Harden's survey result
Summary
Paul Ainsworth’s Georgian townhouse near the harbour has established itself as a fine-dining “go-to” for many foodies visiting the north Cornwall coast, and is celebrating its twentieth year in operation in 2026. Typically reviews are just a full-on rave for a “truly exceptional experience”: “from the moment you walk in, first rate service makes you feel you are the most important customer in the place and the food is some of the most memorable and exciting ever – so so so good!”. (“We visit Paul Ainsworth’s restaurant each year – a long drive along busy roads – but the reward is truly five-star: the food is unbelievably delicious, the wine selection excellent, the sommelier gives excellent advice irrespective of the price, and the staff are efficient and extremely pleasant. Even his bread and butter are superb!”). The eight-course (plus treats) tasting menu is £195 per person, but you don’t have to go mad: the two-course à la carte is £85 per person.
Summary
“Still helping set the standard for fine dining in Cornwall after all these years and still evolving with new dishes, although on the surface nothing ever seems to change” – Paul Ainsworth operates “the best restaurant in the foodie heaven of Padstow” and his only serious rival in this neck of the woods is Nathan Outlaw down the coast. “Mind-blowing food with on-point service and incredible attention to detail” is the tenor of all of the many reports we receive on the “excellent local ingredients cooked to perfection from an impressive open kitchen”, all within a cute Georgian townhouse. (“Have been going here since they first opened: it has been a great pleasure to watch it develop into a quite fabulous restaurant and it rarely, if ever, misses a beat”). “Worth every penny (or pound…)”
Summary
“Out of this world!!” – “Paul Ainsworth’s flagship restaurant goes from strength to strength” and few restaurants in the UK achieve such a high level of esteem in our annual diners’ poll. “A culinary haven in the middle of, and yet a world apart from, the tourist crowds of Padstow”: it certainly eclipses its local rivals nowadays, with Nathan Outlaw a few miles down the coast its most serious nearby culinary competition. Set in a bijou Georgian townhouse, “the open kitchen shows off the enthusiastic team and it’s a case of selfies all round with the chefs after the meal”. “No, it isn’t cheap, but we found ourselves wondering how the team managed to set such high standards for the money”. “Special mention go to the dessert… and we don’t usually like desserts!” “All around an amazing gastronomic experience”!
Summary
“Face-slappingly good flavours” – “it often takes me by surprise with the amazing combinations of tastes” – have long established Paul Ainsworth’s bijou Georgian townhouse as a less commented on but higher rated alternative to Rick Stein’s nearby HQ. “It’s not cheap but has to be on the list to eat if you are in Cornwall.” Top Tip – you can book at a counter by the kitchen as well as in the dining room.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Paul Ainsworth at No6?
6 Middle St, Padstow, PL28 8AP
Restaurant details
Paul Ainsworth at No6 Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Absolutely first rate cooking - interesting, well-sourced, fun and exciting. Beetroot and eel, and sweetbreads were standout."
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £85.00 | £105.00 |  |
|
|
| Cost | Availability | Courses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu1 | 195.00 | Always available | 8 |
Traditional European menu
| Pudding |
|---|
| £0.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £79.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £7.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £12.00 |
| Service | 15.00% |
6 Middle St, Padstow, PL28 8AP
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 11:45 am‑2 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Wednesday | 11:45 am‑2 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Thursday | 11:45 am‑2 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Friday | 11:45 am‑2 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Saturday | 11:45 am‑2 pm, 5 pm‑8:45 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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