Category: Food and drink

We head over to the other side of Porthleven Harbour for fresh local ingredients and relaxed dining at Amélies (with a side of baby grand piano).

Boats bob in the water, fisherman come and go, and people wonder past with ice creams in hand. Well, it would be ice creams but it’s a crisp March morning and most people are wrapped up enjoying frosty blue skies.

It doesn’t matter though as we’re toasty inside staring out of the glass-fronted restaurant door at Amélies. Come summer you can enjoy the same panoramic views from the terrace, but the view is just as good this time of year. We’ve just swapped the cool class or rose for a morning’s cup of coffee.

You may have spotted Amélies on Alex Polizzi’s Chefs on Trial on BBC 2 where Paul James won his place as head chef. But if not, we’ll explain.

By day, Amélies is an informal café bar, serving sumptuous seafood lunches, light bites and a coffee or a glass of fizz as you watch the world go by.

At night, share a romantic steak dinner or treat the family to a wood-fired pizza. When the sunsets the tealights are lit and Amélies is transformed into a relaxed and intimate restaurant on the waterfront.

If you want to dine on lobster plucked fresh from the waves, or tuck into a hearty burger, you can of course.

Sundays are for savouring at Amélies, and on Sundays here it’s all about the roast. A special lunchtime menu also runs, so you can choose what you fancy while chilling out to some favourite local music acts.

On key, there’s a tinkling as someone tunes the baby grand piano in the corner. Amélies is as passionate about food as its music. With a house band, and guests such as Tina May and Kai Hoffman performing here in the past, Amélies likes to think of itself as a mini Cornish Ronnie Scotts.

But if you miss one of their Summer Sessions or a Sunday special then you might be lucky to catch a talented guest serenading you instead.

www.ameliesporthleven.co.uk

Picnic on the beach?

Check out Amélies’ sister company Gourmet Picnics who make and deliver perfectly packaged luxury picnics for 4+ guests – think celebratory picnics on the sand minus the hassle or Cornish weddings overlooking the sea using local produce from Porthleven.

Smaller picnics orders can be placed directly from their sample menus or for larger orders, use them as a jumping off point to create your own, bespoke menu.

www.gourmetpicnics.co.uk

Search for your self catering holiday in Porthleven with Beach Retreats.

Here at Beach Retreats we’re very much for the healthy outdoor life. From coastal running to cycling, surfing and walking, or yoga on the beach, it’s all part of beach life down here in Cornwall. That’s why we’ve joined forces with Mindful Chef for an exclusive offer for guests.

When we heard about The Mindful Chef, we were intrigued to learn more. They’re a new business, founded in 2015, dedicated to providing healthy meals delivered to the homes of busy professionals in and around London.

But these are not convenience meals. The food is sourced from the South West for a start. The rolling hills of Devon where the business’ three founders grew up, along with the plentiful rainfall, make it the perfect environment to grow greens and rear grass-fed livestock. Organic red meat from Dartmoor and fish and game from St. Ives gives you a flavour for what to expect. The ingredients are cultivated into delicious and healthy meals by their in-house chef, then delivered to your doorstep.

Eating healthily remains central to Mindful Chef’s offering – co-founder Myles was a professional trainer and nutritionist prior to setting up the business. Recipes are filling, balanced, gluten-free and contain no refined carbs or sugars on the premise that adding a few healthy evening meals to your week can have wonderful health benefits. Giving you greater energy for the life by the beach, and being able to treat yourself at the weekend.

“Healthy living is holistic – getting the balance between being active, eating well and relaxation is vital. Eating fresh and nutritious food helps you to get the most out of your activities, whether that be a costal run or a paddle in the sea – in fact, it helps you get the most out of life! What better way to replenish and boost your body than by eating local fresh produce, full of nutrients. Fish is a great example of this – it is packed with protein to maintain healthy muscles, bones, skin and hair … and better yet it keeps your hunger satisfied. Some types of fish are also full of healthy fats, like omega 3, and contain essential vitamins and minerals too, like vitamin D”.

Sophie, Mindful Chef Ambassador

The offer – save 25% on your first order

Because Mindful Chef shares our values, we are delighted to be working with them through 2016 and beyond. Stay in a Beach Retreats property and cook up something special in one of our contemporary kitchen spaces. Orders must be shared with Mindful Chef by Thursday each week, to secure a Monday delivery. Minimum order must consist of two meals (one box), per property delivery.

