Category: Food and drink

Cook & Carry from your Beach Retreat

Longer days full of spring sun, perfect for outdoor evening dining with your toes in the sand, even if it’s not quite barbecue weather. Living to the beat of the ocean, a pebble’s throw from the shore, a Beach Retreats kitchen is the perfect place to whip up a gourmet feast you can take to the beach. Tempted?

Interested in staying in our most luxurious holiday cottages? Check out our luxury coastal cottages.

cook and carry

Cook up one of these recipes from chefs around Cornwall and carry down to the beach for an end of the day alfresco meal beside the waves. There’s something for everyone, from a Cornish crab centrepiece to beach-ready pizza. Just remember, leave enough room in the bag for beach blankets and wine.

SMOKED CHICKEN WITH SALSA VERDE POTATOES

Canteen

Newquay Community Orchard; St Agnes
canteencornwall.com
@canteencornwall

Who said roast chicken is best enjoyed at the Sunday dinner table? With his sociable dining, seasonal ingredients and sustainable ethos, chef Ben Quinn has a firm following. Taking field to fork to a new level at his new venue in Newquay Orchard, much of the produce comes from the market garden just footsteps from the kitchen.

“Cold smoked chicken is one of my favourite dishes. On holiday you’ve got time to smoke this on the BBQ or even roast it in the oven the day before. Then tear and share it on the beach with crusty bread and salsa verde potatoes. It’s a real feast that doesn’t need to be eaten at home.” Ben Quinn

Elevate your beach BBQ game with expert tips and tricks on perfecting a beach BBQ with our guide!

Smoked Chicken

You will need a BBQ with a lid or simply roast in the oven.

Ingredients

  • Whole chicken (the best quality you can afford)
  • 100g table salt
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 3kg decent charcoal (if you’re barbecuing)
  • 150ml cider vinegar
  • 30g soft brown sugar

Cook it up

Get the chicken out of the fridge and season liberally with salt and caster sugar.
Leave at least an hour at room temperature or overnight back in the fridge, if you’re
organised.

Get the chicken out an hour before cooking and set up the barbecue in an offset
position (fire on one side so the food can go on the other side), or warm up the oven
to 180C.

Once the oven is hot, or the coals are white and hot, add the chicken (in the BBQ on
the side with no direct heat. The indirect heat will cook the chicken with the flavour of
the smoke.)

Put the lid on the BBQ and leave it alone. Or pop it in the centre of the oven and do
the same.

Salsa Verde Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 50g basil (picked)
  • 50g mint (picked)
  • 50g flat-leaved parsley (picked)
  • 20g tarragon (picked)
  • 1 tsp capers
  • 1 gherkin (diced)
  • 1 clove garlic (crushed with salt)
  • 150ml olive oil
  • 50ml cider vinegar
  • 800g new potatoes

Cook it up

Chop up the fresh herbs finely and put them in a bowl that will fit all the ingredients
including the potatoes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Taste, then add more oil, vinegar or salt until
it is popping inside your mouth.

Add the potatoes to boiling, salty water and boil for 20 minutes.

Check the potatoes with a sharp knife (in and out, and we are all good), then drain
and allow to steam and cool a little.

Add them to the salsa verde until well coated and the room smells like herbs.

Repeat after me: “I dress my potatoes when they are hot.” When you do this, it will bring joy.

MACKEREL FLATBREAD – ‘The Mac Dough’

Ansum

Roaming food from the fire – Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth and across Cornwall.
ansumfoodco.com
@ansumfood

Fancy staying in Mawgan Porth? Have a look at our Mawgan Porth holiday properties.

Photo credit: ANSUM

Ansum Food Co started out in Mawgan Porth in 2016, when Amie and John converted a French horse truck into a wood-fired kitchen. Passionate about keeping things local, since then they have been cooking on the fire all over Cornwall. Often parked up footsteps from the beach, favourite spots include Watergate Bay and Mawgan Porth.

“This dish was one of the first meals that left the hatch of our truck, and it went down an absolute storm. You can get fresh mackerel in abundance in Cornwall in spring and early summer – catch your own or visit a local fishmonger for the freshest available.” John Stamp.

Makes 4

Ingredients

4 mackerel fillets – ask your fishmonger to fillet your mackerel, unless of course you
have caught your own, in which case, find the sharpest knife and a steady hand.

Dough

Don’t be daunted by making dough. It can be fun, everyone can get involved, and it doesn’t have to be perfect.

  • 500g bread flour – we use The Cornish Mill House, St Newyln East
  • 300g warm water
  • 20g salt
  • 20g fresh yeast (5g dried yeast can be used)

Pickles

  • 1 cucumber – slice thinly/mandolin
  • 100ml cider vinegar
  • 50ml water
  • 50g sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 sprigs of dill

Tartare Sauce

  • Mayonnaise (we make our own but it’s not a sin to use shop bought)
  • 1 tbsp gherkin – chopped
  • 1 tbsp capers – chopped
  • 1 shallot – finely chopped
  • 1 lemon – zest and juice
  • Flat-leaf parsley – chopped
  • 4 handfuls of rocket
  • 4 slices of lemon

Cook it up

Dough

To make the dough, combine all your ingredients in a large bowl and get kneading.
15 minutes by hand should do it.

Split the dough into four portions, make into a ball, dust with flour and leave covered
with a tea towel until doubled in size (approx. 2 hours.)

Use plenty of flour and start to shape your dough – you can use a rolling pin at this
point.

Fry each flatbread in a medium hot pan for a couple of minutes on each side (you
can let them cool and finish them on the BBQ).

Pickles

For the pickles, make your brine by combining the vinegar, water, sugar and salt.
Simmer on a low heat for five minutes.

Meanwhile slice your cucumber thinly and add to a kilner jar (or jam jar).

Pour over your pickling brine and add the dill, leaving the lid ajar until completely
cooled. This can last in the fridge for a week.

Tartare sauce

Chop up all your ingredients for your tartar sauce, stir them up and season with
salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Mac Doughs

Light a BBQ and start to heat your flatbreads – they won’t take long so keep an eye
on them.

When they are hot, pop them on a plate and add a good spoon of tartar sauce and a
handful of rocket.

Cook the mackerel skin down on a very hot BBQ, flip them if needed after a couple
of minutes.

Add your mackerel fillet on top of the rocket, throw on some pickles with a squeeze
of lemon and a pinch of salt.

Fold it up, pack it up and head to the beach to tuck in!

HENK’S BEACH BUNS

Trevisker’s Kitchen Padstow

treviskers.com
@treviskerskitchen

Photo credit: Trevisker’s Kitchen

While known for his succulent steaks, building on decades of know-how from his cattle-farming grandfather, South African-born Henk de Villiers Ferreira – based at Trevisker’s Kitchen on the outskirts of Padstow – is now very much part of the culinary landscape of Cornwall.

