Best Restaurants in North Cornwall
A Foodies Guide to Eating Out in North Cornwall
Dining out in North Cornwall has never been so enticing with award-winning restaurants, renowned chefs and adorable country pubs all cooking up a storm at the hotplate.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic candlelit table for two or a welcoming venue for your family banquet, North Cornwall has an abundance of thriving eateries to fit the bill.
We’ve picked out ten culinary hot spots in North Cornwall that are consistently receiving glowing reviews…
Best Restaurants in North Cornwall
St Tudy Inn, Churchtown
The St Tudy Inn is every inch the traditional countryside pub, crammed with rustic charm and cosy alcoves. The main bar is immediately inviting with its open fireplace, leather armchairs and bressumer beam adorned by fairy lights. The various characterful dining rooms are elegantly presented and dressed with fresh flowers. This former farmhouse lies within the picturesque parish of St. Tudy, nestled into the River Camel valley. Headed by awarding-winning gastronome, Emily Scott, the inn was recently awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand and has retained this lofty accolade for the past four years. During the summer months you can enjoy the pub’s pretty garden, seeking shade under the parasols. Expect sumptuous seasonal dishes, fine wines and real ales all served with passion and flair.
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The Fish House, Fistral, Newquay
The Fish House is a brand-new venue overlooking the sparkling shores of Newquay’s Fistral Beach. Head chef Paul Harwood picks only the freshest fish and finest ingredients for his sizzling seafood menu. Locally caught fish remain the restaurant’s signature dishes, served with rustic panache and authentic flavours. The Fish House has shot to fame in Newquay, welcoming droves of hungry diners past its threshold and garnering a steady stream of five-star reviews. Accompanied by dreamy sunsets and incredible ocean views, this seafront venue is a culinary delight.
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The Olive Tree, St Merryn, Padstow
Now celebrating its tenth year, as the name would suggest, The Olive Tree takes much of its culinary inspiration from the zestful recipes of the Mediterranean. The port town of Padstow is famous for its fishing and maritime heritage and continues to supply local restaurants such as The Olive Tree with the catch of the day. Another local supplier of fine repute is the Padstow Kitchen Garden, adding wholesome flavours to the restaurant’s flamboyant, seasonal menu. Whether you’re indulging yourself in a terrine of fresh mackerel dressed with toasted focaccia and pickles, or tucking into a succulent dry-aged rib-eye steak accompanied by skin-crisp sautéed potatoes and a garden-fresh watercress salad, it’s easy to see why this thriving, rural bistro continues to satisfy the most discerning of palates.
Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac
The charming fishing village of Port Isaac on the North Cornish coast is the location for another of the county’s leading gourmet restaurants. Proprietor, Nathan Outlaw, is a well-known TV chef having made regular appearances on Saturday Kitchen and MasterChef: The Professionals, he’s also the author of several successful cookery books. The philosophy behind his restaurants is ‘to champion seafood and make spaces where people feel exceptional’, and judging by the reactions of his customers, he’s certainly hitting the mark. This restaurant oozes character, housed inside a 15th century fisherman’s cottage perched on Port Isaac’s harbourside – could you be anywhere more quintessentially Cornish?
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The Dining Room, Rock
Inspired by exceptional local ingredients and a passion for first class gastronomy, head chef Fred Beedles has developed a delicious seasonal menu. The Dining Room is set in one Cornwall’s most picturesque corners, the coastal village of Rock, found on the edge of the River Camel estuary. This family-run restaurant offers a fine-dining experience to savour, going from strength to strength since it first opened its doors in 2010 and destined to become one of North Cornwall’s leading culinary outlets. Diners can expect a warm welcome and a relaxed ambience before indulging in some delicious and flavoursome food, served with style. Bespoke menus and group bookings are available outside of the summer season.
The Deck, Summerleaze Beach, Bude
Our next venue has an impressive menu embracing flavours from around the world, from Asian street food to char-grilled Aussie delights. The Deck Bar and Grill also serves up a number of British classics, settling for nothing less than the freshest and most wholesome ingredients. The vibe here is laid back ‘flip-flop’ dining, the ideal setting for groups to kickback and indulge their appetites. Whether you’ve been riding the waves on your surfboard or wandering the local cliff paths, expect a warm and friendly welcome when you make a beeline for this much-loved beachside diner in the bustling seaside resort of Bude.
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Temple, Bude
Runner up in the Observers’ 2019 Food Monthly Awards, the Temple is as much about friendship and community as it is about stunningly good food. It brings together the region’s most conscientious farmers, fishermen and growers with the goal of developing a more sustainable and wholesome food chain. This pioneering restaurant caters for all dietary needs and has a bountiful list of breakfast and lunch regulars and an exquisite evening menu full of wild flavours, reared and handpicked from the allotments, meadows and hedgerows of north Kernow and reeled in from the local waters. Flying the flag for North Cornish food fayre, it’s no wonder so many food lovers are heading for the Granville Terrace in the characterful coastal town of Bude to discover some taste sensations.
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Bangors Organic Restaurant, Poundstock
People flock from far and wide to enjoy a dining experience at Bangors Organic Restaurant. This charming restaurant lies deep in the heart North Cornwall, not far from the sweeping sands of Widemouth Bay. Many of the ingredients are picked straight from the restaurant’s thriving organic gardens, grown in the nutrient-rich soils and packed with goodness and unbeatable flavour. The dining room is part of a spectacular Victorian farmhouse and looks out onto vibrant gardens laden with colour that change with the seasons. Simplicity is the key behind many of the restaurant’s dishes, showcasing the wholesomeness and flavour of untrammelled growing. It’s no wonder this self-sustaining venue continues to receive glowing reviews. A hidden gem!
The Bank, Bude
Last, but certainly not least, is a riverside restaurant full of Mediterranean flair. The Bank is a tapas bar where you can eat in or take away, choosing from an adventurous menu that adds a Cornish twist to Spanish-inspired cuisine. Delicious paellas, sumptuous seafood platters and fresh fish dishes await all those who venture to this charming venue on the banks of the River Neet. From light bites to moreish platters, there’s nowhere better to while away the hours than this tranquil North Cornish setting.
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When you book a Toad Hall holiday cottage, you can come and go as you please. We have hundreds of self-catering holiday properties to choose from, all of them tucked away in the region’s most desirable settings.