And save 25% on your first order with Mindful Chef when you quote BEACHRETREATS when ordering online.

www.mindfulchef.co.uk | MindfulChefUK on Instagram

Search for your self catering holiday with Beach Retreats and be living the healthy coastal life soon.

Simple, modern and vibrant seafood that has been described by The Guardian as being up there with some of Cornwall’s big-named restaurants – we gawk at the food, and the view, from The View in Whitsand Bay.

Perched high on the clifftop at Whitsand Bay in South East Cornwall is one small but very fine restaurant. It’s led by head chef Matt Corner who packed up his chef whites from some of the country’s top county house hotels for a less stuffy life by the sea. Sat on the decking, drinking in the view from his restaurant of the same name, it’s not hard to see why.

The View’s focus is simple and modern, using the freshest produce it can find – the fish often comes straight off the boat from Looe. The views are, as you can guess, breathtaking, looking out over the sea to Rame Head, the Eddystone Lighthouse and far down along the west Cornish coastline to The Lizard and Goonhilly.

While Matt purposefully cut his ties with fine dining, the food is still fine. Open for lunch and dinner (weekends only off season), the menu is vibrant: watermelon, basil and feta salad; and steamed langoustine for start; and grilled turbot, streaky bacon, peas and lettuce; and John Dory, tiger prawns, lemon and garlic for main.

Or for a taste of what The View does best at a very reasonable price, take a look at their two or three course set menu.

Twelve year’s on after moving in to the former café and The View has gained a lot of media time, appearing on ITV’s Cornwall with Caroline Quentin and one of three chefs on ITV’s Little Chefs, as well as retaining a Michelin Bib Gourmande for eight years.

Of course Matt still finds time for a surf in between shifts.

Please check The View’s website for more details and opening times.

www.theview-restaurant.co.uk

Find your self catering holiday in Whitsand Bay with Beach Retreats.

If you’re seriously into fish then Nathan Outlaw is your man. And Port Isaac is the place. Rick Stein’s protégé has put our island’s seafood on the map with Britain’s only two-Michelin-starred restaurant overlooking the dramatic North Cornwall coastline – just over the road from our new two-bedroomed properties Lundy and Lobber.

Whether it’s an eight-course tasting menu of Britain’s finest seafood, small tapas-style plates for sharing, or proper pub grub, Nathan Outlaw’s restaurants in Port Isaac and nearby Rock have made a name for themselves. Making time to visit at least one of his restaurants when you’re staying in Cornwall or in the local area is a must.

Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac

Previously based in the St Enodoc hotel in Rock, Nathan’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant relocated to Port Isaac for its panoramic views across the bay. The seven-course seafood tasting menu (lunch and dinner) showcases Nathan’s culinary flare with pickled, cured, poached, fried and grilled seafood likely to make an appearance. At lunchtime a shorter menu of four set courses is also available.

www.nathan-outlaw.com

Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac

Set in a charmingly wonky Grade II listed building in the heart of Port Isaac is Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen. According to Nathan, the sea and fisherman here dictate the menu of small and original plates of tapas-inspired dishes. It has been awarded one-Michelin star.

www.outlaws.co.uk/fishkitchen

The Mariner’s, Rock

Overlooking the Camel Estuary in the heart of rock is Nathan’s pub, also owned by the local Sharp’s Brewery. On the menu is fish of course, but you’ll also find steak from the charcoal grill, pork belly and even the ubiquitous fish finger sandwich. All best washed down with a pint of Sharp’s Doom Bar ale.

www.themarinersrock.com/menu/

Not in Cornwall? You can get a taste of Nathan in London too.

Outlaw’s at The Capital Hotel, London

Opened in 2012 and recently awarded one-Michelin Star, Outlaw’s at The Capital is the place to enjoy the finest seafood in London. And within walking distance of the Hyde Park and central London.
www.outlaws.co.uk/restaurants/london

Book your holiday with Beach Retreats in Port Isaac.

It may be small, but this perfectly formed Cornish village has plenty of places to eat out and something to suit all tastes. Here’s our top places to eat out in St Agnes.

