Claypot rice @ Kwan Kee Claypot Rice
There are many variations of what goes into the claypot rice from chicken to pork filled with a rich aroma of the lap cheung- cantonese sweet and savory dried sausages. Order the signature claypot rice here as it packs in all the best (pork ribs, green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, lap cheong etc) and drizzle soy sauce over it before folding in the rice mix for even distribution of the umami flavour. The fish head taro soup is also worth the order if you fancy something a little different. Claypot rice is eaten mostly in the winter and a comforting respite from the cold outside, but that's not to say that people don't eat it in the summer.

Lobster and chips @ The Hidden Hut
Over the summer months The Hidden Hut puts on its famous feast nights, and if you are lucky enough to get tickets for their lobster and chips night, you’re in for a treat. Sitting at communal tables in The Hidden Hut’s garden, perched above Porthcurnick beach, one hundred lobsters are barbecued to perfection. Anticipation is high, and when the shout goes out that the food is ready, guests form an orderly queue, each receiving a whole lobster and piling their plates with chips, salad and garlicky aioli. Sitting in the evening sunshine with friends, a bottle of cold white wine, and tucking into lobster and chips is an idyllic way to spend an evening. N.B. Take your own crockery, cutlery, drinks and tablecloth. Pack warm clothes and waterproofs too, remember this is Cornwall. The Hidden Hut is also open for drinks, lunch and snacks during the season, with soups, salads, sandwiches and cakes on offer. Ad hoc lunch specials include huge pans of paella and seafood barbecues, depending on the catch.

Flat iron steak @ Firebrand Bar & Restaurant
Slathered in garlic and chive butter, the flat iron steak at Firebrand Bar really hits the spot. The 28 day dry aged beef is from nearby Warren’s Butchers, some of the best around. Perfectly chargrilled, the juicy and flavoursome meat is served with skinny fries, rocket salad and a dish of homemade burnt end beans. The menu exceeds expectations: gourmet burgers, fish tacos, seafood chowder, Mexican tapas and daily specials all use top quality ingredients and are cooked beautifully. This may be an American fast food restaurant, but you’ll want to slow down and relish every mouthful. Firebrand Bar and Restaurant opened in November 2014, and is run by the Thomson brothers, Joe (of Firebrand and Penpont Breweries) and Head Chef Eddie. The knowledgable bar staff are only happy to advise on the wide range of real ales and craft beers.

Cream Tea  @ Woods Caf
Like a fairytale cottage, Woods Café is tucked away in the middle of Cardinham Woods. In winter a log fire burns and you can cosy up on the sofas, or bask in sunshine in the garden with its brilliant wooden playground. Lara’s baking is legendary - think salted caramel chocolate cheesecake, banana and Nutella Chelsea buns, Marsala spiced flapjacks, cream-filled Victoria sponge, orange and carrot cake, and perfectly gooey brownies - and her cream teas are definitely worth a detour. Scones are freshly baked each morning and served with lashings of clotted cream, a generous helping of jam, and accompanied by a pot of the local brew, Tregothnan tea. All served on pretty vintage crockery. There are Forestry Commission walking and cycling trails in the woods, so when you’ve worked up an appetite try some of their more hearty dishes, with daily specials including tagines, stews, pulled pork, soups and savoury cream teas. Their homemade sausage rolls are pretty special too.

Coffee & cake  @ Strong Adolfos
Fika is a Swedish word meaning coffee, conversation and something sweet, and is part of the philosophy behind Strong Adolfo’s, a café run by John and Mathilda Friström Eldridge on the Atlantic Highway near Wadebridge. Mathilda is the chief baker at Strong Adolfo’s and takes inspiration from traditional Swedish recipes, some handed down from her great-grandmothers, to which she has added her own twist. Traditional Scandinavian flavours of cardamom and cinnamon add warmth to buns and cookies, the chocolate balls (chokladbollen) are heavenly, and her beautiful cakes (many of which are gluten free) change daily. Add to that some great coffees from Origin and you’ve got yourself fika. The menu is vibrant and healthy, with burgers, curries, salads and daily specials. The vegetarian breakfast is delicious; portions are generous and reasonably priced. The café hosts regular art exhibitions, motorcycle meets and vintage vehicle pit stops with weekly pop-up nights in summer. Free wifi and easy location mean it is also popular for business meetings.

