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Summary
“Certainly the best restaurant in the region, perhaps the country!” Nathan Outlaw’s acclaimed flagship sits on a clifftop in a picturesque north Cornish village (home to TV’s Doc Martin) and while “the exterior of the building is underwhelming”, “the room itself is lovely, with perfectly positioned tables”… and “my god the view out of the windows is breathtaking”. On the menu – “a procession of the most delicious fish and seafood imaginable”: “supremely clean and pure in their premise and construction, with flavours that either hit you round the chops or melt down your throat in nuanced waves”. Service is “top class” – “warm, personal and professional, and with very appropriate wine suggestions”. A quibble? Many reports note that a trip here is “so expensive”, “even more so with the wine flight”. But even so, the investment almost invariably “feels like money well spent”: “was it worth the 625-mile round trip? – unquestionably YES”. Top Tip – “use an app to book local parking if you are coming in season, as Port Isaac is tiny and parking is extremely limited”.
Summary
“Well worth the drive to Cornwall…” – the famous Cornish chef’s flagship occupies “a romantic clifftop setting, overlooking the sea” in a beautiful village “on the stunningly beautiful North Cornish coast”, and numerous reporters acclaim it for “the best fish and seafood in the UK”. “It really really does live up to the hype. The simplified, choice-free menu means you just need to sit back and let the chef’s brilliant creations work their magic”. Dishes are “so exquisitely prepared, with such clean and pure but striking flavours”. “Service led by Stephi Little is so friendly, yet it retains a level of easy expertise, and the wine flight, concocted by sommelier Damon Little, supplies perfect matches with sometimes unfamiliar labels”. (And it’s not just good for fish: “Nathan was cooking. I’m a veggie and the vegetarian menu was the best I’ve ever eaten!”)
Summary
“The ne plus ultra of UK fish restaurants” – Nathan Outlaw delivers “a masterclass in amazingly clean, powerful yet pure fishy flavours – just the best I’ve ever tasted” – and “the dishes feel so effortless” too (“a nice balance of simplicity with panache”), at his incredibly popular Cornish HQ, which moved three years ago to the heart of this charming fishing village from nearby Rock. “The terrific view is almost as good as the food” – “a panorama across the bay” that’s “best enjoyed in daylight”. “It’s wildly expensive but really worth it”.
Restaurant details
Restaurant Nathan Outlaw Restaurant Diner Reviews

"The amuse-bouches started us off in good order with palate-pleasing crispy coley with smoked paprika mayo and simply cured in a lovely filo pastry tartlet, together enough to be considered an extra course. The curemaster then came up with staggeringly good cured monkfish matched with a fennel background and a touch of ginger. Without guidance we would not have been able to identify the next dish as mackerel, which was understated to say the least, although the parsnip crisps were lovely. We next had a generous serving of crab, white meat as expected, with good roasted white cabbage, and a crab sauce which was announced as something it clearly wasn’t. Happily the ample cod that followed was absolutely brilliant and even elevated to superstar status by the peppercorn sauce with a boost of tarragon. The three-in-one dessert, which left you the choice of combining or not, gave us crunchy apple tart, delicate crème fraîche ice cream and apple sauce, and a custard choux bun with caramel sauce, was a very good way to round the meal off. As always the service was exemplary, friendliness combined with expertise, and the wine just perfect with every dish. When meteorological conditions are extremely poor even two-star restaurants will find it hard to acquire the quality of fish so necessary for the ambitious dishes planned for their demanding diners, and, on this occasion, it was perhaps a contributory factor to the slight feeling of disappointment we felt with this meal, and, in addition, perhaps with the apparent migration of the crab community to cooler waters, we shall never again have the pleasure of tasting the real Porthilly sauce."
Prices
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Wine per bottle | £21.00 |
Filter Coffee | £3.75 |
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Service | 12.50% |
6 New Rd, Port Isaac, PL29 3SB
Opening hours
Monday | CLOSED |
Tuesday | CLOSED |
Wednesday | CLOSED |
Thursday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:45 pm‑9 pm |
Friday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:45 pm‑9 pm |
Saturday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:45 pm‑9 pm |
Sunday | CLOSED |
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