local - Goodtrippers

10 Cornwall spots to eat and drink with a sea view

Cornwall Special 2015

With so much coastline you’re never far away from a great eating and drinking spot with a stunning sea view in Cornwall. Here’s a selection of a few of our favourites…

The Cabin Beach Cafe, Perranuthnoe
This small cafe sits right on the top of the cliffs overlooking the quiet Perran Sands beach in the lovely village of Perranuthnoe. The menu is basic but very nice including filling breakfast baps and paninis, gluten-free homemade cakes, Cornish ice-cream and good teas and coffees. You can sit inside when it’s raining, but go for the unobstructed sea view from a table in the garden.

view of Perran Sands from The Cabin, Perranuthnoe

Fifteen Cornwall, Watergate Bay
Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen has become a well-established part of the Cornish foodie scene since opening a few years ago. Very friendly staff give everyone a warm welcome, particularly those with little ones (as you’d expect a Jamie O eaterie to do!). Top quality, Italian-style food is the order of the day including locally-caught seafood and Cornish ales. The restaurant is a social enterprise so all profits go to the Cornwall Food Foundation and its chef training programme. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls allow you to watch all of the surfing action across the vast Watergate Bay.

view of Watergate Bay from Fifteen Cornwall

The Fire Engine Inn, Marazion
A traditional pub with a friendly landlord and a range of St Austell beers on tap. Food is served, including gluten-free fish and chips and other seafood dishes, but if you don’t happen to be hungry make sure you at least grab a pint of local ale and take a seat in the beer garden – this pub boasts a stunning view across the water to St Michael’s Mount.

The Point at Polzeath, Polzeath
You don’t have to be staying here or using the health club or golf course to eat in The Point’s restaurant (although it is a handy add-on if you are). You can enjoy almost panoramic views from your table (or on the outside terrace) across farmland, the golf course and down into the surfers’ paradise of Polzeath beach and Pentire Point. Look out for Fizz ‘n’ Chips Night (Thursdays) for their choice of three fish with three batters and a glass of fizz (all £15) and Steak Night (Fridays) for their offer of two steaks and a bottle of wine for £30.

Fizz n Chips night at The Point at Polzeath

Ben Tunnicliffe, Sennen Cove
This informal beachside eaterie and bar is brought to you by Michelin-star chef Ben Tunnicliffe. With wonderful, unspoilt views across Sennen Cove, it does a great job of combining a relaxed and stylish ‘Ibizan beach bar’ vibe without making you feel unwelcome with a little one (they make great efforts to be family-friendly). The restaurant only ever serves ethically sourced seafood with an ever-changing ‘catch of the day’ on the menu. The food is excellent as is the cocktail list, which included a Ben’s G&T made with Cornish gin on our visit.

The Square at Porthleven, Porthleven
Porthleven has become a well-known destination in Cornwall for foodies with several top eateries in the village (including a new Rick Stein). The Square, now run by the previous owners of the renowned Victoria Inn in Perranuthnoe, offers a brasserie-style menu for informal lunch, dinner and coffee and cake in between. Locally-sourced is the order of the day with all fish landed at Porthleven harbour, meats from Primrose Herd and Vivian Olds, and local vegetable suppliers. They can also offer locally-sourced champagne if you’re celebrating! Plenty of seating indoors, or grab a table outside so you can watch the boats coming and going in the harbour.

locally-caught seafood tempura at The Square at Porthleven

The Godolphin Arms, Marazion
Sitting outdoors at this newly renovated gastropub is blissful on a warm, sunny day. You can hear the waves lapping a few meters from your table as you gaze across at St Michael’s Mount and its castle. We enjoyed the shared seafood platter plus their guest craft beer.

gaze at St Michael's Mount from The Godolphin Arms, Marazion — gaze at St Michael’s Mount from The Godolphin Arms, Marazion

Pedn Olva, St Ives
We’ll be honest – we haven’t tried the food here, but we did escape the crowds of St Ives harbour and enjoy a drink. And what a view from their large, outdoor terrace! Choose either the side facing the famous St Ives harbour view, or pick the other side which looks down onto the lovely Porthminster beach and all of the paddle boarders gliding across the calm sea.

