Brixham Fish Market and Tours

A must for anyone serious about seafood is to book a tour to see the live early morning auction at Brixham Fish Market. Located right on the harbour side, the market handles over £25million of fish every year, making it the most valuable in England. Each day a fleet of 70 boats lands their varied catch, which includes lemon sole, Dover sole, bream, turbot and plaice. The fish landed here is destined for some of the best tables across the UK and Europe, as well as many of our great range of local restaurants and cafes.

Sit out on the breakwater and you can watch the trawlers come and go into the harbour, followed by a trail of hungry seagulls and the odd seal hoping for a snack. This is daily life for our fishermen who work the rich local waters to find their sustainable catch.

Take a tour to see the market at work for yourself

You may be on holiday, but you won’t regret foregoing that lie-in if you book on one of the special Brixham Fish Market Tours that are organised throughout the year. Starting at 6am, you might start the morning bleary eyed, but once you’re in the heart of the action, watching the auctioneers hard at work, the buzz and energy of this real, working market is sure to wake you up. This is real life trading in action – nothing is put on for the tourists. That means you’ll get a true sense of exactly what goes on behind the scenes before your fish arrives neatly packed at the fishmongers or on your plate. The tours of Brixham Fish Market conclude with a delicious breakfast at Rockfish Brixham. Search our site to find out more about the tour, dates, and to book.

Enjoy the freshly landed fish cooked to perfection

You don’t have to go far to sample some of Brixham’s famous fish and shellfish for yourself. The high quality of the fish and the commitment of local independent restaurant and café owners to buy local, means that you’ll find it popping up on most menus across Torbay.

The closest restaurant to the source of fish is Rockfish Brixham, which is located right on the Fish Market. Grab a takeaway downstairs or head upstairs to the restaurant to sample the best catches of the day. If you’re not sure what to go for, just ask the knowledgeable staff for their recommendation. In fine weather, you can sit out on the terrace for a close up view of the boats as they land their haul.

Or try Beamers Seafood Restaurant. Run by a local couple, you may spot them early in the morning buying their pick of the best fish at the market ready to grace their specials board.

Each year in September, Brixham celebrates the sea at Fishstock. This annual seafood and music festival takes place around the harbour with plenty of fun and fish! A great day out for foodies and the family, there’s other local produce, including our own Bays Brewery, to sample and enjoy.