Cornwall is a popular destination for foodies, especially for fish and seafood lovers. Below is a small selection of restaurants that we managed to visit and recommend during our trip to West Cornwall.
PENZANCE
The Clubhouse at the Artist Residence
During our stay at The Artist Residence in Penzance, we enjoyed some lovely food and cocktails at their in-house restaurant, The Clubhouse. Our morning breakfast was served here, but for the rest of the time it was a hub for coffee and remote working, wine and cocktails by the fireplace and tucking into dishes focusing on local Cornish produce.
Other restaurants that came recommended by The Artist Residence team:
MARAZION
Shutters at The Godolphin
A 10-15 min drive or a 45 minutes seaside walk takes you to the pretty town of Marazion. The Godolphin’s restaurant Shutters is a lovely option to dine if you are visiting or staying. On a sunny day, their open terrace is perfect for sipping cocktails with views out to the beach, the sea and St Michael’s Mount.
NEWLYN
Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar
A five minute drive or 20 minute walk leads you to Newlyn, a charming fishing port featuring the must-visit Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar. The menu showcases the best of Cornish fish and seafood. Sadly, you can’t book so do prepare to queue as this place gets very busy.
The Tolcarne Inn
This historic maritime gastro pub goes above and beyond the usual fish and chips offering we normally associate with pub food. The seasonally focused menu offers exquisite dishes celebrating local produce, the freshest seafood and a perfectly cooked Catch of the Day.
Argoe
An accidental discovery whilst wandering around Newlyn, Argoe was a fantastic choice to perch for a few hours for drinks with great views over the harbour. We had some small bites as we already had lunch plans elsewhere but Argoe’s seasonal and sustainable food offering paired with natural wines has definitely warranted a return for next time!
MOUSEHOLE
Hole Foods Deli
If you are visiting or staying in Mousehole, chances are you will visit this deli at least a couple of times for their selection of fresh salads, cheeses, freshly baked bread, pastas and organic wines. However, this small family run deli also has a restaurant upstairs where you can get some of the best views of Mousehole.
2 Fore Street
This place comes highly recommended and rightly so; plenty on the menu for fish and seafood lovers and they also have a charming garden in the rear, decorated with fairy lights for those balmy summer evenings. They also have rooms so it could be an excellent option for overnight stays.
Rock Pool Cafe
If you like to have your tea besides the sea, then a visit to the Rock Pool Cafe is a must. Sadly, they don’t take reservations so rock on up during off-peak times to ensure you get an outside table to soak in the seaside views.
The Old Coastguard
A great option to stay, eat and/or drink, we indulged in the latter, sat in their tropical themed beer garden overlooking the coast. On a good sunny day, this place is hard to beat for seaside views, 360-degree sunshine and ice cold beers! You will not want to leave, I promise!
ST. IVES
St. Ives has its fair share of amazing restaurants. Advance booking is strongly recommended, especially during peak holiday season although not every sought-after venue will take bookings.
The epitome of beachside restaurants, the Porthminster Beach Cafe offers unparalleled views of St. Ives Bay and Portminster beach. We ordered the Pan fried Cornish Hake fillet and the Surf’n’Turf (Fillet Steak, Seared Scallop, prawns, capers, chimichurri, chips). This is a strong contender for a lazy lunch or early evening dinner after a fun day at the beach.
Overlooking the sands of Porthmeor Beach, Porthmeor Cafe does tapas style dishes alongside imaginative cocktails. We tucked into a selection of small fish and seafood focused plates, such as Seared King Prawns, Harissa Glazed Mackerel and Grilled Sea Bream. The best time to visit is during the golden hour to watch the sun set over West Beach.
Literally located in the middle of St. Ives town, Porthminster Kitchen is located on the first floor and gives you a nice lookout into the hustle and bustle of the St. Ives high street.
Ugly Butterfly
2021 was definitely the year of ticking off bucket list items, including dining in the restaurants of one of my favourite chefs, Adam Handling. I have been a fan of him since Masterchef but it took me a while to eat at one of his restaurants. Our UK staycation in Cornwall coincided with the opening of one of his newest restaurants, Ugly Butterfly, so we booked a table for the last night of our trip. We had an excellent meal here enjoyed against the spectacular background of Carbis Bay.
Other places that were recommended to us were: Fish Bar at Porthmeor, Porthgwidden Cafe, The Seafood Cafe, Source Kitchen, One Fish Street, The Loft, The Hub, The Beach Restaurant, Talay Thai, Searooms and The Old Forge (in Lelant).
You can visit the St Ives tourist website – www.stives-cornwall.co.uk – which lists a number of restaurants to visit during your stay.
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