I went to the little-known roadside diner that feels like being in Stranger Things – the food takes you back in time
It really did feel like entering the set of Netflix's hit TV show Stranger Things - yet I was actually in a roadside cafe in the UK.
10
Brightside diner features a 70s interior like it is part of the set for Stranger Things
Credit: Cyann Fielding
10
Inside, there are warm oranges, yellows and reds as well as rattan lampshades
Credit: Instagram
10
The menu offers a wide choice of pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and more
Credit: Instagram
Brightside in Exeter, Devon, feels like a retro Little Chef, an iconic motorway cafe chain that sadly stopped trading by the end of 2018.
Even the toilets at Brightside felt like a fun throwback with avocado-coloured sinks set against a mustard yellow tile backdrop.
I often skip past roadside cafes and restaurants for fear that the food will be poor and the prices will be high.
But Brightside wasn't like this.
Read more on travel
The menu
features
an extensive range of options through morning, noon and night.
I opted for the 'Hot Honey Fried Chicken Burger' (£14.95) and my parents opted for the 'Chicken Caesar' pizza (£13.95) and the 'Dirty Brisket Burger' (£16.45).
Whilst we may not have had Eggo waffles (made popular by Stranger Things' Eleven), the dishes we did order hit the spot.
My chicken burger with honey offered a great twist on normal flavours.
Most read in News Travel
And for the brisket burger it was even a winner with my dad who is quite picky when it comes to burgers.
The pizza was a good size as well, and really felt value for
money
.
Inside Elon Musk's Tesla diner of the future staffed by ROBOTS with drive-in movie screens & burgers in Cybertruck boxes
Along with our food we tried out two of the diner's
Summer
'.
Both mocktails cost £6 and were made with Ceder's non-alcoholic spirit.
Pop Goes Summer had an extra layer of fun, with popping candy around the rim of the glass.
As for Strawberry Smash, it was a great mix of strawberry, pineapple and lime.
Moving onto dessert, we shared the 'Berry Ice Cream Sandwich' (£6.95) and a 'Banoffee Sundae' (£5.95).
The berry ice cream sandwich was essentially a giant profiterole with soft serve
10
There are also some great mocktails on the menu
Credit: Instagram
10
Outside there is a large garden, with plenty of seating and vibrant parasols
Credit: Instagram
10
Even the toilets feature a fun 70s design with avocado-coloured sinks and mustard yellow tiles
Credit: Instagram
Both desserts felt like the ultimate childhood throwbacks.
It might be just me, but I don't see banoffee desserts around much anymore, so this treat really did transport you back in time.
When
the bill
came I was pleasantly surprised, as all of that came to around £68.
The price was less than I had expected thanks to their Thursday offer that lets you buy a dessert for £1 alongside any adult main meal.
10
The diner is also dog friendly and has activities available for children
Credit: Cyann Fielding
10
The desserts include a berry ice cream sandwich, which was a great childhood throwback
Credit: Cyann Fielding
10
We tried the brisket burger and hot honey chicken burger which were great
Credit: Cyann Fielding
This wasn't the only great offer the diner had - on Tuesdays, you can buy one pizza get one free after 3pm.
And on Wednesdays, kids eat free after 3pm, making it an affordable option for families needing to take a break on the motorway.
Outside the diner there is also a brightly coloured seating area, with large parasols so you can get some fresh air too.
Dogs are welcome too, and there is plenty to keep the kids entertained with Brightside branded merch to peruse and a number of
books
available to borrow whilst you sit and eat.
Whilst the diner isn't your typical American-style joint, Brightside definitely mixes the best of British 70s/80s culture with retro American diners.
I personally think Eleven would love it... as well as everyone else in Hawkins.
There are three Brightside diners located across Devon and Cornwall, and a fourth location can be found in Rutland, just under an hour from
The diner in
There is also a 'Karen attraction' in the UK that Brits can't get enough of.
Plus, the best pubs in the UK have been revealed – is your favourite boozer on the list?
