Orange Roofs top 5 restaurants to visit in St Ives

Whether you’re looking for breakfast, lunch or dinner, the sun sits over Porthmeor all throughout the day. With their open terrace and sheltered outdoor dining areas, you are sure to be making the most of what St Ives has to offer in the way of sea views (pssst, we have some pretty amazing cottages with sea views too!).

Their ‘build your own breakfast’ allows you to pick and choose all your favourite bits from a traditional full English, with some delicious extras, such as roasted cherry tomatoes. Their menu also ensures that even for breakfast they are utilising some of the best Cornish produce, with dishes such as ‘traditional Cornish saffron bread’ and the ‘Cornish crab with scrambled eggs on toast, garnished with crème fraiche and rocket’.

If you are going for lunch or dinner, you can expect an array of innovative tapas and main dishes. It is the perfect combination of ‘global cuisine meets St Ives’.  From Italian inspired small plates to Asian infused fish dishes, what could be better than sampling some of this, whilst basking in the Porthmeor sunshine, with an expertly made ‘Cornish Bramble’?

Open from midday-late, Talay Thai operates a no-booking system, that works very well. This ensures  there is always a great buzz and you’ll never see large empty tables waiting to be filled by reservations. It also means that you can head down whenever you are hungry, and a member of their staff will gladly seat you. We would definitely recommend getting there early to secure a window seat for the exceptional harbour views!

The menu is ‘tapas style Thai street food’ with some well-known dishes featuring on there, such as the Massaman Curry (a personal favourite!), and some dishes that may be new to you that are most definitely worth trying, the ‘Weeping Tiger Beef Sirloin’ especially!

If you have any questions about the food, you can just ask one of the well-informed staff and they will be more than happy to help.

Finally, if you are in the mood for a cocktail with your dinner, this is the spot. Along with cocktails such as the ‘Bangkok Mojito’, you’ll see some clever adaptions to a few well- known classics, and some deliciously unique Thai cocktails. It’ll be hard to find one you don’t like!

Slightly out of sight from the hustle bustle of the harbour, you will find Blas Burgerworks tucked away along the Warren. It is a hugely popular restaurant, and to maximise the use of their space they have long shared tables for dining, truly making you feel like a part of the Blas family.

The burgers speak for themselves. Locally sourced beef, organic vegetarian and vegan options, delicious chicken alternatives and some pretty awesome sides too. For just a small insight into the wholesome, luxury burgers you could find yourself eating, we have the ‘Truffle Burger’ (with beef/chicken/bean); it comes with Cornish blue, wilted spinach, field mushrooms, homemade truffle aioli and hand cut chips – delicious!

Another reason as to why we’d recommend paying Blas a visit, is their whole ethos. They pride themselves on sourcing their produce locally and everything they can make themselves, they do! From salted caramel and honeycomb for the desserts, to their chilli burger relishes! Blas knows where their cattle and poultry are reared, the bacon too. All of their vegetables, potatoes and dairy? That’s right, all locally sourced!

To try and gauge how good these burgers are, all we can say is head on down. If you are not able to get a table due to their high demand, fear not! Blas also have the option for takeaway with 10% off, meaning you can grab some dinner, take the short walk to Porthminster beach, and enjoy your dinner watching the sunset.

The Old Forge is a coffee shop, wine store, pizza place and bar all in one!

Nestled in Lelant, you’ll find the Old Forge  open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 6 days a week. Offering the perfect stop off for some coffee and cake, one of their hearty breakfasts,  or a sourdough base pizza (they’re extraordinary!).

This spot is perfect all year round, with a woodburner to keep you warm in the winter and outdoor seating for those glorious sunny days. If you enjoy a woodburner, be sure to check out our cottages that come with one!

Another bonus? The Old Forge is pet friendly! So, another great spot to head to with the four legged members of the family.

The ambience of Porthgwidden Beach Café is both relaxed and friendly, hence why it is even more perfect to head there on a sunny spring day to enjoy some food and drinks in the sunshine!

They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the day and you can expect a great meal if visiting for any of these meals. Their breakfast menu is simple but perfectly executed. Whether you’re in the mood for their Full English, with free range eggs and homemade hash browns, or perhaps one of their lighter options, such as their homemade granola, you’re guaranteed to feel like you have started your day right at Porthgwidden.

Lunch and Dinner follow a similar format, showing off some of the best local produce combined with global inspired flavours. A perfect example of this is their ‘Dressed Cornish Crab (Asian Style)’. The infusion of the locally caught crab, with fresh lime and chilli with a Thai Style salad is an excellent dish to enjoy besides the sea. Porthgwidden is also a great place to visit if you enjoy vegetarian dishes, ranging from Spicy Halloumi Fries to a simple but delicious Tomato and Basil Pasta.