Places to eat in Fowey: the 12 best restaurants, cafés and pubs
Posted by Bethany Walton on Updated on
Fresh produce, seafood suppers and fine dining
Known for its idyllic winding streets, independent bakeries and quayside restaurants, Fowey is quintessentially Cornish in every way. Influenced by the surrounding coastline, there’s plenty of seafood choices nestled within the town, as well as fine dining options, dog-friendly pubs and laid-back cafés.
Ahead of a stay on Cornwall’s south coast, we’ve taken out the guesswork and rounded up 12 of Fowey's best restaurants, cafés and pubs dotted in and around the picturesque town.
1. Appleton’s
© Appleton's
What to expect: authentic Italian dishes with a Cornish twist
Behind Appleton’s mint green façade lies an incredible Italian restaurant and bar. Warm, welcoming and sophisticated, Appleton’s is open for lunch and dinner year-round. Using the very best local suppliers and seasonal produce, head chef Andy creates a contemporary Italian menu featuring plenty of fresh pasta, beautifully prepared fish and Cornish charcuterie.
What’s more, their dessert menu is nothing short of tempting, with baked clotted cream cheesecake and chocolate panna cotta amongst their offerings. Perfect for family suppers and special occasions, discover the delights of Appleton’s ahead of a trip to Fowey.
2. Fitzroy
© Fitzroy via Instagram
What to expect: small plate dishes and fine wines
Opened in 2019, Fitzroy made itself home in one of Fowey’s old banks. Sister restaurant to Jolene in Newington Green, Fitzroy is Cornwall’s answer to laidback fine dining and comes highly recommended by our team. Home to a handful of candle-lit tables, dinner at the Fitzroy is best suited to couples and small groups of friends.
With a passionate team of chefs and waiting staff, be sure to ask for their recommendations and wine pairings before deciding. Featured in the Michelin Guide, their menu changes daily depending on what’s in season as well as the fisherman’s morning haul, so there’ll always be something new to tempt you. To really make the most of it, order a few of their small dishes to share and always start with fresh bread and salted butter.
Currently closed for the winter, follow Fitzroy on Instagram to read their daily menus ahead of their reopening in March.
3. Haveners
What to expect: elevated pub dishes and an extensive drink’s menu
With views over the River Fowey and plenty of outdoor seating to soak up the sun, Havener’s is a popular choice for dining in the town. Owned by St Austell Brewery, their menu features plenty of classic pub dishes as well as daily fish specials and vegan options. A great choice for family dining, Havener’s also has a dedicated children’s menu with lots of delicious options for little appetites.
In the summer months, take a seat outside and order their salt and pepper squid alongside zesty gin cocktails as the boats bob on the water. Once the season’s change, Havener’s really comes into its own with a roaring fire and warming winter menu. Not only that, but their bar is stocked with local beers, ales and ciders, meaning you can sample some of Cornwall’s best brews with your meal.
4. North Street Kitchen
© North Street Kitchen via Instagram
What to expect: seafood lunches and estuary views
North Street Kitchen is run by Fitzroy's previous head chefs Ethan and Hazel, and is open for lunch throughout the warmer months. Located next to the water in an old store building, take a seat at one of the long tables inside or choose to dine al fresco on their terrace.
Like Fitzroy, their menu changes daily and is handwritten on large chalkboards ready for walk-in diners. Featuring lots of fish dishes, expect salt cod fritters, lobster bisques and fresh oysters. They also operate a bring your own bottle policy, so be sure to visit Shipmates of Fowey beforehand to sample the best local wines alongside your seafood lunch.
Find North Street Kitchen by leaving the bustle of the town and following the river on your right, before long you'll spot their chalkboard menus leaning against the harbour's stonewalls.
Set to reopen in the spring, follow their Instagram to keep up to date.
5. Pintxo
© Pintxo
What to expect: delicious tapas paired with wines and sherries
A hidden gem amongst Fowey’s pretty streets, Pintxo is set back from the crowds on the Esplanade. Serving traditional tapas, their menu is full to the brim with small Spanish dishes including spicy albondigas, chorizo iberico and patatas bravas. A real ode to their European influences, there’s a handful of bistro tables outside to enjoy long lunches in the sunshine. Once the day draws to a close, settle into the candle-lit restaurant and order a selection of dishes to share as sherries are poured.
Open from March to October, take a look at Pintxo’s menu before a visit to Fowey in 2023.
6.Bufala
© Bufala
What to expect: al fresco dining and stone baked pizzas
From Spain to Italy, Bufala is Pintxo’s sister restaurant offering sourdough pizzas and antipasti. One of the few restaurants in Fowey with waterside dining, Bufala’s sunny terrace is the perfect place to enjoy a summer lunch. Great for social dining, order nocellara olives, truffle mushrooms and prosciutto before tucking into crispy tomato pizzas and burrata mozzarella.
