Cornwall’s best seafood restaurants

Our Guide to Cornwall’s Best Seafood Restaurants.

Cornwall is a seafood lover’s paradise, with freshly caught fish and shellfish in abundance on menus across the county. Taste some of the freshest, high-quality ingredients on your next Cornwall holiday, whilst enjoying the wonderful climate and stunning scenery. What’s not to love?

Discover 4 of our favourite seafood restaurants in Cornwall…

Michelin Star: Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Rock

©Nathan-outlaw.com

Restaurant Nathan Outlaw at The St Enodoc Hotel in Rock, North Cornwall, has long been an established must-visit dining room for anyone who loves fresh Cornish fish and seafood.

Serving one seafood tasting menu, sample dishes include scallops, lobster and turbot, all served and presented in beautifully inventive ways, without being over the top. The flavours and textures of fresh and sustainably caught local fish and shellfish remain the focus of all dishes.

The restaurant is small – six diners is the maximum group size – making for an intimate dining experience. If you’re looking to make your meal truly special, choose the matching wine flight: a series of wines chosen by sommelier Damon Little to perfectly match each course.

Restaurant details

Address: St Enodoc Hotel, Rock, North Cornwall, PL27 6LA
Opening times: Tues – Sat 7pm-9pm
Price: £99pp seafood tasting menu
Reservations: 01208 862 737
Website: www.nathan-outlaw.com

Find out more about Restaurant Nathan Outlaw in our guide to Michelin Star Restaurants in Cornwall.

Best-known: Rick Stein’s The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow

A Padstow tourist attraction in its own right, celebrity chef Rick Stein’s The Seafood Restaurant has been open since 1975.

As well as the freshest locally caught fish, the menu is inspired by Stein’s travels around the world, with dishes from countries such as Goa, Thailand, Bali and France. Although the menu has evolved over the years, it still features the classics you would expect: oysters, Dover sole, lobster, langoustines and more.

Booking for The Seafood Restaurant is a must – this well-known restaurant is extremely popular and always busy. If you’re looking for something a little more relaxed and haven’t booked, try the Seafood Bar in the middle of the restaurant. Here, you can watch the chefs assemble seafood platters, and there’s no need for reservations.

Restaurant details

Address: Riverside, Padstow, North Cornwall, PL28 8BY
Opening times: Lunch 12pm-2.30pm; dinner 6.30pm-10.30pm
Price: Three-course set lunch for £38.50; dinner main courses £20-£60
Reservations: 01841 532700
Website: www.rickstein.com

Locals’ favourite: The Wheelhouse, Falmouth

The outstanding TripAdvisor reviews for this backstreet shellfish restaurant and café speak for themselves. It’s currently been voted the top restaurant in Falmouth, with its menu of the freshest local seafood praised just as much as the personal service and welcoming atmosphere.

A must-visit for foodies who love shellfish, the menu is small but frequently changing – you’ll find whatever shellfish has been caught by Cornish day boats prepared in a variety of ways. Expect to find crab, mussels, scallops, prawns and more.

As this restaurant is growing exponentially in popularity, you’ll need to book well in advance – often weeks ahead – to bag yourself a table.

Restaurant details:

Address: Upton Slip, Falmouth, TR11 3DQ
Price: Most main courses £10-£15
Reservations: 01326 318050

Family-friendly: Mackerel Sky, Penzance

©Mackerelskycafe.co.uk

If you’re staying in or near West Cornwall and yours is a family that loves seafood, give this small café bar and restaurant in the heart of Penzance a try. The menu offers excellent value for money – delicious meals at affordable prices – and a children’s menu is available.

Local fresh fish and seafood is definitely the focus of the menu – try the famous Cornish crab rarebit or the Mackerel Sky tasting board to start, followed by a main of Doombar-battered monkfish or River Exe mussels.

Although the menu is relatively small, there’s plenty on offer for those who aren’t in the mood for seafood, including delicious steaks and burgers from local Cornish producers. Vegetarian options are also available.

Restaurant details:

Address: 45 New Street, Penzance, TR18 2LZ
Opening times: Wed – Fri Lunch 12 – 2.45pm Dinner 6 – 9pm
Price: Breakfasts £4-£8; lunches £5-£12; main courses £10-£12
Reservations: 01736 448982
Website: www.mackerelskycafe.co.uk

If Cornwall’s best seafood restaurants are on your list of things to do, why not plan your stay at one of our Cornish holiday cottages today? Or take a look at our Cornwall Travel Guide for more things to do and places to eat and drink in Cornwall.

Image credits: Andy F – CC BY-SA 2.0; Ian S – CC BY-SA 2.0