The Old Lifeboat House in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Very charming place with a stunning view of Coverack Cove—there were even dolphins today! Food and service is lovely. Definitely recommended. Accepts contactless payment, but do bring some cash if you want to leave a tip.

Walking the Lizard coast on a rare sunny winter's day we abandoned our cheese rolls and decided to stop for fish and chips. These days my body reacts to gluten and I was delighted to find that they had this covered. We had a lovely friendly reception, given great quality food, GF batter prepared on the spot, beautifully crispy and light, chips perfect, tartare sauce homemade and superbly balanced. The thoughtfulness of the staff was so refreshing: the owner stopped me from putting malt vinegar on the food and offered white wine vinegar instead. We were given a little buzzer to tell us when the takeaway was ready, so we sunned ourselves in the little harbour while we waited. When I picked up the order I was given a little fish crate to carry it out. These little touches don't cost anything but they make the whole experience pleasurable. There are lessons to be learned here for others looking to offer food in Cornwall, as anyone with time to look through this website will know. I am used to putting up with second class GF alternatives but at the Lifeboat House I hit the jackpot. We don't live that far away and I will definitely be back - as the proprietor said, there is no need to prepare different food for people when it doesn't need to have gluten in the recipe. And by looking at other reports I can see that a trip down to Coverack harbour for a meal will be worthwhile. Full marks guys and thank you very much: it made our day.

Absolutely beautiful food and wonderful service kids fish and chips excellent portion. Amazing view for family and friends, definitely coming here again and I will try as much as I can to get the recipe for the curry sauce

Stumbled upon this hidden gem on a birthday outing, and couldn’t have been happier! Lovely lunch, great service, superb location, would recommend!

Excellent !! Called in without having booked and made very welcome (with the dog). Very friendly staff and not a long wait for food.Not a huge menu but the fish pie was great and the gammon was tasty.

We stopped at Coverack for a walk around, and we were pleasantly surprised to see this venue open, particularly as it was almost 5 pm and I had assumed it would be closed. Initially I had planned to just have a drink, but we were given such a warm welcome and the menu looked delicious, so we opted for food as well. We weren’t disappointed, it was delicious. We both chose the gammon dish, my partner was ever so pleased as the dish came with egg and pineapple! Often he is asked to choose one or the other in other venues. The creme brûlée was the best I’ve ever had and was presented beautifully. The food was delicious, the staff were warm and friendly, the view was amazing and the dogs were made welcome too! Just perfect! An unexpected bonus was that we happened to be in time for happy hour for drinks! 🍸 we couldn’t ask for more. ❤️

Lovely little restaurant, fantastic scenery and beautiful food. Had the chowder which was so tasty. Not a big menu but what they had was all great. Going again soon.

Amazing quality food. The fish was delicious and the batter really crispy. The staff were incredibly friendly, chatty and helpful. I would thoroughly recommend a meal here, the building is wonderfully placed for a fantastic experience.

The friendly and polite staff, welcomed us in, all 7 of us, last minute and after the kitchen closing time, by nearly an hour by the time we were seated and ordered. The fish cake starter was a large portion, and filled me as a main with a side of chips. The other meals were all of good portion size and great quality. I cant praise the staff enough for their politeness, friendlyness and most of all their accommodating manor. Lovely evening.

Amazing fish and views of the bay. Friendly service - largely fish based menu but other options. Fresh lobster or crab when available which will be as fresh as you’ll get anywhere. Good value and take away fish and chips sat on the harbour quay watching seals in the bay is not a bad way to spend an evening.

Love this little gem of a restaurant. Not a big menu but perfectly executed. Staff are lovely and attentive, views are amazing. The chowder is fantastic, full of fish and hints of fennel. We always take our visitors there and we are never disappointed.

Where do I start….. prices are expensive, the potions are small wouldn’t mind if they were quality, but they are not. The curry sauce is lumpy. The peas are yellow! Such a shame that this goldmine of a place is in the wrong hands! The takeaway fish and chips , feels like it is run by kids. £45 for lunch is extreme. I had the small fish and chips for £11, I thought they mixed my order up and gave me cod bites, I had two pieces of fish, clearly offcuts from a fillet, and from different fish. Such a shame when the harbour is literally right there, not sure it’s even cod to be honest! Fed up of being ripped off as a local person imagine how the holidaymakers feel!! Never again will I eat there.