10
The diner has other venues in the south west including in Cornwall
Credit: Cyann Fielding
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Stay near where Netflix's Wednesday was filmed in Ireland
Spooky hit show Wednesday is back on screens for its second series - which was filmed in Ireland. The Netflix gothic comedy is the biggest ever show on the streaming platform and Irish fans in particular will be excited about season two. The Addams Family spin-off - which features Jenna Ortega in the lead role of supernatural sleuth Wednesday Addams - was filmed in Wicklow, Offaly and Dublin. The dark fantasy's first series was filmed three years ago in Romania but makers moved production to Ireland for the new one. Tanaiste Simon Harris met with its legendary director Tim Burton and crew on location in Co Wicklow for what is said to be the biggest production ever in Ireland. Dramatic landscapes can be seen throughout the series, including Powerscourt Demesne in Enniskerry, with its waterfall and gardens, as well as the mountain village of Roundwood. Gothic Charleville Castle in Co Offaly makes an appearance, as does Deansgrange Cemetery, the final resting place of former Taoiseach Sean Lemass and singer Sinead O'Connor. Filming also took place in Trinity Business School in Dublin. First look at Wednesday on Netflix To mark the new series, accommodation platform Airbnb has chosen some spooky stays near where the show was filmed. Fans of Wednesday can immerse themselves in the eerie charm that made Nevermore Academy a global obsession. They can also stay in the locations where the cast were spotted. Derek Nolan, head of public policy for Ireland at Airbnb, said: "Ireland's haunting landscapes made the perfect backdrop for Season 2 of Wednesday. "We're excited to showcase stays near these iconic and rural filming locations, giving guests a chance to explore their rich history - and add a touch of the supernatural to their next getaway." Cullen's Studio Lodge, Roundwood, Co Wicklow Roundwood, Co. Wicklow - Cullen's Studio Lodge 1 This tiny cobbled home accommodates two guests and is located just on the outskirts of Roundwood village. Nestled in the middle of the Wicklow mountains, this stay is bound to transport you straight into the world of Wednesday. Boutique apartment, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow - Boutique apartment in Enniskerry village A perfect place to call home whilst you visit the nearby Powerscourt House and Gardens. Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow - Boutique apartment in Enniskerry village This cosy stay is perfect for two guests looking to explore the iconic filming locations and take in the rich history of the surrounding area. Knockmore Garden Wing, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow Enniskerry, - Knockmore Garden Wing The perfect spooky spot for a couple who are looking to explore the Powerscourt filming locations and come home to a whimsical stay. It's the place to stay if you are a fan of the supernatural botany scenes in the hit show and are looking to admire the surrounding landscapes. Three-bedroom bath house, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow Enniskerry, Co Wicklow - Spacious modern 3 bedroom/bath house If you are looking to immerse yourself in the eerie landscapes, this apartment is just a short drive away from the foreboding Powerscourt Waterfall. A great option for those looking to travel in a larger group as it accommodates six guests. Two-bedroom apartment in Tullamore, Co Offaly Located near Charleville Castle, this four-guest stay is the perfect place to have a watch party after visiting the castle. Filled with books and a spiral staircase, the two-bedroom apartment is the ideal location to relax and watch the new season after a day of exploring. Period Irish manor, Ballycumber House, Co Offaly Ballycumber, Offaly - Period Irish Manor The driveway screams Nevermore Academy. Located a short drive away from Charleville Castle, this stay accommodates large groups of up to 16 people. Explore the manor and its formidable grounds late at night before curling up to watch the hit show. Ballycumber, Offaly - Period Irish Manor Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Séamus O'Reilly: I'm so sorry for my role in encouraging Netflix
The Netflix documentary has become its own genre, and one whose tropes are recognisable at a glance. They include the introductory quotes along the lines of 'We were a typical all-American family' or 'March 3rd, 1996, began like any other day'; the opening flash-forward to the story's climax quickly that segues into a trip back in time to the story's beginning; the establishing shots of interviewees preparing to be recorded, always adjusting mics or sipping water as the camera pulls focus; and drone footage of suburban landscapes overlaid with the placenames in huge block capitals. There are also – always, always, always – more episodes than are remotely necessary to tell the story, resulting in the grievous bloat that must help satisfy Netflix's viewership metrics. None of these is a novel observation, of course. People have bemoaned the cookie-cutter aesthetic of such documentaries for years. For so long, in fact, that it's eight years since Netflix released the first series of American Vandal, a hilarious school-set mockumentary that parodied its own style. Those of us who thought this might put an end to the trend have been disabused of this notion fairly regularly in the long years since. READ MORE One recent transmogrification of the Netflix-doc aesthetic is the anthology series Trainwreck, which began with Woodstock '99 , in 2022, and has since had entries on the Balloon Boy scandal, the Astroworld Festival disaster and, this year, the notorious poop cruise. Each kept many of the tropes on board but, crucially, averted the bloat by keeping each subject to a single episode of, often, less than an hour. That was until last week's premiere of Trainwreck: Storm Area 51, the series' first two-parter. Storm Area 51 is based on the true story of the Facebook meme page that managed to incite thousands of disconnected internet users to mount a charge on Area 51 , the infamous US military facility – and long-rumoured harbourer of UFO artefacts – in Nevada. At the centre of all this is Matty Roberts, a shitposter who got bored one day and started a Facebook event called 'Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us'. Within