Roo's Favourite Cornish Restaurants
We get asked all the time where is good to eat when people are visiting so being a huge foodie myself, I thought I’d share my go to places to eat around Newquay and the North Cornish coast.
The Fish House - Fistral Beach
This restaurant is consistently brilliant, serves well priced, fresh and delicious fish in a small, intimate setting overlooking the surf on Fistral Beach. There is an Indonesian feel to some of the dishes, reflecting the owners Paul and Elise’s travels, the menu is relatively small but perfectly formed, Paul’s fish cookery is just spot on, as is the wine list and you’re always greeted with a warm welcome and leave with a delicious glow. Definitely book ahead especially in the Summer when it’s almost impossible to get a last minute table, however they offer tables outside on a daily basis.
Pizza Jocky’s Newquay
We were so excited when these guys got a new permanent home in Newquay as there really do make the most delicious pizza’s. There’s a flair back, easy going vibe about the place, the pizzas themselves are imaginative and all have great names like “Porco Rosso’ and ‘Basil Fawlty’ there are extras like dips, salads and sides AND they do a mean frozen Margarita! Once again it’s a busy place so make sure you book ahead, they also do take away.
Pachanga - Newquay
This is the most fabulous Mexican place just opposite the station in Newquay, run by John and Carla, it’s absolutely the real deal, they started with a great food truck called ‘El Huicho’ and opened Pachanga a couple of years ago, Carla is a wonderful Mexican Chef and John is front of house, they make THE best Margaritas and the whole experience is just perfect! You can just go
for a snack or it’s great with a bigger group of people and there’s a ‘Fun” vending machine stocking Beer, wine and soft drinks- I mean how good is that??
Duchy Grub - Harlyn Campsite
Jas and Joe started this wonderful little gem of a restaurant a few years ago and have gone from strength to strength, they have gained themselves a properly foodie following now and are producing amazing food combinations - exciting, unusual and thought provoking. They offer small plate dining in an informal, intimate space, the menu changes daily depending on what ingredients Joe finds and forages, he’s an ambitious, modern chef and you never quite know what
will be on the menu. There are always a good selection of vegetarian, fish and meat options and Jas has the best wine list and always remembers what you like to drink (probably because we always drink so much of her delicious wine!!) We photographed them for R Neighbourhood in 2023 - what a gorgeous pair they are! You will need to book, also worth noting the Coastal bus service stops right outside so if you make sure you look up the bus time table this is a good way
of avoiding the hassle of driving or trying to find a taxi!
Rajano’s - Padstow
This is a new find for us and we have a lovely Sunday/ Monday treat now where we go for a lovely circular dog walk which takes you just up the road from Pridaux Place, along the beach at Hawkers Bay and back into Padstow. We then stop here for a late lunch, they have a dog friendly conservatory where you can just turn up and we enjoy outstanding tapas and a delicious glass of
crisp white wine or Rose and then walk back up the hill to the car. It’s honestly the perfect outing, we have also been for dinner which is as good, however the arancini and croquettes are just the best and their anchovies are delicious too!
Four Boys - Rock
This restaurant is literally flying so get in now before it’s too difficult! Absolutely all credit to this fantastic team of brothers who have taken an old cafe and realised their dream of creating a modern, dynamic, forward thinking restaurant that manages to excite the diner whilst retaining a laid back, easy going atmosphere with no pomp or ceremony - a breath of fresh air!! Once I’d got
my head around how to get across the estuary from Padstow (it’s actually VERY easy and the ferry seems to run continuously most of the time!) we ventured there for a late lunch and nearly missed the last ferry home we were having so much fun! I felt I was transported to a seaside cafe in Lisbon, it has a bustling, modern, clean, cool but approachable feel to it, there’s a positive energy in the place helped by the fantastically gorgeous and welcoming staff. The food - again it’s small plates and main fish dishes, all designed to be shared so that you can just have a snack or you can go the whole hog and eat everything - obviously that’s what we always do! The food is absolutely delicious, fresh, unfussy, perfect flavour pairings, just right, using all the amazing ingredients available in Cornwall. Make sure you book ahead, it’s well priced and offers a really flexible eating experience.
The Merrymore - Mawgan Porth
Last but by no means least - the trusty ‘Mezza’ my local and honestly the best local pub we could possibly hope for! Family run for generations it’s now been passed down into the hands of Nick and what a fine landlord he is, his hard work, commitment and enthusiasm is what makes this pub SO good. Firstly it has a commanding view of Mawgan Porth beach and a large beer garden from which you can sit and watch the world go by and the weather coming and going. There’s always a great crowd of locals and holiday makers side by side and it’s thriving all year round which is testament to it’s success. The food is consistently great pub food, exactly what you want, good, honest classics executed brilliantly and affordably, I always have Scampi and Ian always has the Merrymore Chicken and they’re both always delicious! Thank you Nick and the team for being there for us, it really makes all the difference.
