Newquay has more restaurants per square mile than any other Cornish town, and the range has improved considerably in recent years. You can eat Michelin-starred food at The Headland, fresh fish from Rick Stein on Fistral, street food at the harbour, or a proper pub lunch at a 16th-century thatched inn. Here are 14 places worth trying, grouped by type.
Fine Dining
Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling
Adam Handling’s restaurant at The Headland Hotel earned a Michelin star in early 2026, making it the top dining destination in Newquay. The menu focuses on locally sourced ingredients with minimal waste - a signature of Handling’s cooking. The setting, overlooking Fistral Beach, adds to the occasion. Book well ahead in summer.
Emily Scott Food at Watergate Bay Hotel
Emily Scott’s restaurant inside the Watergate Bay Hotel serves seafood-focused menus using fish landed on the north Cornwall coast. The dining room has floor-to-ceiling windows with sea views. Roasted scallops with truffle butter and baked Cornish hake are regulars on the menu. Open for lunch and dinner.
Restaurants with a View
Lewinnick Lodge
Lewinnick Lodge sits on the cliffs at Pentire headland with panoramic Atlantic views from the dining room and terrace. The menu runs from brunch through to dinner, with local seafood and steaks. The cocktail list is decent. It also has rooms if you want to stay. One of the better sunset spots in Newquay.
Lusty Glaze Beach Bar and Restaurant
Lusty Glaze occupies a secluded cove between Newquay town and Porth Beach. You reach it down a steep staircase cut into the cliff. The restaurant serves wood-fired pizzas, seafood, and grilled meats. In summer they run events including outdoor cinema and live music. The setting is the main draw - it feels genuinely private despite being minutes from the town centre.
Rick Stein Fistral
Part of the complex at Fistral Beach, serving fish and chips plus a broader seafood menu. The food is reliable and the location is hard to argue with - you can watch the surf from the terrace. Busy in summer but turns tables fast.
Beach Bars
The Beach Hut, Watergate Bay
The Beach Hut sits directly on the sand at Watergate Bay. Casual, relaxed, and good for families. The menu covers burgers, seafood, salads, and cocktails. Open from breakfast through to evening in season. The Watchful Mary cocktail bar is upstairs for sundowners.
Fistral Beach Bar
Fistral Boardmasters Beach Bar runs live music through summer evenings and serves a surf-inspired menu of burgers, tacos, and sharing plates. The position on Fistral is its best feature. Can get loud.
Pubs
Bowgie Inn, West Pentire
Bowgie Inn is a clifftop pub between Crantock and Polly Joke beaches, with an award-winning beer garden and views over Crantock Beach. Home-cooked food using Cornish produce, local ales on tap, and regular live music. A strong contender for the best pub view in North Cornwall.
Smugglers Den Inn, Cubert
Smugglers Den is a 16th-century thatched pub near Holywell Bay with a large beer garden and children’s play area. Dog-friendly, family-friendly, and serves proper pub food - pies, Sunday roasts, fish and chips. The building has genuine character, with low ceilings and flagstone floors.
The Mermaid Inn, Porth Beach
The Mermaid Inn sits on the edge of Porth Beach with sunset views from the beer garden. Family- and dog-friendly. The menu covers pub classics and seafood. The position above the beach makes it a natural stop after a day on the sand.
The Fort, Fore Street
The Fort is a large, family-focused pub on Newquay’s main street with indoor and outdoor seating. Kids’ menu, sea views from the upper terrace, and a reliable option when you need somewhere that works for everyone without booking ahead.
Harbour & Street Food
The Boathouse, Newquay Harbour
The Boathouse on the harbour hosts rotating street-food traders with outdoor seating overlooking the fishing boats. Fresh Cornish seafood, tacos, Thai, and Jamaican food depending on who’s trading. Casual, affordable, and lively in summer.
Where to Stay
Most of these restaurants are within walking distance of Newquay town centre. Fistral Beach House is a dog-friendly two-bedroom cottage near Fistral, good for the beach bars and Rick Stein’s. Lewinnick Lodge has rooms above the restaurant if you want to eat and sleep in the same place. For a larger group near Watergate Bay, The Lookout sleeps four with sea views.
Browse all places to stay in Newquay.
See also: Best Beaches in Cornwall | Things to Do in Cornwall | Best Hotels in Cornwall
