From the sunny vineyards of north Cornwall to the clear fishing waters off the south coast, Cornwall’s rich landscapes, sub-tropical climate and wealth of artisan producers have shaped one of the most exciting food scenes in the country. It’s no surprise that feast nights and supper clubs celebrating the Duchy’s natural larder have sprung up in every corner of the county, from seafood-inspired banquets cooked on an open fire and ’field-to-fork’ suppers overlooking the north coast, to midsummer feasts in some of Cornwall’s most magical gardens. Tucking into hyperlocal, seasonal and foraged food in the great outdoors — be it under starlit skies on a Cornish clifftop, at long, candlelit tables on a sandy beach or in a festoon-draped courtyard — has to be one of the most memorable foodie experiences there is.
The Hidden Hut, The Roseland Peninsula
When it comes to location, few can top the Hidden Hut, whose seafood shack perched above Porthcurnick Beach has garnered a dedicated following of foodies. Their feasts, cooked over hot coals in the outdoor kitchen, are eaten on long tables up on the cliff or down on the sand below. They’re lively, communal affairs, with tables strewn with colourful blooms and plates piled high with things like lobster and saffron paella or tender beef brisket cooked over an applewood grill. Tickets are snapped up quickly so sign up on their website to be first in line when new feasts go on sale. hiddenhut.co.uk
Nancarrow Farm, Near Truro
Tucked away in a green valley, the feasts at this organic farm and restaurant are about as atmospheric as they get. As dusk descends, guests gather for drinks before dining shoulder to shoulder on candlelit tables running the length of the old courtyard, sharing platters of award-winning, home-reared beef and lamb are teamed with just-plucked produce gathered from the farm’s kitchen gardens and orchards, and nearby hedgerows and seashores. As autumn sets in, the feasts move indoors, where suppers are served in the oak barn. Stay overnight in the converted piggery or in one of the shepherd’s huts hidden away in the orchard. nancarrowfarm.co.uk
Trelowarren, The Lizard Peninsula
Just south of the Helford River on the wild Lizard Peninsula, historic Trelowarren has been the ancestral home of the Vyvyans, a prominent Cornish family, since the 15th century. At the centre of this 1000-acre wooded estate, the old, cobbled courtyard and stables are home to an art gallery, a beautifully restored walled garden, and the thriving Flora Cafe and New Yard Restaurant, where a collection of outdoor feasts are planned this season. The stunning walled garden provides most of the produce; other ingredients come from the estate’s network of local producers, from fisherfolk to foragers. trelowarren.com
Newquay Orchard, Newquay
This inspiring, nonprofit community hub on the outskirts of Newquay runs educational programmes, volunteering and workshops — from conservation to horticulture — from its orchards, growing spaces and classrooms dotted across the seven-acre site. Making the most of the kitchen gardens, the Heart & Soul Cafe puts on a monthly supper club with a focus on communal dining, shared dishes and feasting on what’s grown in the orchards, gardens and community areas. From suppers that celebrate the seasons to themed feasts, their imaginative events are always bursting with the very best produce. newquayorchard.co.uk
The Lost Gardens of Heligan, St Austell
Once lost under a blanket of brambles and only rediscovered in the 1990s, Heligan’s 200-acre site has now been restored to its former glory. The gardening team grows over 300 types of fruit and veg, many of them heritage varieties, supplying Heligan Kitchen all year round. Their popular ‘Lost Suppers’ are held in the conservatory or, for the first time this summer, out in the flower garden — menus are written daily according to what’s available, and you’ll feast on produce that has travelled just yards (157 to be precise) to the table. heligan.com
Trebah Garden, The Helford River
With gardens that tumble right down to the water’s edge, the sub-tropical splendour of Trebah Garden on the Helford River has to be one of the most spectacular settings for al fresco feasting. This summer, pack a picnic blanket, wander down through the beautiful gardens and grab a spot on the shingle for one of Trebah’s new beach barbecues, taking place every month until the end of September. Expect delicious food from the team behind the award-winning Trebah Kitchen, drinks from the Boathouse Bar and live music from Cornish singer-songwriter Will Keating. Don’t forget your swimmers for a post-barbecue dip. trebahgarden.co.uk
Potluck Cornwall, Across Cornwall
For the past ten years, Taor has organised a whole host of foodie events, including monthly ‘Chat and Eat’ gatherings, regular supper clubs and feast evenings, and ‘Pot Luck’ nights, where diners are invited to bring a dish to share on a particular theme. The venue might be a new, emerging restaurant, a community hub or a member’s house, but the aim is always the same: to bring people together and to shine a light on Cornwall’s incredible bounty. She also runs cookery classes for both adults and children, foraging days, and food and film nights. potluckcornwall.co.uk
Potager Garden Café, Near Falmouth
Rescued from ruin over 20 years ago, this once-abandoned plant nursery near the Helford River is a little slice of heaven. The vegetarian cafe, housed in the beautifully converted greenhouses, serves up colourful, imaginative food — mezze platters, curries, epic salads — the produce for which comes from the surrounding kitchen gardens. Outside there are hammocks to laze in, artists’ studios to explore and garden sculptures to discover. Don’t miss the cafe’s evening events this summer, which include feasts, food and music evenings, and pizza nights under the trees. Plans are also afoot for a regular supper club. potagergarden.org
Philleigh Way, The Roseland Peninsula and Hayle
This cookery school in South Cornwall holds cooking workshops — from family pizza making days to Middle Eastern cookery courses — as well as a regular supper club hosted by Rupert, a devoted foodie and fierce advocate of all things seasonal. Over at his new cafe, tucked into the cliff above the beach in Hayle, a series of feast nights are in the planning, including a barbecue supper club and pizza nights. Rupert also runs foraging days, where you’ll learn all about the wild edibles found along the shoreline on the beach below. philleighway.co.uk
Padstow Kitchen Garden, Padstow
Taking the field-to-fork philosophy to a whole new level, produce for the feasts at this organic farm travel mere metres from plot to plate. Now in the hands of the family’s seventh generation of farmers, with trained chef Ross at the helm, Padstow Kitchen Garden is shining a light on sustainability and seasonality through a series of monthly polytunnel feasts. Each one celebrates a different star ingredient, from Padstow lobster to pork from the farm’s herd of rare breed Cornish pigs. New dates are announced each month so sign up to their newsletter to stay in the loop. padstowkitchengarden.co.uk