Fresh From The Sea, Port Isaac
OK, not technically one with a sea view (you’d have to drag your seat closer to the road and perhaps crane your neck a bit) but it had to be included in this list as a sea view is mere seconds away and the seafood is fantastic! The fishing village of Port Isaac is a tourist hotspot, particularly down at the harbour, but make sure you spot at this small café before walking down the hill (or treat yourself on the way back up). It does exactly what it says on the sign serving fish and seafood freshly (and sustainably) caught from its own boat ‘Mary D’ in Port Isaac harbour. Try a delicious lobster or crab salad, then buy a few cakes and Cornish foodie delights from their shop to take home.

lobster salad at Fresh From The Sea, Port Isaac

No.1 Rock Road Bar & Grill, Rock
Grab a table on the outdoor balcony (beware of cool winds if there’s a northerly!) and enjoy the view of moored boats gently bobbing in the still waters, and the night ferry going back and forth to the more varied foodie destination of Padstow across the bay. There are plenty of cocktails and decent seafood mains to keep you satisfied.

overlooking the boats from No.1 Rock Road, Rock

How to eat your way through London’s food markets in a weekend

This post is sponsored by London Serviced Apartments

Food markets – street food, real food, slow food or farmers’ markets – are enjoying boom time right now.

The capital boasts dozens of food markets, from newbies to the well-established, meaning you can barely make it through a weekend without sipping a craft beer while wolfing down a grass-fed lamb burger with truffle coated fries ‘on the go’.

Here’s our pick of London’s food markets to try in one weekend:

Friday lunchtime

KERB – A favourite with office workers in its regular locations of Spitalfields and at The Gerkin in the City. But it’s at Cubbit Square, King’s Cross, where you can find KERB 12-3pm every weekday including Friday. From the regularly changing line-up of stallholders, you could be grabbing lunch from Spit & Roast, Fundi Pizza, Club Mexicana, Oli Baba’s, Moto Yogo, Original Fry-Up Material, Vinn Goute, Horn OK Please, and many, many more! An outdoor swimming pool is also promised to accompany KERB at this location….!

Friday evening

Summer Tales – The tropical pop-up from the Night Tales crew, Old’s Street’s Summer Tales runs throughout summer with street food, five bars and renowned DJs. Enjoy the jungle surroundings featuring hammocks, rope swings and a large sun terrace. Sample the cocktails at the Lazy Flamingo Bar before feasting on fare from Burger & Lobster, Forza Win, Bonnie Gull and Morty & Bob’s.

Saturday morning

Broadway Market – A favourite with London’s Field’s residents, this lively market can get crowded but it’s more than worth a visit. Buy organic fruit, veg, eggs, meat and more from local producers, take away delicious homemade cakes and pastries, and snap up one-offs from clothing and gift stalls. Artisan street food vendors cover everything from Scotch eggs to Persian tagines, and don’t miss ordering a Vietnamese coffee from Ca Phe VN. The market is also home to a host of cool indie shops, cafes and the infamous Cat & Mutton pub.

Saturday afternoon (from 5pm)

Street Feast – The mighty Street Feast is going from strength to strength. With ‘Feasts’ in Lewisham, Dalston, and the brand new 1,000 capacity Dinerama in Shoreditch, this is one hip street food happening you really need to experience! Depending on the market you plump for, you’ll have around 20-50 street food vendors to work your way around including Mother Clucker, Yum Bun, Up In My Grill, Crabbieshack, Meringue Girls, Killer Tomato, Som Saa, Luardos, Mama Wang’s Kitchen, and dozens more. The plentiful bars serving crafts beers and cocktails and the “vinyl gooves” keep up the good vibes.

Saturday evening

Urban Food Fest – If you’re not staying at Street Feast into the evening (and you can if you haven’t had your fill), hot foot it to Shoreditch for the Urban Food Fest until midnight. Described as “achingly cool” and an “amazing street food party” in the press, this Shoreditch night market boasts free entry and plenty of amazing global gastronomy to feast on. Chow down on Chinese jian bing crepes, pulled pork burgers, Austrian specknoedel, Mexican tacos, Portuguese desserts, fresh gyoza, Spanish tapas and much more… Live music and entertainment accompanies the feasting.

Sunday morning

It’s Sunday so let’s bring the pace down a bit…

Alexandra Palace Farmers’ Market – What better way to spend a lazy Sunday morning than by strolling along to your local farmers’ market for a great coffee and to pick up some local outdoor-bred pork sausages for brunch? This lovely market is full of local stallholders meaning you get to grab fresh veg, meat and fish to take home, or sample delicious treats from small artisan food producers – homemade granola and local honey anyone?

Most areas of London, particularly in the suburbs, will have a small farmers’ market so check your council website for details.

