Tom's Culinary Guide
- Details
- Category: Tom's Culinary Guide
There’s eateries-aplenty to choose from when staying at Tom’s Cottage, here’s our favourites…
-
standardFamily Eating Places
The Tipi Kitchen at Cornish Tipis
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 2 minute drive/5-10 minute walk
(turn right out of entrance lane & the Tipis entrance is 2nd on right)
During peak season: speciality 'guest' cuisine suppers, eat-in or take-away.
Breakfasts served throughout the morning, afternoon hours variable.
Trevathen Farm Shop & Restaurant, St Endellion.
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 5ish minute drive down the B3314.
Breakfasts, lunches & afternoon teas - good farming fayre. Seating inside & out, children's play area, PYO strawberries (when in season) and great farm shop for produce and groceries.
Check opening hours during the winter, may be closed on a Monday.
Boscastle Farm Shop, just outside Boscastle.
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 11 miles.
Normal shop hours, inside & outdoor seating with great sea views. Homemade lunches and elevenses/afternoon teas. Local produce & gifts.
The Angry Anchovy Pizzeria, Port Isaac (top of village).
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 3½ miles.
Eat in or takeaway
St Kew Farm Shop, near St Kew Highway
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 3 miles
Bistro food, Friday evening suppers (closed Sundays)
standardOn the hoof (instant picnic’ing)Churchtown Cafe, St Teath find on Facebook
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 2¾ miles
9am - 3pm eat in or takeaway
Homemade cakes (we love the chocolate éclairs but they sell out early in the day), good paninis etc
Smugglers fish & chips, Delabole find on Facebook
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 4 miles
Pre-order via Facebook or just drop by
standardGood PubsSt Kew Inn, St Kew
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 3 miles
Idyllic old inn, beautiful garden area and above average menu
Port Gaverne Hotel, Port Gaverne
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 2 miles
Quaint coastal setting and long-standing good reputation
St Tudy Inn, St Tudy
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 4 miles
Good ambience and menu, refurbished country inn.
{/s}standardRestaurantsNathan Outlaw's, Port Isaac
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 2½ miles
From Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen in the heart of Port Isaac to Outlaw’s New Road restaurant at the top of the village, this is fresh fish served with respect.
Pilchards, Port Gaverne
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 2 miles
Affiliated to the Port Gaverne Hotel (see pubs above), this is no regular beach café – it’s contempary in style and menu. Specialities: seafood & tapas
The Mote, Port Isaac
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 2½ miles
Right down on The Platt (harbourside), another establishment that prides itself on sourcing the best of local produce.
Rick Stein, Padstow
Distance from Tom’s Cottage: 15 miles by road or 10 miles to Rock ferry plus walk round Padstow harbour
- The Seafood Restaurant – the original, famed establishment. Exemplary service matching the quality of food and wine. Book in advance for a special occasion.
- St Petroc’s Bistro – our preference for something special without going overboard.
- Rick Stein’s Café – open daytime and evening, family friendly
- Stein’s Fish and Chips – the car park end of the harbour, amazing menu (we love the mackerel); queues likely at peak times.
Local Michelin Guide Restaurants
- Pilchards, Port Gaverne (recommended)
- Outlaw’s New Road, Port Isaac (1 star)
- Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac (1 star)
- St Kew Inn (recommended)
- The Mariners, Rock (recommended)
- The Dining Room, Rock (recommended)
- The Rocket Store, Boscastle (recommended)
- Barnaby’s, St Issey (recommended)
- Paul Ainsworth at No 6, Padstow (1 star)
- Caffe Rojanno, Padstow (recommended)
- Rick Stein’s Café, Padstow (Bib Gourmand)
- The Prawn on the Lawn, Padstow (recommended)
- The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow (recommended)
- The Rising Sun, Altarnun (recommended)
- Coombeshead Farm, Lewannick (Green Star)
- More Cornish Michelin Guide listings can be found here, where the above can also be viewed.
- Details
- Category: Tom's Culinary Guide
Whether a bar-b-q is on the cards or a family meal round the dining room table, packing up a picnic or having a bake-in; eating-in is part of the fun at Tom’s Cottage.
-
standardGreengrocers / Farm-Shops
We tend to pick up a lot of fruit and veg from the local farm-shop – as well as other supplies, and so have listed them together here…
Trevathan Farm Shop, St Endellion
Our favoured farm shop which also happens to be the closest to Tom’s Cottage. Seasonal fruit and veg, a lot of which is grown on-site; including strawberries which are available to pick-your-own when in season.
Stocks home-produced meats and pork from The Cornish Farmhouse Bacon Co (the smoked back bacon is exceptional); local bakery products and Cornish beers, wines and ciders.
An array of gifts and farmhouse style restaurant plus outside play area; run by a local family with a dedication to good service.
