Porthmeor Beach

After driving down from Newquay, managing the narrow roads through St. Ives, my sister-​in-​law wanted nothing more than the pancakes called out in the Guardian’s recommendation of this place.
We only had to wait a few minutes at the car park just up the hill, and we were seated almost immediately, though we were told that the kitchen was quite backed up (10am on the last Saturday in August, beautiful morning), so we’d need to wait about 10 minutes to order. No bother, we started with hot chocolate and a carrot-​ginger juice (made in house). Drinks were great.
Unfortunately, when we did get to order, we were told that they were out of pancakes. So both J and J ended up with poached eggs and toast. Jimmy got the side of chorizo. I got the scrambled eggs, cornish crab, crème fraiche, lemon and rocket. Though the kitchen was backed up, the food came decently quickly. My eggs were delightful and mixed quite well with all the other toppings.
The views of the beach and surf school were entertaining, as were the menus with the clippings mentioning the historic shipwrecks and even the subsequent capsizing of a lifeboat during the rescue.
It’s a charming spot, but you’ll need to get there early if you want pancakes.

We had a lovely romantic selection of tapas in a private heated ‘pod’ at the Porthmeor café which afforded a great view over the stunning little beach.
The food was expertly prepared and delicious and they were very accommodating for our peculiar food allergies.
Highly recommended!

I’m a hard marker, but this is almost perfection as a seaside café. Located on the great surfer beach of Porthmeor, with expansive views of sea and sky, it’s a great seaside location. Choice of inside or on the terraces, all with that view. Eclectic and varied menu, especially the tapas. Oz chefs in the kitchen turn out some tasty treats (but beware the chefs go home to Oz for THEIR summer, and the restaurant closes for the winter). Some examples of tapas dishes on offer Son in Law egg soft boiled egg crispy fried with chilli caramel and asian salad; pork pistachio and green pepper terrine; cajun squid; grilled sardines with salsa verde; whitebait fritters with rosemary and confit garlic dressing. Tapas dishes are £3 to £5 each. Mouthwatering, and different. However, I went for the prawn curry with green beans and butternut squash, and steamed rice an flat bread. It was perfect, with interesting and separate flavours, not just a generally curryish flavour, and a heap of big prawns. (£13.95) This was followed by churros and chocolate sauce. (£3.50). We tried to go back the next night and they were fully booked. We could see why!

me and the wife happened upon this place by complete accident after trudging through the pretty if crampt streets of st ive’s. What a result! we were able to get a table on the terrace overlooking the beach, cornish riviera indeed. such a pleasant view was matched by a well put together menu, efficient/​friendly staff and good prices for the quality of the food. A great tapas selection, but i could have honestly chosen anything from the menu. we had whitebait, grilled haloumi with orange/​beetroot/​watercress and handcut chips, with a couple of soft drinks, bill came to £16. good value for an impromptu lunch. such fortune to find a truly special location on a sunny september day, highly recomended.

I’m local and eat here about eight times a year. The food is wonderful, tasty little Cornish tapas plates which are well priced. You can share as many or little tapas as you like. Sunset on this beach can be magical. Blankets and heat lamps for the outside tables let you stay wellnafter sundown. Breakfast here is really good too. A great place to eat, drink and enjoy the Cornish views

A very nice little restaurant, partly inside, partly on a terrasse. Friendly service, delicately food and a fantastic view at the sea.

This is a very nice beach in very pleasant surroundings. I would say it was the best of the St Ives beaches.
I can imagine this place being unbearable during the school holidays mind you. I have not had the misfortune to try and visit it such a day, so I’ve seen it busy, but not unbearably so. Perhaps it is alright because it is one of the least child friendly beaches in the area due to the fact it is usually the one with the biggest waves (haven’t seen any big enough to surf on yetwhich is a reliefas someone who enjoys swimming in the sea I really don’t like surfers). I like wavesthey make the whole sea experience more interesting.
There is a café on one side of the beach which is quite pleasant and cheap and a bar/​restaurant in the middle, but apart from that, not much elsewhich is quite nice if you have been to some seaside towns with all the shops running along the road parallel to the beach.
What’s wrong with the beach? Well a couple of things I guess, but they are both courtesy of mother nature so it’s not like they can be easily changed. Firstlyno surprise but the sea is freezing. This is also part of the fun of getting in however, so the only really downside to the beach is that the quietest part, the extreme left hand sidehas a lot of rocks all over the placemaking that part of the sea not particularly appealing.