Situated in the heart of Newquay, Bush Pepper is a contemporary restaurant which takes its influence from the food of Australia. Owned and run by Australian chef Chris Brookes, the restaurant's aim is to bring something a bit different to Newquay's dining scene while still taking advantage of Cornwall's fantastic produce. Serving food throughout the day, Bush Pepper caters to all occasions whether that be a casual brunch with friends or an indulgent three-course dinner.
Nestled between shops on Newquay's Fore Street, Bush Pepper has the appearance of a café from the outside with its large windows and a couple of outdoor tables sitting out front. However, the inside of the small restaurant has a more bistro-y feel to it; chairs upholstered in leather sit around wooden tables, the odd picture hangs from the red and white painted walls and there's a small bar at the far end of the room.
Bush Pepper's food menu, which comes written up on a blackboard, begins with starters such as avocado wrapped in kataifi pastry with a chipotle sauce, numbing chicken wings served with Szechuan pepper, scallions, birds eye chillies and gotcha ketchup, and a regularly changing bao bun of the day. When it comes to main courses, you can expect everything from chicken al forno to classic Australian dishes cooked on the barbecue grill such as outback spiced kangaroo loin with sautéed greens and potato wedges.
There are also plenty of vegan and vegetarian dishes available at Bush Pepper such as Thai-style mushroom, sesame and tofu balls served with rice noodles, and jack fruit enchiladas with a chipotle barbecue sauce. Meanwhile, the restaurant's drinks menu is predominantly focused around wines which are available by both the glass and bottle. However, there are also beers on offer from both Australia and Cornwall, as well as a range of spirits and soft drinks.