Why North Cornwall is a great place to visit in the winter

Padstow is famous for being the home of Rick Stein’s restaurants (so much so some have taken to calling it ‘Padstein’) and, if you love your seafood, the town offers lots to enjoy. You’ll find Stein’s seafood restaurant, bistro, café and fish and chip shops all in the vicinity, while Paul Ainsworth at No 6 serves up Michelin-starred cooking in a beautiful Georgian townhouse and more relaxed European cooking in Caffè Rojano. Beyond the big-name chefs, though, the town is a treat to visit during the festive period with shops, delis, restaurants and bars all offering plenty to enjoy as the Christmas lights twinkle over the harbour. Shopping for Christmas presents with a hot chocolate or mulled wine or cider in hand definitely offers more atmosphere than your local mall. Plus, there’s the bonus opportunity to reward yourself with a Cornish pasty afterwards.

Then, over the bay a five-minute boat ride away is Rock, where you’ll find beautiful places to stay and eat dotted around, including…

St Moritz Hotel and Spa

The St Mortiz hotel spa has been newly renovated for 2024 (to the tune of £1.5m) and now includes a new Cowshed wellness space featuring a swim-out hydro pool. For a really refreshing take on the hot-cold water phenomenon, try out the elemental ice fountains and multiple sensory showers. The spa offers treatments all year round, including facials and massage, as well as high-heat and Nordic saunas and a spacious new steam. The on-site restaurant, Shorecrest, punches above its weight with West Country mussels in fennel, cider and cream being a real highlight.

The Mariners

There are pubs and then there’s The Mariners. Owned by Paul Ainsworth and his wife Emma, the kitchen is headed up by Joe Rozier, who does a stellar job of serving up Mariners’ classics – an almighty prawn cocktail featuring king prawns and sherry-cured tomatoes, a crisp pollock hot dog served with three mustards, dill and parmesan (see below), and the exceptional Mariners’ trifle, which changes with the season but is always guaranteed to have layers of textural pleasures. A menu of specials also offers Cornish delights, from a Philip Warren (famed local butchers) côte de boeuf to Cornish lobster.

KARREK restaurant

KARREK is a fine dining space inside the grand St Enodoc Hotel in Rock. It’s headed up by chef Guy Owen who grew up in Cornwall and gained Michelin stars at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s and later La Trompette. For 2024 Karrek is an exclusively private dining space for hire, and Guy can cater to different experiences based on what your booking is looking for: from brasserie food to fine dining menus, with courses featuring brilliant local produce including wild mushrooms, venison and famed Porthilly shellfish.

Sharp’s Brewery

At Sharp’s Brewery (home of ever-popular cask ale Doom Bar) you’ll find a secret bar, which offers educational tastings and beer flights. Even experienced beer-heads will learn a lot. Did you know beer’s aromas and flavours are even more complicated than wine’s? (Hops alone contain more than 1,000 terpenoids that feature citrus, floral and many other aromas and that’s before we come to toasting a browning the malt…). Sharp’s say this makes beer the ideal  accompaniment to food so in 2025 they’re going to be including food pairings so you can put it to the test.

Where to stay

St Moritz Hotel and Spa, situated a seven-minute drive from Rock and only a 20-minute walk from Polzeath beach is a beautiful base from which to explore all that Cornwall has to offer. Perched on cliffs overlooking the sea, its Miami-chic white-washed exteriors, manicured gardens and fresh and airy rooms offer gorgeous beachy vibes that instantly help you wind down into relax mode. There are over 48 rooms, from garden suites to cosy twins, all offering Cowshed products, cosy dressing gowns, Sky TV and tea and coffee facilities.

How to get there…

If you’re based in London, Dublin or Manchester, a regular set of daily and weekly flights run by Eastern Airways cut travel time to Newquay to just a few hours door-to-door. The tiny aeroplanes are a very fun experience for anyone who has ever wondered what flying in the era of the propellor plane might have been like. A thrilling way to travel. And there’s no fuss getting your bag or leaving the airport.

Browse more of our travel guides for food lovers – and discover gorgeous fish and shellfish recipes from Cornish chefs that are perfect for Christmas.