Dining Out at the Pig at Harlyn

We tuck into the true taste of Cornwall with a twenty-five mile menu at The Pig at Harlyn.

Good food is high on the agenda in Cornwall. After all, some of the UK’s finest produce hails from our coast and countryside. Lip-smacking ingredients grown, reared and plucked from our shores are piled onto plates nationwide to great applaud. Lucky enough to reside in this gastronomic paradise, when we dine out we want to ensure it’s on Kernow’s own bounty; which is why we booked a table to sample the 25-mile menu at The Pig at Harlyn. 

While the terms ‘locally sourced’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘seasonal’ are bandied around on menus without question these days, The Pig is fastidious about the roots of its ingredients. In this rambling country manor, the piggies on the menu are reared in the grounds, the vegetables come from the Kitchen Garden beyond the heavy, wooden door, and the seafood is landed by fishermen toiling daily in the Atlantic in view. A whopping 80% of what’s served comes from no more than 25 miles from the doorstep. And – should you question it – an illustrated map on your menu proves it. 

“The menu revolves around what the flush of the sun has ripened and the gardeners have just picked; what the fishermen snagged at sunrise; how many eggs the chickens have laid; and how fat those little piggies in the garden got.”

Before we tuck into said menu, let’s set the scene. Eating out should be a special occasion that you can dress up for. And while no one would bat an eyelid if you turned up at The Pig in a t-shirt and flip-flops, a visit to this historic estate infused with quirky, original features (think wood-panelled walls, ornate ceilings, antiques and artworks) really does warrant sprucing up for.

Kick off the experience – for this is an experience, not just an ordinary meal – with an aperitif by the crackling log fire in the snug or map room, or out in the courtyard if the weather prevails. Even the cocktails are created with carbon-neutral spirits and essential ingredients from the Kitchen Garden, immediately showing the undying commitment to what’s good – and local – from the first refreshing sip. 

You see, this place isn’t ‘passionate’ about local produce, it’s ‘obsessive’. Its dedication to home-grown food and a love of what’s local – and we mean local – stands out in every mouthful. The menu revolves around what the flush of the sun has ripened and the gardeners have just picked; what the fishermen snagged at sunrise; how many eggs the chickens have laid; and how fat those little piggies in the garden got. If you visit during daylight hours make sure you take time to mooch around the 200 year-old Kitchen Garden, flourishing not only with seasonal fruit and veg, but with the additions of a Smoke House and Mushroom House.

Back in the warm fuzz of the dining room, pondering the delights of the menu, we toasted the occasion with a glass of Camel Valley fizz from the vineyard less than 20 miles away, along with a selection of fishy bits and garden bits, mostly picked and caught that very day, and served with titbits of freshly-baked breads. Tastebuds teased, we set upon the menu proper, with seafood and pork dishes nodding to the ocean and pigs in view, alongside options for vegetarians and hardcore carnivores. No pretentious names junked up the menu; just uncomplicated, bold flavours echoing the season and the scenery. 

A fusion of homegrown cured jowl, Cornish King Crab, Mevagissey mullet and hake selected, we set eyes on the wine list with the same fervour as the contents of a classic book. The best way to find your favourite chapter is via a chat with the sommelier – a vital part of eating out that’s been abandoned with the modern shift to expensive gastropubs where you have to scan a menu and order everything via your phone. What’s that all about? Part of the joy of eating out, and one that’s evidently celebrated here, is the chatter with the waitperson and the manners of it all. Every restaurant meal should be a digital detox – except for perhaps a couple of sneaky moments on your device to snap an Insta shot of your meal, if you’re that way inclined. 

Personally, I’ve never been a fan of taking pictures of food, but what was brought to our table was a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds. So I couldn’t help myself. A classic 80’s style crab cocktail in a crystal glass dish, plump spinach and wet garlic leaves, succulent, seared fillets of fish balanced on buttery sauces, and a platter of the crumbliest, tangiest Cornish cheeses. As the food flowed so did the Douro Branco, Albariño and Port – each the perfect partner to the flavours on the plate. Thanks for the Happy Birthday biscuit for my boyfriend, too. 

While eating out isn’t cheap, there are foodie experiences worth the expense, and The Pig stepped up for a special occasion, a seasonal feast and commitment to the very best of Cornwall’s bounty from land and sea. Filled to the gills we could’ve summoned a night cap and a turned in for the night in one of its gorgeous garden wagons (one of Cornwall’s best glamping spots) or luxury bedrooms. However, this time a taxi awaited.

Perhaps we’ll return on a more summery evening to try out The Pig’s alfresco restaurant – The Lobster Shed. Bringing tasty local food straight from the surf to your table, here they serve wood-roasted lobster (£1 from every lobster sold donated to The National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow), chargrilled seafood and meats, and Cornish tipples, in a slightly less formal alfresco setting. 

Bon appétit. 

Website: thepighotel.com/at-harlyn-bay/

Fancy a night away with your partner at The Pig or another romantic hideaway beside the coast? Hop over to our feature on Cornwall’s best boutique hotels for couples.