Best restaurants in Cornwall: Falmouth and Helston on Trip Advisor

While many places, including some of the ones listed below, have been offering outdoor seating where space allows, this has proved to be less than preferable on Cornwall's wetter days.

As a reminder of what treats await come May 17, we've rounded up a list of the ten best restaurants in the Falmouth and Helston areas, including surrounding villages, according to customer reviews on TripAdvisor.

(Note: Although the majority of these places will be available to visit from Monday, some have chosen to delay their reopening for a few more weeks.)

FALMOUTH

The Wheelhouse in Falmouth

1. The Wheelhouse Crab and Oyster Bar

Rated the best restaurant in Falmouth, it has a five bubble rating and has racked up and impressive 1,026 'excellent' reviews.

Customers rave about its prawns, mussels and "best ever" scallops, declaring the food "insane" and "very, very special". It even has a celebrity fan in Kaiser's Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, who credits The Wheelhouse for getting him to like seafood.

Unfortunately you'll have to wait until June 2 for it reopen to try it out for yourself at Upton Slip – and even longer if you haven't got a booking, with the restaurant reporting that tables are booked up until September, with autumn and winter weekends filling up fast!

2. Daaku

Located at Islington Wharf Boatyard, Penryn, this is an Indian restaurant where standard dishes like chicken tikka masala don't even make it to the menu.

Instead there are an authentic range of home-style cooked dishes, making reviewers describe it as "a jewel in the crown".

Run by a husband and wife team with roots in both Cornwall and Rajasthan, it has remained open for takeaways through lockdown.

Picture: Daaku/Facebook

3. Le Cave

Offering French-style cuisine off Falmouth's High Street, this is another place you'll have to wait for. A note on TripAdvisor wants that it is temporarily shut until June 30.

It's been described as "Falmouth’s most atmospheric restaurant", with the word "romantic" cropping up often.

4. Amanzi

This South African-inspired restaurant in Arwennack Street is a favourite for offering more unusual dishes such as ostrich guinea-fowl.

One reviewer described it as "like a world trip to Cape Town".

5. Pennycomequick

This gastro-pub in Killigrew Street was opened by St Austell Brewery in October 2017 and in the three and a half years since it has shot up to number five on TripAdvsior.

Fans rate its hearty Sunday roasts and declare the burger "a must."

Mark White, James Luck and Steve Boot outside Pennycomequick when it opened in 2017

6. Mangia

Offering freshly made pizzas, pasta and other Italian dishes from a family-run restaurant on The Moor, its five-bubble rating is supported by reviews such as "an absolute delight" and "food cooked to perfection."

7. CJ's at The Sanctuary

Found in Budock Water, the restaurant has won fans for its personal attention to customers. It's roast dinners come highly recommended by reviewers, but it also offers a range of steaks, burgers and seafood.

8. Koffiji Cafe Bar

More a cafe than a restaurant, Koffiji at Discovery Quay somewhat impressively, for TripAdvisor, has exclusively 'excellent' and 'very good' reviews.

Think sandwiches, cakes and cookies with quality. Open daytimes.

9. INDIdog Eatery On The Harbour

From fancy brunches through to lunches and dinners, Indidog, found off Market Street next to the Church Street car park, is described as "uber stylish" with "gorgeous views" across the River Fal.

It also recently got Boris Johnson's stamp of approval, when the restaurant hosted a private meeting between the Prime Minister and the Falmouth Town Team during his visit to Cornwall.

The entrance area of INDIdog

10. The Verdant Seafood Bar

Taking the final spot in the top ten, as the name suggests seafood is the speciality at this popular Quay Street restaurant - including "crab fries to die for" according to one reviewer.

What sets it apart from others is that it also sells its own beers, direct from the Verdant brewery in Penryn.

HELSTON

1. Fat Apples Cafe

Actually based between St Keverne and Porthallow, on the Lizard Peninsula, it has a strong reputation for its cooked breakfasts (indeed, one reviewer declared it the "best cooked breakfast in the UK".

That's not all this tucked away cafe offers, however, with soups, salads, sandwiches and cakes all on the menu - all homemade, naturally.

Picture: Fat Apples Cafe

2. Grove Cafe & Wellbeing Studio

While it may take the number two spot against some impressive competition, unfortunately it looks as though we won't get to enjoy this Sithney-based retreat for a while at least.

The owners announced in July 2020 that they had decided to remain closed after the first lockdown "for the foreseeable future" and no update has been given since.

3. The Hideaway

Think big breakfasts, hefty sandwiches and doughnut stacks with milkshakes to wash it all down. There's a reason this unassuming cafe in Porthleven's Fore Street has held its spot at number three for so long.

4. The Ship Inn

We're talking about the one at Mawgan here, rather than the Porthleven version (which just misses out on a top ten spot at number 14).

With "quality", "reliable," and "superb food" among the commonly used words, it's easy to see why reviews frequently mention return visits.

5. The Greenhouse

The second out of three entries in the top ten for St Keverne, this Michelin Guide accredited bistro, which is the 2020 Good Food Guide, has been run by the same couple since 2005.

Reviews can be summed up in this single one: "In what looks like it was a front room in out-of-the way St Keverne, they invent, cook and serve the most lovely dinners."

Open Thursdays to Saturdays, May 20 will be the long-awaited reopening night and reservations are a must - the first week is already booked out.

Picture: The Greenhouse

6. Seadrift

Reopening on May 27, this restaurant in Porthleven gets plenty of mentions for both its seafood and steaks.

It is described by one reviewer as a "must dine in" when in Porthleven.

7. Three Tuns

Completing St Keverne's line-up of top ten rated restaurants, this pub by the church receives frequent mentions for its friendly staff.

"The service was perfect and the bill didn't make us wince" reports one reviewer, while basket meals, burgers and fish and chips all get honourable mentions.

Picture: Three Tuns

8. The Square At Porthleven

Food at this Michelin Guide rated restaurant is described as "beautifully presented with exciting, well paired flavours" by one reviewer while another points to the "wonderful service and utterly delicious food."

Another simply says: "Good food, good service and good wine!"

9. Jumunjy Thai Street Food

Running a popular takeaway service through lockdown, the owners - who developed the business in Thailand before bringing it over to Cornwall - will finally get to reopen their restaurant Cross Lanes.

Reviewers describe it as “the best Thai food outside of Thailand" and "off the scale delicious."

Picture: Jumunjy

10. Porthleven's Harbour View Cafe

As the name suggests, this cafe in Porthleven is set harbourside, serving a range of cooked breakfast, lunches and cream teas.

Its crab sandwiches come in for regular praise in reviews.