The Taphouse

You won’t miss the bright orange exterior of the Taphouse situated on the busy village square, open year round and providing a laid back dining experience. Favourites on the menu include nachos, burgers, Singapore noodles and homemade fishcakes. Music also features large, with excellent local and further-a-field bands playing in the evenings throughout the year.

www.the-taphouse.com

Genki

Technically a summer pop-up from March through to October, Genki – meaning health and happiness in Japanese – is a tiny café serving our favourite Origin Coffee, smoothies, cakes, paninis and salads. In summer it’s all about tapas and cocktails while taking in Genki’s Zen-landscaped gardens.

www.genkicornwall.co.uk

Driftwood Spars

A pub steeped in history where they love the food as much as the drink. The Spars in refer to the hug beams or ‘spars’ salvaged from shipwrecks along the coast when it was built in the1650s. Overlooking Trevaunance Cove, the Fitty Pysk seafood bistro offers fine dining. The annual Sausage and Ale Festival held on May Bank Holiday is not to be missed.

www.driftwoodspars.co.uk

Lewsey Lou’s

Just over the road from the Driftwood Spars is Lewsey Lou’s quality fish and chip shop, serving simple, fresh and Cornish fish. A great lunchtime stop for coastal walkers or if you’re having a day down on the beach.

www.lewseylous.co.uk

The Cornish Pizza Company

You may have sampled a slice of their award-winning thin-crust pizza from the back of their classic VW campervan at various food festivals around Cornwall, but St Agnes is where it all started. Here it’s takeaway only, with all pizzas made to order (they make their own pizza dough too) from their open-plan kitchen.

www.thecornishpizzacompany.co.uk

The Sorting Office

Our new favourite coffee shop in St Agnes. Mark and Sophie opened The Sorting Office in August 2015 – a quirky little coffee shop buried in the heart of St Agnes – serving great coffee, fresh pastries & delicious cakes. Open daytimes apart from Mondays.

www.facebook.com/thesortingoffice/

PS.
Don’t miss the Chapel Porth Café on the beautiful National Trust beach of the same name. The family-owned café is famous for its ‘hedgehog’ icreams – Cornish icecream covered in Cornish clotted cream

Find a self catering holiday in St Agnes with Beach Retreats and #behere very soon.

From casual wood-fired food hideaways to Michelin-starred seafood restaurants, Cornwall remains a county like no other for food lovers. So here’s our guide to the 10 best restaurants in North Cornwall, all within easy reach of our Beach Retreats properties.

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

Scott & Babs

Where? Mawgan Porth

Hidden away deep in Mawgan Porth’s Laherne valley is one of our favourite haunts. Situated on a farm with a stream running through the site, you really do feel like you stumbled across something special. They’re rearing their own pigs, sheep, cows, ducks and chickens to cook a small menu that’s tasty, rustic and cooked on open fires, spit roasts and slow-roasted smoker barrels. Guests can get cosy up in a converted stable with a roaring log fire!

www.scottandbabs.com

Nathan Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen

Where? Port Isaac

The two-Michelin starred chef ‘s new Fish Kitchen brings the best of Cornish seafood to a more affordable level. The restaurant, which focuses on small seafood plates, now boasts a Michelin star in its own right. We fancy the cured Monkfish and crispy squid, with prices between £2-10 per dish.

www.outlaws.co.uk/fishkitchen

Fish House Fistral

Where? Fistral Beach

Fish House Fistral is an award-winning seafood restaurant over looking the beach at Watergate Bay. Described by the owner and Head Chef as serving rustic seafood ‘with no one serving food like like this in Newquay’, the focus in on local produce at reasonable prices. Dishes include everything from lobster linguini and fish curry to ribeye steaks and burgers.

thefishhousefistral.com

St Tudy Inn

Where? St Tudy, Nr Bodmin

After many years running the Harbour Restaurant in Port Isaac, award-winning chef Emily Scott opened up the St Tudy Inn in December 2014. The transformed the pub has a modern warm and cosy atmosphere. Enjoy a drink in the old bar, or relax in front of the open fire and enjoy simple, rustic cuisine.

www.sttudyinn.com/

Paul Ainsworth at Number 6

Where? Padstow

It’s not all about Rick Stein anymore in Padstow (although Rick’s restaurants are still very good). Paul Ainsworth has won a Michelin star for his restaurant, which sources seasonal ingredients and serves them in s simple modern style. Accessibility is key, so the atmosphere is relaxed, children are welcome, and hearty portions of unpretentious, uncomplicated food is bound to put a smile on your face.

www.number6inpadstow.co.uk

Gilmore’s Golf

Where? Fistral, Newquay

What was once an average greasey-spoon café and golf course has been turned into a laid-back hangout with a fun miniature-golf course sitting alongside. Gilmore’s brings unfussy, freshly cooked, Mexican inspired food to Cornwall. Burritos, tacos and loaded chips and nachos are all on the menu, which is anything but your usual Old El Passo fayre. Our favourite is the fried fish taco, complete with homemade mini soft tacos – as they should be.

