5 Best Restaurants in St Ives

Porthminster Kitchen is a seafront restaurant in St Ives, brought to you by the same team that's responsible for the Porthminster Beach Café. When the weather’s warm, capitalise on the ocean views from its sunny terrace; during the colder months, the same view can be enjoyed through its oversized windows.

The food is Cornish with a global twist. Expect a stellar range of seafood dishes including roasted cod, seafood linguine, Tandoori monkfish and locally caught Cornish sole. There are also a few meat or plant-based dishes on the menu.

The Balcony Bar’s first-floor location on The Wharf means this place has great sea views. But its popularity goes beyond its outlook and this is a perennial favourite for those seeking somewhere for a casual drink or inexpensive meal with friends.

Come for breakfast, when you can order everything from Eggs Benedict to a full English. Later in the day, there’s a good range of burgers, grilled sandwiches and tacos as well as the almost obligatory seaside fish and chips.

The Searoom is an upmarket restaurant overlooking St Ives Harbour. Nab one of the highly sought-after tables on its small terrace or watch the boats bob on the water beyond the sand through its leadlight windows. The globally-inspired menu comprises plenty of small plates perfect for sharing.

There’s an extensive drinks menu: order a blood orange gin and tonic or a Dark & Stormy rum cocktail to sip as you browse. You might try their beetroot salad with truffled goat’s cheese and candied walnuts, crispy pork belly with nam prik, nuoc cham and cucumber, or albondigas in a spicy tomato and chorizo stew.

Blas Burgerworks is a seasonal burger and rotisserie restaurant. On the menu, you’ll find fabulously tasty beef or chicken patties, accompanied by BBQ sauce, smoked Cornish cheddar, bacon, avocado, truffle aioli and even kimchi. Black bean or spiced tofu burgers satisfy those who prefer a meat-free diet.

The place attracts a loyal local following as well as in-the-know visitors. As space inside is impossibly tight, food is served to go, but there are benches nearby if you can’t wait to sink your teeth into your dinner. Ring ahead and place your order to ensure you don’t miss out.

Porthminster Beach Café is located right on the sand at Carbis Bay. In summer, this whitewashed café is the ideal spot for discerning foodie beachgoers. Meanwhile, out of season, a glass-enclosed heated terrace keeps patrons toasty as they watch the wind whip up mighty Atlantic swells.

Dine on shellfish from the Fal River, Helford and Rock estuaries or fish landed in Newlyn, Looe and Mevagissey harbours. The café sources many of the herbs, salads and vegetables it serves from its own nearby kitchen garden, which was created on what was once waste ground.