Lifeboat house restaurant in Coverack . Yet again , awesome Chowder , good atmosphere , and Lovely staff . Lots of alternatives on the menu .Long journey across Cornwall but well worth it . Indoor dining · Creative cuisine · Cosy atmosphere · Outdoor dining · Great food · Great dessert · Scenic views · Large menu · Large portions

We visited the Lifeboat House twice whilst in Coverack, once for fish and chips (and Curry!) and also sat in the reaturant. The fish and chips was good as was the homemade curry. The real winner was the dirty burgers. We visited on an afternoon the resturant was quiet and all went for the burger option although this was a tough choice as the menu had lots of delicious options. We were advised by staff all food is cooked to order so may take a little while, this wasn't a problem as we wnjoyed a drink and the children were given crayons and colouring books. When the burgers arrived they were huge, so much so I struggled to finish it all. All the staff were very friendly and nothing was too much trouble, especially the blonde Kiwi waitress (apologies can't remember names!) If we are back in coverack we will be back to try some of the other options on the board.

Didn't seem particularly busy but around 20 – 25 min wait from order to supply. Not really a problem as the setting was so lovely. The fish didn't seem particularly large but on closer inspection it was thick rather rather than long and so there was a high fish to batter ratio that was probably healthier than the norm. Both fish and chips were excellently cooked and appreciated by all in my party. Only drawback was price – £13.50. Seemed a bit steep, although I suppose when you have a monopoly position you might as well use it!

We did a lovely coastal walk arriving in Coverack mid afternoon so we were pleased to find this Fish & Chip takeaway was open all afternoon. No queue (probably as 3pm isn't a popular time to eat!!) and felt the F&C's were cooked to order, they tasted fresh and lovely crispy chips. Pleased to see I could get Gluten free and they offered GF vinegar as well if wanted. We ate on the harbour wall (not pestered by seagulls surprisingly) but there are tables inside & out too. Only negative was sachets of ketchup you had to buy which gets a big eco thumbs down (we planned ahead & had a mini heinz with us 😁).

3 fish and chips, halloumi fries, bag of chips and mushy peas. The fish was pretty good (4 star) albeit not particularly large. Chips were ok. The halloumi fries were crispier than expected (not sure if they were overcooked or if the other fries we’ve had are undercooked!). Mushy peas very tasty. Staff were fine and setting magnificent.

We arrived in Coverack on a Friday afternoon and fancied take away fish and chips for dinner. Our Airbnb host recommended this establishment. The fish was ok but nothing special. The chips were clearly leftover from lunchtime and had been reheated to refresh them. They were dry and tasteless. We were told by the counter staff that the tartare sauce was homemade. In my opinion it was commercially produced mayonnaise with an addition of chopped capers, parsley and gherkins. I accept that having been hospitality trained I’m a critical customer, but I would rather be told the truth about what I’m buying.

Had a 3 course meal here. All the food served was delicious and generous portions. There’s fantastic views from all tables. The service was great, all staff were extremely attentive and friendly. Definitely worth a visit!

Had lunch in the restaurant, amazing view across bay, lovely atmosphere with very friendly staff. And the food was amazing - best pork spare ribs ever and chowder was excellent. Large portions. Highly recommend.

We came in January and the restaurant was closed so we promised ourselves we would try it when we returned. We did and the food was amazing, service was exceptional. Friendly, down to earth staff that cared. Enjoyed it so much we immediately booked for...

Visitors rave about the fish and chips at the Lifeboat House (and so they should), but this fabulous little restaurant in Coverack Harbour offers SO much more. Thank you Mark, Senta and the whole team for an amazing Christmas meal last night, a great way...

Always return to this restaurant when in the area and so pleased to see that it is still open. Stopped for lunch this time and once again was not disappointed. Could not fault the food or service in anyway. Great view Watching the water break...

I am often surprised when people write glowing reviews about fish and chips. As I need gluten free it is something I almost never eat. We were out walking today and came across this place. To my amazement they offered gluten free wonderful fish and...

Walked from the car park yesterday, for a quick look around Coverack on a overcast windy afternoon. We had no money or card with us, but as we got to the harbour the Chip Shop was open, and the thought of a bag of chips...