“My beach bun is where pizza meets the Chelsea bun! They’re simple but delicious, and the best part is, you can put whatever you like in there. Bake them up at home then share them round at the beach. Forget the cutlery, just enjoy.”

Photo credit: Trevisker’s Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 pizza dough (shop-bought is fine)
  • Tomato purée
  • Grated cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
  • Olive oil
  • Oregano
  • Salt & pepper

Cook it up

Roll out your pizza dough.

Smear on a layer of tomato purée.

Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Roll up your pizza dough.

Slice into rounds – these should look like little pizza swirls.

Place the rounds into an oiled up roasting tin.

Leave to prove for about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle a little cheese on top.

Season with oregano, salt and pepper.

Bake at 180C for 25 minutes.

Head to the beach.

Photo credit: Trevisker’s Kitchen

CRAB SAFFRON AND TOMATO TART WITH KOHLRABI REMOULADE

The Packet Inn, Roseudgeon, Penzance

thepacketinn.co.uk
@thepacketinnsmokehouse

Photo credit: The Packet Inn

Ben Tunnicliffe and Matt Smith are making the most of The Packet’s rural location, with meat and fresh produce from the surrounding farming country, as well as seafood from Newlyn. Local sourcing and seasonality dictates, with a tempting array of small plates that evolves on a daily basis.

“This is a tasty Cornish take on a savoury tart and a great way to enjoy local crab meat. Cut the tart into slices and store in an air-tight container, add a tub of the kohlrabi remoulade too and pop in a cool bag – you’ll have a special centrepiece for your picnic!”

For the pastry:

Ingredients

  • 12 inch fluted loose bottomed tart ring
  • 300g plain flour
  • 170g cold diced butter
  • 1 egg beaten
  • Pinch of salt

Cook it up

Pre-heat the oven to 175C.

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs (or blitz in a food
processor). Add the salt and the egg and bring the mixture together as a dough. Rest
the dough for approx. 20 mins.

Roll out to the thickness of approx. a 50p

Line the tart case, pressing the pastry into the edges of the tart ring. Rest for 20 mins
in the fridge.

Then either dock using a fork or line with silicone and baking beans. Bake in the pre-
heated oven until golden brown and cooked, around 12-15 mins.

Remove from the oven and brush with some beaten egg, then return to the oven
until the egg has set which should take about 3 – 4 mins (this provides a barrier to
the pastry to keep it crisp).

For the tomato sauce:

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Sugar
  • White wine vinegar
  • 400g chopped tomatoes
  • Picked and chopped fresh thyme

Cook it up

Fry the onions and garlic in a little oil until softening and starting to colour.

Add sugar and caramelise. Deglaze with the vinegar and reduce until almost dry.

Add the tomatoes and cook until thick and intensely flavoured, then taste and season
with salt and pepper.

For the tart:

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp tomato sauce (see above)
  • 4 oz brown crab meat
  • 6 oz white crab meat
  • ½ pt double cream
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • A good pinch of saffron
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh herb such as dill, tarragon, chervil

Cook it up

Pre-heat the oven to 140˚C.

Bring the cream to the boil with the saffron and leave covered to infuse for 20
minutes or so.

Mix the brown crab meat with the tomato sauce and adjust the seasoning if
necessary. Spread over the base of the tart.

Scatter the white crab meat over the top of the tomato and brown meat base and

scatter with fresh finely chopped herbs.

Re-boil the cream and whisk the eggs and yolk together – add the hot cream to the
egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Season to taste and pour into the tart case, then
bake at approx 140C for about 20 minutes or until the custard is set.

Kohlrabi Remoulade:

Ingredients

  • 500g kohlrabi cut into matchsticks
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp grain mustard
  • ¾ pt vegetable oil
  • ¼ pt extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped capers
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped gherkins
  • 2 finely chopped anchovies
  • Freshly chopped parsley, chervil, tarragon and chives

Cook it up

Emulsify the egg yolks with the mustard and vinegar and season.

Continue to whisk while slowly adding the oil until all the oil is incorporated and is the
consistency of mayonnaise.

Add the herbs, capers, gherkins and anchovies and mix thoroughly.

Add the kohlrabi and stir in – taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Enjoy a Stein’s meal at your beach retreat

Stein’s at Home boxes deliver the excitement of a chef’s kitchen to your doorstep, inviting you to simply finish off the cooking process and tuck in to these classic dishes in the comfort of your own home or holiday retreat. In a time where going out to eat is not quite what it once was, the lavishness of fine dining can now be replicated in your home, your kitchen filling with the aroma of Cornish-sourced seafood and fragrant herbs and spices. We tried and tested the boxes ourselves and the process couldn’t be easier- with the dishes all pre-prepared, all you are required to do is finish them off using a hob, oven, grill and microwave (watch us in action on Instagram at 12 270 North, Fistral).

Fancy staying in a holiday retreat with a swimming pool? Check out our cottages with a swimming pool for a relaxing getaway.

 

All Beach Retreats guests will be sent a unique discount code ahead of their arrival.

Scallops sizzle under the grill, hazelnut and coriander butter melting and bubbling down the cracks of the shells. You plate them up, directly onto a bed of seaweed, before tasting the salty flavour of the sea that cuts through the richness of the butter as you mop the scallops up with a serving of crusty sourdough bread.

steins

Up next, lobster thermidor meat soaks up the creaminess of a Vermouth sauce as it cooks. Topped with the twang of Parmesan cheese, you tuck in straight from the shell, alternating rich mouthfuls with the zestiness of new potatoes and locally picked salad leaves.

steins

You finish the meal with a chocolate pavé, the softness of clotted cream wrapping around the crunch of crystallised hazelnuts.

The boxes are an amalgamation of fresh Cornish & British seafood and Rick’s classic dishes, providing you with a flavour-enriched experience which matches that of restaurant dining. The three-course options serve two and range from the lobster menu, with grilled scallops to start, the Indonesian curry menu with a fish and shellfish soup, to a classic steak menu with a smoked salmon starter and vegetarian menu featuring a cashew nut curry and pau bhaji. Other options include mains of turbot and St Edenoc asparagus, hake, coq au Riesling or sea bass, and you can also order a Breakfast Box, Fresh Fish Box or Rick Stein’s Cornish Charcuterie Box. Each menu is carefully crafted by Jack Stein and fellow chefs, using seafood from the Cornish coast wherever possible and always including the freshest ingredients.

