The Gurnard's Head

Sitting in a beautiful wild landscape on the coast road to Land’s End, this sister restaurant to the Felin Fach Griffin certainly comes close to the foodie dream of stumbling upon an undiscovered gem in the middle of nowhere. Open fires, slouchy sofas & plain wood tables create a relaxed atmosphere in the dining room, while a firm commitment to using local produce & a flair for fresh & robust flavours take centre stage in the ambitious kitchen. The menu is constantly tweaked to promote seasonal ingredients, & diners are rewarded with such dishes as salt whiting brandade with a poached duck egg, followed by roast pollack, braised fennel, black mustard leaf & saffron aioli, or beef shin in ale, mashed potato & thyme dumplings, with gorse flower & honey buttermilk pudding for afters. The drinks offering includes local ales, & there’s a quirky, thoughtful wine list.

Pub List Of The Year

The Gurnard’s Head 100-bin wine list is a perfect, easily navigable example, with neither fat nor unnecessary indulgence, yet plenty of carefully selected, interesting listings. The by-the-glass wines all feature a short, enthusiastic tasting note that captures the wine’s essence quickly and then stops – no 100-word rambles or ‘wannabe writer’ essays – something a lot of restaurants could learn from.