We popped in for tea earlier this week based on recommendation from friends and were not disappointed at all with their fresh seafood! Our only disappointment was our friends had recommended surf & turf but not available at present. The salt & pepper squid was...

We visited for take away fish and chips recently. The food was fine, good fish , mediocre chips. However the wait is unacceptable. We have encountered this in past years and had hoped they would have got their act together. sadly not! We had planned...

Perfectly OK take away fish and chips. Nice tartar and mushy peas. Good fish but variable thickness batter. One piece very thick / stodgy, one nice. No actual choice of fish and not labelled - just “fish”. Ordered two “small” two “large” portions but couldn’t...

We had a really lovely meal at the Old Lifeboat House over looking the beautiful bay of Coverack. We had mackerel pate & chowder starters both of which were large portions and delicious. It was burger night and my husband had a Cornish burger while...

How lovely to return to Coverack and find The Lifeboat back open post Covid, as a dine-in restaurant for the summer. Mark’s a great chef and we had an enjoyable meal, with the authentic cassata for dessert being delicious and a rare find on a...

So much has changed in Coverack in a year. Archies is no more. Elizabeth has stopped making pasties. Reading some reviews, we wondered what we could expect from The Old Lifeboat House. We are delighted to report that the cajun chicken sandwich is still amazing...

We had excellent food in this restaurant and there were plenty of gluten free options available you just had to ask. The owners and staff were welcoming, friendly and attentive. The gluten free fish and chips were amazing as was the Thai fish curry. It...

Die tolle Lage und schönen Blick aus der großen Scheibe verspricht viel mehr als die Küche liefern könnte. Mittwoch ist...

Although a beautiful view there was not much atmosphere in the Restaurant. There where only 2 Gluten free main options. No starters, no deserts. So it was fish and chips or fish lasagna. Fish and chips for me, as a gluten free option you pay...

I am very fussy about fish and chips and I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality. Fish was huge with not too much bAtter. Chips were neither soggy or over fried. Homemade tartare sauce was excellent. We sat outside with a great view of...

Situated in a wonderful position in the village, sadly the restaurant is only open on Wednesday to Saturday with a limited menu, but they do operate a takeaway fish and chip shop too. The quality of the food is very good, visited on a Wednesday,...

Good safety measures in place for covid. Well cooked fish and chips - not too greasy which was great!! Nice hearty portion size. Lovely setting.

Spending a few days on The Lizard, we ventured down to Coverack for tea. Friends had recommended this place for fish and chips. Surviving the Covid-restrictions-induced queue, we patiently awaited our order. We were not disappointed!

This place is firstly stunning, perfect placement and is obviously trying to do its best with the covid restrictions. However it's like being back at school with the amount of "Don't do this" "Do this" and thats before you get in the door The wait...

Virtually the only eating option in Coverack due to Covid closures but very good fish and chips and takeaway bar drinks available to sit and enjoy the views over the Bay.

I We have read many reviews about the lifeboat house and we made the decision to go and visit. We was greeted by friendly staff who explained the reason why they are insisting we wear masks and we totally. We visited many times and saw...

A busy takeaway that did not dissapoint us. They have a variety of gluten free options which met our dietary requirements. The fish and fishcake options were delicious although we were informed of a waiting time. We took advantage of our waiting time to take...

We arrived here as a group of 9 as all fancied some chips by the sea. We Found the staff quite rude and felt like we were an inconvenience! Once we collected our drinks and waited for our food I went to open a carton...

An absolute tour de force in how not to do customer service with a smile. The building, nestled right on the harbour edge looked hugely interesting and it declared ‘restaurant and bar’, the perfect spot for drinks prior to dinner I thought........I’m afraid that the...

An hour for two fish and chips.. Mushy peas, nuggets and sauce! was certainly not worth that very long wait! Peas very little taste, chips nothing special and the fish for the price not worth the money either, very small portions.. You can not please...

Awesome fish and chips, the fish was one of the finest we have had in a long time. The view looking out over the sae and the harbour was a lovely back drop to lovely food.

Fabulous fish and chips one of the best I've had. The batter was thin and there was plenty of fish and a large portion of chips.

