Best restaurants in Falmouth

One of Cornwall’s lesser-known idyllic coastal spots, The Ferry Boat Inn looks out over Helford Passage from its own quiet little cove. It’s worth a visit for the spot alone, but after a renovation in 2017 this 300 year old inn also serves some cracking gastropub fare.

You’ll find The Shed right by the National Maritime Museum, so it tends to get extremely busy throughout the day, serving slap-up breakfasts in the mornings and a lovely lunch and dinner menu later. Influences are distinctly international, with dishes ranging from Padron peppers to curried cauliflower or king prawn gnocchi.

This beautiful Georgian townhouse has some amazing views of the harbour, and even if you’re not staying there’s an excellent restaurant on the ground floor serving a smart menu of seasonal small plates.

Like many Falmouth restaurants, local produce and elevated cooking is the name of the game at MINE, but the team here does it exceptionally well and the dining room is always full. Chef Angus Bell runs the kitchen, and has spent time cooking with Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche, as well as at the excellent Star Inn at Harome

This popular bar and restaurant to the south of the city overlooks Beryl Bay, serving a menu of oysters, shellfish and market fish, with dishes including wild prawns with herb butter and ‘Nduja, and chargrilled mackerel with tomatoes, roasted red peppers and basil. It’s the perfect place to book after a day at the beach.

Fresh local seafood meets an impressive range of beers courtesy of Verdant Brewing, which is where you’ll find this quaint little seafood spot. The menu changes depending on what has been landed by boats that day, so you might not know what you’re going to get, but you can guarantee it’ll be ultra-fresh and delicious.

There’s a strong leaning towards fresh fish and seafood at Hotel Meudon, but it’s the rural setting and sea views that bring a steady stream of guests to this elegant spot. The kitchen team is big on foraging too so you can expect to see a real spectrum of local wild food on the plate. Book a room to enjoy the excellent breakfast too.

The Shack is all about great seafood - fresh fish comes from nearby Newlyn, oysters from Porthilly and shellfish from nearby Cornish waters. If you’re craving some classic, simple seafood cookery, like a prawn linguine or smoked haddock chowder, The Shack is the place to go.

Just a quick jaunt over the Penryn River (or around it) and you can make it to Flushing, where Harbour House sits proudly overlooking the little marina. An in-house bakery whips up excellent pastries, and you can expect fresh seafood cooking over charcoal for lunch and dinner, and a lovely al fresco terrace to boot.

Gorgeous sea views and luxurious local cooking is what you can expect if you’re eating at Brasserie on the Bay. The main restaurant within St Michael’s Resort has something for everyone, including an excellent afternoon tea on Saturdays.

Run by a pair of local young chefs, The Mulberry is an ambitious restaurant that has become phenomenally popular in a short space of time. Local produce meets global inspirations here - Fal native oysters, for example, are served with lemon and fermented chilli, whilst trout is cured in a mix of yuzu and limoncello.

Another gastropub gem worth visiting, The Pandora Inn’s calling card is that stunning 13th century exterior and the quiet spot on the Carrick Roads. The inn even has a jetty with tables that stretches out over the river - a beautiful place to spend a sunny afternoon.

This smart, seasonal restaurant at Custom House Quay is run by husband-and-wife team Hylton and Petronella Espey, and received a Michelin Green star for its outstanding tasting menus. All the produce is local and ethically sourced, and the single tasting menu tells a story of the local landscape.

Michael Caines presides over this lovely eatery on the seafront, which boasts some of the best views in town. Caines is a household name after his long standing stint as head chef of two Michelin-starred Gidleigh Park - The Cove is much more relaxed but still retains the same excellence and attention to detail.