Visit their Facebook page.

Zacry’s

Where? Watergate Bay

Since it threw open its brasserie-style doors at Watergate Bay Hotel in March 2014, Zacry’s has drawn a crowd of passers-by and returning aficionados alike. The food looks to Cornwall for inspiration while drawing on international influences and executive chef Neil Haydock’s passion for contemporary American cuisine. Provenance is important in the seasonal two or three-course menu, showcasing both classic and contemporary dishes. Grilled meat and seafood all feature large.

Visit their website.

The Halsetown Inn

Where? Halsetown near St Ives

Possibly the best Sunday roast in Cornwall, but the Halsetown Inn’s daily menu is just as tasty – and all really good value. The medium sized menu covers a lot of ground, from classic burgers, Asian-inspired dishes, curries, lamb and seafood, in a rustic and homely atmosphere.

www.halsetowninn.co.uk

The Beach Hut

Where? Watergate Bay

One of Cornwall’s best beach-side hangouts, The Beach Hut welcomes surfers, families and even the dog. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, food is unfussy and tasty, the atmosphere laid-back, and all with a view of Watergate Bay’s two-mile stretch of beach out front. Perfect for sunset watching and sundowners.

Visit their website.

Strong Adolfos

Where? A39 just outside Wadebridge

What do you get if you cross a great coffee maker, a surf-board shaper and motorbike customiser? The proprietor of a sub-cultural café on Cornwall’s Atlantic Highway, of course. The interior is industrial but the food and drink is anything but. The kitchen serves freshly cooked breakfast and lunches with influence taken from around the globe. We spotted burgers, lentil dhal and tasty salads on the day that we visited with vegetarian, gluten-free and meat eaters all catered for across the menu.

Visit their website.

Visiting Cornwall in the Autumn or Winter? It’s the perfect time to visit our favourite Sunday Roast locations.

Book your self-catering holiday in Cornwall Beach Retreats today.

Rick Stein’s latest restaurant opened on Newquay’s Fistral Beach just in time for the Easter weekend. With a laid-back self-service style, it’s dishing up fish and chips and flavours from the Far East.

If you follow our blog regularly then you will have noticed the surge of new restaurants in the past year that have decided to open their doors on Fistral Beach near Newquay. Still on the map for its world-class surfing, it’s gradually become a bit of a foodie destination too – and all the better for it we think. Rick Stein is the next on the list.

Stein has become emblematic of Cornish cuisine, with fresh local seafood at the heart of what he does best. But things have moved on from his Seafood Restaurant in Padstow which he’s had for more than 25 years, adding other local restaurantsin Padstow, Falmouth, Porthleven and Winchester to his venture.

Now the empire has landed at Fistral. The casual, laid-back affair might not be what you expect from Stein, but self-service fish and chips works well here at one of the busiest beaches in Cornwall. They don’t take bookings but you should be able to find a seat quite quickly.

Talking about his new venture, Rick said: “It’s exciting to be opening a restaurant on Fistral, even my Aussie friends in Sydney know it; some were lifeguards there in the 70s. I imagine the restaurant buzzing with people enjoying a great beach and the sort of food you have to have by the water.”

What’s on the menu?

You’ll find Rick’s famous fish and chips cooked in beef dripping – cod, haddock and lemon soul feature. For something different you’ll find chilli burgers to add to homemade tartare sauce and authentic curry sauce.

Curries and other dishes inspired from Rick’s travels in India and the Far East have also been recently added to the menu, including Goan chicken curry, lamb karahi, pad Thai noodles, nasi goreng and vegetable makhanawala. Not forgetting Ice cream and drinks too.

It’s a win!

www.rickstein.com/eat-with-us/fistral/

Take a look at Beach Retreats’ properties in and around Fistral.