Smugglers Cott Restaurant
Quick info
About Smugglers Cott Restaurant
Smugglers Cott Restaurant occupies a building on Middle Market St in Looe dated to 1420, built with timbers from the Armada. The kitchen serves British food centred on local seafood, steaks and a rib roast carvery, with the beef and reef pairing steak with scallops and a Cornish "soup" appearing as a named dish on the menu. Sunday lunch comes with six different vegetables. Staff seat guests at the table rather than a counter, and the room is set within the historic structure. A children's menu is presented in the form of a treasure map. Booking ahead is recommended, particularly for Sunday lunch. Dogs are not permitted inside the restaurant.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
- ParkingPaid parking lot · Usually difficult to find a space
- Good for kidsHigh chairs · Kids' menu
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention beef and reef with scallops, sunday roast, historic building atmosphere and whole plaice.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention beef and reef with scallops, sunday roast, historic building atmosphere and whole plaice.
Customer Review Summary
Diners repeatedly single out the beef and reef, steak paired with scallops described as super sweet, as a standout, alongside the traditional Sunday roast praised for being cooked to perfection with a wide choice of vegetables. Whole plaice and fillet steak also draw strong reactions, with one visitor calling the fish an "oh my god moment," and the spicy duck breast gets a specific recommendation. The setting, full of history and character, and the kids' treasure map menu come up often. Service is mostly called friendly and professional, though one reviewer found waitstaff a bit scatty with repeated order-taking, and a separate visitor reports an hour-long wait for food on a Tuesday, calling a paid extra for children's garlic bread not worth the cost. Most describe leaving full and satisfied, with several return visitors and one diner writing they'll be back should they return to Looe.
Customer Review Summary
Diners repeatedly single out the beef and reef, steak paired with scallops described as super sweet, as a standout, alongside the traditional Sunday roast praised for being cooked to perfection with a wide choice of vegetables. Whole plaice and fillet steak also draw strong reactions, with one visitor calling the fish an "oh my god moment," and the spicy duck breast gets a specific recommendation. The setting, full of history and character, and the kids' treasure map menu come up often. Service is mostly called friendly and professional, though one reviewer found waitstaff a bit scatty with repeated order-taking, and a separate visitor reports an hour-long wait for food on a Tuesday, calling a paid extra for children's garlic bread not worth the cost. Most describe leaving full and satisfied, with several return visitors and one diner writing they'll be back should they return to Looe.
Featured reviews
- Google user
“Visited Looe and this lovely place while on holiday in Polperro. Lovely atmosphere and you can really feel the history and age of the place. There are probably slightly cheaper places but the quality of the food was well worth it. My wife had the fillet steak, my son had sirloin and in opted for the whole plaice, all were fantastic, i genuinely cannot fault our meals. The fish was amazing it was an oh my god moment with the first taste, both steaks were perfect and melted in the mouth. Veg was tasty, fresh and cooked just how i like it. Pudding selection was great and as a diabetic i found something I could have that wasn’t too sweet. Service was a tad scatty, multiple waitresses coming to take orders several times when we’d already done it but it wasn’t an issue, just noticeable. Overall we thought it was a fantastic meal and beautiful place. If we go back to Looe we’ll be coming back.”
- Google user
“Hour long wait for food on a Tuesday. I honestly wouldn't bother if you're hungry. Food was ok but the childrens garlic bread which you pay an extra £3 for was a toasted burger bun with butter and the tiniest bit of garlic. The whole meal was not worth the cost or wait. Over £80 for a family of four with out starters or dessert.”
- Google user
“Really amazing place. Very quaint and lots of history. I had the beef and reef which was steak with scallops and it was delicious. Great little kids menu too like a treasure map.”
- Google user
“What a beautiful restaurant. So full of character and lots of history. We arrived for Sunday lunch and we was made to feel very welcome, shown to our table and given time to choice from the menu. Great food and six different vegetables, great value. Staff very polite and very professional and they left you alone to enjoy our meal. No dogs allowed in this restaurant. I'll recommend this restaurant to everybody”
- Google user
“Love this restaurant! Have visited a couple of times now and on both occasions have had great food and service. Fantastic to sit and eat in such a historic setting as well.”
Highlights
“Built in 1420 with timbers from the Armada, now serving local seafood, steaks and rib roast carvery.”
- Fireplace
- Great beer selection
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great wine list
- Popular for lunch
Amenities
- Paid parking lot
- Accepts reservations
- Dine-in
- Kids' menu
- Bar onsite
- Cozy
Show more amenities
- Beer
- Coffee
- Healthy options
- Lunch
- Dessert
- Table service
- Offerings· 3
- Alcohol
- Hard liquor
- Wine
- Dining options· 2
- Dinner
- Seating
- Popular for· 1
- Solo dining
- Family-friendly· 1
- High chairs
- Highlights· 3
- Fireplace
- Great beer selection
- Great wine list
- Facilities· 1
- Restroom
- Crowd· 2
- Groups
- Tourists
- Atmosphere· 3
- Casual
- Historic
- Romantic
- Parking· 1
- Usually difficult to find a space
- Planning· 2
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
Location
Restaurants near Smugglers Cott Restaurant
- Fifty Looe4.71630 mi
mussels, fillet steak, sea bass nicoise
- The Coddy Shack4.53,1421.3 mi£10–20Outdoor seatingVegetarian optionsWheelchair accessible
haddock and chips, sticky toffee pudding, chowder
- Tapenades4.8787 mi awayReservations
delivery to holiday cottages, lamb dish, local fish and wines
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smugglers Cott RestaurantReservations | 4.61,077 | — | £20–60 | beef and reef with scallops, sunday roast, historic building atmosphere |
| Fifty Looe | 4.7163 | 0 mi | — | mussels, fillet steak, sea bass nicoise |
| The Coddy ShackOutdoor seating · Vegetarian options · Wheelchair accessible | 4.53,142 | 1.3 mi | £10–20 | haddock and chips, sticky toffee pudding, chowder |
| TapenadesReservations | 4.878 | 7 mi away | — | delivery to holiday cottages, lamb dish, local fish and wines |
The 3 nearest restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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