Tag: Newquay

10 restaurants with sea views

There’s no better way to appreciate a sea view than dining beside it, creating an enriching experience as you taste the flavours that the coastline in front of you has produced. We have hand picked 10 seafront restaurants, where you can sample seafood caught in the nearest bay and soak up views of the rolling tides.

PORTHMINSTER KITCHEN, ST IVES

This acclaimed beachside restaurant combines Cornish produce and global flavours in dishes showcasing the freshest seafood, garden grown produce and foraged coastal ingredients. Recently awarded a 2 Rosette award for culinary excellence, this is a go-to destination for the finest of Cornish cuisine.

THE COLONIAL, TOLCARNE BEACH

A slow paced, lavishly designed restaurant and bar positioned right on the sand of Tolcarne beach in Newquay, The Colonial is the perfect dinner spot for those looking to unwind and indulge. Their menu is inspired by the colourful flavours of the Caribbean, but you can expect seafood and traditional hearty dinners throughout the year. Wave watch on the terrace with an invigorating cocktail or settle by the open fire for a full three courses and wine.

LEWINNICK LODGE, FISTRAL

Lewinnick is the ultimate coastal restaurant. Situated on Pentire headland, you can soak up sweeping vistas as you eat, the perfect viewing spot for striking sunsets. With a bar area, pool tables, fireplace, plush carpets and sofas, you can wind down with a glass of something bubbly before heading to the sleek and sophisticated restaurant room for a classically Cornish supper.

THE MARINERS, ROCK

A chef’s take on pub grub, washed down with the finest of Cornish beer. This loved-by-locals pub overlooks the Camel Estuary and serves up the likes of crispy pollock hot dogs, Porthilly oysters and market fish of the day from Cornish waters.

THE FISH HOUSE, FISTRAL

If you’re a seafood lover, this beachfront restaurant is your go to. Situated on Fistral beach, the Fish House is in a prime position for sunsets and dramatic surf. Sample the flavourful menu of Sri Lankan prawn curry and spiced monkfish before walking across the beach back to your retreat.

GYLLY BEACH CAFÉ, FALMOUTH

Gylly Beach Café sits right on the sand, where you can gaze out at the ships and sailboats dotted along the water. It serves hot food and drinks all day and evening long, so taste the chilli kick of panko breaded squid or the zest of fresh lemongrass seabass with the buzz of the beach in the background.

UGLY BUTTERFLY, CARBIS BAY

There’s no such thing as an ugly butterfly, in the same way as there is no such thing as food waste. This is the motto of Carbis Bay’s new sustainable restaurant, showcasing beautifully presented dishes crafted with locally sourced ingredients. Offering an all-day dining experience, the Ugly Butterfly bar uses trims and offcuts from the ingredients used in the restaurant to create delicious drinks and bar snacks.

OUTLAWS NEW ROAD, PORT ISAAC

Nathan Outlaw is to Port Isaac as Rick Stein is to Padstow. For the ultimate fine dining experience, sample cured mackerel and spider crab at this harbourside eatery, before wandering the streets of Port Isaac under the moonlight.

THE BEACH HUT, 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.

THE SARDINE FACTORY, LOOE

Dine overlooking harbour water and you’re guaranteed fish as fresh as they come. The Sardine Factory is a go-to restaurant for seafood lovers, and its sustainable fish dishes won the prestigious accolade of a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2020.

Charlie Walters, head chef of The Sardine Factory, is currently representing Cornwall competing on this year’s Masterchef: The Professionals.

Stay in a retreat near the best Cornish restaurants and enjoy a foodie trip to the coast.

Newquay Wild Activities

“The minibus is buzzing with conversation as we drive the family group back to their hotel. As the youngest son gets out, he hugs the guide and says, ‘I want to be a marine biologist just like you.’”

We recently caught up with our friends from Newquay Wild Activities, who gave us a run down on their latest Rockpool Ramble on Fistral beach….

Image credit: David Kirwan

The day started when Liz picked them up three hours earlier from Watergate Bay. A lovely group down on holiday and booked with Newquay Wild Activities to experience a rockpool ramble. The van pick up means they can leave their cars in the car park and not worry about navigating the busy Newquay streets. They arrive at Esplanade Green overlooking the world famous South Fistral Beach.

Image credit: Neil Wilkinson

Here they meet their guides, two passionate locals who are as excited as the group to share and explore the rocky shore.

There are some amazing pools on South Fistral that contain a wondrous number of species – each with their own story to tell. Even the seaweed has some secrets to share, if you look close enough. A multitude of shells cling to them for security such as the iridescent blue ray limpet as does the beautiful Stalk Jellyfish.

Stalk Jellyfish by Ivan Underwood

Blue Rayed Limpet by Zeni Hayton

The group wander their way down towards the surf to look at the deeper pools and rocks covered in thousands of mussels and barnacles, always keeping an eye out for wildlife passing by in the bay. Crabs are discovered, fish swim by and shrimps come and play on their toes. Starfish of all types are found – they are incredible creatures that eat algae while clambering over rocks. Did you know they can lose a limb for an easy getaway if they are ever in danger?

Spiny Starfish and Cushion Star by Gwynnie Griffiths

As the tide exposes more rock, anemones begin to close to protect themselves while they wait for the protection of the water.

Anemone by Josh Symes

The group are enthusiastically hunting for more animals as Liz returns with their pasty and drink. A perfect spot to enjoy some sustenance before the slow meander back to the steps.

Amazingly, as they clamber their way off their beach, more wildlife is spotted – a Stone Chat just hanging out on the brambles!

Stone Chat by Josh Howells

There is so much to explore on Newquay’s shores. Liz and the group spend the drive back talking about everything they saw. The guides log all the wildlife information ready to send to the record centre which the group helped to collect (they are now citizen scientists!) and the guides get ready for their next group – this time… a Wildlife Walk around the headlands of Newquay to spot some of the bigger, more elusive wildlife.

Grey Seal by Adrian Langdon

Newquay Wild Activities is a brand-new Social Enterprise set up by Liz and Laura in 2022 – it stemmed from a decade in the marine conservation sector in Cornwall, a fabulous network of friends and colleagues and a yearning to show tourists and locals that Newquay has so much to offer.

Discover what lies beneath our rockpools and the wildlife that shares our shores. Book onto a Rockpool Ramble or a Wildlife Walk with mini-bus pickup included. Learn how to collect valuable scientific data that can help to inform conservation research and national policy. Explore the north Cornwall coastline with experts on hand to guide you.

For more information visit Newquay Wild Activities for the summer dates and activities. Including the spectacular night-time rambles – see what happens in the cover of darkness!

Anemone at nightAnemone by night, Josh Symes