weeks, hundreds of thousands of users – millions, even – tagged themselves as going, and of those who eventually made the trip we meet more than a few, a motley crew of internet-poisoned freaks who turn out to be a surprisingly variable group. There are your standard attention-seeking microinfluencers, some New Age hippie types, a solid contingency of tactical-gear-wearing conspiracy cultists, and several varieties of stoner burnout adrenaline junkies – one of whom is good enough to make that appellation charmingly literal by explaining that he was attracted to the cause because he reckoned 'there was probably going to be a lot of adrenaline at this event'. [ Irish actor Pauline McLynn joins Coronation Street Opens in new window ] The one thing they all have in common – and I can say this with authority, having watched two hours of their adventures in the desert in 2019 – is that they're dumb as rocks. Watching them mount their charge on Area 51 is at times like watching pigeons trying to work the Large Hadron Collider, a diverting event rendered meaningless by the fact that it takes place without purpose. Or even, one sometimes worries, without sentience. That a crowdsourced band of kooky misfits decide to swarm a heavily guarded secret military installation is objectively interesting. The fact that a good number of them do so out of a genuine belief in aliens is worthy of a documentary. That most of them did it for no reason other than to assuage a cosmic state of boredom is more compelling still. The issue, however, is that all of these people are profoundly irritating to spend time with. Hearing them out is a near-interminable slog. The show has been a big hit, but it's almost impossible to get through. As I'm a creature of the internet, it should be right up my street. Instead I find spending time – any time at all – with them prohibitively taxing. Were I not considering it for review, I would have turned it off in minutes. As such, my complete watch of its two episodes leaves me having gained nothing in particular save the knowledge that said watch will, now and forever, count towards its tally of views, making it 0.0001 per cent more likely that we'll get more like this in future. For this, and so much else, I'm truly sorry. More gripping by half is the new historical epic Chief of War ( AppleTV+ , Fridays), a lightly fictionalised retelling of the unification of Hawaii , produced, cowritten by and starring Jason Momoa . The date is sometime toward the end of the 18th century, before the modern nation of Hawaii had been established, and four separate kingdoms – Hawai'i, O'ahu, Mau'i and Kaua'i – exist in states of hot and cold war. Chief of War reminds us that few actors are capable of delivering a frowning silence so eloquently Momoa plays Ka'iana, a battle-hardened son of Maui's chief of war, now living in self-imposed exile in neighbouring Kaua'i, where he has renounced war and lives with his clan in modest obscurity, all but shunned by locals. Once a mighty warrior, he's reduced to subsisting via the raddest way imaginable: hunting giant sharks and wrestling them to death for their meat. Soon, of course, he's called back to his ancestral home, amid talk of a new threat from which he, the prodigal son, must now defend them. Here, too, we meet many tropes of genre: the reluctant hero, the returning native, the wearied winter soldier attempting to put violence – of the nonshark variety – behind him. And it's true that there's talk of duty, honour and family, of ancient prophecies and scheming foreign viziers, all of which quite often veers toward the prosaic. What elevates Chief of War is the attention it pays to so many other aspects of its presentation. For one thing, the entire show is delivered in the indigenous Olelo Hawai'ian language, which is pretty brave – and commendable – of Momoa and his cowriter, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett. Its central performances, too, afford its slightly off-the-peg characters much-needed extra depth. [ A Minecraft Movie review: Jason Momoa and Jack Black have a ball in a proudly silly family adventure Opens in new window ] If Momoa is more often cast now in breezy wisecracking roles – delivering, it must be said, decidedly mixed results – Chief of War reminds us that few actors are capable of delivering a frowning silence so eloquently. Elsewhere, the ever-dependable Temuera Morrison is given plenty of scope to suffuse his performance as Maui's stoical chief with a deep reserve of coiled, seething menace. Chief of War is also uncommonly sumptuous, from its beautifully lensed vistas and spectacular production design to its bloodily effective action set pieces and appropriately epic Hans Zimmer score. This is a big story, on a big canvas, and for all its genre trappings it's prepared to take bigger risks than one might expect. Two episodes in, I'd wager those risks may well pay off.
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Love Island's Yasmin heartbroken as she reveals her pet cat Miaow Miaow has died from cancer
Her mum and sister decided against telling her when they entered the villa DEATH SHOCK Love Island's Yasmin heartbroken as she reveals her pet cat Miaow Miaow has died from cancer LOVE Island finalist Yasmin has revealed her pet cat Miaow Miaow has died. The reality star spoke lovingly about her cat numerous times in the villa, but while she was on the show Miaow Miaow died from cancer, aged 11. Advertisement 1 Love Island star Yasmin's pet cat has died Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Announcing the news on Instagram tonight, Yasmin wrote: "As I've spoken about her on the show I'm sure a lot of you will know I have a cat called miaow miaow who's been by my side for 11 years now. "When I was filming Love Island I had a bad gut feeling something was off and when my mum and sister came into the villa I asked them and still felt like something was off. "Rightfully they didn't tell me because I was still in the villa but after the final I called my sister and she told me that miaow miaow had cancer and died whilst I was away filming Love Island." Yasmin explained she was doing her best to be visible online in the whirlwind aftermath on the show, but it is proving hard. Advertisement She continued: "I'm trying to be as active as I can be on socials but am taking time for myself to process this heartbreak. "RIP to my beautiful baby girl, you were so loved and will always be in my soul."
