Is there any better way to starting your seaside holiday than having a bang up meal of mussels and chips on the beach?

I think not!

Surfside Cafe and Bar is nestled at the base of the cliffs right on the beach front in Polzeath, take a look at this gem serving up hearty seafood. It’s a must visit if you’re in this neck of the woods.

Location

When I say on the beach, I really do mean on the beach. Kick off your shoes and socks, and let your toes curl in the sand, because the only way to get there is by walking across the beach.

Look and listen to the crashing waves rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean along the Camel Estuary, the view is hard to beat, it really is a glorious setting.

It would be easy to miss if you’re not familiar with the area. The main high street is likely to catch your eye first, but you’re going to want to head onto the beach and check this restaurant out. 

If you’re looking in the evening, it offers a warm and welcoming glow across the beach to the main road – an inviting prospect.

Vibe

While Surfside draws the line at wet towels and wetsuits the atmosphere and dress code is very relaxed. I visited at lunchtime and everyone from tiny tots to silver surfers were welcomed. 

I did get a glimpse of people heading there In the evening and it definitely feels a bit more ‘grown up’ and while people didn’t go overboard there was definitely a slightly smarter feel to the place.

From the outside it looks fairly understated and inside it’s equally as plain but that’s because the majority of the restaurant is large windows that give guests an unrivalled view of the beach. It’s really not somewhere you go for the interior aesthetic because you’re really not focusing on what the place looks like, your eyes are firmly fixed towards the window and THAT view.

Oh and it’s not a massive place, probably about 15 tables of four to six seats, so if you’ve got your heart set on going make sure you give them a call and book a table.

Feast

The menu is focused on fresh seafood from the surrounding area and you wouldn’t want anything else when you’re in this part of the world.

Surfside tries to only serve food sourced from Cornwall adapting its menu to reflect what currently is in season or available from the surrounding seas or nearby fields. 

I had the Porthilly Mussels in a classic white wine, shallot, parsley and cream sauce and of course, a side of chips. It’s the perfect combination.

The smell, oh my I wish I could convey to you the smell. The combination of the rich wine, shallots and cream filled the area around our table with a heady scent that was the perfect blend of savoury seafood goodness.

The mussels were in a pile in the bowl and had two massive chunks of bread sat on the side so you could make the most of the sauce – perfect!

Don’t you hate it when places don’t give you anything to mop up all those incredible flavours with, then you have to ask and somewhere charges for something that should have come with the meal in the first place, blah blah, you know the drill. I loved that I didn’t have that nonsense at Surfside and the mussels came with the right ‘tools’ to make the most of the tasty broth.

The mussels were very tasty and I love that they’d been locally sourced. Mussels and chips is one of my favourite meals ever, usually if it’s on the menu, you can guarantee I’ll have it. These were excellent and did not disappoint.

The menu has a small but well curated selection of hearty dishes. The dish that really caught my eye was the ‘Infamous Monkfish & Chorizo Roll’. I saw this dish being taken to the next table over and big monkfish tails were bursting out of ciabattas and the couple looked like they were really enjoying them. They fell silent (always a good sign) and I heard a… ‘Are you enjoying that?’ replied with ‘It’s bloody delicious!’.

I was also tempted by the sound of the Macaroni cheese made with Cornish Yarg and Cheddar with coconut milk and rosemary. I think I’ll have to try these other dishes next time!

Rum Bar

As well as serving food, there’s a cool rocky looking rum bar at the back and it regularly hosts vinyl nights and other special evening events. It’s best to check its Facebook page as it frequently posts with new updates.

Seafood on the beach

Having mussels on the beach with incredible views of the Polzeath surf was a brilliant start to our stay in the village. Hello relaxation!

We couldn’t have planned a better way to unwind and we’ll be heading back again soon to see what else is on the menu.

If you’re headed to Polzeath, this is a wonderful spot to grab a bite to eat, I’d recommend booking  especially if you’re headed down for dinner.

Take a look at the Surfside website for more information about the restaurant and to view the menus and average prices.

And, if you head down, let me know what you think!