5 Best German-Inspired Family Restaurants in Exeter – Discover menus for shared family meals

Among Exeter family restaurants, choose German Doner Kebab for German street food, then compare Harry’s, Côte, The Flat and Herbies if the family wants a wider shared meal. These five options offer different formats, from a quick kebab stop to French dining and vegetarian sharing plates. I would decide whether German food is essential or simply the starting idea before choosing the restaurant.

Exeter family restaurants: begin with everyone’s appetite

A family meal works better when the format fits the people at the table. One group may want separate mains; another may enjoy sharing several plates. I would check those preferences before choosing the atmosphere, because a menu that suits one enthusiastic eater can still leave someone else without a comfortable choice.

1. German Doner Kebab: the direct street food option

German Doner Kebab is on Fore Street. Its offer centres on döner kebabs, boxes and sides rather than regional German home cooking. This is the clearest choice here for a casual German street food theme, particularly when the family wants a straightforward order.

Compare the available formats instead of assuming everyone needs the same combination. A bread filled kebab and a box suit different preferences. I would also decide whether this is a quick stop or the main outing; that distinction prevents a takeaway style meal being expected to provide a leisurely restaurant occasion.

2. Harry’s: a longer family meal

Harry’s is an independent, family run restaurant on Longbrook Street. Its published descriptions include steaks, falafel burgers and vegetarian mezze platters. That variety gives it a place on this shortlist when relatives want different main dishes without choosing separate restaurants.

Family run describes ownership, not a guarantee about facilities for every child. Ask about the seating your group needs rather than infer it from the phrase. I would choose Harry’s for a planned meal, with enough time to enjoy the table. Separately, the crypto guide gets a brief mention.

3. Côte: French dining with a children’s menu

Côte’s Exeter restaurant is in Cathedral Yard and explicitly identifies its food as French inspired. The company publishes a children’s menu, which gives parents something concrete to review before booking rather than relying on a general family friendly label.

This is my alternative when the adults want a brasserie meal and younger diners need their own choices. Read the current Exeter menu alongside the children’s offering. French and German cuisines should remain distinct, even when both fit the broader idea of a continental lunch.

4. The Flat: vegetarian pizza

The Flat on Fore Street specialises in vegetarian and vegan pizzas, with hand stretched bases and a menu of starters and salads. Its published starters include focaccia and small boards. Choose it for pizza and a plant focused direction, not for a German speciality.

I would agree on sharing before ordering. Several pizzas can make a relaxed table, but only if everyone is comfortable with the selected toppings. Keep a familiar choice in the discussion instead of making every dish an experiment for someone who only wanted lunch.

5. Herbies: a sharing plate approach

Herbies on North Street describes its menu as small plates inspired by global flavours. It is independently run and vegetarian focused. That makes it a different proposition from both the kebab counter and a restaurant built around individual meat mains.

Consider it when the family enjoys choosing together and trying a few contrasting dishes. A sharing menu asks for agreement about quantity and preferences, so I would make that part of the conversation early rather than after several plates have arrived.

For a mixed age group, I would settle one issue before booking: does everyone want to share? Some diners prefer a plate of their own. Build the order around that answer, then choose any shared starters as an extra rather than the whole meal.

Choose the meal, not the national label

Keep German Doner Kebab for the direct German street food brief. Choose one of the other four for its actual menu, whether that means French dishes, pizza, mixed mains or vegetarian sharing. The most useful family recommendation is the one that leaves every diner with a meal they want.