If your retreat has a balcony, take your dishes outside for an al-fresco dining experience. With all of our properties just moments from the beach, admire the scenery beyond your windows as you eat, with a glass of the Charlie Stein recommended wine to accompany your dishes. We know that there’s no better way to enjoy the comfort of your property than an evening in with some decadent cuisine, and therefore all of our Beach Retreats guests will receive an exclusive discount on any Stein’s at home box of choice.

If your box leaves you craving more of the Stein’s flavour palette, head out to one of his various restaurants around Cornwall to sample more of the menu in the stylish interiors of his award-winning eateries. Or, if the home preparation has left you feeling inspired, dive into Rick Stein’s very own cooking school in Padstow, where you can attend courses and workshops on how to recreate his foodie magic.

Fancy staying in Padstow and experiencing some of Rick Stein’s restaurants first hand? Check out our luxury holiday lets in Padstow.

Discover the best local eats during your self-catering holiday in Cornwall with Beach Retreats.

Photos taken at 12 270 North, Fistral.

Eating out in St Ives

Unpack a gourmet picnic with your toes in the sand. Dine on fresh fish, gazing out to the ocean where it was caught. Graze on produce picked from sea-hemmed fields. Eating out in St Ives is a feast for the senses.

A fishing village turned artists colony, these days St Ives’ foodie reputation is fast chasing its creative legacy and the allure of its white-sand beaches. Whether you fancy Michelin-starred dining or fish and chips on the beach, these are some of our favourite places to eat out in one of Cornwall’s most popular seaside towns…

Fancy staying in a holiday retreat with a hot tub? Check out our cottages with a hot tub for a relaxing getaway.

st ives

St Ives Liquor

Let’s start with a tipple at The Searoom. The family behind this seafront bar spent years experimenting with aromatic flavours plucked from the Cornish coastline, to produce their own St Ives Gin. So where better to sit back and sip handcrafted spirits, graze on tapas and watch fishing boats putter in and out of the harbour?

Porthgwidden Cafe

Tucked on the edge of a white-sand cove, the Porthgwidden Café is a divine setting to feast on fresh Cornish ingredients fused with flavours of Asia and the Med. While signature dishes include the fragrant mussels, crispy squid and leadoff curries, it’s also one of our favourite spots for breakfast. Fuel up for the day with views across the cerulean stretch of St Ives’ Bay towards the iconic Godrevy lighthouse – you might even spot a pod of dolphins.

Porthminster Cafe

Also nudging the town’s pearly sands is the Porthminster Beach Café, which boasts bucket-loads of accolades for its fish-based menu and beachside vibes. Frankly there are few better venues to take a seat on the terrace, sip a crisp white from a beach-bucket cooler, and devour ingredients flipped from the sea and picked from the kitchen garden.

Porthminster Kitchen

Prefer to dine on delectable dishes with a view over the hustle and bustle of the harbour? Take a seat in the light-bathed Porthminster Kitchen, and feast your eyes on views that have inspired artists for centuries. Another restaurant from the team behind the Porthminster Beach Café, the menu offers a light and creative twist on Cornish cuisine, with small plates and global flavours served in a chic urban-style venue.

One Fish Street

Bona fide seafood lovers should book a table for the tasting menu at the intimate One Fish Street. Here the small plates are tailored to what’s landed on the day boats, combined with ingredients from artisan growers and producers. The accompanying wine flight matches each course with hand-selected vintages, most of which are organic, bio dynamic and sourced from small growers.

Rum and Crab Shack

Even vegans can enjoy classic seafood-style dishes at the Rum and Crab Shack, where there’s Tofu Fish ‘n’ Chips on the menu (tofu marinated in lemon juice, wrapped in nori seaweed sheets and cooked in a vegan-beer batter). Whole crab and lobster are also on the menu of varied offerings from land and sea, served alongside a variety of rums from around the world.

Porthmeor Cafe Bar

If you’ve been visiting the Tate St Ives or riding the waves at Porthmeor beach, pause to tuck into tapas and Mediterranean-inspired dishes at the Porthmeor Café Bar. This retro-chic diner overhangs St Ives’ most famous surf beach, making it a prime spot to bag a window seat or heated alfresco booth. We love a ‘build your own’ breakfast beside the waves, or tapas and a glass of fizz as the the sun goes down.

Beer and Bird

A standout amongst the usual seafood repertoire, Beer & Bird is an independent and family-run joint specialising in craft beer and Cornish free-range fried chicken. Serving comfort food in style, you can also get your chops around Belgian waffles, monster burgers and meat-free dishes including vegan fried chicken. All complemented by more than 60 craft beers and ciders behind the bar.

Blas Burgerworks

If you want to eat barefoot on the beach, there’s an abundance of takeaway outlets – just beware of seagulls dive-bombing to steal your chips and ice cream. One of our favourite takeaways is Blas Burgerworks. This ethical take on a burger bar serves mouth-watering stacks of Cornish ingredients from a hatch beside the harbour. And it’s not just for carnivores; vegetarians can tuck into blackbean burgers with corn salsa and guacamole, or halloumi burgers with field mushrooms.

Thinking about staying in St Ives? Have a look at our luxury St Ives holiday properties.

Check out our recommendations on the best places to go for breakfast in Cornwall.

Become a seasoning pro with Cornish Sea Salt during your upcoming staycation

Need a little cooking inspiration for your upcoming staycation in Cornwall? We speak to the team at Cornish Sea Salt to find out their favourite tried and tested, go-to recipes. 

Let us tell you a little about us first…

Cornish Sea Salt is sourced from Grade A Atlantic waters, eight metres from the shoreline on the Lizard Peninsula and hand-harvested in our eco-friendly salt house. Beneath Cornwall’s beauty is a totally unique geographical environment which defines the taste and high mineral content of Cornish Sea Salt. Our salt contains over 60 natural and essential nutrients and minerals which help your body and mind to function.

Explore our holiday lets in The Lizard Peninsula.

The combination of these minerals and nutrients means our salt really packs a punch, bringing zest and zing to your cooking so you can sprinkle less for the same impact – perfect for cooking up a storm in the kitchen on your staycation in Cornwall.

We’ve put together some tasty meal ideas for those slower days, snacks to take to the local beach and slap-up meals using a variety of our seasonings and flavours.

Want to go out for breakfast? Check out our recommendations on the best places to go for breakfast in Cornwall.

Interested in staying in our most luxurious holiday cottages? Check out our luxury coastal cottages.

Brunchin’ 

Slower mornings and long lay ins are a must when you’re in holiday mode, and can only mean one thing – brunch! Once you’ve enjoyed your morning coffee soaking up the views Cornwall has to offer from the comfort of your holiday home, it is time for food.

