Dining at The Mariners pub is a must-do during your stay. It is located just a few steps away from our holiday cottages, making it your local while you’re in town.
The pub was relaunched in May 2019 with revamped interiors and a brand new menu by Paul and Emma Ainsworth.
Local brewery Sharps provides the on-tap beers.
Our blogger, Suzie Inman, enjoyed Sunday lunch with her family at The Mariners…
The pub is incredibly close to the Mariners Lettings properties, only less than 100 steps away. It stands out with its yellow exterior and features a glass-sided balcony and top floor picture windows that offer stunning views of the Cornish coast.
It’s a looker from the outside with a huge glass sided balcony and top floor picture windows that offer jaw-dropping Cornish coastal views across Rock estuary in all weathers. ‘Please join us for lunch, dinner and a proper pint’ beckons the sign outside.
Don’t mind if I do.
Step inside
Step inside The Mariners Pub and you’ll find a charming blend of traditional and contemporary elements. The pub exudes warmth with rustic wooden beams, exposed brick walls, and cozy lighting. Throughout the pub, you’ll discover maritime decor like ship wheels, old maps, and photographs of sailing ships. The illustrations on display tell the story of owner Paul Ainsworth’s restaurant-opening journey.
When it comes to seating, you’ll have a choice of wooden tables, cushioned chairs, and comfortable booths. The bar area is a focal point, featuring polished wood and a selection of local ales and spirits displayed on shelves. The service provided by Paul Dodd and his team is attentive, helpful, and interested without being intrusive.
Choose your food
To start our meal, we opted for a selection of plates to share. One standout dish was the Cornish Tamworth and sage scotch egg, which had a beautifully soft yolk and wonderful complementary flavors. We also enjoyed the hand-dived Orkney scallops with Cafe de Paris butter.
I asked about the oyster beds from our table by the window. Paul offered us a taster of the Porthilly oysters from the kitchen. I don’t like naked oysters, but these were amazing. They were served in a silver octopus bowl, fried with tartare sauce and a little lemon. They were delicious and highly recommended.
My husband ordered ‘The Dogs Pollock’ despite not liking cucumber. It was a crisp pollock hotdog with triple mustard mayo, pickled cucumber, dill, and parmesan. It was served with salted skinny fries.
I chose the classic Mariners ploughmans, which had a lot of local goodies. It included a devilled St Ewe’s egg, Tamworth ham, and Cornish vintage cheddar. My nine-year-old was happy with the food choices and the games on the Little Sailors menu.
Everything we ate at The Mariners was delicious. It’s a must-visit on the Rock holiday list and a local favorite. Booking a table in advance is a good idea. If you have your dog with you, you can sit on the ground floor. Terrace and balcony tables can’t be booked. Just ask when you arrive and you’ll be seated when a table is free.
Keen to take the recipes home with you? Pick up a copy of Paul Ainsworth’s cookbook For the Love of Food which features many of the recipes from The Mariners and Romano’s as well as a host of Paul’s favourites from his career.
