I’ve long been a fan of The Pig Hotels, and when I heard they were opening the newest of their litter in Cornwall, I wanted to make sure that we visited when we were on our two week Devon and Cornwall trip! Unfortunately, when we were booking our hotels, The Pig at Harlyn Bay wasn’t yet accepting hotel bookings, but I did manage to get us a booking for lunch!
Given it was a lovely, sunny September day, we booked a table at The Lobster Shed, The Pig at Harlyn Bay’s outdoor restaurant, which is open all summer and closes for the season at the end of October. Whilst it’s closing soon for this year, I’d definitely recommend it for summer next year!
Since we were celebrating our engagement, we started with glasses of Camel Valley for a little toast! We were also lucky enough to meet Steph, the restaurant manager, whose Instagram account I love, and who I’ve really loved chatting to over the past few months!
We started with a few small plates to share, as we decided what to have for mains (and I was mentally planning our return to The Pig to stay!). We shared smoked mackerel pate on toast, padron peppers and shell on prawns with garlic mayo – all which were absolutely incredible! I love sharing style food, as not only do you get to try more of the menu, but I really enjoy the relaxed vibe it brings to a meal.
As we soaked up a little more of the sunshine, and talked about how we were going to try to celebrate our news with friends and family, our main courses arrived!
Andy ordered the sardines, which were simply grilled and served as they were – they were light, full of flavour and entirely moreish! I couldn’t look past the namesake dish of the restaurant – a half Cornish lobster, chargrilled and served with a side salad and fries. Even though it was simply cooked, the was incredible – both Andy and I said that, even though we had eaten so well during our trip, this was easily one of the best dishes we had.
Scallops are some of my favourites, and when I saw them on the menu, I couldn’t resist ordering a scallop for each of us. Grilled in the most delicious, light sauce (with a side of fresh sourdough to mop up all of that extra delicious-ness so you don’t miss a single thing!) – they’re a real must order in my books!
Never one to say no to pudding, especially when we’re celebrating, we ordered the Cornish Affogato – chocolate ice cream, with clotted cream and a shot of rum, it was entirely indulgent but oh so, so good! A perfect little sweet treat to share at the end of a wonderful celebratory lunch at The Pig at Harlyn Bay!
I couldn’t leave without a very brief look round the hotel – and believe me it is absolutely stunning! As with the other hotels in The Pig’s collection, it was full of cosy corners, fires on, and beautifully decorated. I mean, just look at the bar! While the most of The Pig Hotels are country based, I loved that The Pig at Harlyn Bay was both tucked away in the countryside and so near the beach. To me, it’s the perfect balance for a long weekend – a little time in the countryside, a long walk on the beach, and then back to The Pig for a cosy afternoon of board games and reading!
A really wonderful lunch – next time I’m definitely coming back to stay!
Harlyn Bay
Padstow
Cornwall
PL28 8SQ
