Cornwall Best Restaurants and Cornish Places to Eat and Drink

Jump to:

olive's top 10 best restaurants in Cornwall
Foodie town spotlight: Newlyn
Where to stay in Cornwall
Foodie day trips around Cornwall

olive's top 10 best places to eat and drink in Cornwall

We've included insider information about what to order where below, plus plenty more places to visit, but for those who want a quick insight into our favourite spots in the city, here are Camille's picks.

For neighbourhood bistro vibes: Flora at Trelowarren Estate
Farm to fine dining: Crocadon Farm
Seafood pub: Gurnard's Head
The seafront spot: The Rocket Store
Wine bar chic: St Eia
Tiny taproom: The Verdant Seafood Bar
For Cornish produce: Tre, Pol & Pen farm shop
Harbourside brews: Origin Roastery
The best bakery: Gorse
The local hangout: Four Boys

Foodie town spotlight: Newlyn

Newlyn is located in south-west Cornwall, next door to the more familiar Penzance. It is a sleepy fishing village and port, and is home to the celebrated fish market that supplies many of Cornwall’s best kitchens. Start the day with a coffee at Lovett’s which uses locally roasted Origin beans and showcases sweet treats from Oona’s Cakes. Lovett’s operates as a specialist wine bar in the evenings so there is reason to go back later in the day. Argoe is found on the water’s edge, serving fresh seafood in a wood-clad building, the succinct menu dictated by the morning’s catch.

Tolcarne Inn is the perfect spot for Sunday lunch, a charming historic maritime pub with Ben Tunnicliffe at the helm. An evening meal is best enjoyed at Mackerel Sky, a tiny restaurant lovingly run by Nina and Jamie MacLean, and serves tasty seafood-focussed small plates, from crab nachos to crispy sole with katsu curry sauce. If the weather is playing ball, treat yourself to an indulgent ice cream at Jelbert’s – it only serves vanilla, but make sure you get your ball topped with Cornish clotted cream and a flake! Stay at Chapel House, in the neighbouring town of Penzance, a charming boutique hotel housed in a former arts club.

A table of three dishes at Lovetts Newlyn

Where to stay in Cornwall

Trevose Harbour House, St Ives

Doubles from £165, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or expedia.co.uk

The best bed and breakfast in St Ives... Breakfast is an art form at Trevose Harbour House, in the higgledy-piggledy artistic hub that is St Ives (home of the Tate Modern and the Barbara Hepworth Museum). A jaunty boutique B&B, with six nautical-themed rooms, a smattering of Ercol and harbour views, the focus is firmly on local and organic. Start with a smoothie 'shot of the day' then choose from their version of the continental or a hot dish. The continental is a smorgasbord of homemade bircher muesli, granola parfait, organic yoghurt, fresh fruit, seasonal fruit compote, homemade organic multigrain granola, freshly baked pain au chocolat, pain aux raisins and local organic bread smeared with homemade jams. Along with the full English, cooked options include a hot croissant filled with runny Cornish brie, ham and tomato.

Doubles from £165, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or expedia.co.uk

Kudhva, Tintagel

Doubles from £143, check availability at booking.com or kudhva.com

Drive down narrow lanes flanked by towering green hedges on Cornwall’s wild Atlantic coast to discover Kudhva, an off-grid glampsite near Trebarwith Strand. Set up by leatherworker Louise Middleton, this disused quarry has been transformed into a verdant enclave where visitors can stay in tree tents, rigged above ground, or in one of four kudhva – compact wood-and-metal cabins on stilts. In the midst of this bucolic setting is a self-catering glamping site. Expect flushing toilets, solar-powered showers, your own fire pit, a communal kitchen and even an outdoor hot tub, while the rustic surroundings are reflected in the décor – much of the furniture and structures are wooden and handmade, with jars of velvety fern fronds and wildflowers decorating most surfaces.

Doubles from £143, check availability at booking.com or kudhva.com

A cabin on stilts in woodland at Kudhva Cornwall

olive's top 10 best restaurants in Cornwall

Flora at Trelowarren Estate, Helston

Neighbourhood bistro vibes

A family-run café, bistro and bakery nestled deep within the unspoilt Trelowarren Estate. The eatery is situated in the historic stable yard and is run by friendly and talented couple, Tim Spedding (who previously cooked at The Clove Club and P Franco) and his creative wife Louise Rødkjær. Lunch might include new potato and sorrel soup with soda bread, wood-fired pollock with summer herbs and aïoli, or sprouting broccoli, kale and gremolata pizza. There is always a counter full of irresistible cakes and pastries, and on Sundays Tim serves a refined but relaxed set menu lunch in the dining room. floranewyard.co.uk

Crocadon Farm, Saltash

Farm to fine dining

Crocadon Farm has been a labour of love for Dan Cox, a Roux scholarship winner who has worked in some of the country’s best Michelin-recognised restaurants, before working tirelessly to transform this exceptional 120-acre farm into the ultra-sustainable field-to-fork mecca it is today. Surrounded by the farm that grows and nurtures most of the produce on your plate, this restaurant is assured and original while also giving back to the environment. crocadon.farm

