A weekend away in Looe: Cornwall’s hidden coastal gem with the tastiest seafood

Unspoiled, hidden and brimming with delicious food, Looe is a quiet seaside town in Cornwall that’s the perfect retreat from busy city life. As someone who loves travelling off the beaten track, I was excited to explore a part of Cornwall that few seemed to know about.

Located in south east Cornwall, I took a train from Paddington, London to Liskeard, which took roughly four hours, then walked across the platform to take the Looe Valley Line to my destination. The 30 minute train ride is one of the oldest and most scenic routes in the UK the coastal views were truly breathtaking.

I stayed in the Upper Deck Studio and was instantly struck by how bright and beautiful it was. Greeted with a bottle of bubbly, the room is incredibly spacious with a large king-sized bed and framed with a large window that has a stunning view of the Cornish countryside.

In addition, the bathroom was fully stocked with Bramley toiletries which made me feel very spoiled as I got to pamper myself with luxe bath oils. While there is no breakfast provided, there’s a small kitchenette in the room that’s got everything you need to cook meals.

The highlight of the studio was the outdoor bath on the balcony, which is massive in size and it had a private, beautiful view of the scenery. During the evening, I enjoyed a hot bath while gazing at stars in the sky and it was the most peaceful I’ve felt in a while.

I popped into the bar in the hotel for a quick cocktail and enjoyed Cornish gin with tonic before heading out.

To book a stay at The Gate Cornwall, book here.

The Gate is near historic fishing town, Polperro and it where I ventured too on the first evening. Quiet, even on a Friday night, I admired walking along the pier before heading into The Blue Peter Inn, where I enjoyed some of the freshest crab linguine I’ve eaten and my partner tucked into a hearty fish and chips.

The second day was spent walking around the beautiful old fishing town of Looe and exploring its restaurants, shops and cafés, where I finally had my first proper Cornish pasty from the Cornish Bakery. The perfect summery location for a seaside stroll, I spotted lots of families crabbing along the pier.

Even though it was a Saturday afternoon, Looe beach was still spacious enough to find a quiet spot to sit and sunbathe. The sand felt soft and the sea felt refreshingly cold against the sun.

There was also plenty of water sports happening and while I didn’t partake in any, lots were kayaking along the sea and it looked like a great way to see the town.

The highlight of the trip was dinner at Michelin guide restaurant, The Sardine Factory which was opened by award-winning chef and Masterchef: The Professionals quaterfinalist, Benjamin Palmer. “I’m a Looe boy,” Palmer told me. “I always wanted to open up a restaurant in my hometown and champion elegant, Cornish seafood.”

A former sardine factory, the restaurant was bustling with a lively atmosphere and it was clear to me that it was the town’s top restaurant for a good meal out.

Utilising fresh seafood that’s sustainable sourced is at the heart of chef Ben’s ethos and the menu focuses on the best of local produce.

To start, I got fresh Porthilly oysters which tasted like the ocean in my mouth. I also enjoyed a new creation; The Cornish taco, and it’s the perfect bite-size mixture of flaky fish fingers with tomato jam. The Cornish sardines also arrived on our table and I was shocked by the size of it as it was much larger and thicker than the tiny fishes I was used to in London.

Other highlights include the Sardine Factory chowder which had a rich texture that would be great on a wintry night. The main was the Cornish fish of the day, which was John Dory, and it was delightfully juicy and topped with lemon and shrimp brown butter for some added crunchy goodness.

I couldn’t leave without having some dessert and ordered Strawberry Bakewell tart which was the perfect sweet note to end the night on, while my partner ordered the Affogarto, which is Ben’s favourite.

No trip to Looe would be complete without a visit to The Sardine Factory and it’s the ultimate restaurant for seafood lovers. I left Looe intending how I want to leave every holiday; fully rested, relaxed and with a very full belly.

Book a meal at The Sardine Factory on TripAdvisor here.