Besides the stunning landscapes, Cornwall is also famous for its seafood, meat pasties and ice cream. 

Besides the stunning landscapes, Cornwall is also famous for its seafood, meat pasties and ice cream. 
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Top Five Foodie Hotspots in Cornwall

UK

Cornwall may be famous for its beaches, but this lush county serves up a cornucopia of gastronomic treats. Whether you crave fresh fish and fine wine or simply a pasty and heart-stoppingly good ice cream, here are five places well worth the detour.

1. Philip Warren, Launceston

Welcome to Cornwall! Wake up as you cross the River Tamar and peel off the A30 at Launceston onto the unpromising Pennygillam industrial estate. From here Philip Warren quietly supplies top quality meat to discerning home cooks and serious chefs all over the country, including Rick Stein, Simon Rogan, Paul Ainsworth and Brett Graham.

This isn’t just a traditional family butcher. The Warren family also rear much of the livestock itself and work closely with other small Cornish farmers who subscribe to their same demanding quality criteria. Whether you’re unable to resist the huge, dry-aged, grass-fed Red Devon beef rib displayed in the window or simply crave superior sausages for the barbecue, there’s no better place to stock up for that self-catering holiday. Peckish? They’ll make sure your first Cornish pasty of the week is spot on too.
philipwarrenbutchers.co.uk

2. Coombeshead Farm, Lewannick

A short drive on down the A30 is the turn-off to Lewannick, gateway to the magical experience that is Coombeshead Farm. Tucked away in a lush Cornish valley lies this 66-acre working farm, bakery, guesthouse and restaurant. It’s all run with energetic love by couple Tom Adams and Lottie Mew in partnership with US-based chef April Bloomfield.

Adams made his name as founder of London barbecue and bourbon restaurant Pitt Cue Co, single-handedly sparking a UK pulled pork craze. At Coombeshead he’s deliberately moved closer to the raw ingredients, growing, rearing and preserving much of the creatively conceived feast that emerges from the kitchen for dinner guests. If you can’t secure a table then drop by the café to stock up on delicious pantry-fillers and a seriously superior Ploughman’s lunch.
coombesheadfarm.co.uk

3. Camel Valley Vineyards, Nanstallon

The English wine revolution isn’t only about South Downs chalk. Ever since ex-RAF pilot Bob Lindo planted his first vines on these Cornish slate slopes near Bodmin in 1989, Camel Valley wines have been catching attention for all the right reasons. Book a tour here to drink in this special site, not to mention the range of still and sparkling wines it produces.

High profile local chef Rick Stein has long been a champion of Camel Valley wines, but these days you’ll find its portfolio on some of the country’s most discerning lists, including Fortnum & Mason and the Ritz. The producer’s beautiful, strawberry-scented sparkling rosé is one of its best-known stars, but see if you can track down a bottle of Camel Valley’s far rarer single vineyard Darnibole Bacchus. Holding its very own Protected Designation of Origin, this still wine offers an impressive display of its distinctive English terroir.
camelvalley.com

4. The Gurnard’s Head, Zennor

If you’ve made it right down to the furthest tip of Cornwall then be sure to book a table at one of the county’s – indeed country’s – finest gastropubs. Poised on the scenic coast road between St Ives and St Just, The Gurnard’s Head is run by the same team behind equally renowned foodie destination the Felin Fach Griffin in South Wales.

The reassuringly concise menu here is based on local, seasonal produce with a tempting emphasis on fresh fish direct from day boats. The wine list is equally thoughtful, each bottle selected from specialist suppliers with originality and value to the fore. A tempting array of options are offered by the glass or carafe. Clear your head the next day with a post-breakfast stomp along the South West Coast Path.
gurnardshead.co.uk

5. Jelbert’s Ice Cream, Newlyn

The seaside town of Newlyn may be best known as one of the UK’s most important fishing ports, but that queue snaking out of Jelbert’s isn’t after seafood. Cornwall’s famously rich cream reaches its acme at this unassuming family-run ice cream parlour, which has been in business for nearly a century.

Decision making is easy here: they only serve vanilla flavour, always made fresh that day. The irresistible finishing touch is a topping of Cornish clotted cream and a chocolatey Flake. Put aside any health qualms: that oar on the wall belongs to Olympic gold medallist Helen Glover, daughter of the owner. Performance-enhancing ice cream? Go on then.

Gabriel Stone
Gabriel Stone
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