Eating and Drinking in Plymouth – Restaurant Reviews

DUKE OF CORNWALL HOTEL

You don’t have to be staying at the Duke of Cornwall Hotel to have dinner in their restaurant. We arrived early so were invited into their Lounge Bar to relax on the sofas and enjoy a drink while our table was prepared. On into the main restaurant, the room is bright and edged with marble columns, with a sparkling chandelier hanging overhead. We also spotted their private Writing Room to the side which would be perfect for special occasions. We were served soft, warm sourdough rolls by very attentive staff while we chose what to eat.

The menu is varied with food prepared by award-winning chefs. We tried the scallops and chicken liver parfait to start. Both dishes were displayed beautifully and the flavours complemented each other well, particularly the unexpected but delicious blueberry with the parfait. This was followed by our main course – roast lamb rump served with wild garlic risotto, and steak fillet with vegetables. The meat was cooked perfectly. Get a table booked if you’re looking for a restaurant to impress, somewhere more formal or if you just want to try somewhere different.

FIND THEM: Millbay Road / BOOK A TABLE: 01752 275850 / WEBSITE HERE

ROCKFISH

Situated next to the National Marine Aquarium, Rockfish is a fantastic family seafood restaurant which is bright, fresh and relaxing. Once seated, our waitress took out a pen and circled the fish of the day on the sheets which covered the table. There’s a short description about each one to help you pick – we had a choice of three. After browsing the menu however, a few other dishes caught our eye. We started with portions of chunky calamari and battered halloumi, before moving on to our mains – the Rockfish cheese burger and seafood tacos.

Both were served with bottomless chips and the tacos were stuffed with crispy cod and crabmeat, topped off with guacamole and salsa. They were fresh-tasting and very filling – I’d highly recommend them! They really pride themselves on their huge choice of seafood from local crab and grilled fish of the day, to oysters and Italian seafood salad. Of course, you can always opt for traditional fish and chips – they serve sustainable MSC cod and haddock from MSC and all their local fish is from well managed sources.

FIND THEM: Sutton Harbour / BOOK A TABLE: 01752 255974 / WEBSITE HERE

ROCK SALT CAFE & BRASSERIE

We’d already heard good things about Rock Salt and we weren’t disappointed. We were greeted by a calm atmosphere and friendly staff who seated us and gave us our menus – one being standard, the other being a tasting menu. We started off with warm, fresh bread with bowls of olives and balsamic vinegar, before sharing a plate of scallops. They were cooked perfectly and served with a teriyaki risotto. For our mains we chose the lamb steak (cooked rare, served with crunchy onion rings and chips) and bass which melted in the mouth. Both were presented beautifully and we had very generous portions – so much so that we couldn’t find room for the delicious-looking desserts!

We noticed that in the daytime they’re open for coffee and cake and have a separate lunch menu – something we’re keen to go back and try. The light and airy interior is great in the daytime, while it becomes more cosy at night. The restaurant is a bit hidden away in Stonehouse, but a find which is very rewarding once you walk through the door.

FIND THEM: Stonehouse Street / BOOK A TABLE: 01752 225522 / WEBSITE HERE

THE HIDDEN OLIVE

This wonderful place is tucked away on Sutton Harbour, away from the bustle of the Barbican with a great view of the yachts. The Hidden Olive is already popular at lunchtime, for coffee, cakes and paninis, but their new evening menu is pretty unique. Think tapas-style dishes of great combinations – the head chef knows what tastes good. Ranging from £3-£5 per dish, you can mix and match with friends and be spoilt for choice. The menu is designed to cater to various diets and tastes. Not only are there separate sections for fish, meat and salad, there’s also a good vegan/vegetarian menu and everything can be made gluten-free. As it’s all made fresh, the chefs are happy to tailor dishes to their guests if something isn’t quite what they fancy.

We tried various dishes from each section of the menu and loved the different flavours from each. The Hidden Olive is constantly evolving at the moment to provide the best, most ethical products and it’s clear that they take a lot of pride in the food they serve. Head here for great food at any time of day.

FIND THEM: Sutton Harbour / BOOK A TABLE: 01752 657070 / WEBSITE HERE

RIVER COTTAGE CANTEEN & DELI

Tucked away in Royal William Yard lies the wonderful Canteen. We were entertained by a talented jazz trio during our visit, while we snacked on hummus and flatbread to start and looked out across the River Tamar through huge windows.

The team are very welcoming and their knowledge of the menu is impressive. Our waiter recommended the hake, fresh from the Barbican Fish Market that day, which was served with delicious chorizo potatoes, and we also ordered a breaded mackerel burger. Of course, fish isn’t the only thing on the menu, and those who fancy meat or a veggie option will find something tasty. The food on the menu is fresh and in-season, and it didn’t take us long to decide what to order. Our waiter even made sure that the drinks we were ordering would compliment our main meal, which highlighted how much he cared about the food and ensured that we enjoyed every mouthful. Dessert was a velvety cappuccino pannacotta with a raspberry sorbet, which was an unexpected but great combination of flavours.

FIND THEM: Royal William Yard / BOOK A TABLE: 01752 252702 / WEBSITE HERE

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