Boscastle Farm Shop, Boscastle
Although a little further away, this is a great farm shop and its café is slightly more contemporary. Yards from the coastpath with outside seating area, run by another local farming family with famed home-produced beef and a panache for giftware.
The Vine, Wadebridge
Greengrocer proper, situated in Eddystone Road, Wadebridge. Array of produce, the majority sourced locally. One of the first places to stock Cornish new (early) potatoes at the beginning of the season – delicious with mint and butter. Also look out for fresh locally grown asparagus when in season.
standardFishDennis Knight Fish Merchant, Port Isaac
Located in the Fish Cellars at the bottom of the village (next to the harbour), the local go-to place for fresh fish. Helpful service, deliveries potentially available. Find on Facebook or call on 01208 880498
Just Shellfish Port Isaac
Also run by locals and in the Fish Cellars, and supplied by the family boat that works out of Port Isaac. Caught a few miles from Tom’s Cottage and eaten the same day – now that’s fresh!
standardMeatPhilip Warren Butchers Launceston & Rock
Top of the list! Specialising in grass-reared, native breed meat reared locally and an enviable trade customer base of top-flight London restaurants; these guys are master-butchers. The ethical production and skilled butchery shine through in the meat – once tasted, nothing else can touch it. Superb counter service.
If entering Cornwall on the A30 in working hours, it’s a simple 1-minute detour to visit Warren’s shop on the Pennygillam Industrial Estate at Launceston (with shop-side parking, postcode PL15 7ED). Back out on the A30 and Tom’s Cottage is just half hour’s drive.
Rock shop NEW in 2025! Having taken over the long-established Watts, Warren meats are now available locally. Superb!
Williams Butchers Wadebridge
Situated at the lower end of Molesworth Street (a few doors up from the stationer) and not to be confused with a nearby competitor, Tom’s Cottage is within Williams’s delivery area. Good meats and service.
Button Meats Michealstow, St Tudy
Farm outlet rooted in the community. Marvellous sausages (we've known visitors fill a cool box to stock their freezer at home!)
standardBakeries / DelisMalcom Barnecutt, Wadebridge, Rock and elsewhere
Wadebridge: on the industrial estate near Tesco's (with cafe), and in town: Molseworth Street (main shop) & on The Platt (salad bar etc); Rock and various other locations: Barnecutt’s is the local baker. Their bread and other items are stocked in several farmshops.
We highly recommend the multi-seed bread, chelsea buns, jam doughnuts and florentines. Loaves of bread can be machine-sliced (thick or thin) behind the counter while being served – just ask. Phone in large or special orders the day before to the branch of choice, details on Facebook.
Wadebridge and Rock branches carry frozen ready meals (fish pie, cottage pie, lasagne etc), The Platt and Rock branches have takeaway salad bars – pick and choose how to fill the box.
Best ‘production-line’ pasties around and seriously good bread.
Fee’s Food, Rock
Our go-to deli, with delivery service right to Tom’s Cottage doorstep. From fresh provisions to handmade ready-meals, made-to-order special occasion cakes and catering for a gathering: these guys have delicious dishes to suit every taste. Sour-dough bread and quiche of the day are both delicious, as are the fresh salads. Drinks also available.
{/s}standardGrocersPort Isaac Co-Op
Located at the top of the village, with half a dozen parking spaces; this is the best general shop locally.
Delabole Spar
Best corner-shop around, on the main road through the village (by the florist Bruallen: best flowers and most accommodating service in the area!) Both run by local families and thoroughly helpful.
- Details
- Category: Tom's Culinary Guide
Behind the ‘better-ware’ eateries that Cornwall is renowned for, there are a multitude of traditional foods and local drinks.
-
standardFood
The Cornish pasty is pretty well known, and no self-respecting Cornishman will consume a mass produced one. Each locality will have their own artisan pasty-maker: the best of which become famed across The Duchy.
There are even Facebook groups (full of locals) rating pasties, based on the knowledge of what a good homemade one tastes like.
A true Cornish pasty has PGI status and has golden flaky pastry, stuffed with layers of diced beef, sliced potato, chopped onion and cubed swede. As it bakes it makes its own juices, irrespective of whether (or not) the cook has added a knob of butter.
The cut of beef, stage of swede and potato season, and variety of onions all come into play; as does the skill of the pastry maker and correct seasoning.
We strongly advise avoiding a mince pasty – ‘steak with swede’ is the classic (consistency affects taste!) Cheese and onion pasties are a well-established alternative and can make a nice change.
Vegan pasties are available from some bakers, and other establishments produce an array of alternative fillings – from turkey and cranberry at Christmas to haddock and cream in coastal areas.
For those that just can't wait for a taste of Cornwall, visit Ann's Pasties to organise a home delivery. An authentic stay-stomach to accompany contemplating the next Cornish trip. Can also be ordered for delivery direct to Tom's Cottage Cornwall during your stay (or bought at Trevathan Farm Shop).
