Eating Out
There are so many good places to go to eat around Mawnan Smith and the wider area, and if you love seafood you are especially in for a treat. The following are places that we’ve eaten at relatively recently so there’s many more to try. If you have a particularly good (or bad!) meal, or recommendation for us to check out, we would love to hear it!
BETTER FOR LUNCH
Maenporth Beach Cafe
http://maenporthbeach.co.uk // 01326 251209
An array of beachside snacks, burgers, crab sandwiches, chips and ice creams. NOTE: the café does not accept cards, it is cash only. Great to plan a coast path walk to go past this at lunchtime or simply walk from Mawnan Smith down the woodlands to the beach (approx. 25 minutes). No dogs allowed on the beach Easter – October. Seasonal opening times, check their website as it tends to be weather permitting off season. Sand underfoot, a typical beach hut café. If you take the car you will have to pay to park on the beach.
Lobster on the terrace at The Tresanton, St Mawes
https://tresanton.com // 01326 270055
A real treat day out, take the ferry from Falmouth over to St Mawes and make your way up the hill to The Tresanton. Seafood dishes with a glass of ice-cold white wine are a treat to savour. Booking essential, ask specifically for a table on the terrace and get the ferry well in good time, there’s plenty to do in St Mawes to keep you occupied until your booking.
Crab sandwich on the terrace at The Budock Vean Hotel
https://www.budockvean.co.uk // 01326 250288.
Going to The Budock Vean is a bit like visiting an elderly relative: comforting, old fashioned with the odd surprise. If the sun is shining and you don’t feel like venturing far from Mawnan Smith, nothing beats the reasonably priced (£11 or so) crab sandwich. It sounds a lot but the terrace and view are lovely. Watch out for Stephen Sea-gull (the inhouse joke, see above ref: elderly relative) who will swoop and steal your bloomer before you can say shooooo. After lunch take a meander down the valley garden to the water’s edge and little harbour, appreciating the flora and fauna along the way.
Gylly Beach Cafe
http://www.gyllybeach.com // 01326 312884
Located on the outskirts of Falmouth, Gylly Beach is a lovely spot to while away time with a morning coffee or tasty lunch. We’ve not been in the evening, but their website says they offer a firepit grill from 4pm til late which hopefully we will try soon. It’s an ‘order at the bar, collect your own cutlery’ type of place which welcomes children, and nobody minds if they wail their heads off or run around the place.
Porthminster Cafe, St Ives
http://www.porthminstercafe.co.uk // 01736 795352.
If wailing kids and getting your own cutlery aren’t your style, head St Ives way to the Porthminster Café instead. Labelling this as a café doesn’t really do it justice. The location is sublime, the food sublime, the service sublime; you get the picture. This is our destination lunch spot, ideal if you are taking in St Ives for the day and need some post-cultural relief or if you simply want a light refreshment after seal watching at Godrevy Beach. Excellent value, booking essential.
The Shack, Falmouth
http://www.theshackfalmouth.co.uk // 01326 212 800.
What it lacks in atmosphere (which is quite a lot), The Shack certainly makes up for in the quality of its seafood. Every time we’ve been here, we’ve gorged on ‘The Shack Stack’ platter which amply feeds two and provides everything from calamari to crab, a couple of oysters, muscles, scallops, you get the picture. It is near the Maritime Museum so could be a good combination for a visit there, then lunch. We’ve only been in the evening and precursored our meal with an espresso martini next door at The Shed.
Better for Supper - book well in advance
The Cove, Maenporth
http://www.thecovemaenporth.co.uk // 01326 251136. Dine out in style at this lovely restaurant located at Maenporth beach just a few miles from Mawnan Smith. The Cove was taken over by the famous chef Michael Caines in early 2020, opened on 6th March and then had to shut two weeks later. We haven’t eaten here yet under the new ownership but hope to very soon.
The Wheelhouse, Falmouth
(phone for seasonal opening times)
Upton Slip, Falmouth TR11 3DQ // 01326 318050
A very difficult and secretive place to get into, you phone and leave a message and then they call you back. Answerphone message will tell you if they have any availability coming up. Sittings at 6.30pm and 9.30pm this is the ultimate seafood experience plus if you get merry you might well end up with a lifeboat man’s hat on at the end of the evening. Both sittings are good, on the 6.30pm one they will chuck you out circa 9pm. It’s a seafood feast to savour and they’ll give you an apron to protect your clothes if you get stuck into the lobster. Always good and great value given what you end up eating.
Good Pubs
The Ferryboat Inn, Helford Passage
https://ferryboatcornwall.co.uk // 01326 250 625.
The best local pub for food, this place is buzzing and very busy during the summer holidays. Unfortunately, this means service can be slow and it can be a bit hectic at high season but if you can grab a table in a corner on the terrace you can sit back, watch the goings on down on the beach, and enjoy their seasonal menu. The mackerel tacos are very good if available. It’s almost a rite of passage to have at least a drink here if you are staying in Mawnan Smith. Booking essential for food in high season.
The Pandora, Restronguet Creek
www.pandorainn.com // 01326 372 678
One of the best pubs in South West Cornwall - olde worlde and a haven in winter. Great crab sandwich in the summer and evening meals are even better. It can be difficult to get into the car park in the summer and there aren’t many other options to park so get there in plenty of time if you have made a booking. Booking essential in high season.
The Trengilly Wartha, near Constantine
http://www.trengilly.co.uk // 01326 340 332
Head to the Tren for Wednesday’s music night (check it’s on by phone first) or a plate of decent honest food. Lovely pub to take in if you are exploring in land. It’s quite difficult to find but there are signs about the place to guide you in. Recommend putting it in your satnav.