Marisco Tavern: The Only Pub on Lundy Island
Last Updated on 8th June 2025 by Sophie Nadeau
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Self proclaimed to be ‘everything to everyone,’ the Marisco Tavern is named for a marauding family of Norman pirates and is unique in that it is the only pub (and, indeed, eatery) on Lundy island, a windswept granite outcrop just three miles long off the coast of north Devon in England.
The pub is located in ‘the village,’ which is a small group of houses on the southeast side of the island. It’s around a 25 minute steep walk uphill from the landing pier and just a few minutes walk from the campsite.
There is a toilet block directly outside of the pub and the blue Lundy postal box is affixed to a side wall of the building. The pub is also the only building on the island which has lights after the generators have been shut off for the night (typically around midnight).
Contents
A brief history of the Marisco Tavern
The building in which the pub now occupies dates back to the 1860s when the island’s quarry (only in operation for five years and closed amidst allegations of financial misconduct) employed around 300 men.
At this time, it was known as the ‘refreshment room’. After the quarry closed, the tavern was transformed into a pub and shop, supplying all of the islander’s needs. The number of permanent residents on Lundy has fluctuated over the centuries and today numbers just 28.
In 1925, Martin Coles Harman transformed the eatery into a pub and expanded the nearby Manor House Farm building into a hotel. It was at this time that the eatery was renamed the ‘Marisco Tavern’. During this period the space was still shared with the Lundy General Stores.
When the Landmark Trust took charge of the island, it set about transforming the tavern into a larger space and started serving actual food. During previous iterations of the inn, they had only served cheese, bread, and picked gulls eggs.
Food at the Marisco
The Marisco Tavern is open from 8:30 in the morning til late. There is no set closing time and the pub typically closes when the last client leaves. The tavern is advertised as a place where ‘the door never shuts’ and we saw this in action during our time on the island.
Food is at set times throughout the day, though the pub is open for drinks during opening times. Due to licensing laws, the bar itself is only opened from midday onwards. As on the UK mainland, the legal age for purchasing and consuming alcohol is 18.
Because we were camping, we actually opted to eat every meal at the Marisco. The food is reasonably priced considering that everything has to be imported from the mainland and so is handled twice over before being served.
There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options (there’s a separate board of these in the evening service) and I would say that the quality is good hearty pub food, though nothing exceptional. The meat all comes from animals on the island; the sika deer, goats, rabbits, lamb, and rare-breed pigs.
Breakfast
For breakfast the main choices are a full English breakfast or a full vegetarian English breakfast. Other classic dishes include beans on toast, poached eggs on toast, and jam and toast. There are a number of coffees, teas, and juices available.
Lunch
Lunch is the same everyday; a selection of Cornish-style pasties made by a bakery in Bideford (there’s a vegan option, cheese and onion, and meat ones), sandwiches with various fillings, including vegan options, and jacket potatoes. The food is basic but filling; exactly what you need halfway through a full day of hiking.
Dinner
As fewer people are on the island in the evening, there’s a wider selection of food as there are fewer people to cater to. Evening dishes include fish dishes, macaroni cheese, vegetarian nachos with beans, locally reared lamb, and even a chicken tikka massala. There are a number of desserts like profiteroles.
Drinks at the Marisco
There’s a wide array of soft drinks; coffee, tea, and herbal teas are available throughout the opening period. Soft drinks include Luscombe drinks (Sicilian lemonade, ginger beer), various fruit juices, and pop like coca cola and fanta.
There’s a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, including wine, rum, vodka, and even Aperol. At this remains a British pub, the true focus is on beers, with several local beers on tap (a British pale ale from Cornwall, a lager, etc). Alcohol free beer is also for sale.
Entertainment at the pub
If you’re caught up in bad weather while on the island, which is pretty common due to its location within the Bristol channel, then one of the best ways to pass the time is to grab a hot or cold drink and peruse the many board games at the pub.
There’s everything from Articulate to card games, and several sets of chess. One tables in the entrance area to the pub (which doubles as the bar counter where you order your meals) even doubles as a chess board.
If you’re travelling solo (many travellers to the island do- in fact we spied more solo travellers than couples or families), and reading is more your speed, then the entrance area is also a library, including plenty of books about the history of Lundy.
This includes a history guide, a guide on the lichens of Lundy (there are over 300 species, with 45 of these being nationally rare), a guide to the letterboxes of Lundy, and even a bird guide.
Tips for visiting the Marisco Tavern
As there is no phone signal on the island and the pub is fairly spacious for the number of residents, there’s no need to book a space. Upon arrival at the pub, you just have to find a table and then go to the counter to order your food.
Napkins, cutlery, and condiments are all self serve on a side table in the large pub room which is covered in sailing memorabilia, including the remnants of ships which have wrecked just off the coastline from Lundy.
Finally, if you plan on letterboxing on Lundy, then the first letterbox clue and stamp can actually be found within the Marisco Tavern!
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