3 fish and chips, and one mushy pea burger and chips. Cod excellent (thick, well cooked, fresh, good weight of batter), Mushy pea burger 10/10 - great concept. Chips good. Well worth the wait.

The Lifeboat has got everything right! Friendly service, a good system of ordering and bleepers to alert you to your food being ready, and absolutely delicious food. Really, really lovely. The setting was magical too with the sun going down beyond the harbour and children...

Covid and staff shortages have told but this is a marvellous place for food. Cannot recommend highly enough their cajun chicken sandwich! Fish and chips excellent, mackerel pate a delight, scampi meaty and not greasy and their fishcake sublime. Did we mention their cajun chicken...

Went on a Friday evening during our holiday in coverack. There were loads of gluten free options and the staff were really knowledgeable about what could be had. Service was friendly and food was delicious! Will definitely be coming back next time we are down.

We has take away fish and chips which were very good. You have plenty of options so you do not end up with more than you can eat. Ordering was quick and you are given a bleeper to tell you when your order is ready....

This is a place that needs supporting. We visited twice. Wednesday night is curry night. Home made beef Madras for me and Thai fish curry for the lady of the house with an enormous piece of cod. Went back the following day and the restaurant...

I can highly recommend not only the fish and chips but the also the Wednesday curry night, both excellent value for money and the food was glorious.

My girlfriend and I called in today after walking around Coverack and enjoying the sun. We were met by a very helpful lady who handed over a really honest, straightforward and non fussy menu which was just what we wanted. No pretentiousness here, just good,...

Really disappointed with the takeaway fish and chips. Fish was meant to be large but was a large piece cut in half, about 4x4 inches. Batter very dark and dripping with fat. The chips were cold and undercooked. Obviously been hanging about a bit. Wouldn’t...

Went to the restaurant twice for take away in early June. Had fish cake and salad with small portion of chips both times as the fish cake was amazing.

Excellent Sunday Lunch.. had to be takeaway due to lack of staff.. we were made very welcome and a table was reserved for us outside with a picturesque view of the harbour

Beautiful position right on the harbour in the old lifeboat station. Extremely friendly staff, very helpful and made sure we were well looked after. We had the Fish and chips and the cod and prawn chowder they were both amazing! We sat by the window...

Fantastic meal.....lovely views across the harbor. Family of four, ordered off the specials board. Nice to have something different than a plate full of chips. It was curry night and the homemade chicken tika masala was great. The pork loin was also very nice. The...

Fish and chips in the harbour on a setting sun. Just as it should be, flaky fish, tasty chips and a pint of cider. All served fresh to order. What more to say? Spot on 👍

Great fish and chips with a fabulous view. Good covid safe measures in place. Handheld pager alerts when your order is ready. Hand sanitizer available and staff monitored social distancing in queue. Even managed to pick up some lovely scones. Highly recommend.

Came for lunch here with my partner. We had a table with a fabulous view. I needed a gluten free option & they were very accommodating & I had the homemade burger which was delicious & served with a gluten free burger bunn. The meal...

Really excellent food. Really fresh, really tasty and really friendly staff (esp as some customers were a bit "testy"!

Came to Coverack from little trevothan camp site and was greeted by the lady who I assumed owned the lifeboat house restaurant as she expressed her love of dogs seeing me carrying my terrier in a back pack.I hope she forgives me if I spell her name wrong but I know they call her senta.I returned a few days later and had a lovely home made burger and chips which we had to eat outside due to covid restrictions but non the less the food was lovely and the safety measures were admirable.I shall return and hopefully be able to sit inside next time.

Takeaway service. Thai fish curry lovely with loads of fish. Chicken masala excellent as well. Friendly service and doing there best with covid restrictions.

Eating a delicious Thai curry and chicken masala in our campervan right now. So fresh and tasty. Excellent! Thank you.

Nicely cooked fish if a little on the small side, but very disappointing chips of which the best that can be said is that they were hot and not greasy - small, fairly tasteless. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here but have had worse. Friendly, efficient service a plus and the dog was given treats so he was very happy! Good location in good weather.

