Eating Out
Restaurants come and go so it is worth checking TripAdvisor, but some of our favourites are as follows. For the more popular restaurants you will need to book ahead in good time. You will notice that restaurants and other businesses in Newquay often list on Facebook rather than have their own separate website.
The Boathouse, Newquay Harbour. A favourite for close, simple food by the water. Not a normal restaurant, it’s a collection of street food outlets in one spot, where you order by app from your table so everyone can order from a different provider if you want different foods. Fresh, tasty, seafood and non-seafood fare, on the beach or (especially if a high spring tide is in!) up on their veranda. It is directly on the harbour so at the right time you might see the fishermen landing the next meal. Seals hang around the harbour, especially when the fishing boats are coming in at the end of a day at sea. At low to mid tide, access from The Island can be via Towan beach, a small scramble over the rocks, up the stone steps in the far corner and over the harbour wall. (Or at low tide around a full moon or new moon, you can sometimes even walk in though the boat entrance to the harbour, which can be a strange experience.) At high tide, and any time you don’t fancy a bit of a rock scramble, you will need to take a more energetic up-and-down route, via Fore Street and then take the steps or road down to the harbour. https://www.facebook.com/theboathousenewquay / 01637 874062
Lusty Glaze Beach Restaurant, Lusty Glaze Road, Newquay, TR7 3AE. Literally on their own private beach, with friendly staff. They used to have a regular restaurant but now are concentrating more on events like weddings, concerts and live music nights. The safest thing is to check on the website for the latest situation, or give them a call if you’re planning to visit. A walk along the beach for a to-die-for hot chocolate in front of the fire, or out in the sun, makes the uncertainty worth it. Access is down 133 steps to Lusty Glaze beach. During spring tides (the days around full moon and new moon) it is possible at low tide to walk there or back from Towan beach (at the foot of the Island). That’s definitely the fun way, and highly recommended, but check the exact time of low tide first online and don’t take any risks if the tide has turned and is incoming. https://www.lustyglaze.co.uk / 01637 872444
The Fish House, Headland Road Unit 5 International Surf Centre, Fistral Beach, Newquay TR7 1EW. Last time we looked this was #1 out of the 160 local restaurants on Tripadvisor. Plus they won a Michelin star in 2020. The Michelin Guide says: “In amongst the beach shops of the International Surf Centre you’ll find this small bistro looking out over Fistral Beach’s golden sands towards a sea dotted with surfers. Blackboards announce the daily catch, with much coming from Newquay Harbour. Dishes are appealing and full of flavour.” https://www.thefishhousefistral.com / 01637 872085
Rick Stein, in the same Fistral beach-side complex as The Fish House. Laid-back (doesn’t take bookings), dog-friendly, beach views. You can walk there in under 20 minutes through town, or with a slight detour it can be reached by the scenic coast path, past the huer’s hut. From their website: “serves Rick’s famous fish & chips as well as dishes inspired by his travels around Asia, including Goan chicken curry, lamb karahi, pad Thai noodles, nasi goreng and Sri Lankan cashew nut curry”. https://www.rickstein.com/eat-with-us/fistral / 01841 532700
Colonial, Tolcarne beach, Newquay. This was a slightly surprising choice of branding and decor when it opened a few years ago, with colonisation not exactly being in vogue. But the food is tasty, the cocktails are a great accompaniment to sunset, and the location is fantastic, a short walk along the beach at low to mid tide (walk under our bridge and turn right) and only slightly longer over the cliff tops at higher tides. Especially with Lusty Glaze often closed for events, the Colonial is well worth checking out for a sundowner or dinner at beach level. https://www.facebook.com/colonialtolcarne / 01637 851724.
Kahuna, Station Approach, Newquay, TR7 2NG. Tasty pan-Asian food, just the other side of Newquay station so about 7 minutes’ walk via the pedestrianised former tramway. Nicer inside than its station surroundings suggest. https://www.kahunarestaurant.co.uk / 01637 850440
Bush Pepper, 6 Fore Street, Newquay, TR7 1LN. Tasty Australian fare a short walk away in the centre of town. https://bushpepper.co.uk / 01637 852530
Harbour Fish & Grill, North Quay Hill, Newquay, TR7 1HF. Good high level views out over the harbour, The Island, and beaches beyond. https://www.facebook.com/harbour.fishgrill / 01637 873040 / 01637 839308
Cove24, 24 Fore St, Newquay TR7 1LN . One of the better quality food venues in the centre of town. Cocktail lounge vibe in the evenings. https://cove24.uk / 01637 856024
Sprout, The Old Printhouse, Newquay TR7 1FZ. Healthy products/cafe tucked away down a side street with a small courtyard for live performances. They also sell “wholefoods, organic, zero waste alternatives, fresh slow-rise bread, natural household and body care products, nutritional supplements and remedies”. https://sprouthealth.co.uk / 01637 875845
Pavilion Bakery, ForeStreet, Newquay TR7 1HD. For breakfast and lunch, or just take away your freshly made bread and baked products to enjoy on The Island or the beach. https://pavilionbakery.com/pages/newquay
