DINE BY THE SEA | THE COVE AT MAENPORTH
ELEVATED BEACHSIDE DINING WITH EXCEPTIONAL FLAVOURS OF THE CORNISH COAST
As spring turns to summer, the Cove at Maenporth offers an utterly dreamy spot for elevated beachside-dining, tucked away above golden sands, with breathtaking views across the Roseland Heritage Coast, Pendennis Castle and St Anthony Head. Having recently been taken over by Michelin-starred chef, Michael Caines - redeveloping an entirely new menu - exceptional flavours bring artfully designed plates to life; I was kindly invited to enjoy a three-course lunch to a backdrop of blues.
Could there be a dreamier spot to dine by the sea than the Cove at Maenporth? With Michael Caines now at the helm, the renowned eatery provides laidback dining at its best, making the most of its beautiful beachfront position.
The relaxed beachside hideaway sits a stone’s throw from the hip town of Falmouth, south Cornwall, with views across to the tidal-sands of Maenporth Beach. Dining alfresco on the elevated terrace provides an idyllic spot to breathe in the salt-fresh air, whist tucking in to some local-produce peddling treats.
With a revamped kitchen and development of an entirely new menu, Michael adds a little culinary magic to a jaw-grabbing spot.
Honing in on its unrivalled position, nestled above the horseshoe sandy bay, the restaurant’s glass-fronted and open-air terrace, offers breathtaking views across the Roseland Peninsula.
Michael has plans to develop the interiors of the Cove further, with a focus on opening up the restaurant, bringing the outside-in to create a light-filled space. For now, expect a relaxed and informal approach with a flexible dining experience, serving morning coffee, lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner with menus designed to attract families, locals and tourists visiting the area, whilst championing the best of local Cornish produce.
Oh to dine by the sea
Our three-course lunch was a real treat, and absolutely my favourite kind of dining experience, laidback with an emphasis on classic dishes, simply cooked with flavours that pack a punch.
The Cove invites you to experience the sublime to a backdrop of postcard-worthy views, savour the freshest locally sourced Cornish produce and ingredients, prepared with an unmistakable award-winning style - the result – dishes that are as picturesque as the terrace views!
On the menu
Menus range from informal dishes to enjoy by the sea, with flavoursome plates of freshest seasonal produce, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as the full Michael Caines Signature dining experience for those special occasions.
Tuck into a scrape-the-plate-clean tasty brasserie-style à la carte menu, offering elevated beachside fare, including Honey roasted Cornish duck with caramelised onion puree and wild garlic and dishes from the Chargrill, including Whole Falmouth Bay sole with rosemary brown butter shrimp.
Struggling to choose just one dish? Why not opt for a show-stopping experience with a six-course tasting menu (£80) for evening service, featuring Michael’s signature dishes, including Ballotine of quail with raisin vinaigrette and hazelnut mayonnaise, and Fillet of Phillip Warren’s beef chargrilled with horseradish and shallot confit, celeriac puree, mushrooms and red wine sauce.
The Glasshouse and outdoor terrace are available for our canine friends to enjoy too, and afterwards you can take your salty seadog for a jaunt on the expansive sands for a nose-to-tail treat.
What we ate
We treated our taste buds to a simple, yet unique starter of English Asparagus soldiers with Hollandaise sauce, before tucking into mains of whole Falmouth Lemon Sole with rosemary brown-butter, shrimp, parsley and capers and classic fish and chips - fresh produce doesn’t get much better than Cornish white fish, in Sharp’s Atlantic Ale beer-batter, minted-peas and tartare sauce. To keep it sweet, don’t deny yourself the pistachio soufflé, with pistachio ice cream or the poached rhubarb with hibiscus and lemon sponge, lemon curd, rhubarb sorbet and vanilla foam – both of which are absolutely something to shout about!
Keeping it local, we washed our flavoursome three-courses down with Tarquin’s handcrafted Cornish gin and Sharp’s Brewery Offshore Pilsner.
If like me, you have a thing with dining by the sea, the Cove Maenporth is a win-win eatery for your next visit to South Cornwall, the dreamiest of settings, where you can sit back and savour a true taste of the county.
Michael and team cooked up a gastronomic delight of a three-course lunch, with mouth-wateringly-great flavours, the kind of dishes that surpass every expectation.
Thanks to Sauce Communications, for the use of some of their images, featured within this post.
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