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Porthminster Beach Café

Fish·
££££
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Silver Award
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SquareMeal Review of Porthminster Beach Café

Silver Award

Frolic on the sands with the kids, ride some waves or laze and watch the sun go down – it’s all on offer at this livewire whitewashed eatery bang on the beach.

The bright dining room is simply appointed with wooden furniture and tiled floors, while the patio is a top shout for alfresco meals (heaters and blankets are provided). Fresh Cornish seafood stars on the freewheeling global menu, which might run from crispy fried squid with citrus miso dressing, black spice and Thai salad to baked halibut with a salsa verde crust, celeriac, Parma ham and almond pâté or grilled stone bass with ras-el-hanout and chickpea fricassee.

Meat eaters don’t go hungry either, chomping on the likes of smoked Cornish duck breast or roast Ibérico pork cutlet with beetroot, crayfish tails and sticky cider sauce before rounding off with, say, pressed chocolate cake, kumquats, chocolate vermicelli and tonka milk sorbet. The café also does a roaring trade with breakfast, morning coffee and afternoon tea between times. Service is tickety-boo and there are a dozen wines by the glass on the fairly priced list (note the cute plastic ice buckets, more commonly used for making sandcastles).

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
Fish
Ambience
Cosy, Glamorous, Luxury, Quiet conversation, Romantic, Unique
Food Occasions
All day dining, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Alfresco And Views
Great views, Outside seating, Terrace, Waterside
Special Features
Gluten-free options, Vegan options, Vegetarian options
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celebrations, Child friendly, Dates, Romantic
Food Hygiene Rating

About

Serving hungry tourists and residents for more than 25 years, Porthminster Beach Cafe is the sort of restaurant that wouldn’t look out of place on a postcard. Its enviable beachside location allows guests to take in stunning panoramic views of St Ives Bay, as well as local landmarks such as the Godrevy Lighthouse. Porthminster Beach Cafe is also unique in that unlike many of Cornwall’s star attractions, it stays open all year round - on cooler or rainy nights, simply cosy up on the glass-covered heated terrace.

The dining room here is a simple and breezy whitewashed affair, featuring sanded down wooden floors and large floor-to-ceiling windows which guarantee all tables can take advantage of the view. The menu at Porthminster Beach Cafe takes diners through from breakfast to dinner and is made up of dishes influenced by the flavours of Asian and Mediterranean cuisine, although everything on the menu is underpinned by a commitment to local produce, fresh seafood and foraged coastal ingredients.

The Beach Cafe is not exclusively a fish restaurant, although the setting naturally lends itself to including seafood dishes on the menu. Vegetarians and vegans shouldn’t be put off though, as they are well catered to here, with always a least a few options free of meat and fish available. You might start your meal with a Cornish fish taco or a spiced onion bhaji, before following it up with the likes of a mild Indonesian monkfish curry or butter poached brill fillets topped with Porcini mushroom and fresh truffle shavings.

End your meal on an indulgent note with a deep-fried banoffee pie or helping of sticky toffee pudding, or opt for liquid afters instead with the short but considered list of European wines. Have the little ones in tow? Choose from the dedicated children’s menu of fish and chips and pasta.


FAQs

Is Porthminster Beach Cafe child-friendly?

Yes, children are welcome at Porthminster Beach Cafe and there is a dedicated kid's menu for them to choose from.

Helpful? 0

Is Porthminster Beach Cafe dog-friendly?

Porthminster Beach Cafe does allow well-behaved dogs on its outdoor terrace, but not inside the main restaurant.

Helpful? 0

Is Porthminster Beach Cafe's terrace weather-proof?

Yes, the terrace at Porthminster Beach Cafe is covered by glass and heated.

Helpful? 0

Are there gluten-free options on the menu at Porthminster Beach Café?

Yes there are gluten-free options on the menu at Porthminster Beach Café.

Helpful? 0

Porthminster Beach Café is featured in

Location

Porthminster Beach, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 2EB

01736 795352 01736 795352

Website

Opening Times

All day
Mon 09:00-21:30
Tue 09:00-21:30
Wed 09:00-21:30
Thu 09:00-21:30
Fri 09:00-21:30
Sat 09:00-21:30
Sun 09:00-21:30

Reviews

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6 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Jessica B

13 August 2023   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Mike B

01 July 2023   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 4
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 4

DAVID F

05 September 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5

Yet again another fantastic meal with excellent service 

Anon

10 November 2021   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 1
Service 5
Atmosphere 3
Value 0.5
Not worth it.

We've been here many times previously for dinner and lunch. What a disappointment this time. Particularly so the scallop starter: a single tiny scallop about the size of a ten pence coin without the coral, on a bed of mac n cheese. £15.50 is frankly taking the mick. We both had fish & chips as our main, nice enough but so expensive. I don't eat meat and am allergic to shellfish and so had little choice other than a mushroom dish. Come on Porthminster Beach Cafe, you could be more flexible and offer some dishes without the shellfish sauces. The service was impeccable as always. Word gets around too, locals are saying the same things as visitors.  I can't recommend this restaurant any more, they are ripping customers off.

Anon

12 September 2021   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Porthminster Cafe

Another brilliant meal at Porthminster cafe

Thomas C

04 May 2017  
A rare environment for the U.K., tranquil beach side gem that achieves high end cuisine in a fully relaxed environment. There is nowhere else in the uk like it.
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