Sunday afternoon

Slow Food & Living Market – This new market in the serine courtyard of the Rosewood Hotel is an absolute gem. The organisers aim to recreate the sense of community that a local market brings by featuring local producers and artisans selling top quality, fresh produce that is in-season, free from GMOs, responsibly farmed or caught, and grown to high environmental standards. Sustainable gifts are also on sale, and a children’s area keeps little ones entertained. Shop from stalls including Oliver’s Bakery, Moonroast Coffee, Seaforth Chocolate Co., Greedy Goat, Chef & Butcher, Petersham Cellar, Wild Country Organics and Being Sophie.

If you eat like a local, why not live like a local? If you’re visiting London book yourself a stay at an apartment through London Serviced Apartments and really make a weekend of it. With access to over 1,400 luxury private homes, serviced like a hotel, you can rest any full stomachs in real comfort!

Best of British at the Urban Food Fest, London

Shoreditch’s favourite street food market is back and celebrating the best of British…

Foodies should add this to their diaries for Saturday 30th August – ‘Do not eat breakfast, skip lunch, head to Urban Food Fest in London!’. The food market’s ‘Viva Britannia’ theme is promising a gluttony of British dishes which you’ll really want to leave room for, so turn up hungry!

Some of the artisan street food on offer will be chipolata and Kentish plum huffkin, sausage bubble and squeak, English goat’s cheese and honey toasties, and old-fashioned British collar bacon heritage bread. Vegetarians and vegans can also rejoice as ‘V Corner’ remains offering British veggie and vegan dishes.

If that doesn’t fill you up, move onto pudding with a choice of apple cobnuts, Gypsy tarts and English filled doughnuts.

The street food market will also feature a bar serving specially created British cocktails including the ‘Queen Lizzie Special’, Somerset craft cider from Orchard Pig, premium craft beers, English wine, prosecco, champagne and thirst-quenching soft drinks.

Visitor info:

Free Entry

The Urban Food Fest takes place at Euro Car Parks, 162-175 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HU.

5pm – midnight every Saturday until 25 October (‘Viva Britannia’ is only on 30th August).

For more information visit www.urbanfoodfest.com

The Kings Head, Norfolk, England

The King’s Head

Holt Road, Letheringsett, Norfolk NR25 7AR

T: 01263 712691 / E: kingshead@flyingkiwiinns.co.uk

www.kingsheadnorfolk.co.uk

I love this pub – plain and simple. It could be the award-winning food; it could be its own brewed ‘Kiwi Ale’; it could be the beautiful rural location (maybe I’m biased – it is my home turf). But I’m not the only one – The King’s Head was awarded ‘Norfolk Dining Pub of the Year 2011’ by the Good Pub Guide. The King’s Head is one of five ‘Flying Kiwi Inns’ across Norfolk run by Master Chef and New Zealander Chris Courough. His passion for local, seasonal food dictates the brilliant menus.

Food: The menu makes the most of the North Norfolk location with fresh seasonal produce direct from local fishermen and farmers dominating the dishes (Chris’ ‘Food Heroes’ who specialise in some of the finest quality produce in the country). Naturally, the menu changes daily but expect dishes like caramelised pork belly with scallops, fillet of seabas with crab risotto, pan fried pigeon breast with beetroot, followed by homemade gooseberry fool or Kel’s chocolate brownie with pistacio semi-freddo. The pub rears its own herd of cows for the menu (best not to look at them in the adjacent field if you’re planning on ordering the beef…).

Drink: The pub offers an extensive wine list (specially selected by Chris and UK Master of Wines John Atkinson) but as with all good country pubs, the real winners for me are the beers. Norfolk grows some of the best malting barley and local microbrewer ‘Jo C’ brews two ales for The King’s Head, ‘Norfolk Kiwi’ (my favourite) and ‘Bitter old Bustard’.

Additional information: The pub was extensively renovated in 2007 and is at the smart end of gastropub decor – leather club chairs, Farrow and Ball paint, cosy snugs and the ‘Shoot Room’ (available for private hire). It has a very large beer garden (with big play ‘castle’ for kids). Alongside lunch and dinner, the pub also serves morning and afternoon cakes and coffee, and ‘kid’s high tea’ midweek during term time.

Recommended for… A pint of the ‘Norfolk Kiwi’ local ale with your Sunday lunch

Be aware that… Vegetarians are well catered for with the lunch menu but less so for dinner with maybe only one or two dishes suitable (but an early word with the kitchen on booking could result in some dishes being adapted).

