spot in these beautifully manicured gardens and change pace to people watching of a much more leisurely variety.
TABAC Taphouse
Just up from Exploding Bakery is this gem of a pub, offering craft ales and little snacks, which can be enjoyed at the few tables outside. Again, it’s part of the station so it’s prime people-watching territory with plenty of coming and going at all times. The Taphouse itself is a hugely popular drinking spot so it’s constantly buzzing with locals and visitors after something other than the usual big brewery brands on tap.
Polpo
This hugely popular chain of Venetian restaurants has been expanding at pace, thanks to word-of-mouth and stellar reviews. From a single small room in Soho, there are now six in London alone, but Polpo hasn’t stopped there, expanding to Brighton, Bristol and now Exeter. When it comes to the set-up, cosy is the key word, helping to boost the already thrumming atmosphere. Seats around the bar offer a great view of the room and your fellow patrons, but if you want to indulge in some people watching Venetian-style, the outdoor terrace will make you feel like you’re sipping Apperol spritz and eating pizzetta just steps away from St Mark’s.
Our Exeter Rougemont Hotel is in a prime central location, just moments from Exeter Castle, Northernhay and Rougemont Gardens, Exeter Central Station and Exeter Cathedral.
