The Firehouse Grill is St Ives’ answer to an American bar and grill, and a good answer it is. The restaurant bears a sleek black exterior which, particularly at night, couldn’t quite be more inviting as it gives way to a seductive red-lit interior. The interior is simple but polished, featuring wooden tables and chairs surrounded by walls covered in food related graffiti. Located right next to St Ives harbour, the space boasts impressive views of the Atlantic, another thing this place shares with the States.
The menu holds a comprehensive list of everything you would hope to find at a grill: flame-grilled, dry-aged, steaks that come with both pleasing recommendations on how you should eat the different cuts and homemade sauces. Rotisserie chicken, brick fired pizzas, gourmet burgers and fire house classics all take residency on the menu as well with classic choices like a rack of ribs or a margherita pizza as well as a beef shin and Guinness pie. A local seafood menu offers things from char-grilled Cornish sea bass to cornish moules and frites and a changing specials list provides delights like an ox cheek bourguignon. Everything is set to the backdrop of a large list of sides. The drinks list is comprehensive with draught beers, wine and soft drinks as well as a cocktail list from which you’re bound to find something you don’t want to stop drinking.
The bar here however focuses particularly on one spirit, gin. With a range of gin’s from all over the world, including several from the South-West Firehouse Bar and Grill works to elevate the standard G&T into something more complex, and frankly exciting. They match up different tonics to their various Gins and complete the pairing with their own dehydrated fruits and on top of this offer a list of gin-based cocktails to enjoy. There’s no pretence to this, nor to the place as a whole, this is a venue that offers good food and a good atmosphere in a very nice setting.