We’ve got two very special brunch dishes on the menu that are super easy to cook, and will take you to your favourite café without having to leave the house. Our grilled figs on toasted brioche with ricotta, thyme and honey finished with Cornish Sea Salt Flakes is a thing of beauty. The sticky figs hits the spot for those who crave something sweet in the morning, balanced with thyme and flaked Cornish Sea Salt for a sweet and salty finish.

cornish sea salt

Or for something a little heartier, why not try our Australian-inspired potato cakes recipe which we serve with avocado and a poached egg (St Ewe of course) to satisfy that savoury pang. Finished with sea salt flakes, or add our Chilli hit for an extra kick.

cornish sea salt

A taste of Cornwall

During your staycation in Cornwall, give yourself a taste of the coast with our epic corn on the cobs smothered with Cornish seaweed butter. This recipe is SO easy and a taste sensation – believe us! Why not pre-prepare by making your butter with our Seaweed Salt and take to the beach with a portable BBQ!

cornish sea salt

A trip to Cornwall wouldn’t be complete without a scone. Our Smokin’ cheese scones using our Smoked Sea Salt Flakes are a perfect mid-afternoon snack and SUPER easy to rustle up. Eat warm from the oven, slathered in Cornish butter and your favourite chutney.

scone cornish sea salt

Next up is Cornish crab tacos by chef James Strawbridge using our Mexican Salt blend for easy cheat seasoning that packs in the flavour – best served with a cold beer in the sunshine!

cornish sea salt

Come dine with me

Cooking a meal on your staycation doesn’t need to be a chore – with a little added help and theatre! Try these Korean Chicken Wings with our Really Garlicky Salt and cheat a little using some Merchant Gourmet grains to go with them.

cornish sea salt

Finally, the pièce de resistance.. Pavlova with Sea Salt & Peppery Marinated Strawberries (stick with us on this one!) The sea salt and pepper enhances the strawberry flavour and gives this sweet dessert a delicious kick! This really is a dish that has to be tried to be believed – and you won’t regret it!

cornish sea salt

Why not try some of these recipes during your stay with Beach Retreats?

You can purchase all salts for your online food shop at Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons.

Find out more on our website cornishseasalt.co.uk or always find out what’s on the menu on our Instagram.

Recipes and links

The Best Food Takeaways & Deliveries in Cornwall

We’ve collected some of Cornwall’s best pop ups, takeaways and delivery services to help you enjoy your stay in Cornwall this summer.

Visiting with a large group? Discover our large holiday homes perfect for big families or friend groups.

Planning your trip?  Rather than a supermarket delivery, order some of Cornwall’s finest produce to your holiday home:

And for more ideas, Barefoot Cornwall has an exhaustive list here.

Want to stay in Newquay? Have a look at our luxury holiday properties in Newquay.

