Eat and Drink: the best of St Ives, Cornwall

Neil Hennessy-Vass explores St Ives and surrounds, picking out the food and drink highlights dotted around this beautiful area.

Bargain breakfast

Head to The Balcony & Kitchen in St Ives for a great all-day breakfast menu. The caff looks out onto the harbour with brilliant views, whether it be a sunny or stormy day. Their bacon rolls are really tasty at £3, but if you are after a Full English it will cost you only £4.95 - for that you get an egg, two sausages, two pieces of bacon, hash brown, beans and some toast.

And if you're feeling particularly lazy and it’s turned into brunch, they also do excellent burgers with all the trimmings (the most expensive is £8). The Balcony & Kitchen does also, as the name suggests, have a happily situated balcony if the weather is good. 

Perfect for lunch

Before lunch, I’m going to suggest taking in a bit of culture before you eat. Then after perusing the likes of the Tate Gallery or Barbara Hepworth’s studio, head for Porthminster Beach.

A superb stretch of sand, it’s set on a section of Cornwall’s most beautiful azure seas, and The Porthminster Beach Café offers matchless views. If you can’t bear to leave the beach then take advantage of their right-on-the-sand takeaway service.

It’s not really a café, but a very good restaurant that has perfected the Cornish vibe. This is the restaurant that others should be compared against when it comes to relaxed dining in the West Country. The food here is exemplary; I have eaten here many times and it has always delivered.

It sits above the takeaway part of the building and has wonderful views over the sea across to St Ives and even as far as the Godrevy Lighthouse. Even if the weather isn't great, the view will keep you entranced. You can eat outside on a large veranda or indoors – I’d choose one of the tables near a window to guarantee a moving vista any artist would relish the chance to paint as you enjoy lunch.

The food is predominantly fish with the odd concession to meat and vegetarian options. The owners have ploughed some of their native New Zealand culture and love of pan-Asian spices into a few of the dishes.

The scallops with chorizo, parsnip and broad beans are a perfect starter, and the Porthminster monkfish curry (pictured above) is a real treat and brings tastes of Goa to mind.

They are also loyal to local produce, growing most of the herbs themselves and using only Cornish cheeses.

And the staff are brilliant. I remember the first time I visited and was just leaning back against the wall behind me, and from nowhere a waitress placed a cushion between my back and the wall. It's little touches like this that make this place so good.

Afternoon treats

The rest of the afternoon can be spent snoozing on the beach, or if you have room try one of the refreshing ice creams from the Beach Café's takeaway booth. But if you have the energy, then I suggest a breathtaking walk not too far away with a rewarding drink at the end of it.

Sitting between St Ives and St Just you will find The Gurnard’s Head, a pub with rooms. It's one of those pubs that you feel you’ve been visiting as a local all your life. It’s casual, friendly, serves excellent food and is on the coast with views of sea and cattle grazing. But most of all, it has a killer wine list. These guys know what they are doing. It has beers and ciders, but it’s the wine that makes it special.

Stocking up to 60 bottles, from about eight suppliers at a time, The Gurnard's Head holds regular tasting events and they usually have something for everyone. Better still, around 20 wines are available by the glass or carafe. You can switch, experiment, take advice from the knowledgeable staff or just pick what you fancy.

Dinnertime

Refreshed after that walk, you’ve probably worked up a healthy appetite so one’s thoughts naturally turn to dinner. You really are spoilt for choice in this part of Cornwall, but I’d recommend making your way over to Ben’s Cornish Kitchen in Marazion (just a 20 minute drive from Porthminster). Ben and his brother have created a go-to spot within spitting distance of St Michael’s Mount that produces food to die for. 

When we went, delights on the table included hand-picked Newlyn Crab Linguini with chilli, parsley and lemon; pan roast Catch of the Day; Trevaskis lamb chump; crispy confit breast with roasted tomato and aubergine, feta purée and a wild garlic salsa verde. Despite such great quality, the mains still slide in at under £20. 

Dessert is something of a voyage of discovery at Ben’s. He offers a brilliant take on Indian food with his sweet curry plate (pictured above), which is made up of spiced caramel, curry rice pudding, cardamom ice cream, a few other goodies and a delicious sweet coriander. This is a foodie’s delight: playful, brave and really tasty.

Self catering

If you're self catering and you're after some supplies, head to The Cornish Deli on Chapel Street to pick up provisions including local meats, seafood, fruit and veg, and cheeses. You can also grab a cup of coffee for a stroll along the harbour.

Bedtime

Just a short train ride away from St Ives down a little lane lies the village of Lelant, home to Penquite B&B. It's a family run establishment in a most gorgeous Arts and Crafts house. Charming hosts Stephanie and Tony will provide an excellent breakfast and a sound bed. They have a family 'seaside' suite that is a really useful space if there are a few of you. You can even see Lelant's own beach, Porth Kidney, from the garden. A perfect place to base yourself in the southwest.     

Are you a regular visitor to St Ives and the surrounding area? Can you recommend anywhere else to eat, drink or sleep there? We can’t possibly include everywhere here, so please don’t be shy with your suggestions.  

You can view a larger, printable version of this map here

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