We Review: The Gannet Inn, Carbis Bay

Our editor Rebecca Moore heads to The Gannet Inn, sister to the Carbis Bay Estate, for a hearty lunch…

 As somebody who lives in North Cornwall – and despite frequently travelling the county – I’m always taken aback by how close Carbis Bay is to St Ives. After meandering the relatively brief coast path from St Ives (around a mile) and skipping breakfast, lunchtime hunger pangs began. If you find yourself in a similar situation, rather than hotfooting it back to St Ives, call in at The Gannet Inn.

Somewhat overshadowed by its older sister, the Carbis Bay Hotel, The Gannet Inn is unassuming and as the name suggests… you won’t find carefully placed miniature nibbles, hard-to-pronounce dishes and tables you worry you’ll dirty, instead you’ll be greeted with a warm welcome, a hearty menu full of classic dishes and a relaxed atmosphere.

In the comfort of knowing that The Gannet is from good stock, and in the knowledge that the menus here have been created by the Rosette winning chef at the Carbis Bay Estate, my expectations were set higher than my usual spontaneous gastro-pub stop.

The menu does alter to suit the seasons but as a rule of thumb they’re big on home-cooking style ‘pub classics’, and you’ll often see a nod to its coastal location with dishes such as moules frites and fish of the day. Naturally, I decided to start with seafood with a delicious smoky prawn and chorizo starter with plenty of dipping opportunity coming with a hunk of bread.

For my main course it had to be the pie of the day – which happened to be chicken. Served with seasonal veg, as standard it comes served with creamy mash, but as advised by our attentive waitress, I traded for chunky hand-cut chips, which were perfect for mopping up the lashings of gravy.

Feeling somewhat valiant, I followed this with the sticky toffee pudding. It’s fair to say I was defeated, as the generous portions proceed to the desserts. Although a few mouthfuls were sweet tastes of heaven, if only I had a little more room to accommodate.

The Gannet Inn’s mouth-watering dishes, friendly menu, and comforting home-cooking style is just the ticket for a relaxed lunch, or dinner. Next time, I may have to try the fish and chips… because calories don’t count in Cornwall, right?