‘Good’ credentials:

Emphasis on local, seasonal produce direct from farmers, fishermen and producers
Specialist microbrewed ales
Own herd of cows reared for menu in adjacent field (zero food miles!)
Menu ingredients include produce such as ethically-reared quail

Date of visit: April 2012

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The Duke of Cambridge, London

The Duke of Cambridge

30 St Peter’s Street, Islington, London N1

T: +44 (0)20 7359 3066

www.dukeorganic.co.uk

This wonderful pub is tucked away from the busy thoroughfare of Islington’s Upper Street and Essex Road, located on a quiet corner, quietly getting on with being the UK’s first (and still only) officially certified organic pub. But don’t let the quietness deceive you – this is an incredibly popular gastropub thanks to its fantastic menu created around seasonal, local and organic produce.And with a bar full of organic drinks on offer, there’s less chance of any ‘morning after’ feelings if you overdo it (what’s not to love?)!

Food: 80% of their ingredients(all organic) come from the Home Counties, their fish is Marine Stewardship Council certified wherever possible, their meat comes from small farms with the highest animal welfare standards, and everything is seasonal so if it’s not in season, you won’t see it on the menu which changes regularly. A sample of summer dishes that could be on offer when you visit, include starters such as pan-fried cuttlefish with gremolata, beef carpacio with radish or house pickled herring with potato caper. Mains may include asparagus and confit summer garlic risotto with ewe’s cheese, sardines with lentils and braised radicchio, or hearty rack of lamb with jersey royals and salsa verde. Puddings include lavendar creme brulee, apricot cheesecake or a mouth-watering British cheese board.

Drink: When the Duke first opened in 1998, there were no organic brewers in London – so they persuaded two brewers to make them some! Freedom and Pitfield Breweries have been supplying them ever since and the pub now has four real ales, two lagers and one cider on tap with plenty of bottled drinks to choose from (all organic, of course). The wine list includes organic and biodynamic wines from both Europe and the New Worlds – with bottles from South Africa and New Zealand being shipped over (never air freighted) to reduce the carbon footprint. Organic spirits and liqueurs are also on offer.

Recommended for… A relaxed lunch on a Sunday afternoon for delicious food and local beers

Be aware that… A Sunday can also be very busy – try and visit on a weekday afternoon for a quieter time

‘Good’ credentials:

UK’s first (and only) organic pub (officially certified by the Soil Association)
Organic, seasonal and local food and drink
Beers brewed by small, independent, artisan brewers in or close to London
Fish buying policy approved by the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council)
Meat from small farms maintaining high animal welfare standards
Nothing is ever air-freighted
Re-use and recycle wherever possible
Electricity generated by wind and solar power

Date of visit: June 2012

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Real Food Market, Southbank, London

Real Food Market

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX

www.realfoodfestival.co.uk

Free and weekly at Southbank (Fri 12-8pm, Sat 11am – 8pm, Sun 12-6pm)

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I’m so pleased that this food market is now on every weekend over summer! This little collection of some of the best independent, artisan food and drink producers offers the tastiest fast and affordable food on the Southbank – no need for a visit to the chain restaurants of Giraffe, Wagamama’s et al if you just want to grab a bite to eat, and want a little more choice than the (albeit very nice) English fare at nearby Canteen.

The Real Food Market features food from all corners of the globe (English, Spanish, Polish, Thai, North African, South American…) with a bias towards locally and sustainably produced food – think saltmarsh lamb burgers, fresh mussels and artisan cheeses. Stall holders can vary slightly week to week but you’ll probably find producers such as Jamon Jamon (with their huge dishes of paella), The Borough Cheese Company (selling French Mountain cheese), On Patisserie (with their pretty and innovative macaroons), The Polish Deli (selling smoked sausages and grilled chicken), The Thoroughly Wild Meat Company (serving delicious saltmarsh lamb and mutton), and Meantime Brewery (try their fab London Pale Ale). A previous trip over Jubilee weekend also found cream teas, crepes and Camden Town Brewery in action.

On this visit, we tried the North African lamb wraps from the Community Kitchen which were so tasty and filling (and only £6 each) that we didn’t have room for dinner later that evening!

Several stalls sell packaged or bottled food and drink to take home (they can make great gifts – a good opportunity to buy direct from the producer instead of seeking out a stockist). I find it best for grabbing a bite to eat then sitting near the Hayward Gallery (preferably in the sun!) overlooking the river. Tip: Go when you’re hungry and persuade whoever you’re with to order from a different stall to you – you’ll want to try as many different offerings as possible!

Recommended for… A more original alternative to the chain restaurants of Southbank

Be aware that… Stall holders can change each week so don’t rely on your favourite always being there!

‘Good’ credentials:

Promoting sustainable, environmentally and socially-responsible and ethically-produced food (e.g. organically-reared meats, handmade products, traditional beers, ales and cider)
Emphasis on locally produced, sourced and artisanal food
Supporting independent producers directly

Date of visit: June 2012

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