They also have gluten free, vegetarian and vegan menus available on request. Take a look at their website or ask our Concierge team to book you a table ahead of your next stay.
7.The Old Quay House
What to expect: local produce and fine dining
For those looking for an elevated dining option, The Old Quay House focusses on the best quality seafood, locally reared meat and seasonal produce. Featured in 2022’s Michelin Guide, their menus comprise of beautifully prepared dishes with exquisite wine pairings.
In the summer, choose to dine outside on their waterfront terrace – made even more special during Fowey’s annual regatta where you can watch the flotillas of boats race past on the river.
8.Brown Sugar
What to expect: fresh coffees and hearty breakfasts
Nestled between the church and quayside, Brown Sugar is a small independent café known for their delicious cooked breakfasts, fresh coffees and homemade cakes. Recognisable for their ever-changing window displays and quirky interiors, head inside and take a seat amongst neon lights and green house plants.
Their menu features stacks of pancakes, avocado and eggs on toast as well as delicious veggie breakfasts, all made with local Cornish produce. Come lunchtime, catch up with friends over cheese toasties in their cosy first floor café and watch the world go by from a window seat.
They’re open all-year round, so refuel with cappuccinos and kinder bueno brownies on their outdoor benches as you dip in and out of Fowey’s shops.
9. The Galleon Inn
What to expect: traditional pub lunches and local ales
Enjoying views over the bobbing boats and bustling quayside, The Galleon Inn welcomes summer drinks on their front terrace and cosy fireside lunches in the winter months. As Cornish as they come, this pub is warm, welcoming and dog-friendly. Serving classics like sirloin steak and thick cut chips, homemade pies and fish dishes, The Galleon Inn is always good for spontaneous dining. There’s also plenty of local ales and ciders on draught, so while away the hours catching up with friends over a pint or two.
10.Harbour Kitchen
© Fowey Harbour Hotel via Instagram
What to expect: afternoon teas and seafood suppers
Serving seafood dishes with incredible views over the water and across to Polruan, Harbour Kitchen is part of the Fowey Harbour Hotel and is perfect for family dining. Their menu features seared mackerel filet, locally farmed mussels and Cornish cod and chips. For something sweet, stop by for a decadent cream tea after sandy walks on Readymoney Beach.
Currently serving festive afternoon teas, visit Fowey Harbour Hotel for a delicious pre-Christmas treat.
11. The Rashleigh Inn
What to expect: dog-friendly pub and beach views
A little further afield, you’ll find Polkerris, a small cove nestled between Fowey and St Austell Bay. Sitting just above the sand, The Rashleigh Inn is a traditional Cornish pub enjoying views over the waves. One of the best places to enjoy an ice-cold drink when the sun is shining, take a seat on their sea-view terrace and watch as paddleboarders take to the water.
Their menu changes regularly with the seasons, so enjoy light seafood lunches in the summer and delicious Sunday roasts in the winter. Made even better by a roaring fire, The Rashleigh Inn also makes a cosy pitstop after a welly boot walk with four-legged friends. There’s parking just outside the pub, but for those staying in Fowey, you can join the coast path at Readymoney Beach and walk over the headland towards Polkerris.
12.Sam’s on the Beach
© Sam's on the Beach
What to expect: stone baked pizzas and Aperol cocktails
Sitting just opposite The Rashleigh Inn, Sam’s on the Beach is a long-standing local’s favourite. Part of the Sam’s family, their beachside restaurant specialises in shellfish dishes and stone baked pizzas. The small restaurant is very popular in the summer, so it’s become a tradition to sip on Aperol cocktails as you wait for a table.
Spilling out onto the sand, their outdoor benches provide the perfect place to enjoy mussels and salty fries in between swims in the sea. While their takeaway menu means you can enjoy freshly baked seafood pizzas on the harbour wall as the sun sets over the water. Head inside when the weather turns and watch as the tides roll in over a celebratory holiday supper.
Open year-round and welcoming dogs, visit their Instagram to discover their daily dishes.
Wondering where to stay nearby?
Left: Eden. Right: Sea Edge.
We have three new homes joining us on the South Coast in the New Year, sign up to our mailing list to be the first to hear when they're available. Or discover Eden and Sea Edge, two dreamy homes in nearby Downderry, with stays ready to book for 2023.
Don’t miss our guides to dining in Rock, Padstow, Port Isaac and St Ives, or take a look at our full list of fine dining restaurants in Cornwall.
Image credits: Pintxo | Appleton’s | Bufala | Sam's on the Beach | Fitzroy, North Street Kitchen, Brown Sugar, Fowey Harbour Hotel all via Instagram | Unsplash
Posted by Bethany Walton
Beth can usually be found on a Cornish beach or enjoying a swim in the sea. She has great insight about where to visit across the county, plus plenty of recommendations for finding the best Cornish ice cream.
