The South Hams is home to a number of fine seafood restaurants, 999Kingsbridge picks its top three.

1.) The Seafood Restaurant, Yealmpton
The Seafood Restaurant is fast becoming the most sought after places to eat seafood in the South West. The restaurant places a strong emphasis on shellfish with fresh, not pasteurised, crab, lobster and scallops, sometimes hand-dived or brought in daily from Brixham, Plymouth or netted from the Looe day boats. The Assiette, an array of seafood, which can include, depending on the day’s catch, red mullet, sea bass, lemon sole, brill, and turbot is served with a saffron and herb risotto.

Housed within the old disused barn, opposite the Rose & Crown, the restaurant has white washed walls, bedecked with beautiful prints depicting fishing scenes. The light blue, high backed chairs compliment perfectly the crisp white linen tablecloths.

A two-course lunch is now available, priced at £9.95. Included on the menu is fillet of salmon with pickled cucumber salad and dill crème fraiche, mussels with coconut and lemongrass, grilled haddock with saffron and herb white wine veloute, banana parfait with pecan nougatine tuile and vanilla crème brulle, apple jelly and rhubarb ice cream.

A typical five-course dinner can include Tiger prawn spring roll with chili mango salsa, pan-fried scallop with cauliflower puree and truffle sauce, sea bass with basil mash and sauce vierge, passion fruit jelly and lemon grass foam, white chocolate cheesecake with fresh raspberries and raspberry sorbet.

The Seafood Restaurant, which is about a 20 minute drive from Kingsbridge, is currently open five days a week (Tuesday - Saturday).

Contact details: Market Street, Yealmpton, Devon, PL8 2EB. Tel: 01752 880502, Web: www.theroseandcrown.co.uk.

2.) The Crabshell Inn, Kingsbridge
Like the historic market town of Kingsbridge itself, The Crabshell is inextricably bound to the sea and the culinary delights it has to offer. The Crabshell is a cosy quayside restaurant situated beside the picturesque Kingsbridge Estuary. The extensive menu offers some of the best fish dishes in the South Hams and beyond. The fresh hand-picked crab meat is a must for all seafood lovers, while the award-winning "Crabshell Platter" for two is another highlight. Cod, prawns, salmon, sea bass, sole and plaice are featured regularly on the specials board. Seafood lovers can also wine and dine alfresco at the quayside tables where they can watch the boats and the local wildlife. Open all day every day.

Contact details: Embankment Rd, Kingsbridge, TQ7 1JZ. Tel: 01548 852345.

3.) The Ship Inn, Noss Mayo
This award-winning waterside pub has been completely renovated using reclaimed materials, English oak and local stone. The style is strong yet simple, spacious yet cosy - it feels like a proper pub, unfussy, uncomplicated but pleasingly functional. The Ship's tidal location is just superb, almost unique, and is well-known as a walking destination and as a yachtsman's port of call - you can even tie your boat up outside. The menu changes daily and uses local produce where possible. Popular starters include Dartmouth smoked salmon with crème fraîche and prawn and crayfish cocktail served with Marie Rose sauce, while the pan-fried sea bass fillet with sunblush tomato dressing is a tasty main. The Guardian's Paul Gogarty once described this as "the best gastro seaside pub I have been to, gourmet food and a truly memorable location". Noss Mayo is about a 25 minute drive from Kingsbridge.

Contact details: Noss Mayo, Devon, PL8 1EW. Tel: 01752 872387, Web: www.nossmayo.com.

You could also try the following:

The Winking Prawn, North Sands, Salcombe, Devon, TQ8 8JW. Tel 01548 842 326.

The Oyster Shack, Milburn Orchard Farm, Stakes Hill, Bigbury, Devon, TQ7 4BE. Tel: 01548 810876.

The Kings Arms, Fore Street, Salcombe, Devon. Tel: 01548 842202.

Restaurant 42, Fore Street, Salcombe, Devon. Tel: 01548 843408.