Our Long List

Location: Bude
Name: Temple
What is it: Food takeaway
Opening hours: Weekend only
How to find out more: www.templecornwall.com/
Description: Modern. Cornish. Seasonal food available for takeaway from the restaurant
Location: Bude
Name: Cornish Coast Farm Shop
What is it: Farm shop and pizza delivery
Opening hours: Weekend deliveries, check FB for opening times
How to find out more: www.cornishcoasts.co.uk
Description: Cornish Coasts, near Bude, has a well-stocked shop, with fresh fruit and veg, and storecupboard essentials. They are also delivery pizzas locally on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Location: Boscastle
Name: Noco
What is it: Food takeaway
Opening hours: Couple of days a week TBC
How to find out more: www.instagram.com/noco_food/
Description: London food collective in Boscastle harbour
Location: Carbis Bay
Name: Bin Two
What is it: Wine delivery
Opening hours: Orders must be received by 8am Monday
How to find out more: www.bintwo.com/our-wines/
Description: Independent wine merchant based in St Ives
Location: Carbis Bay
Name: Porthminster Café
What is it: Seafood takeaway
Opening hours: Fri & Sat only
How to find out more: www.instagram.com/porthminstercafe/
Description: Seafood resturant
Location: St Ives
Name: Bens Cornish Kitchen
What is it: Food delivery
Opening hours: Sat & Sunday
How to find out more http://www.benscornishkitchen.com/
Description: 2 course dinners for 2 people, heat up and serve at home
Location: Charlestown
Name: Appletons
What is it: Food, wine takeaway
Opening hours: Thurs, Fri & Sat eve
How to find out more: www.appletonsrestaurant.com
Description: Italian style restaurant serving dine-away fresh pasta, take away wine and pre-bottled Negronis.
Location: Newquay
Name: Pavillion
What is it: Produce led deli
Opening hours:
How to find out more: www.wearethepavillion.com
Description: Local food heros, supplying fruit and veg from local suppliers, fresh pasta, dine-away dishes, takeaway coffee, housemade sourdough & pastries
Location: Newquay
Name: Good Lyfe
What is it: Re-fill shop
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday
How to find out more: www.thegoodlyfe.co.uk
Description: Plastic free, local refill supermarket. Store cupboard essentials, personal care and gifts. Fresh baked goods at the weekend.
Location: Newquay
Name: Basket
What is it: Coffee & cake takeaway + celebration cakes to pre-order
Opening hours: Monday – Sat 8am – 1pm
How to find out more: www.facebook.com/basket.newquay
Description: Beautiful handmade cakes for takeaway or pre-order celebration cakes, coffee and savoury lunches to takeaway
Location: Newquay
Name: Sprout
What is it: Healthfoods supermarket
Opening hours: Mon – Sat 10am – 4pm
How to find out more: www.sproutheatlh.co.uk
Description: Wholefood, organic local deli produce. Deliveries or collection
Location: Newquay
Name: Real Food Box
What is it: Veg boxes as well as meat, dairy and fish
Opening hours: 7 days a week
How to find out more: www.realfoodbox.co.uk
Description: Trevilley Farm shop offering deliveries across Cornwall
Location: Newquay
Name: Hayley Scott Blooms
What is it: Fresh flower deliveries
Opening hours:
How to find out more: www.hayleyscottblooms.co.uk
Description: Flower deliveries to Newquay and surrounding areas. Combine delivery with sweet treats from Basket, Jam Jar & Choukette french patisserie
Location: Newquay
Name: Box and Barber
What is it: Coffee and brunch to pre-order and collect
Opening hours: Daily 8am – 3pm
How to find out more: www.facebook.com/boxandbarber
Description: Origin coffee, acai bowls, avocado toasties and pastries from Da Bara to pre order and collect
Location: Newquay
Name: Adam Banks
What is it: Food delivery
Opening hours: Friday and Saturday only
How to find out more: www.instagram.com/adam___banks/
Description: Fresh pasta dishes delivered within the Newquay area.
Location: Mawgan Porth
Name: El Huichol
What is it: Mexican taco delivery
Opening hours:7
How to find out more: www.elhuichol.co.uk
Description: Authentic Mexican Street food delivered to your door
Location: Mousehole
Name: Lovetts (Newlyn)
What is it: Wine/off licence store, takeout and coffee + home delivery
Opening hours: Fri & Sat 9am – midday
How to find out more: www.lovetts-newlyn.co.uk
Description: Organic wines, craft beer and local coffee (with the occasional doughnut). These guys also do their own pre-bottled espresson martini
Location: Mousehole
Name: Mackerel Sky Sea Food Bar
What is it: Takeaway seafood restaurant + wine
Opening hours: Thursday -Sunday
How to find out more: www.mackerelskycafe.co.uk
Description: Small seasonal seafood bar serving fresh seafood and small plates from the local area
Location: Perranporth
Name: El Huichol
What is it: Mexican taco delivery
Opening hours: Sunday delviery in Perranporth
How to find out more: www.elhuichol.co.uk
Description: Authentic Mexican Street food
Location: Portreath
Name: Portreath Bakery
What is it: Food delivery
Opening hours: home delivery
How to find out more: www.portreathbakery.com
Description: Portreath Bakery is delivering bread, pasties, cakes, flour and yeast for your new baking habit
Location: Porth Beach
Name: El Huichol
What is it: Mexican taco delivery
Opening hours: Saturday delivery in Porth
How to find out more: www.elhuichol.co.uk
Description: Authentic Mexican Street food
Location: Porthcothan
Name: Padstow Kitchen Garden
What is it: Farm shop near Padstow
Opening hours:
How to find out more: www.padstowkitchengarden.co.uk/farm-shop
Description: Tretheran Farm Shop with seasonal veggies all grown on site. Local delivery available to some surrounding areas.
Location: Port Isaac
Name: Nicky B’s Pasty Shop
What is it: Nicky B’s pasties and sausage rolls are available to buy frozen, with local home delivery available.
Opening hours:
How to find out more: 01208 880498
Description: Pasties, Sausage rolls available to buy from frozen. Delivery available.
Location: Porthlevan
Name: The Mussel Shoal
What is it: Takeaway and delivery laidback seafood dining.
Opening hours: Best to follow their social media to keep up to date
How to find out more: www.musselshoals.co.uk
Description: Expect fresh fish finger sandwiches, clam chowder, squid & chips. Often doing pop ups in St Ives, as well as delivery and collection from their usual spot on the harbour.
Location: Portreath
Name: The Flour Power Pizza Parlour
What is it: Mobile Artisan Pizza
Opening hours: Check out the website for locations and times
How to find out more: www.flourpowerpizzaparlour.co.uk
Location: Portreath
Name: The Hub
What is it: Takeaway
Opening hours: 10am to 4pm daily and 7pm Friday and Saturday
How to find out more: www.thehubportreath.com/
Description: Check out their grab and go menus
Location: Rock
Name: Blue Tomato Café
What is it: Takeaway and delivery to local St Minver Parish
Opening hours: Thursday and Saturday
How to find out more: www.bluetomatocafe.co.uk
Description: Anything from salads, curries to salt and pepper squid and fish & chips.
Location: Rock
Name: Pityme Inn
What is it: Food takeaway
Opening hours:
How to find out more: www.pitymeinn.co.uk
Description: Pub classics to takeaway. Local delivery also available
Location: Roseland
Name: Philleigh Way
What is it: Meal delivery
Opening hours:
How to find out more: www.philleighway.co.uk
Description: Pre cooked meal boxes, including Sunday roasts as well as ingredients
Location: St Agnes
Name: Canteen + Schooners
What is it: Food takeaway
Opening hours: Fridays, annouced on instagram
How to find out more: www.facebook.com/schoonerscornwall
Description: Wood fired, casual dining. Usually last minute annoucements made on instagram of flash feeds and take-outs + takeout taco kits from Tom Vase of Schooners to be collected
Location: St Agnes
Name: J Earl Shellfish
What is it: Local fish delivery
Opening hours: Announced on Facebook
How to find out more: www.facebook.com/J-EARL-shellfish
Description: Locallay caught fish, delivery available throught central Cornwall
Location: St Agnes
Name: Genki
What is it: Food delivery
Opening hours: Home deliveries
How to find out more: www.instagram.com/genkicornwall
Description: Breakfast, lunch and afternoon teas. Speciality – Acai bowls
Location: Watergate Bay
Name: Emily Scott Food
What is it: Pop up restaurant
Opening hours: 12 midday to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 9.30pm, close Sunday and Monday
How to find out more: www.emilyscottfood.com
Description: No faffing, no fussing just beautiful seasonal food in the former home of Fifteen Cornwall..
Location: Whitsand
Name: The View
What is it: Resturaunt with outside dining at a safe distance
Opening hours: Fridays, Saturdays & Sunday
How to find out more: www.theview-restaurant.co.uk
Description: Simple food, cooked precisely. Fine dining in a casual and relaxed atmosphere
Location: Whitsand Bay
Name: Pengelleys, Looe
What is it: Fresh fish sales
Opening hours:
How to find out more: 07531 429541
Description: Fresh seafood sold from the hatch, also offering deliveries
Location: Widemouth/Bude
Name: Black Rock Café
What is it: Tea & Coffee takeway
Opening hours: Follow their facebook page for annouced opening times
How to find out more: www.facebook.com/BlackRockBeach1/
Description: Tea, coffee and cake to take away. Bring your own blanket to sit on the beach and enjoy.

 

Explore the finest food and farm shops in Cornwall, where local produce and culinary delights await to enhance your coastal experience.

Cornwall’s Wild Larder

At a time when the seasonality and provenance of our food are becoming evermore important, people are opening their eyes to our edible landscape. Cornwall is a foodie haven renowned for its abundance of fresh ingredients plucked from the coast and countryside, so it’s little wonder that the shoreline and hedgerows are bursting with them. Cliff-tops are thriving with samphire, gorse flowers and wild garlic, boulders are strewn with edible seaweeds and hedgerows are bursting with all sorts of berries and herbs.

It’s not often that people compare Cornwall’s landscape with the shelves of a supermarket, but whether you want to make chutney or serve up a three-course feast, expert forager Caroline Davey can show you where to find an array of ingredients in nature’s larder. “It’s about using foraged foods like any other ingredients you would buy from the supermarket, and making interesting, delicious dishes with them,” says Caroline.

