Perched above the southern end of Mousehole harbour with extraordinary views stretching across Mount's Bay, The Old Coastguard is widely regarded as one of the finest restaurants in West Cornwall - and it's not difficult to understand why. This small, beautifully run hotel and restaurant has a quiet confidence about it that speaks of a place that knows exactly what it is and does it exceptionally well.
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Porthleven
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Porthleven
Cornwall’s most southerly harbour town, Porthleven is a beautiful, unhurried place that has quietly become one of the most talked-about destinations on the peninsula — and one that richly deserves the attention. A working harbour, a long south-facing beach, outstanding food, and some of the finest surf on the Cornish coast all combine to make it a genuinely compelling full afternoon and evening out.
The town has developed a remarkable reputation for culinary excellence in recent years, and the harbour front delivers on every front. Kota restaurant – celebrated for its inventive Cornish-Asian fusion cooking – is one of the most distinctive dining experiences in the whole of Cornwall, while Mussel Kitchen has made a well-deserved name for itself with its focus on the finest local shellfish. Both are worth going out of your way for. Independent shops, galleries, and cafes line the harbour front in between, making it a pleasure simply to wander and explore at your own pace.
The beach itself is long, south-facing, and exposed enough to produce some genuinely impressive surf – a favourite with experienced surfers and those who simply love to watch the Atlantic do its thing from the safety of the clifftops. And those clifftops offer their own rewards: the walk south from the town towards Loe Bar and Loe Pool – one of Cornwall’s largest natural freshwater lakes, separated from the sea by just a narrow shingle bank – is quite spectacular, and a world away from the more visited coastal paths further west.
For guests staying in luxury apartment accommodation in Mousehole, Cornwall, Porthleven is an easy and very rewarding drive along the coast – the kind of place that tends to quietly become a firm favourite by the end of a stay.
Bookings are available at Kota and Mussel Kitchen online and by phone, and advance reservation is strongly recommended, particularly during the summer months and at weekends.
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Tucked right on the harbour front, 2 Fore Street is one of Mousehole's best-kept secrets - and a genuinely special place to eat. This small, intimate bistro brings a quiet French influence to the Cornish coast, with a beautiful walled garden that opens on fine days to let in the salt air and the sunshine.
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Just a short, flat walk from Polvellan Heights along the harbourside path, Mousehole's compact harbour beach is a genuine delight - and one of those understated coastal gems that guests return to again and again throughout their stay.
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