Back to this restaurant during an annual visit to the beautiful Coverack. Surprised at some of the negativity re a business that is doing its very best in trying times. We all are. The CV19 arrangements are what they should be for a small business and as long as you, the customer, play your part then it works well. If places / businesses like this go, then they will be gone for ever. You enter with a face covering, place an order and depending on how busy, wait in the restaurant (social distancing) or outside. If outside then be prepared for the Cornish weather - a lovely calm evening, as it was this time, or maybe a gale next time. Its Cornwall after all l !!This time tried the Wednesday curry night. Excellent if simple curries - its not fine dining after all. Beef madras, and chicken masala. Very tasty and also well cooked, with tender beef and chicken. Very well "spiced" and without ladles of chilli that some lesser establishments use to disguise poor food. If you want it "hot" then add your own. Turmeric rice with both. Friendly and efficient staff doing their best and more. Good value for money and as always, will be on the menu for the next visit. Try it.

What a great way to end a day whilst staying in Coverack with my wife’s best mate who lives here. Staff were lovely, considering what they are faced with during this current Covid issue and the food was excellent! Mark the proprietor was brilliant, making sure that everyone was happy with service, as this has to be a very difficult period and demanding with confusion with visitors and their perception of ‘rules’. Couldn’t fault anything, and can’t wait to return as we’ve never had a below par meal here. - and the Pint was spot on too.

Food was amazing! Had small fish & chips, 2 pieces of small cod with chips so plenty... and so tasty. Also ribs were ordered and he tells me the best he has ever had. Tender meat and so much too... Also a lovely pint and to be able to sit outside by the harbour was a bonus. To top it all the staff were so friendly and helpful.. excellent customer service. Deserves more than 5 stars

Fabulous fish and chips - freshly cooked and super tasty. Covid 19 regulations were adhered to - I wore my mask as is legally required - I am always surprised when people forget their masks (especially when their family work in the medical profession) then criticise the management who are trying their best in these unprecedented times.But this is one business that is getting it 100% rightExcellent foodExcellent servicePart of our local communityThank you Mark and Crew

Another vist with good hot freshly cooked food. Staff friendly and efficient. We ate our homemade burgers on the harbour enjoying our surroundings. Nice to see that a one way system is in place with the mandatory face coverings. ALL in all we spent a lovely day in the village of Coverack visiting the local amenities

efficient safe service, one way system, very friendly staff and excellent fish and chips, gluten free option too! Ate our lovely food on a picnic bend outside with a gorgeous view of the harbour. Highly recommend,will return before we go home.

We had fish and chips from the Old Lifeboat House on Thursday and it was so good we went back on the Friday for the same again. Really good all-round, and the home made tartare sauce was great. We did eat early doors at lunchtime, and therefore avoided the queues - and they can get pretty long, but having said that, once the current madness is over and things get back to normal this will no doubt be mitigated. Ignore the very bad review below, apparently it came from someone who wasn't even a customer, but who was using the tables belonging to the OLH but eating food from the pub opposite. Also ignore the petty, fussy comments about face coverings, for all the reviewer knows the persons in questions were exempt, in any event if they are that paranoid perhaps they should have stayed at home "where it's safe." ;)

Today I felt very saddened by my experience here. My parents have lived in the village for many years and I have visited and eaten here many many times. Today was the second time Mark was incredibly rude to me. I tried to come and order food without a face covering, offering to use my jumper (completely happy to leave and get one but I’d seen several people entering doing the same thing), he said I couldn’t enter, which of course was fine, but then told me he had asked me 4 times previously to wear a face mask. I politely pointed out that he had the wrong person, explaining that he had never once asked me to wear a face covering before, he then accused me of lying stating ‘I must have a twin’ and said that last time he’d offered his own sweaty sock!!!! It was not me that he’d ever asked to wear a face covering and the offer of a sweaty sock was not only rude but revolting. Given that the pub opposite do much better fish and chips I shall not be buying from them again. Very disappointing.

This is our return visit. This year it's just a takeaway and I would like to say that the food is still excellent. The girls are very friendly and the service passes all expectations. For excellent freshly cooked food this is the place to go. Yes you may have to wait but for freshly cooked food it is worth the wait.

Great little system in place in one door out another, pump gels, asking folk to wear masks. Lovely takeaway fish and chips. Did a sausage for the dog thank you. Friendly staff even when very busy. Will visit again.

