Reef Knot Restaurant at The Idle Rocks

Whether you’re watching the sun set over the water, sipping cocktails on the harbour-view terrace, dining on the daily catch in the Reef Knot Restaurant or reviving in the SEVAN Spa, The Idle Rocks guarantees a feast of indulgences.

The Relais & Châteaux hotel’s waterfront location and exemplary hospitality are reason enough to visit, but in-the-know foodies flock for the inventive piscatorial offering from head chef Carla Jones and team.

The talented chef’s menu majors on sustainably caught Cornish fish paired with the finest seasonal and local produce. Ingredients are sourced through carefully developed relationships with suppliers. The restaurant even has its own dedicated St Mawes fisherman, Gareth Austin, who daily delivers ultra-fresh seafood from local waters.

Signature dishes include Cornish octopus with fennel and blood orange, Cornish cod with kohlrabi, brown shrimp, apple, cucumber and beurre noisette, and curried monkfish with soy, lime, avocado and sesame granola.

The Michelin Key-rated rooms feature a contemporary coastal style, making this a brilliant base from which to explore the Roseland peninsula. Book a Grand Seaview Room for the opportunity to soak in a window-side tub while watching boats glide across the bay.

Trencherman’s tip

On Saturday lunchtimes in summer, the terrace comes alive with a celebratory mash-up of Cornish seafood, rosé and sunshine, as guests enjoy the daily local catch paired with iconic wines from Château d’Esclans.