Humane Shellfish Restaurant to Open in Paignton Next Month
A new, quayside ‘Crab-Shack-style’ dining concept in Devon aims to become the first of its kind in the UK to use humane methods to kill or dispatch shellfish prior to cooking.
The Crab & Hammer is a new restaurant owned and operated by The Blue Sea Food Company and will celebrate the amazing bounty of Devon’s coast by offering an unrivalled menu of shellfish, pot caught by a couple of crabbers owned by the business owners as well as 12 local day boats fishing out of Kingswear and Salcombe.
From July 12th, locals and visitors will be able to soak up the majestic beauty of Torbay, taking in the busy comings and goings of a working harbour and celebrate spectacular local seafood on the glorious Paignton harbour, whilst looking over the bay towards Torquay.
Chef John Paul Medhurst will be heading-up the kitchen at Crab and Hammer, he is delighted to be joining the team and is a real fan of the Torbay area, he said
“Provenance is paramount, which is why I’m delighted to be involved with the Crab and Hammer. We have our own Crustastun crab stunner, to humanely dispatch crustaceans prior to cooking, which sets us apart from anywhere I know. I could put empty plates on the tables and just wait for the crab to walk through the door. In terms of what’s ethical, the bar has been raised. I’m really looking forward to welcoming guests to what will be a must-visit dining destination with sustainability and humanity at its core.”
Blue Sea Food Managing Director David Markham said:
“There is a great deal of press at the moment about the environmental impact of fishing and indeed the sentience and welfare of seafood. Our aim with Crab and Hammer is to offer the freshest possible seafood, cooked extremely well in a welcoming and casual environment. We are delighted John Paul is on board and look forward to putting Paignton firmly on the foodie map.”
Jack Clarke, Sustainable Seafood Advocate at Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and Publisher of The Good Fish Guide concluded
“We welcome Blue Sea’s efforts to improve the sustainability of their products. We look forward to working together, toward more sustainable crab fishing.”
Crab & Hammer will open in early July, taking bookings from the 12th after a week of soft openings.
Signature dishes will include: Hot and cold seafood feast served hot or cold with Singapore chili sauce, Cajun sauce or as nature intended, ‘straight-up’!
Another special will be the crab bahn mi – our take of the South East Asian classic baguette inspired from David’s time spent in Laos.
Also available; oysters, classic crab and lobster rolls, crab cocktail / salad as well as an epic burger and several delicious vegetarian options including a burrata salad.
Covers: 50 seats inside and 30 outside, so plenty of space, whatever the weather!
Open from 7am to 11pm for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. There will also be a take away menu.
