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Everyone knows Padstow for Rick Stein, but the ‘Stein effect’ has also brought a glut of great restaurants to the town and its neighbouring village, Rock. Words by Derryck Strachan and Joanna Raines.
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The Seafood Restaurant
Riverside, Padstow. Tel. 01841 532700. www.rickstein.com |
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Rick Stein has become synonymous with Padstow; his empire includes Rick Stein's Café, Stein's Fish & Chip Shop, St Petroc's Hotel & Bistro and several shops - not for nothing has the town been rechristened by wags as ‘Padstein’. The jewel in the crown of this food mecca though is still The Seafood Restaurant, Stein's original fish eatery which still requires booking months in advance to taste impeccable fish and seafood. The cooking allows the superb ingredients to shine through - legend has it that one chef was told off for making the (plain) vegetables too tasty as they threatened to overwhelm the main event.
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Pescadou
South Quay, Padstow.
Tel. 01841 532359.
www.smallandfriendly.co.uk |
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Just on the quayside, with its bustling harbour, this fashionable bistro restaurant used to be a custom and excise building, originally built in the 1800s. As the name suggest, fish is a major player on the menu here, as with many of the other Padstow eateries. A Mediterranean theme is visible in the interior décor, as on the menu. Big city dining in the wild west.
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Ripley's
St Merryn, near Padstow.
Tel. 01841 520179. |
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The simple interiors and bare wooden tables of Ripley's make for an unpretentious feel to this scion of the Stein empire. You would have thought with chef Paul Ripley's background as a head chef at the Seafood Restaurant you'd be paying similarly breathtaking rates - not so: enjoy the flawless food from this the small, daily-changing menu then battle it out with the waiting staff as you insist they have undercharged you.
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The Metropole
Station Road, Padstow. Tel. 01841 532486.
www.the-metropole.com |
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Like a stentorian uncle to Padstow's young culinary Turks, The Metropole sits on a hill overlooking the town and the sea with imposing Victorian grandeur. Picture windows with harbour views are a definite highlight but the food is not to be overlooked. It's traditional, to be sure, but the requisite boxes marked ‘local’ and ‘seasonal’ are ticked, as well as those marked ‘tasty’ and ‘satisfying’.
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Margot's Bistro
11 Duke Street, Padstow. Tel. 01841 533441. www.margots.co.uk |
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This quirky family-run bistro is another gem in Padstow's apparently never-ending list of great places to eat out. Service can be a little slow but it's always friendly and owners Adrian and Julie do their best to cater for the diverse needs of their diners - vegetarians in particular should contact in advance to ensure there's something delicious waiting for them.
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No.6 Restaurant & Rooms
Middle Street, Padstow. Tel. 01841 532093. |
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This was once a tired old B&B that's been beautifully refurbished. It's now elegant, atmospheric and vibrant, with original features and contemporary accessories. The kitchen team, led by Paul Ainsworth, have all worked in Gordon Ramsay's restaurants and it shows. Food here is seriously good - modern variations on classic dishes with flavours brought out by skilled technique. Coffee and pastries are served in the mornings and private dining is available in the library. Add to all that an annotated wine list (no guesswork needed), an ex-Stein Maitre d' and sensible prices and you've enough reasons to eat at No.6 soon. Go soon while you can still get a seat. It's our tip for Cornwall's next Michelin star…
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Burridge's at Rock
Ferry Point, Rock. Tel. 01208 869399. |
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Take the foot ferry from Padstow across the Camel Estuary to Rock and you'll come across a handful of restaurants best explored out of season.
Burridges is a cosy, family-run place with fantastic views across to Padstow from the terrace and from window tables.
Chef Tim Burridge and his wife Tina serve up fresh homemade food à la carte in the evenings and have a loyal following among both locals and holiday-makers. Try Tim's Cornish seafood chowder, or the 'supreme of John Dory provençale'. In summer you can have a lighter lunch or tea on the terrace, and really appreciate the view.
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L'Estuaire
Rock Road, Rock. Tel. 01208 862622. |
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Formerly the Black Pig, L'Estuaire is now a defiantly French restaurant run by Olivier and Emma Davoust-Zingari. This is a calm, sophisticated establishment open for set lunches or a full-blown à la carte experience - French cuisine at its best. Shades of caramel, biscuit and cappuccino in the decor set the mood for relaxation continental-style. Olivier has worked with Raymond Blanc and Michael Caines, and describes his style as ‘gastromonique’. Everything is made in-house and the menu evolves with the seasons. One to watch.
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The Mariners Rock
Slipway, Rock. Tel. 01208 863679. |
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Great food with a fantastic view, you’re likely to bump into Wills and Harry at The Mariners Rock (or a troop of lookalikes in yatching gear). The food is homemade and hearty with prodominently Cornish inspired dishes on the menu. The pub and restaurant is situated just down the road from Sharp’s brewery too, so expect a good selection of local ales.
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Stein's Deli
South Quay, Padstow. Tel. 01841 533466. www.rickstein.com |
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Why stop with about a million restaurants? Rick Stein has taken his evangelical fervour for all things edible into the realm of retail too. His deli stocks a range of great cheeses, many from local producers, chutneys and jams and other requisite
deli items.
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Stein's Patisserie
Lanadwell Street, Padstow. |
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Good artisan bakers are hard to find and Stein has clearly been motivated to fill this niche in his otherwise comprehensive gastronomic service to the town. You can buy freshly baked pastries, cakes and of course stunning, award-winning bread as well as Tower Estate wines from Rick's winery in the Hunter Valley North of Sydney.
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The Buttermilk Shop
Chapel Road, Padstow. Tel. 0845 644 4251. www.buttermilkfudge.co.uk |
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The Buttermilk Shop is one of the few confectionery makers still using traditional methods (using copper pans over direct heat) with quality ingredients like Cornish clotted cream. Their range of fudges, marzipans, Turkish delight and chocolates are enough to give the entire UK dentistry workforce an apoplexy. The sweet of tooth should note you can also order online - am I right in thinking there are few better inventions than online sweet shops?
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Bintwo
South Quay, Padstow. Tel. 01841 532022. |
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You've got your Stein's fish and chips, a big bag of fudge with honey on top for pudding - but there's still something missing. Ah, the vino… not to worry, head over to Bintwo on South Quay. Owner David McWilliam is extraordinarily knowledgeable and will guide your selection from his interesting cellar with enthusiasm. And now on warmer days and evenings you can sit on the terrace out front enjoying a glass of wine and the view of the harbour.
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Di’s Dairy and Pantry.
Rock Road, Rock. Tel. 01208 863531.
www.disdairyandpantry.co.uk |
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Specialising in homemade food, Di Dunkerly’s deli shop is jam packed with pies, cakes, pâtés and fantastic local finds. Stop in on the way to the Padstow crossing or Daymer Bay for some picnic fodder.
This feature first appeared in the March-April '06 issue of Cornwall food magazine.
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