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A keen cook with a background in ecology and botany, Caroline started supplying local restaurants with foraged ingredients back in 2007, and by 2008 she had launched Fat Hen – her own foraging and wild cookery school. Caroline’s renovated barns tucked in the wilds of West Cornwall are the perfect base to bring people together to enjoy the Great Outdoors, go foraging and create fabulous feasts from nature’s bounty. This isn’t foraging for survival’s sake. Greens, herbs, salad, veg, seaweeds, flowers, seeds and roots are cooked up into restaurant-worthy dishes, sometimes topped up with seafood from the local fishermen. “People start identifying edible plants in a bunch of greenery or seaweed and realise not only that they can eat them, but that they actually taste really good,” says Caroline. “The profile of wild food is changing. It’s not just eating wild food that’s important; it’s the process of foraging for our own ingredients that is emphasising our connection with food and the landscape. When you get down to the beach and you’re out foraging you’re living so much in the moment and everything feels so good.”

SEASIDE FORAGING

Anyone can go out and forage for ingredients along the shoreline – seashore plants are very distinctive and quite easy to identify with the help of a guidebook to wild ingredients. Caroline recommends River Cottage’s Edible Seashore.
The coastline is a great place to find seaweed, samphire and sea beet, all delicious served up with line-caught mackerel or foraged mussels. Then you can scour the woodlands and hedgerows for berries, edible flowers, three-cornered leeks and nettles.

Six wild ingredients to forage for in Cornwall

ELDERFLOWER – the taste and scent of English summer. The sweet flavour of elderflower makes delicious cordial and non-alcoholic elderflower champagne’, and can also be used in salads and dressings.

NASTURTIUM
Part of the watercress family, nasturtiums grows so vigorously in Cornwall that some people consider them to be a weed. The leaves and petals have a peppery, tangy flavour and add wonderful colour and punch to a summer salad.

APPLE MINT
A versatile ingredient for cocktails and summer barbecues. Apple mint adds a zingy flavour to salad dishes, cocktails and meat. Or you can simply pour boiling water over a sprig for fresh mint tea.

BLACK MUSTARD
The strong and peppery leaves can be used for frittatas, salads or as a cooked green. Use the flowers in a salad or a Bloody Mary.

ROCK SAMPHIRE
Named after St Pierre (the patron saint of fishermen), samphire is delicious pickled, in a salsa verde, in fritters or alongside fresh fish.

MUSSELS
Our favourite food to forage for has to be mussels. Pick them off the rocks at the lowest tide and steam them in white wine with garlic and cream. Don’t pick them after rain or near a river-mouth and only from September to April.

FAT HEN – www.fathen.org, 01736 810156

Check out our holiday properties in Mousehole to experience everything Penzance and the area has to offer.

Unearth fascinating finds and foraging adventures with Beach Retreats’ insightful guide.

Winter Hearty Dishes by the Sea | Cornwall

Warm up with Paul Harwood’s hearty dishes that are perfect for winter nights by the beach.

With views across the ocean from his kitchen, chef Paul Harwood naturally fuses his cooking style to echo his surroundings and the seasons. Having started his career under the wing of Rick Stein, Harwood opened The Fish House in 2014. The fact that the tables nudging Fistral Beach are booked up throughout the year, is a testament to Harwood’s success, and his role at the forefront of Cornwall’s foodie revolution.

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It’s a windy autumn day with storm clouds scudding across the waves, and Harwood’s menu is changing to embrace wholesome, hearty dishes made from ingredients plucked from Cornwall’s land and sea. “As the weather turns, I’m angling away from lighter dishes and summer salads, towards the sort of dishes to warm your cockles after a blustery beach walk or a surf,” Harwood explains.

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If an ingredient is in season, Harwood really tries to make the most of it. “When wild garlic is in abundance in spring, I use it widely across my dishes. At the moment there are huge numbers of mackerel in the bay, and my chefs have been out catching it daily. We’ve turned this into a popular Indian dish, served with dahl, poppadoms, kachumba, coconut sambal and raita salad.

As we move into autumn and winter, it’s mushrooms that dominate the upcoming menu. “I love using mixed, wild mushrooms from the West Country – such as girolles and ceps,” he says. A seasonal favourite that many locals return for is the hake, mash potato and wild mushroom sauce. “The dried, wild mushrooms are steeped in hot water and smoked whisky, intensifying the flavour. I use this and a mix of caramelised veg to make an intense, flavourful sauce – a really dark, mushroom fumé that gets poured over fresh, wild mushrooms and served with the hake. People come here just for that dish. It’s perfect after a chilly day on the beach.”

Like in most of Paul’s dishes, the ingredients are all local. “I’m in the category of trying to get people to eat fresh, local fish and enjoy what’s caught on the doorstep. The hake is from St Ives. People here tend to steer towards cod and haddock, but hake is a beautiful fish – softer than cod, with a deeper flavour, and firm enough to keep its colour,” he explains.

The variety of seafood on the menu really depends on what the fishermen catch. “In summer there’s lots of bream, red mullet and turbot – I try to get stuff off the day boats, a lot of which comes from Looe. Lobsters and crabs come from the Newquay fishermen, landed just a pebble’s throw away in the harbour,” Harwood tells me. However, while the notion of serving a whole crab is quite romantic, he admits that it can also be quite a messy dish, and there’s not that much meat on a crab to fill you up. “We prefer to serve a roasted hot shellfish dish, with a mix of mussels, scallops, prawns and crab claw… cooked in chilli, garlic and lemon juice. It’s a real favourite and much more warming than a classic fruits de mer.”

As the seas get bigger and less fishermen venture out in the more dangerous winter swells, Harwood explains that the choice of seafood becomes slimmer and prices are nudged higher. However, this doesn’t limit the rustic dishes on offer at The Fish House. Chowder is a favourite that’s back on the menu – made with prawns, cod, smoked bacon and cayenne pepper. Served with a chunk of homemade focaccia, a steaming bowl of chowder is a great dish for lunch beside the wild, winter waves.

Harwood has travelled extensively in search of surf and the finest regional recipes: “When I use recipes from a particular region, I try to stay true to its origins. For example, if I do Moules Mariniere, I stick to how they make it in Brittany, using butter not oil, and just white wine and parsley, without the cream – that’s a very British addition, which makes it rich and heavy.” Having spent a lot of time in Sri Lanka, he tried numerous prawn curries to get to best ingredients and recipe, which he replicates in the most traditional way, by making a powder. As a result, his Sri Lankan prawn curry is also a popular warm and spicy winter dish.

Looking for a fantastic restaurant in Cornwall? Check out some of our favourite restaurants with stunning sea views.

A firm believer in using local ingredients where possible, Harwood also relies on seasonal vegetables to bring the flavours of the seasons into his food. So as the chill seeps into the sand and the sea, it’s the root vegetables that come into the kitchen each day – fennel, leeks, butternut, cabbages, parsnips and celeriac. Whether you hit Fistral Beach for a surf, a shoreline stroll or a wild winter swim, you’ll find The Fish House open seven days a week for lunch and dinner,* so come in and fuel up on Harwood’s hearty winter dishes by the waves.

