No longer just a place of pasties, Cornwall not only has stunning views but seriously good food – and one of the best reputations for cuisine in the UK – here are six of the good ‘uns.
Fifteen Cornwall
This casual, beach-side restaurant (pictured), set up as an off-shoot of Jamie Oliver’s London restaurant to train young people up as chefs, is well worth a visit. It overlooks Watergate Bay, where you can watch the surfers while you sit back and enjoy seasonal, local produce cooked with an Italian twist (at least 80% of the produce is sourced from Cornwall). The atmosphere is relaxed and informal and the menu includes treats such as squid ink taglierini with chilli and fennel seed pangrattato and pan-fried fillet of Cornish turbot, insalata of violette artichokes, zucchini and heritage tomatoes with a chilli and mint dressing.
Watergate Bay, TR8 4AA
www.fifteencornwall.co.uk
The Gurnard’s Head
Set on the coast road to Land’s End with a stunning sea view, this cosy restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere and a small, constantly changing local menu to ensure the utmost seasonality. Dishes include: sole with white beans, pearl onions and spinach sauce; beef rump, sauté potatoes, broccoli, hispi cabbage and red wine; and citrus fennel, saffron potatoes, spinach, vegetable and herb nage. Its sister restaurant, the excellent Felin Fach Griffin in Wales, is a rustic restaurant with rooms with a contemporary edge.
Treen, St Ives, TR26 3DE
gurnardshead.co.uk
New Yard Inn
Once an old stable block in the rustic but beautiful surroundings of the Trelowarren estate, this restaurant sources the majority of its ingredients locally, and grows its own vegetables, salads and herbs. Dishes are simple, making the most of the fantastic produce, and include: red mullet and dover sole with home-made crab tortelloni; ham hock terrine with home-made piccalilli; and beef fillet carpaccio with mustard dressing and rocket. The inn often hosts live music evenings, and the restaurant is surrounded by serene gardens.
Trelowarren, TR12 6AF
newyardrestaurant.co.uk
Pandora Inn
You'll find this inn nestled in an idyllic riverside setting. Part of this pub dates back to the 13th century and it's certainly packed with character. It also offers a fantastic local menu with a wide range from classic pub fare, such as fish and chips, to more refined dishes such as Falmouth scallops served on a Cornish spiced sausage with a sun blushed tomato pesto. You even have a choice of where to dine – from various rooms in the pub itself, to the water’s edge and even on a pontoon so you can dine on the water.
Restronguet, Mylor, TR11 5ST
pandorainn.com
Restaurant Nathan Outlaw
Across the estuary from Padstow lies the fabulously-named town of Rock. Nathan Outlaw, a BBC Great British Menu regular and chef proprietor of the eponymously-named eaterie, is one of the greatest young cuilnary talents to emerge from the south-west. He won Best Fish Restaurant in the 2011 Good Food Guide, amongst other accolades, and for good reason. Set in the St Enodoc Hotel, the tranquil dining room and terrace offers exquisite views of the water. Nathan's dishes are top-notch and sublimely-executed; he carries off simple but clever compositions without ever sliding into pretentiousness. The red mullet is particularly noteworthy, and the desserts lovely. For a more casual meal, head to his Seafood & Grill in the same hotel.
Rock, PL27 6LA
www.nathan-outlaw.com
The Seafood Restaurant
No list of Cornish restaurants would be complete without a mention of one of Cornwall’s most famous adopted sons, Rick Stein. He has an empire of four eateries in Padstow (recoined Padstein by locals), The Seafood Restaurant being the first. It serves the freshest fish and shellfish, which literally comes straight off the boat into the restaurant kitchen. There is also a seafood bar in the centre of the restaurant, so you can watch the chefs in action. Dishes include the unusual oysters charentaise – fresh oysters with spicy sausages – and fish and shellfish soup with rouille and Parmesan.
Riverside, Padstow PL28 8BY
Rickstein.com