Low intervention wines and small plates are the order of the day at this neighbourhood bar and bottle shop in St Ives. This part of the glorious Cornish coast gets a lot of attention in the summer months, and Little Palais' star reputation has risen rapidly, with the relaxed bistro and bottle shop becoming a favourite among visitors and locals alike.
Some of that is doubtless due to the location. Little Palais was once tucked away on the cobbles of Back Street, but it has since moved to inhabit the Old Custom House on Wharf Road, meaning you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine in full view of the beautiful Cornish coast and the twinkling seas of St Ives Bay. The shop itself is a real natural light trap, and inside it's gentle and minimal, with natural wood floors, and wooden chairs and tables to match. Much of the crockery in the shop has been made by local Cornish potters and ceramicists too.
Food-wise, Little Palais takes things ultra-minimal with a menu of wine snacks, small plates and sharing boards. You can order charcuterie and cheese plates to share, as well as olives, anchovies, and sourdough from nearby Coombeshead Farm. The kitchen also sends out seafood-centric small plates, such as fried mussels, sardine pate and spiced calamari in ragout, to go with organic wines by the glass, beers and a tightly-focused cocktail selection.
If you're in the mood for something sweet, Little Palais serves a handful of creative ice cream flavours too, including the likes of plum, brown bread, and sea salt, pine nut and rosemary.