Browse our beach locations and keep an eye on our special offers page to book your foodie retreat by the sea this winter.

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The Best Seafood Restaurants in Cornwall

The Fish House, Fistral, Newquay overlooks the beach

Hailed as one of the UK’s top foodie destinations, Cornwall is home to an abundance of restaurants serving fresh fish flipped straight from rod to pan.

Interested in staying in our most luxurious holiday cottages? Check out our luxury coastal cottages.

Here are our top ten places to dine on the ocean’s bounty:

The Fish House, Fistral Beach, Newquay

Nudging the waves on the surfing mecca of Fistral beach, The Fish House is the sort of restaurant that’s putting Newquay on the foodie map. Owner and chef Paul Harwood cut his teeth under the tutelage of Rick Stein, and the success of The Fish House is testament to his passion for seafood and surf trips around the globe. Expect the freshest fish and shellfish landed a pebble’s throw away in Newquay harbour, served in simple, rustic dishes beside the sea.

Find out more at thefishhousefistral.com

Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac

Helming two of Cornwall’s finest seafood restaurants in the fishing village of Port Isaac, Outlaw has made a name for himself as one of Cornwall’s most eminent chefs. Take a seat in a 15th century fisherman’s cottage and sample a selection of seafood plates at Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, or tuck into a set seafood menu and peer out to the Cornish coastline from Restaurant Nathan Outlaw. Whichever you choose, the menu is dictated by local fishermen and highlights the most delicious and sustainable seafood caught from the ocean in view

Find out more at nathan-outlaw.com.

Fancy looking at other areas of the North Coast? Explore our holiday properties in Port Isaac, just a short drive away from Rock and Padstow.

Prawn on The Lawn, Padstow

In Cornwall’s number one foodie town, it’s difficult to rise to fame against the likes of Rick Stein and Paul Ainsworth. But for a little seafood bar and restaurant tucked in the cobbled streets of Padstow, Prawn on the Lawn has made a very big name for itself. Focusing on produce sourced directly from the day boats, and offering a mix of small plates and seafood platters, this is the perfect venue to share finger-licking fruits de mer with friends and family.

Find out more at prawnonthelawn.com.

The Mariners, Rock

With Paul Ainsworth and his team heading up this local pub beside the Camel Estuary, it’s little wonder that the calibre of the food and drink matches the divine views on the doorstep. What better way to spend a summer afternoon than watching the boats go by from the waterside terrace, while sipping local ales from Sharp’s brewery, alongside Porthilly oysters (plucked from oyster beds in view), lobster, mussels and catch of the day? Make a day of it by arriving on the Black Tor ferry from Padstow.

Find out more at paul-ainsworth.co.uk/the-mariners.

The Longstore, Charlestown

The historic harbour of Charlestown is arguably Cornwall’s most famous film location, and well known for its starring role in the BBC’s recent adaptation of Poldark. Upstairs in The Longstore you can peer out at the tall ships (and at times spot the Poldark cast in action) while dining on succulent steaks and seafood locally sourced from land and sea. From simple crab and avocado to seafood bowls and pan fried fillets of the finest fish, the menu and the venue cater for the whole family.

Find out more at thelongstore.co.uk.

The Beach Hut, Watergate Bay

Big on burgers, steak, fish and shellfish and perfectly positioned on the golden sands of Watergate Bay, visitors will be treated with mouth-watering mussels, smoked mackerel, breaded fish and chips along with their famous crab spaghetti. Wash it down with a showstopping cocktail and a side view of a crashing waves and a fiery sunset and you won’t be disappointed. The Beach Hut is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pets welcome.

Find out more at watergatebay.co.uk/eat/the-beach-hut.

Porthminster Cafe, Porthminster, St Ives

Bang on the beautiful white sands of St Ives, and with buckets full of accolades to its name, the Porthminster hardly needs an introduction. Dine on ingredients plucked from the ocean in view and the café’s kitchen garden, cooked with an Asian or Mediterranean twist. On a sunny afternoon take a seat on the heated terrace and soak up the stunning views of St Ives Bay. Whatever the weather, it’s prudent to book ahead for a table at this popular seaside foodie gem.

Find out more at porthminstercafe.co.uk.

Rick Stein, Porthleven

Known for his extraordinary seafood repertoire and a nose for the next foodie destination, it’s little wonder that Stein expanded his stable to include a restaurant beside Porthleven harbour. Whether you want a warming Goan cod curry or classic fish and chips, rest assured that the menu flaunts the best local and seasonal produce, in dishes inspired by a combination of Cornwall and Stein’s travels.

Find out more at rickstein.com.

Hooked on The Rocks, Falmouth

Built into a rocky ledge overhanging Swanpool Beach this is the sort of venue where it’s hard to take your eyes off the view, even when a whole Cornish lobster is brought to your table. However, the menu is also inspired by the surrounding coastline, with the likes of Falmouth Bay scallops, wild mussels, Newlyn haddock and day boat Cornish catch dominating the menu. Whether you fancy tapas or a slap-up seafood feast, there are few better places to dine on seafood plucked from the ocean backdrop.

Find out more at hookedontherocksfalmouth.com.

Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar, Newlyn

An authentic seafood ‘bar’ where no bookings are taken, here fresh fish dishes are served in a casual atmosphere at the heart of the fishing village of Newlyn. Enjoy a range of classic dishes from moules mariniere and mackerel, to crab tacos and scallops, all reasonably priced and freshly flipped from the local fishing boats to the pan and your plate.

Find out more at mackerelskycafe.co.uk.

Looking for other fantastic restaurants in Cornwall? Check out some of our favourite restaurants with stunning sea views.

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5 Places to Feast in South East Cornwall

Taste the saltwater lifestyle at one of these foodie hot spots…

Cornwall’s hidden corner is a place of legend, beauty and contrast with a vast majority of fantastic eateries waiting to be explored. From local village fish and chip shops to beachside cafes with seafood galore. Here are our top 6 spots to try when holidaying in South East Cornwall.

Check out our other locations and other retreats across South Cornwall.

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The Bay, Cawsand

Set in the historic Smugglers Bay of Cawsand, in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you will find this fine dining and seaside charmed bar and restaurant – here to welcome you. With a view from every table and delicious cuisine made with perfection, your taste buds and your sight are sure to be delighted! Brand new for 2019, The Bay is perfectly positioned on Cawsand beach, next door to two of our fabulous beachside apartments 3 The Bay and The Penthouse 4 The Bay.

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Find out more about The Bay, Cawsand.

Blue Plate Restaurant, Downderry

Using the best of local ingredients and produce all sourced within 25 miles, Blue Plate Restaurant is our go to hang out when holidaying at Far Horizon in Downderry. The Specials Board changes daily from local lobster, crab and Fowey River mussels, to our local meats & game reared on Cornish Pastures.