Lovely food. Very well organised and safe.... 10 minute wait for food but views and local visitors to chat to. Wednesday night chicken tikka masala was amazing. Recommend!

We have had food twice from here this week on our holiday! Absolutely delicious. Freshly cooked, a bit of a wait for the food but well worth it. You don’t mind waiting with the view from the restaurant! The fish was just perfect, one of the best fish and chips we’ve had.

We went for takeaway curry night, korma, tikka, Thai fish curry. All came with rice very tasty food, washed down with a lovely cold beer. Going to try the fish n chips next

Everything in place for safety the food was good friendly staff, great view over the sea lots of outside space

We all agreed; best takeaway fish & chips for some time. Non greasy, sweet fish, proper batter (appreciate the fresh preparation chef). Staff very capable, friendly and a pleasure to deal with. Will be back.

We have just had an amazing roast Pork from The Old Lifeboat House, there was more than enough for 4 people. The quality was exceptional and extremely tasty. So lovely to have a wonderful restaurant serving takeaway on your doorstep. Highly recommended!!! Thank you :)

First visit here and can highly recommend it! Clean, bright and airy with stunning views over the bay - we saw a seal and a pod of dolphins! Very friendly and helpful staff and a great menu to choose from including vegetarian & vegan options. We chose the leek & potato soup - delicious and Mark presents his food in a very appetising way!

Had delicious gluten free fish and chips in the restaurant here last week. The menu was limited but only because they were about to have a winter break.There were still plenty of gf options though. There is also the option to have a takeaway. The view is stunning, highly recommend.

Food was amazing. I had the fish pie. Amazing service. Of course we had dessert and it was delicious as well. .

My friends and I stepped in this place and we love this place...Cosy....food is nice and yummy..I will definitely come back again...Service is lovely..thank you!

Do not understand the review which said this restaurant is not dog friendly as this could not be more wrong. We have eaten here twice with our dog who was made very welcome on both occasions.Good food, friendly staff and amazing views. Seafood lasagne recommended!We have eaten at lunchtime, in the evening and used the take away.

Just love it here in Coverack, the locals are very welcoming. We came last year for the 1st time & loved it so much we have come back this year. The old Lifeboat has a lovely ambience with views across the harbour and beyond. Our smoked haddock chowder was divine, all 3 of us tucked in as a starter & was plenty as our mains were well portioned. The lime posset was to die for as was my partners choc brownie with clotted cream but I couldn't move after, as eaten way too much but I was happy . Chef is brilliant, waitress helpful. Good menu, mainly fish & seafood. We are booked for 2020 already

Didn’t eat in the restaurant as is not dog friendly but did have a take away from the chip shop was amazing, tasty fresh fish, a must when visiting Coverack, will definitely be back

We booked for a Sunday lunch and were highly delighted with the food, the service and the surroundings great views over the bay. They were very helpful in providing a meal suitable for my wife who is intolerant to gluten and lactose.

Spent an hour or two here last Sunday evening.Convivial hostess.Good food (fresh fish) and drinks at a reasonable price.Wheelchair access is possible with a capable assistant as there is one step to negotiate but fairly easy.... don’t try it if travelling alone though. Best book in advance and advise of wheelchair user.There’s a wheelchair accessible loo as well.Super creme brûlée.... made in-house.

Had two sit down meals here and one takeaway. Both sit down meals were superb lovely friendly staff great views across the bay very very good.

At the far end of Coverack is the old a Lifeboat house,this now been converted into a little restaurant. The Doombar battered fish and chips are lovely, and the view out of end wall where the launch doors would have been is stunning. Sit and dine whilst watching the wild life entertain.

Wonderful fish n chips. Great views across the Harbour. Friendly Staff, It’s a Yes from me 👍 Well worth a Visit.

Fish n chips were gorgeous and the husband loved his chowder. Simple decor hides the true quality of its food. Lovely friendly staff situated in a fab spot with a fab view. Highly recommend

Excellent Fish and Chips, good prices, service slightly slow but was worth the wait for sure. Lovely setting too.

We dropped in with two very hungry 2.5 year olds. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. Food was excellent and very generous portions. Amazing view over the bay too.

We booked to eat here after finding it on our first wander round Coverack.