Rebellion, 34 Cliff Rd, Newquay, TR7 2ND. “Roast house and moonshine bar”, specialising in tasty, filling ribs, steaks, grills etc plus cocktails. It’s hard to do, but try to leave room for the chocolate-based desert known as Cowboy Crack. https://www.rebellionroasthouse.co.uk / 01637 878334
Toast, Central Square, Newquay TR7 1EU. Very popular so you should book, this centrally located tapas and wine bar gets good reviews. https://www.facebook.com/toastnewquay / 01637 871252
Silks Bistro & Champagne Bar, The Atlantic Hotel, Dane Road, Newquay TR7 1EN. Part of the Atlantic Hotel which is the big one you can see from the Island on the top of the headland above the harbour. Good food in a large room, with large windows, for those who like their dining surroundings classy in a slightly old school sort of way. It is a reasonable walk through town, or slightly longer around the coastline, to build up an appetite. https://atlantichotelnewquay.co.uk/champagne-bar-and-restaurant / 01637 872244
Restaurants a drive away…
Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, Middle Street, Padstow, PL28 8AP. The restaurant is a fine dining restaurant with two beautiful individually designed private dining rooms. Example: 55-day dry-aged beef fillet. https://www.paul-ainsworth.co.uk/ 01841 532093
Stein’s Cafe, Seafood Restaurant, St Pedrocs Bistro and fish and chips Padstow. Whether you’re looking to dine quayside with finger food, eat fish and chips or enjoy the fine dining experience of the Seafood Restaurant, it’s hard to come to Cornwall and not sample a morsel from the Stein empire. www.Rickstein.com / 01841 532700
The Scarlet Hotel, Tredragon Road, Mawgan Porth, TR8 4DQ. The restaurant serves sophisticated, robust food that is surprising but never pretentious. This eco hotel also has a very good spa, with day passes available, so you could combine lunch, a treatment or two, relaxing by the indoor pool, and sipping a glass of bubbles in a hot tub overlooking the sea. www.scarlethotel.co.uk / 01637 861800
Takeaway fish and chips
Newquay has many chippies. We normally alternate between the nearest, Flounders, and The Cod End, near the station. The Harbour Chippy does Gluten-Free and Vegan, equally flavoursome according to our GF/VE friends. The Cod End now also does GF Free and though the dining facilities aren’t grand, they do have a good view; but we’d prefer takeaway back to the Island which has an even better view. All are just a short walk away.
Drinks
There are lots of pubs to explore in Newquay. You will spot which ones are the youngsters’ hang-outs (the Walkabout is a revellers magnet) and, unless that’s your thing, you will find much better alternatives by exploring.
For a more sophisticated cocktail bar experience just a couple of minutes’ walk away, our favourite is Tom Thumb, 27A East Street, Newquay, TR7 1DN. https://www.tom-thumb.co.uk / 01637 498180
Toast, Central Square, Newquay TR7 1EU. Very popular, so you should book, wine and tapas bar. https://www.facebook.com/toastnewquay / 01637 871252
Selkies, 5 Cheltenham Place, Newquay, TR7 1BA. Small mermaid-themed bar which sometimes has live music. They also do coffee and brunch. https://www.facebook.com/toastnewquay / 01841 531386
An unpromising-looking shop-conversion next to Tesco, The Lost Brewing Company turns out to be the home of some fine ales, with friendly staff and food accompaniment, and doubles as a dog-friendly cafe during the day, including for breakfast. https://lostbrewing.co / 01637 876873
If you would like to build up a thirst with a great walk to an old pub in the next village, it is well worth the round trip by foot to Crantock to visit the Old Albion Inn, Langurroc Road, Crantock, TR8 5RB. If you are walking you will need to check the tides. At low tide there is a footbridge across the Gannel River, and at high tide you will either need to walk (or taxi) round the road or take a small ferry (summer only). This is part of the South West Coast path and not as tricky as it sounds. http://www.oldalbioncrantock.com/ 01637 830243
Also in Crantock is The Jam Jar, Langurroc Road, Crantock, TR8 5RB. Delicious coffee, cakes, cream teas, etc by day and pizza by night. This was a 2020 offshoot of the Jam Jar in Newquay and is a welcome stop when we need refreshment after a stroll across the Gannel estuary. They have also now installed a small bar for an evening drink, giving a more modern alternative to a pint in the Old Albion. Open Wednesday to Sunday. https://www.jamjar.cafe/jam-jar-kitchen
Cafes
There are lots of good cafe options, with plenty of independents as well as the ubiquitous chains.
Tucked away, not far, is the chilled and friendly Coffee on the Corner https://www.facebook.com/coffeeonthecornernewquay / 9 Tor Road TR7 1RL. They have a liquor licence so can liven up your coffee with a shot. After your coffee, you could check out Fresh Point Local https://freshpointlocal.co.uk, a stone’s throw away, for fresh produce.
Other great independent cafe choices, grouped together a short walk away above the harbour or through the town, on the main road to Fistral Beach:
Box & Barber / https://www.facebook.com/boxandbarber / 01637 871001
Cloud Cafe / https://www.facebook.com/cafecloudnewquay / 07719 822156
Fore Street CafeBar / https://www.facebook.com/Forestreetcafebar / 07944 884038
Other (tiny)
Oak & Maple which presses its own juices / 36b Cliff Road, TR7 2ND
Kook https://en-gb.facebook.com/kooknewquay / a small, centrally located cafe serving excellent juices, smoothies and milkshakes / 1 Fore Street, Newquay, TR7 1HB
The Jam Jar / https://www.jamjar.cafe / a hole-in-the-wall purveyor of takeaway coffee and cake next to Sainsbury’s. Has a newer, sister operation in Crantock.