Egg and bacon pie is another old Cornish favourite. Made in dinner plate size ‘rounds’ and cut into wedges (usually a quarter), coated in pastry and often flavoured with parsley; this a real delight. Often overlooked by the mainstream bakers but sometimes to be found in local pasty shops, if you come across a homemade version in a café or similar establishment: try it!
A Cornish cream tea is an iconic experience and one not to be missed. Although here at Tom’s Cottage we feel the scone has been somewhat over-done at the expense of a fresh split. In essence: a round version of a finger roll, the split’s closest relation would be freshly baked bread – light and wudgy. Delicious.
We unashamedly recommend Rodda’s clotted cream – for its taste, texture and consistency. Plus it’s an old Cornish firm that’s just got it right.
Add the best jam available – be rash and choose your favourite flavour, or go really wild and try ‘thunder and lightning’ (switch the jam for golden syrup).
Bucking the Cornish trend, we spread cream first (as we would butter - but at ½” deep!) Simple to create at home, best washed down with a cup of tea.
Cornish fairings are a spiced ginger biscuit – hard but with a chew. Unless plumbing for a home bake-in, we recommend the widely available tin tube variety produced by Furniss.
In Cornish dialect a ‘fairing’ was the gift taken home from a fair for those that had not participated in the outing, we presume this is how these beautiful biscuits came about their name.
Found in farm shops, online and some other retailers; these are too good to overlook.
Buns – yeast and saffron. From one was born the other, we presume! We all had a Granny who’d regularly ‘do’ a yeast bake, and the fresh goods were out of this world. The yeast bun is a sweetened tea treat containing vine fruit, whitish in colour and is a slightly domed round; while the saffron bun is extremely similar but with the addition of saffron: making it a mellow yellow.
Two different tastes, both absolutely delicious: when fresh. If slightly stale, we suggest warming in the oven or splitting in half to toast and then serving with butter. Our bought preference is made by Rowe’s the Cornish bakers (both yeast and saffron buns come in packs of four) – available online or in some outlets.
Heavy (hevva) cake of the homemade variety is still to be found in the cake tins of West Cornwall, a fact many of us North Cornish are exceedingly envious of. Family recipes are closely guarded secrets, so once lost are gone forever. This also explains the variation within this wonderful cake, from baker to baker.
Our best description of it is a tray-bake version of a rock bun. We can’t really recommend a mass-produced version, but if the opportunity arises to sample heavy cake - grab it with both hands.
Ice cream – the Cornish love their dairy produce, and Cornish ice cream is a treat to behold. Must be the cream that makes it. Most areas will have an artisan producer - all are worth a try, but at Tom’s Cottage, our absolute favourite is Kelly’s of Bodmin.
The vanilla never fails to impress, while both the coffee flavour and lemon crunch are both outstanding. We suggest avoiding the ‘whippy’ version and staying true to the original ice cream.
Served from ice cream vans around North Cornwall (particularly at events, beauty spots and beaches during the summer) and available by the litre from shops.
Other fayre: Cornish Yarg needs a mention: an artisan, mellow hard cheese wrapped in nettles – perfect with wine or at any time.
Just up the road at Davidstow is the commercial producer of both Cathedral City and Davidstow cheddars. Our go-to cheese is the Davidstow, but are just as happy with Cathedral City (named after the only city in Cornwall: Truro). Made with milk supplied by local producers.
As a seafaring ‘nation’, Cornwall is renowned for its fresh seafood. From shellfish to the humble mackerel, every coastal village will be tempting the tastebuds with a variety of fish.
Locally, we recommend the Fish Cellars next to the harbour in Port Isaac where Just Shellfish and Dennis Knight the fishmonger are to be found (the latter also makes deliveries).
{/s}standardDrinkBeers
Doom Bar is our preferred Cornish bitter, widely available and made by Sharp’s Brewery in Rock. They also produce the pale ale Atlantic.
St Austell Brewery’s Tribute and Proper Job are both good alternatives.
There are several micro-breweries around, our closest probably being Tintagel Brewery; where brewery tours can be taken and a meal eaten in their bistro.
Cider
Tom’s Cottage’s closest artisan cider-maker is Haywood Farm Cider at St Mabyn. Take an orchard tour, check out their website for events (including summer Sunday socials with live music and a bar-b-q) or browse their online shop.
Rattlers cider (made by Healeys) is widely available and a favourite of ours. We recommend the original but there are pear, berry and various other options.
Wine
The local winery to Tom’s Cottage is Camel Valley Vineyard. Their wine has won various prizes over the years and is a go-to of ours for special occasions. Vineyard tours and sampling available, accessible from the Camel Trail as well as by road.
Spirits
Various artisan distilleries have popped up in recent years, our most local would probably one of the originals: Tarquin’s gin. With a gin school as well as distillery tours, visitors can create their very own bottle to take home.
