Carn Brea Castle Restaurant

Featured reviews

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  Mari-Vic Buckley

  ·4 months ago

  “We found the restaurant by chance and were lucky enough to get a table on a Friday night without a reservation. We got there as it was opening and were asked to leave within two hours. The meal was delicious and the atmosphere couldn’t be beat. Great views from the rooftop.”

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  Steve Harcus

  ·5 months ago

  “Atmospheric, good food, different. A wonderful place to go for a meal. Be warned though, the lane up is a rough narrow track & you can only pay by cash …”

• S

  ShayneHouse

  ·6 months ago

  “Wow! What an incredible experience. This castle is very cool! So cool the walls were dripping! But it was winter and blowing a gale with lashing rain outside. The different areas of the dining areas were all lit with candles. Very atmospheric. The food was wonderful. Highly recommend the Middle Eastern mezze.”

• R

  Robert Young

  ·8 months ago

  “Wonderfullly dramatic location, especially in a winter storm. Fabulous atmosphere and first rate cuisine. Excellent Middle-Eastern dishes packed with wonderful, subtle flavours and gentle spice, all in the candlelit setting of an ancient stone castle. Well worth navigating the narrow, very potholed track to get there.”

• D

  Dom Dominoes

  ·9 months ago

  “Following a birthday celebration meal we had at Carn Brea Castle restaurant last Saturday, I feel compelled to write a review detailing our experience. We were a fairly large group of twelve and this restaurant was chosen because my sister, who’s birthday it was, had been to this restaurant several years ago and had enjoyed excellent food. I will start with the positives. There is no doubt that this is an atmospheric venue, when you enter (after first ringing the bell for them to open the door) you’re greeted with a roaring log fire and a granite castle interior. The host/waitress who greeted us (along with the other waitress who served us) was affable, helpful and efficient. We were also invited to go up onto the roof of the castle to take in the views, which some of us did. However, much as the ambience was evocative, we chose this restaurant mainly for the reputation of the food, but unfortunately this is where we were greatly disappointed. The menu isn’t huge, so between us we had a varied mix from across the mains, the starters and the desserts. The first thing I would say regarding the food is the smell, or rather the complete absence of the smell of cooking. Even when the food was served, there was none of the aroma you’d expect, especially when it comes to Middle Eastern cuisine. Whilst the food was edible, it had no flavour and no substance. I did not see or taste any herbs, any nuts or spices and the food was the opposite of hearty, it was just like eating a microwave ready meal. This was true of the all the menu items I sampled and ordered, including the bread, the vine leaves, the chicken shish, spinach and potato curry, and the honey cheese cake. I was very surprised by the wine menu and the lack of choice; there was just one red available (in full or half bottle), and the same for white and rosé. That was it, no other options. I didn’t taste the white wine, but the red wine tasted just like a £5 bottle of supermarket wine: it was pretty bland and not particularly enjoyable. Some of us stayed for drinks after dessert, and again the choices were very limited. One thing that really shocked me was being told they only serve instant coffee! The other comments made by some customers about the restaurant being damp and problems with accessibility are true, but it’s not unreasonable to expect a castle to suffer with damp issues. We knew all about the access road, being familiar with the area, so the potholes and narrow road came as no surprise. We were seated in a very narrow part of the building which meant that for someone to leave the table required everyone on their side to get up and move away from the table first. And our meals had to be passed down the table as there was no room for anyone to pass behind. This was annoying and could have been avoided if we’d been seated in a more spacious room, but I could overlook this if it wasn’t for the awful food and poor wine. I find it hard to believe that this was an anomaly, that somehow the other diners received good food (they certainly had the same menu and wine options). Did we happen to come on a night when the chefs were all off and they had to resort to using supermarket ready meals? My gut feeling is that the owners and staff through complacency have become oblivious to their raison d'être. Sadly, we did not experience an authentic taste of Jordan (or anything approaching Middle Eastern cuisine) and we’ve been put off from returning any time soon.”

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  A s

  ·12 months ago

  “Great resteraunt with lots of well done, flavourful dishes. The castle itself is interesting inside and out and the roof was open for us to check out the view from the ramparts. Great if you're looking for something different but they only take cash, you should definitely book first and the road to get there is a single track.”

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• H

  Harry Osborne

  ·1 year ago

  “Great experience at the castle, and a novel way to finish our time in Cornwall! We booked a table for 10 in one of the rooms so had the area all to ourselves - good food all round, along with great weather for viewing the landscapes from the ramparts. Worth noting it is cash only, plus the drive up to the castle is a bit hairy, so be prepared for some bumps and manoeuvring.”

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  Adrian Roberts

  ·1 year ago

  “As romantic a setting as you can get, especially if you go onto the roof and watch the sunset. Cosy setting, narrow corridors as expected in an 18th-century castle. Great Middle Eastern food. You need to book in advance, and as they don't …”

• S

  Star Bray

  ·1 year ago

  “What a fantastic find! The venue could be classed as novel, to say the least but don’t let that worry you. The food is incredible. Perfectly cooked Middle Eastern flavours (honestly one of the tastiest steaks I have ever had). Brilliant, friendly service and all by candlelight setting in a beautiful castle. Highly recommend trying this place out! TIP: They make it very clear when you book but for avoidance of any doubt, they are Cash only.”

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  Sophie Travis

  ·1 year ago

  “What a fantastic place! Visited here during our recent trip to Cornwall for our honeymoon. Phoned a few days in advance to reserve a table - very quick to do and told during the call to bring cash to pay as they don't have a card machine. The road leading up to the castle can be bumpy with big pot holes in places, but if you go slow there is no problem. Just adds to the experience. Parking area next to the castle and a few places further back on the road if this area is full. Fantastic views from the castle, even better if you can get onto the roof top terrace. Very cool inside with old stone walls, lit by candle light, moss on the walls with quirky stair case, fireplaces etc. Good service, always coming to check if everything is ok and if we needed any drink top ups. Food was amazing. Highly recommend the garlic naan, garlic mushrooms, peppercorn steak and the chocolate brownie. Will definitely return when we are next in the area.”

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