Ex-River Cottage chef Nick’s new laid-back café-come-restaurant is serving up a treat near Whitsand Bay.
Only inquisitive and curious diners make it to The Canteen at Maker Heights, off-the-beaten-track and at the top of the last hill on the Rame Peninsula before you meet the River Tamar. We like it that way, and we think the team running it likes it that way too.
We visited The Canteen after a friend’s recommendation, nearly missing the turning on the road between Milbrook and Cremyll. Housed in old barrack buildings with breakthtaking views down towards the villages of Kingsand and Cawsand lapping the water below, visitors on the benches outside are making the most of spring sunshine with sunnies on and a coffee in hand.
Inside, Nick’s team cook fresh, vibrant home cooked food from their small home-sized kitchen. The busy team are beavering away in the open-plan setup as they overlook long tables of families tucking into hearty Sunday roast, rib of beef and shoulder of pork, plus all the trimmings.
The menu is small but perfectly formed – four starters and five mains – but I’m tempted with the veggie options and go for a taster board of frittata, hummous, falafel Scotch egg and homemade break with a three beet, mozzarella and walnut salad.
The food is rustic and definitely nods to chef Nick Platt’s time at River Cottage, except the menu here is very good value. We also should mention that the kiddies menu has just been given a special mention in the Sunday Times as one of their favorite places in Cornwall to take children to eat.
I leave feeling good from the inside out before heading off for a walk down to Mount Edgcumbe and Cremyll Ferry.