Whitty’s Pizzeria and Coffee Stop

It’s Saturday afternoon and we have just come back home from a lunch-​time jaunt around Axminster — the town we retired to 5 years ago. Had a very pleasant coffee at the Arts Café and listened to some really nice live modern jazz. So, where to next? Turn left out of the Arts Café and you are literally on top of Whitty’s. As we hadn’t visited this establishment since it opened earlier this year we thought «let’s give it a go!»
We have enjoyed a number of meals at the sister establishment The Old Inn in Killmington so we were confident that Whitty’s would be worth a visit.
First Impressions:
Bright, modern and clean inside with very comfortable armchairs in the bar area so you can have a drink or coffee without a meal or wait in this area for a table if the resturant is full.
The Meal:
We had a Melt Down pizza, garlic bread and a side salad between us and we struggled to finish! Note: Next time we must have the 9″ version.
Very tasty and the pizza was not too spicy to eat (some pizza places seem to enjoy advertising a ‘hot’ pizza that simply tasts like it’s made from paint stripper) The whole meal was very enjoyable and we will definitely be back.

Being locals we just had to pop in and try this new pizza place in Axminster.
Our first visit was for a coffee. What a lovely warm welcome from the Manager (it turned out to be). My partner wolfed down a cake from the tempting display in the cabinet. Having enjoyed our initial quick coffee visit we returned on Market Day, Thursday, and had a proper lunch. We had a 12 inch stone baked pizza and the cajun salad washed down with Peroni beer. It was all freshly cooked and tasty in a very relaxing spacious and clean setting. We found the price acceptable and we hope to visit again very soon. The waitress had a cheerful smile and ensured we were topped up with drinks and well looked after during our visit.
There is a great variety of places to eat in Axminster and this is a very welcome addition — not only in the interesting menu but in giving jobs to so many young people as well. Well done on opening a new venture in such a difficult climate. We feel sure that Whittys will be a great success.
Definitely 5 Stars!

Whitty’s Pizzeria and Coffee Stop is in a prime location in the centre of Axminster, adjacent to the church. Open for coffee and pastries during lunchtime, the downstairs features a variety of comfortable seating, perfect for wiling away a few hours during the day.
Having only been only opened a week when we booked a table, the menu was still pretty embryonic. A great interior though, very bright and summery, with a good splash of colour on the paintings that dotted the walls. There is even a terraced roof adjacent the kitchen, a nice touch. The tables varied in size from the cosy for couples to tables of four for bigger parties. The restaurant rapidly filled, so it is probably best to book or relax in the area of comfortable seating while you wait. An impressive bar area in the centre, seemed to cater for all tastes; the wine list was also fairly comprehensive.
The menu itself had a few set starters including dough balls and the daily special of goat’s cheese salad. As hindsight would prove skipping the starters was a wise choice, as the size of the mains and desserts were very generous; to eat three courses at Whittys you would have to be very hungry! For my main I plumped for the Melt Down pizza — Cajun chicken, chorizo and jalapeño peppers (with seeds!) — very spicy, but also extremely tasty. My wife and brother in law had the daily special pasta dish of penne pasta with mushrooms, courgettes and mozzarella, with a large side salad and garlic bread. This was also a substantial and impressive meal, but strangely there were no more pasta dishes on the menu, personally I think they should expand this side of the menu, it would be a roaring success. There were other pizzas, some standard like the Hawaiian, with other interesting additions like the Weaver, the Rampson and one for the indecisive, the Four Corners.
As we had skipped the starter, you’ve got to have a dessert, the choice again a little limited, but I’m sure the range will grow. There was a choice of ice cream, crème brulee and plum sauce, and Eton Mess. Nothing much beats the mix of meringue, strawberries and cream, a great finish to an excellent meal. Reasonably priced too, about £10 for a main and £5 for a dessert is not going to break the bank. Helpful staff too, with a smile on their faces, which makes a big difference. Pity we live 180 miles away or we would certainly be regulars!