Mevagissey Harbour — colourful fishing boats and hillside cottages on Cornwall's south coast.

Cornwall · Food & Drink · Looe

Where to eat in Looe.

A proper fishing town rather than a preserved village, Looe takes its fish seriously — the fleet here is still active, and the restaurants that buy from it are the ones worth eating at.

Photograph — Oast House Archive / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Looe · South-East Cornwall

Looe divides into East and West across a tidal river, connected by a bridge that the two halves have been arguing about forever. Both sides have merit for eating: East Looe holds the main fish market and the better harbour restaurants; West Looe is quieter and home to some of the more interesting independent cafés. The combined town is larger than most south Cornwall fishing villages and the food scene reflects that scale — more varied, slightly less concentrated, but with a genuine foundation in the fishing industry that grounds it.

The Looe fish market supplies restaurants across south Cornwall, which means the freshness of what's available here is as high as anywhere in the county. The trick is finding the restaurants that are actually buying from it rather than from the cash and carry. The best kitchens in town are explicit about this; they're the ones where the menu changes daily and the specials board is worth reading.

The most respected restaurant in Looe, sitting directly above the fish market with a menu that changes according to what was landed that morning. The cooking is straightforward and excellent: Looe Bay lobster, grilled whole bream, crab claws with garlic butter, a fish chowder made from the market's offcuts that is among the best soups in south Cornwall. The room is comfortable; the service is efficient. Book ahead — it fills reliably every service.

Best for

Freshest possible fish, right above the market

A long-established restaurant on the East Looe quay with a loyal following for its combination of generous portions and genuine local sourcing. The lobster thermidor is the house dish — prepared to order, substantial, and fairly priced for what it is. The daily fish specials reflect what the fleet brought in; the set lunch menu is one of the better value propositions in south Cornwall. Comfortable, unpretentious, and reliable.

Best for

Generous Looe lobster thermidor

The best fish and chips in Looe — a takeaway and eat-in operation that buys directly from the fish market each morning and fries each portion to order. The batter is light and shattering; the fish is fresh in the way that only direct market access makes possible. Eat on the harbour wall and watch the boats. Modest prices for genuinely exceptional ingredients — the best quick meal in town.

Best for

Market-fresh fish and chips

An old pub in East Looe with flagstone floors, exposed beams, and a kitchen that serves the local fishing community with appropriate seriousness. The seafood chowder is made from whatever the market offers that day; the beer is well kept from St Austell Brewery; the atmosphere is firmly local rather than performed for visitors. The best pub in Looe for anyone who wants to feel like they're in an actual Cornish fishing town rather than a theme park version of one.

Best for

Local pub atmosphere and seafood chowder

A proper Cornish tea room in the centre of East Looe that takes the cream tea as seriously as the tradition demands. Scones are baked fresh each morning; clotted cream comes from a farm near Pelynt; jam is made on the premises in small batches throughout the season. The room is warm and unhurried; the service has the patience of an establishment that has been welcoming visitors for many years without difficulty.

Best for

Traditional Cornish cream tea

A newer arrival in Looe's food scene that takes a more contemporary approach to the local catch — small plates of seafood prepared with Mediterranean and Asian influences, a natural wine list that stands out in the area, and an atmosphere that skews younger than most Looe restaurants. The salt and pepper squid is the obvious calling card; the ceviche, made with locally caught pollock rather than the imported alternatives, is exceptional.

Best for

Modern seafood small plates and natural wine

Practical notes

Booking advice: Trawlers on the Quay and The Harbour Restaurant should be booked ahead for summer dinner. The fish bar, pub, and tea room are walk-in friendly throughout the season.
Price range: Fish bar and tea room from £8–£16. Fisherman's Arms and Squid Ink £18–£30 per head. Trawlers and Harbour Restaurant £35–£55 per head with wine.
Local speciality: Looe Bay lobster — one of the most productive lobster grounds in the English Channel. It appears on most of the better restaurant menus at prices that reflect its local provenance.
Best for families: The Looe Valley Fish Bar for harbour-wall fish and chips — simple, affordable, and exactly what a Cornish fishing town should offer.
Best for a treat: Trawlers on the Quay for the freshest possible fish cooked with skill directly above the market that supplied it.
Market days: Looe's Produce Market runs on Saturdays on the quay in East Looe — local fish, farm produce, artisan bread, and Cornish cheeses.

Where to eat in Looe.

Trawlers on the Quay

The Harbour Restaurant

The Looe Valley Fish Bar

The Fisherman's Arms

Trelawney Tea Room

Squid Ink

More in Cornwall

Also in Looe

Nearby food & drink

Holiday cottages near Looe