Salty skin and blazing beach days call for sundowners on the shoreline. The sand still warm underfoot, the sea turning gold, and an ice-cold drink in hand. With this scorching run of summer, we’ve been sinking tipples and watching the sun go down on beaches across Cornwall. Here’s our pick of Cornwall’s coolest beach bars – tried, tested and properly refreshing…
Bringing everything from Ibiza classics to chilled acoustic sessions to a private cove on the outskirts of Newquay, Lusty Glaze Beach Bar is our favourite local spot to dip and sink a sundowner. When the sun shines, sprawl out on the sand with salty skin and a cocktail in hand, and on cooler evenings kickback by the fire with a pint of local Sharp’s beer. Sunsets are fiery, the view sublime, and it’s well and truly worth the 133 cliffs steps to get down to the beach – and back up!
Step onto the edge of Cornwall’s own Great Ocean Road, where a run of rock stacks rises from the Atlantic to the clifftops – move over, Twelve Apostles. Unfurling beneath this coastline is one of the most incredible backdrops in Cornwall, if not the UK. Settle in, listen to the choughs and oystercatchers, and lose yourself as the sun goes down.
Add a cold pint, a wood-fired pizza and a decent soundtrack, and you’ve got Stacks by the Sea: pallet sofas, sunset-watching, beer-drinking, pizza-eating evenings right on the clifftop. Pitch your tent at the adjoining campsite and wake up to the same view.
Sand between your toes, surf on the horizon, legendary burgers and golden sundowners on Cornwall’s wildest coast. There are few better places than the Blue Bar to toast beach days with eye-popping sea views and fiery sunsets. Order a pint and a legendary Blue Burger and kick back on the surfside terrace or in a window booth, and soak up the après-beach vibes as the tunes get cranked up and live bands or comedy acts take the stage.
A few venues in Perranporth have tried to recreate the vibe of the UK’s most legendary beach bar. But bang on the sand with cracking sunsets, live music and a front-row view of the surf, The Watering Hole still tops the ranks as the best place in Cornwall for a tipple by the sea and waves between rounds. From local beers to big music events, it’s a hit for sundowners and shenanigans.
Clifftop views, Cornish drinks and an easy slip down to a secret swimming cove… now that’s the kind of sundowner to toast these summer days. Yes, the tap-and-tablet ordering system takes a bit of soul out of the experience, but it still can’t strip the Bowgie Inn of its iconic sundowner status. Whether you’ve come straight off Crantock Beach or dipped in the tucked-away Vugga Cove, it’s a mesmeric spot to close a summer’s day with a pint and classic pub food.
After a day on pretty Praa Sands beach, follow the trail of sandy footprints into The Welloe and unwind with the waves at your feet. Cold beer, cocktails, tunes and wood fired pizzas are on the menu, whether you soak up the last rays on the decking or take a seat behind the floor-to-ceiling windows. While you don’t actually see the sunset on the south coast, the panoramic sea views and pink-tinged skies well and truly make up for it.
We don’t all crave a swanky beach bar for a sundowner. So if you’re seeking more local boozer vibes, bag a table on the terrace or the rooftop bar of Old Success Inn. Just a mile from Land’s End, at the edge of Sennen’s white-sand beach, you can skip straight from the surf into this historic inn where award-winning beers and fine wines are paired with local dishes and some of the finest sunsets in Kernow.
Another location where you can drop your board and wetsuit at the door, Lula is nestled in the dunes behind the surfing mecca of Godrevy beach. Views seep in from all angles, merging with the barefoot and rustic style of the interior, that spills out into the garden and decking. Dog-friendly and family-friendly, this buzzing beachside venue has local beers on tap, and a post-beach menu of East Coast American and New Orleans Creole flavours.
If you love beer and love the beach, there’s no better match for you than this super-cool brewpub by the sea. A true Cornish boozer with low beams and its own Cornish ales on tap, The Driftwood Spars is a traditional local boozer with an alfresco deck and sea-view dining room. Whether you want a refreshing pint, a Tarquin’s gin tasting board, or an ice cream for your dog, it’s one of the hottest venues to cool off after a day at the beach.
A landmark bar that’s bang beside the waves on Cornwall’s most famous surfing beach, Boardmasters Beach Bar oozes with the après surf vibe that Newquay is renowned for. Bask on the decking for a refreshing brewskie while you watch the pros cut their teeth on the waves, or get your party hat on for Mambo Mondays, electrifying party nights and legendary silent discos. Sandy feet, sandy paws and salty locks welcome – in fact it’s all part of the attire.
No need to even strip out of your swimmers to sink into the stylish Gylly Beach Cafe. While the sun doesn’t set on the south coast, this is Falmouth’s hottest hangout for coffee or cocktails on the beach. There are heaters on the decking, bay and castle views from the glass-walled interior, and a sprawling deck where you can pair your tipple with a treat from the artisan bakery or something fresh from the grill.
Still need to quench your thirst? There are loads more amazing beach bars scattered along the Cornish coast – pubs, hotel bars and cafés for sundowner drinks with stunning views.
Make a start at these coastal drinking gems and please let us know if you discover somewhere new.