Hot Chocolate @ The Beach Hut
The original and the best, Watergate Bay’s Extreme Hot Chocolate was invented at The Beach Hut in 1999, and is guaranteed to always hit the spot. The perfect winter warmer or post-surf pick-me-up, the thick Origin hot chocolate is topped with whipped cream, marshmallows and jazzies (a.k.a. chocolate buttons with hundreds and thousands). Mini versions also available for children. This relaxed family-friendly beachside hangout always has a buzz about it. Hunker down inside for a spot of winter storm-watching, or enjoy the sunset from the new covered deck. The Beach Hut is also recommended for Sunday brunch, its consistently good menu of burgers, steaks and shellfish, and keep an eye on the daily-changing fresh fish dishes on the specials board.

Calamari @ Little Plates
Little Plates’ calamari has a panko and almond coating, giving that extra special crunch and flavour. Served with a wedge of lemon and garlicky aioli, this dish is close to perfection. I have been known to order four portions of this. Say no more. Tucked away in a corner of Wadebridge, and conveniently located halfway between Rock and Padstow, Rupert Wilson’s tapas bar is a delight, enjoyed by locals and holidaymakers alike. Pop in for a glass of wine, olives and padron peppers, a little plate, or two, or three, but probably more.

Lobster Roll @ Surf Side Cafe Bar
Opened in 2014, Tristan Stephenson (of Fluid Movement) has brought a little bit of Shoreditch to Polzeath beach. The relaxed beach café sits on the sand, and at high tide it can get a bit exciting. I love the lobster ciabatta roll, packed full of juicy tail and claw meat, with spiced celery, apple and dill seed dressing. Enjoy in the sunshine with double cooked chips, zingy slaw and homemade lemonade. Shades essential. Coffee, cakes and burgers also highly recommended.

Pizza @ Rojano's in the Square
Paul Dodd (ex-Wareing) heads up the kitchen at Paul Ainsworth’s popular Padstow restaurant Rojano’s in the Square. Dubbed by Heston Blumenthal as “the best pizzas outside Italy”, Rojano’s stone-baked sourdough pizzas bases are charred and crisp, topped with homemade pomodoro tomato sauce and mozzarella, and heaped with super fresh ingredients. Alongside the extensive pizza menu you’ll find classic pasta dishes, bruschetta starters and a melt-in-the-mouth Red Ruby pulled short rib burger, all served by some of the loveliest waiting staff around. Don’t miss the daily specials, huge antipasti sharing boards, crunchy yet oozy arancini and baskets of freshly fried calamari. The truffle and parmesan fries are staggeringly good.

Raw Honey and Sea Salt Doughnut  @ Pip's Original Doughnuts
Portland is all about doughnuts. A certain doughnut shop serving everyone’s favorite novelty doughnuts is known for having block-long lines nearly 24 hours a day. They are fun to eat and a huge draw for tourists, but they don’t offer the freshness that Pip’s mini doughnuts provide. The mini made-to-order doughnuts available at Pip’s Original are hot and delicious, straight from the fryers. And their size not only makes them easy to eat but provides what we believe is the perfect ratio of a perfectly fried, crisp outer layer to the soft cake inside. Flavors available change periodically but have always included Cinnamon Sugar, Nutella, and the classic Raw Honey & Sea Salt. Drizzled with just enough honey and sprinkled with the slightest amount of Himalayan Sea Salt, these flavours complement one another while at the same time enhancing the cardamom, nutmeg, and other secret ingredients of the doughnut batter. Pip's made-to-order mini doughnuts are available to-go but taste best when eaten fresh from the fryers in the tiny cafe in NE Portland and accompanied by one of their five house-made chai tea lattes.