Gurnard’s Head, Saint Ives

Seafood pub

This vibrant, mustard yellow gastropub stands out among the stark green fields that surround it. The hearty menu is well received by locals and tourists alike, and the Sunday roast is particularly popular, best enjoyed after a bracing coastal walk. Head chef Max Wilson excels with classic fish dishes and innovative seasonal inventions, driven by the changing seasons. gurnardshead.co.uk

The Rocket Store, Boscastle

Seafront spot

A small blackboard states the daily menu at this under the radar spot. Always filled to the brim with hungry locals, the kitchen creates innovative dishes championing local seafood but with the addition of bold spice mixtures and intriguing exotic flavour combinations, such as mackerel with nahm jim or monkfish with saffron broth. The quirky eatery is found inside an old rocket shop in the quiet fishing port of Boscastle. therocketstore.co.uk

St Eia, Saint Ives

Wine bar chic

A welcome break from the tourist traps of well-trodden Saint Ives, this chic, intimate wine bar pours rare, low-intervention bottles alongside a short menu of bistro-inspired food. Chat to the knowledgeable team who will help you pick a glass you’ll love, or buy a bottle to go. steiawines.com

The Verdant Seafood Bar, Falmouth

Tiny taproom

Those in the know visit Verdant Seafood Bar, tucked away on a side street in Falmouth, Cornwall’s main student town. The tiny hangout is the main taproom for Verdant Brewing Company, which makes a selection of unfiltered, vegan, hoppy craft beer. The company was founded in 2014 by three friends and the venue serves from eight taps – four classics and four ever-changing seasonal options. Get cosy at one of the few tables and order a few plates of seafood (we recommend the lobster and crayfish roll and fried seafood balls) to accompany a refreshing pint of Lightbulb beer. verdantbrewing.co

Tre, Pol & Pen farm shop, Launceston

Cornish produce

Just over the Devon-Cornwall border, Tre, Pol & Pen is an encyclopaedic farm shop showcasing the best Cornish ingredients and products, sourced from Launceston to Land’s End. It is an ideal first stop if you are staying in self-catering accommodation while in Cornwall – stock up on fruit and vegetables from the Tamar Valley, its own Red Ruby beef, and creamy Trewithen Dairy products. There is an airy on-site café for light lunches or a caffeine break from driving. trepolandpen.co.uk

Origin Roastery, Porthleven

Harbourside brews

Origin Coffee is one of Cornwall’s greatest foodie success stories – founded by Tom Sobey in 2004, this exceptional specialist coffee roasting company now supplies coffee shops all over the country, with its own cafés in Cornwall, London, Bristol and Edinburgh. The huge roastery is the heart of the business, a great place to enjoy brunch and a perfectly poured cup of coffee. The original Porthleven café nearby is also worth a visit if you fancy a flat white with a harbour view. origincoffee.co.uk

Gorse, Newquay

Buttery bakes

Cornwall might be best known for its traditional savoury pasties but the Gorse team is introducing a (dare we say it) more refined French style of viennoiserie. Housed in a sparse industrial space on the outskirts of Newquay, this creative bakery presents trays of alluring buttery bakes, from Marmite and cheddar swirls to seasonal fruit topped Danish patries. Perch at the communal table, order a coffee and choose from the tempting array of breakfast treats. @gorse_cornwall

Four Boys, Wadebridge

Local hangout

Avoid the Rick Stein fanatics and instead hop on the scenic pedestrian ferry from Padstow to Rock for lunch in peace. This hip café and restaurant overlooks the estuary, and serves a daily menu of comfort food, from sea bass crudo to its iconic smash burger, and meringue with poached rhubarb and cream for dessert. fourboyscafe.co.uk

Three foodie day trips around Cornwall

Trevibban Mill, Padstow

Cornish wine continues to thrive and Trevibban Mill is leading the movement with its award-winning wines. Visit the winery, situated on the slopes of the Issey Brook near Padstow, and enjoy a meal at the in-house restaurant Barnaby’s, which is run by the Prawn on the Lawn team. Guided tours takes place on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while tutored wine tastings are available Tuesday to Saturday. trevibbanmill.com

Feasting with Simon Stallard at Hidden Hut, Portscatho

Simon Stallard’s alfresco feasts have become a phenomenal sell-out success and have popularised the notion of beach dining in Cornwall. If you don’t manage to book a place at the table for one of his BBQ lobsters and seafood paella events, you can visit his Hidden Hut café for wholesome homemade food after a walk along the Roseland Peninsula. Simon and his wife have also opened Tatams café and The Standard Inn in the nearby town of Portscatho. hiddenhut.co.uk

Coombeshead Farm, Launceston

Everything you need for the perfect weekend break in Cornwall – a foodie destination (founded by chefs Tom Adams and April Bloomfield) with the added bonus of beautiful bedrooms. Dinner in the barn is a highlight of a stay here but you can also take part in bread making workshops or enjoy a Coombeshead picnic on the grounds surrounding the main house – there’s a reason you’ll find Coombeshead bread on the menu at restaurants up and down the country. coombesheadfarm.co.uk