Porthminster Kitchen

Really quiet and welcoming restaurant right on the harbour, with a nice view across the water. The service was friendly and fast. The food was delicious and the seafood fresh. We had fish and chips (gluten-free), the catch of the day, seafood linguine, and the monkfish curry. I also got tenderstem broccoli as a side, they were crunchy and well seasoned. We only ordered soft drinks and a couple of beers, and it came to almost £40 each. I’d really recommend the place!

Lovely quiet spot in the heart of St Ives, would recommend. Food was 4/5. We had the oysters, it was fresh, however, we would much prefer to add the toppings ourselves as we find the ponzu and shallots were overpowering the natural flavour of the oysters. We had fried squid as our starter, light and crispy battered squid with refreshing salad. I had the fish and chips and they were good. Light and crispy batter. Chips were fluffy on the inside, crunchy on the outside. My partner had seafood linguine and it was a bit too salty. Desert was disappointing. We had the sticky toffee pudding, the pudding itself was dry on the inside. There wasn’t enough toffee sauce provided.

A group of us had an exceptional meal at Porthminster Kitchen during a long weekend in St Ives. I don’t think I’ve eaten better seafood at a restaurant. I had the scallops to start followed by the catch of the day, which I believe was halibut. The cooking and presentation were perfect, although two scallops was a little disappointing for the price (I didn’t know my father-in-law was paying at that point!). I’d have ordered the mussels instead if I’d known. That aside, I couldn’t fault a thing. A very special restaurant.

Great service, delicious food. Unfortunately the restaurant was really empty but we don’t understand why as this was the best meal we had whilst in St Ives. Thank you! Also great wine choice

BEST CHOWDER EVER This is probably the best seafood chowder we have ever had and we’ve eaten at over 20 Michelin star restaurants worldwide. Tasty, full of fish, Imaginative with lots of shellfish, and a beautifully cooked piece of cod with crispy skin on the top. Cooked today by chef Michael Best £20 lunch meal I’ve had in months. The view is amazing and the service faultless MUST GO TO IN ST IVES

I had a lovely birthday dinner at Porthminster Kitchen. I ordered the half lobster and crispy squid, both delicious. The staff were incredibly kind and accommodating. I arrived around 3:45 PM, but most restaurants don’t serve lunches after 3 PM. I returned at 5:30 PM for dinner and was pleasantly surprised to find a table available.

We had a fantastic lunch at Porthminster Kitchen in St. Ives. The location is unbeatable - right on the harbour with stunning views across the water. We were lucky to get a table on the terrace without a booking, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. It does get busy, so it’s worth arriving early or booking ahead if you can. The atmosphere was lovely - clean, relaxed, and welcoming, with a modern coastal vibe that suits the location perfectly. Service was fast and friendly. The food was outstanding - fresh, beautifully presented, and packed with flavour. I had the sea bream with an Asian twist, and it was incredibly tasty and well-balanced. My partner went for the steak sandwich and absolutely loved it. There’s also a good selection of drinks, and I really enjoyed a glass of local Cornish cider. Prices are on the higher side, but that’s expected in St Ives - and honestly, the quality, setting, and service make it well worth it. A brilliant spot for lunch or dinner with a view - highly recommend!

Definitely a 5-star experience. This restaurant exceeded my expectations in every way. Each dish is boldly crafted by a chef with a deep understanding of flavor balance. The seafood is incredibly fresh, and the use of lemon elevates the dishes beautifully. The service is warm and welcoming—our server made us feel right at home. I started with the mussels, which were rich and creamy, yet well-balanced. The accompanying bread was a perfect match. I also recommend the linguine—it had a subtle Asian twist with wonderful crab flavors. The curry dish was an interesting interpretation of South Asian cuisine; I appreciated the creative use of sesame, though the rice was slightly overcooked for my taste. Overall, I highly recommended the place - especially impressive for a sightseeing town like St Ives.

Excellent modern food! Everything we had was outstanding. Including rib eye beef; vegetable curry; pan fried mackerel; mackerel pate; charred kale; baby gem salad; peas with mint and butter. Very fresh, creative, great flavors. This is the place to come for your vegetables; they do a great job with them, nothing over cooked, and have super variety. Also, we got lucky walking in at 6:00 without a reservation, and had to be done by 7:30. So, get a booking in advance if possible. Highly recommended.

Porthminster Kitchen is lovely. They have really friendly staff, gorgeous seafood and interesting deserts. It is located upstairs so also has beautiful views of St Ives harbour. We tried: - Mackerel pate: Oh my goodness I loved this! I could eat a bucketful! - Scallops (one came with bacon jam, the other with mac n cheese and truffles...) These *were* good, but I think I have been spoilt by the truly stunning scallops in Japan...so they didn't quite compare. - I had the hake, served with potatoes and beans. It was light, perfectly seasoned and delicious. - My husband had the sea trout with some sort of ponzu sauce. I tried a bite of this and it was also lovely. - I also tried the frozen apple desert, which was a bit of a work of art! I liked it, but had food envy for the white chocolate mousse. My friend (who booked a table for us) told me that the owners also run the Porthminster Beach Cafe, which is more famous, so harder to get a table. It was pretty busy when we visited, so it is probably worth booking a table in advance, even if this is their less-well-known resturant.

The food was decent but it's really the view that makes this restaurant. The food is modern with a hint of Asian fusion. It was pretty good but I've found the best places tend to be out of st Ives. Ordered the grilled oysters - which I can't rate because I think I don't like cooked oyster!! The pork crackling was ok but I'd say the dish of the night was the mackerel pate. Had the hanger steak as a main which was decent but not the best.

food ok, but service crappy food is not bad but the service lady (yellow hair, mid-aged looking, no function of smiling of coz) is rude, annoying, impatient, immature, unprofessional. doesnt look like the waitress was there to serve but there to get served. this is UK anyways.. so should have reasonable expectation regarding the civilization here and not too much complaint... a "poor" rating is fair. definitely does not deserve the Michelin recommendation. well probably the same case with most of the restaurants there. anyways, avoid going there if you wanna be served like a guest

The best meal we've had so far in either London or Cornwall. a welcome break from all the English standards. very well done.