Sam's on the Beach
You can't idle in the sun for too long without getting peckish. Polkerris provides the beach and Sam's on the Beach (pictured above), once an old boathouse and slipway, provides the food. There is a wood-burning pizza oven producing heavenly stone-baked pizzas, as well as seafood platters, sardines, scallops, and clams - plus meatier options such as steaks, meatballs and chicken basque. All produce is sourced locally and has a strong Cornish stamp.
The open kitchen means that you can observe the catering action, and floor-to-ceiling windows allow a constant view of the Polkerris harbour and St Austell Bay when elements are raging, with the windows removed during the summer for a more al fresco feel. This is beach style at its best.
Barricane Beach Cafe
This secluded west facing cove between Woolacombe and Mortehoe, also called Shell Beach, has a shallow sandy beach with rock pools and gullies overflowing with marine life and seashells. The small beach cafe is so melded with the elements that it doesn't have its own website, but the delicious Sri Lankan curries are legendary, served with vegetable fried rice. Just take a bottle of wine and a rug, nip in for a swim and enjoy the curry. The cafe opens in May or June and food is offered most nights (not Mondays) until the end of the summer, unless the weather misbehaves. During the day there are sandwiches, cakes and cold drinks. Booking? Don't be silly, just check it's open on Facebook and then turn up.
The Crab Shack
At The Crab Shack on the back beach in Teignmouth, you'll satisfy your hunger for fresh crab, as their cracking team catch their own crabs and lobsters of the tidal waters in the English Channel. The centre of the fishing boats are full of water, ensuring the meal's freshness when it arrives on your plate, prepared by chef Josh Martin. The shack with its wooden boards and beams, whitewashed walls and driftwood styling looks like a glossy magazine interior, but this is the real deal, freshly caught shellfish with delicious views of the River Teign and Haytor Rocks. Open seven days a week, the catch of the day menu changes daily and for non-seafood lovers there are vegetarian or meat options.