What to eat: Treat yourself to the heavenly seafood platter.

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Find out more about Blue Plate Restaurant in Downderry.

The View, Whitsand Bay

With a name like The View, you can tell it is going to be something spectacular. Perched high on the cliffs at Whitsand Bay on the stunning Rame Peninsular in South East Cornwall, The View is a modern and vibrant family restaurant. It`s simple style allows full appreciation of the breathtaking Rame head, The Eddystone lighthouse and views far west along the Cornish coastline to Goonhilly on The Lizard.

What to eat: Take advantage of their lunch special £15.50 two courses / £19.25 three courses. We lover the seared scallops, chorizo & parsley cassoulet.

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Find out more about The View, Whitsand Bay.

Halfway House Restaurant, Kingsand

Perfectly located in Kingsand and a 5 minute walk from our gorgeous apartments in Cawsand, the Halfway House offers plenty of choice in delicious food and local ales over lunch and dinner. Enjoy a Sunday roast with sirloin beef or leg of lamb and for light bites choose from classic pub favourites like chilli beef nachos, steak and ale pie and Cornish beer buttered fish & hand cut chips.

What to eat: Known for their crab and mayo sandwich, this is a must try when staying in Cawsand and Kingsand.

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Find out more about the Half Way House in Kingsand.

Waves Bar, Seaton

Just a stone’s throw from our Far Horizon beach house perched high on the cliffs, Waves Bar is a great spot opposite Seaton beach, between Looe and Whitsand Bay. Whatever tickles your taste buds, Waves Bar is sure to have something on the menu for you and your family. From Sunday Roasts and Cornish cream teas to lamb shank and a fantastic choice for vegetarians.

What to eat: We visited during lunch hour and tried the chicken breast wrapped in bacon and smothered with BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese, served with triple cooked chips and green salad.

View our self-catering cottages near Seaton.

Find out more about Waves Bar in Seaton.

The Vaults Restaurant and Bar, Whitsand Bay

Located in Whitsand Bay Fort with a vaulted chamber smothered in history, it’s no surprise this award-winning restaurant is a favourite with locals and visitors alike. The menu changes seasonally and all food is locally sourced. A recent customer wrote:

“A warm welcome. Fantastic friendly staff, great location, and I kid you not, I had some of the best food I’ve ever eaten in this restaurant.”

What to eat: Sunday carvery with a great choice of meats and complimentary dishes every Sunday.

View our self-catering cottages near Whitsand Bay.

Explore more foodie escapes and discover our favourite surf beach cafes in Cornwall.

Book your foodie break in South East Cornwall.

6 must-visit sundowner spots

Six sublime places to watch the sunset over the ocean with your favourite tipple in hand…

After a day at the beach in Cornwall, nothing beats watching the sun go down over the waves. If you’re lucky you might even get to see the ‘Green Flash’ – a ray of green light that can be momentarily seen as the sun dips below the horizon. Here are some of our favourite bars to order a sundowner and watch the sunset in style:

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The Bay View Inn, Bude

Fancy some gin-spiration as the sun goes down? Settle into a sea-view seat overlooking Widemouth Bay and sip a world-class gin as the horizon turns from blue to orange and fuzzy shades of pink. You might prefer a local Tarquin’s Gin – handcrafted on the wild North Cornish Coast; a Hernö Tom – crowned the world’s best gin for two years straight; or even a Sharish Blue Magic, that turns from blue to dusky pink when you add tonic – much like the horizon you’re gazing out at.

The Bay View Inn.
Self-catering properties in Bude.

Have a look at our other holiday properties & book your stay in Bude and discover more of the North Cornwall coast.

Emily Scott Food, Watergate Bay

With The Beach Hut and The Living Space nudging the waves, Watergate Bay already topped the list as one of the most stunning – and stylish – spots to watch the sunset over the sea. And it’s also a location where many – including one of Watergate Bay Hotel’s modern founders, Mary Ashworth – have claimed to see the elusive green flash.

So this summer there is nowhere more iconic to catch the sunset whilst dining on a fresh delicious meal than the brand new restaurant Emily Scott Food. Whether or not you get to see the flash, it’s set to be Cornwall’s hottest spot for a sundowner about as close to the horizon as you can get without getting your feet wet.

Emily Scott Food.
Self-catering properties in Watergate Bay.

Alcatraz, Perranporth

Perranporth’s Watering Hole has long been dubbed one of Cornwall’s coolest beach bars to enjoy cracking sunsets, live music and a front-row view of the surf. However, it’s now rivalled by the trendy new Alcatraz bar and café, where you can soak up those sublime sunsets from a stylish cliff-top setting. Affectionately given its name when staff from the Watering Hole were ‘banished’ to work alone here when it was a simple kiosk on the cliff side, these days the staff and the punters are clamouring for a spot on the upper deck – especially at the golden sunset hour.

Alcatraz.
Self-catering properties in Perranporth.

Blue, Porthtowan

A well established favourite, there are few better places than Blue to sink a beer gazing out to eye-popping sea views and sunsets. Nudging surf-lashed Porthtowan and boasting breathtaking views from bay window booths and a surfside terrace, it’s arguably the coolest place in Cornwall to kickback post-surf with the sand between your toes. Order a pint and a legendary Blue Burger as the sun goes down, and stay on to enjoy the après-beach vibes as the tunes get cranked up and live bands or comedy acts take the stage.

Blue, Porthtowan.
Self-catering properties in Porthtowan.

Surf Beach Bar, Sennen

Just a mile from the south-westerly tip of Cornwall, Sennen Cove is one of the most wild and beautiful places to see the sun descend into the Atlantic. Relax on a sofa on the terrace of The Surf Den (boasting a surfboard bar crafted using surfboard construction techniques) and sip a ‘Head Launcher’ ale, made by the local Skinner’s Brewery and inspired by the Sennen Cove lifeboat. As the sun dips behind the rolling surf, stay to listen to atmospheric beach sounds when resident DJs take over the decks every Friday and Saturday evening throughout summer.

Surf Beach Bar.
Self-catering properies in Sennen.

Sandbar, Praa Sands

Being on the south coast, you can’t actually see the sunset from this trendy bar where you’ve got the beach at your feet. However, whether you’ve been dipping into beach life on the north or south coast, you still need a decent beachside bar to toast the day at sundowner hour. And true to its name, a trail of sandy footprints leads from the beach into the Sand Bar, where you can soak up panoramic sea views with your favourite tipple and a platter of Med-style food.

Sandbar.
Self-catering holidays in Praa Sands.

Discover more of Cornwall with our favourite places to watch the ocean and go sea spotting.

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