The Seafood Cafe in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Despite being close to its 1st Birthday , this was our first visit to Ardor & by reputation the best restaurant we had not eaten at in St Ives. It lived up the rave reviews! We had a stunning and memorable lunch. The welcome and service throughout was lovely. And the cooking! We had a series of flawless dishes some of which will live a very long time in our memory. The team can cook for sure and work well with front of house to provide fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. If you are looking for great food in St Ives you have several good options but this would be at the top of my recommendations for visitors to our beautiful town.

Very tasty food. Very quiet in there, couldn’t understand why. Expected the flatbreads to be slightly larger and the music was a bit stop start which didn’t help with the atmosphere. However would try again in future.

Wow! So many places to eat but glad I choose here! Atmosphere warm and friendly, staff professional and courtious. My Wife had the fresh caught octopus which taste stunning, and I had a steak that was one of the best I had had for a long time. Sides were lovely and the pudding was amazing. This place won’t let you down!!

Booked a table for 8pm for my girlfriend’s birthday, turned up at 8:05 and our table wasn’t available yet - we were sat downstairs while they got it ready. They said they’d bring us some drinks etc while we waited. We then sat waiting for close to 30 minutes before anyone came over. Eventually we were sat downstairs - we ordered a mixture of tapas - a lot of it was great, except the crab pasta (super bland), fried olives (weird taste and chewy), chicken souvlaki (was cold). The feta bread, sardines, oysters, croquettes and the red wine was very nice. For £175, I just expected a bit more - especially for a birthday meal. On that note, I let them know it was a birthday and they kindly came out and sang with a very nice desert - that was brilliant. So yeah, mixed review for this place.

Absolutely brilliant lunch! We ordered several tapas and they were amazing. The service was great too, very careful with food allergies and intolerances, they even have a dairy free menu. We visited with our baby and they arranged a high chair for us. Even the kids menu was absolutely tasty!

The atmosphere of this restaurant is quite cozy. The interior is calm and without any frills, everything is very clean. We arrived at 13:00, the restaurant opens at 12:00. The table was booked in advance. At first there were few people, but gradually there were more and more of them. The staff is very friendly, and the waiter tried to tell us in detail about each dish we asked about, since there is no description on the menu, only names. In my subjective opinion, this place is quite good for English service

Delightful Came here for our first wedding anniversary and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. Thank you ❤️

Absolutely fantastic food. We couldn't fault it. Service good

We ate in here as a family Saturday night during our holiday in St Ives and I really couldn't fault it. The food was excellent, couldn't fault any of the dishes. The service was perfect, attentive and they knew the menu well and were able to answer our many questions easily. Nice contemporary décor, lovely atmosphere and family friendly. Easily the best place I have eaten over our last couple trips to St Ives.

Went here for my birthday. The service was generally good. The food is ok without being spectacular but the prices don’t reflect the quality or quantity of food. Gambas al ajillo is £13. You receive 4 prawns for this. The dish should be sizzling with garlic, chilli’s etc but is presented very flat and is worth £6 at best. Cinnamon churros consists of 3 churros. We asked for one more as we were sharing and they added £3 to the bill without consultation making £13 for four churros. A lengthy conversation ensued with the manager when it was time to pay. She offered to take off the £12 discretionary service charge. We gave the waitress cash instead and left. A disappointing end to what could have been a lovely birthday celebration.

Today we were lucky enough to have lunch at this absolute gem of a restaurant. From the moment we walked in we were welcomed by attentive staff. It’s difficult to put into words how incredible our whole experience was from the initial olives whilst we perused the menu to the helpful lady who served us and helped us decide on what to order. This was particularly difficult because everything on the menu looked amazing. Our son tried his first oyster then had the monkfish and prawn skewer and we had several dishes from the tapas menu. I can honestly say it felt like every single dish had been thought about and constructed with care by the talented chef. If we’re back in the area again we will definitely go back. Thank you everyone at Ardor for the wonderful experience.

Another fantastic meal at Ardor, the food is stunning, top class service and an amazing atmosphere. It’s a must visit if you’re in st Ives. Well done Chef

Found the restaurant lunchtime today. Had the 'special' Chicken Shawarma and Fries with a glass of beer or wine. Food was delicious and service excellant from friendly staff. Will definitely be returning when back down here in the summer

Wonderful. Had the bottomless lunch... Wonderful food and drink 🍷🍻 Would definitely go again... As being a local it's nice to try out of season 😁

Where the taximan eats! Ardor. Fantastic. An uncomplicated menu. A few excellent cocktails. Gorgeous sherries for after (or maybe before). And the food? The food in this gorgeous location was beautifully described by the attentive front of house star. Simple foods were immaculately presented and perfectly seasoned. Save up. Book a table upstairs (noisy extraction downstairs). Go. Front of house Hannah is a valuable asset who ensures the experience achieves the level the food deserves. A final note. You’ll see some lesser reviews from a while ago. These seem to be from the location’s previous incarnation with a different team and kitchen.

Unfortunately we both got sick after eating here. I got an upset stomach and my partner threw up in the night. Not serious food poisoning- probably just some bad prawns. Food was a mixed bag- the pork tomahawk was delicious (although swimming in oil), and the sardines were decent. The prawns were small and bland (and apparently off). Fish fritters were ok. At this price the food was unremarkable and everything suffered from being slightly underseasoned. Food came fast. Service was a bit inattentive. The front of house staff seem stressed out. Nice decor.

Very, very good. Service was great and attentive. Food was knockout. I had the pork tomahawk and it was insanely good. All of our party raved about the food. For 6 of us, with beers and a bottle of wine, three tapas dishes and 5 mains it came in around £300. Worth every penny.

This place is incredible. We ordered around 9 dishes between four of us and every dish was perfect. Staff were attentive and brilliant. Feels really special but competes with most restaurants in Cornwall on price. Cannot recommend enough

Excellent food and the service was friendly and attentive. By far the best food we’ve experienced in St Ives, and that’s saying something. Ardor provides a different menu offering from most of the other local restaurants. There is a good range of delicious tapas and sides and we had perfectly cooked and seasoned steaks.

EDIT: This wonderful restaurant has now updated and changed direction, specialising in rotisserie chicken as well as fish and other taster plates. Very lovely food, delicious wine, and a brilliantly friendly welcome. Wow. This restaurant is definitely worth a visit for lovers of fresh seafood or anyone looking for a nice meal, fish or shellfish or vegetarians or meat lovers. Basically, it's very tasty and the service is informal but friendly. We ordered olives which never came but I bet they're lovely and it didn't matter. The wine selection is great and the atmosphere makes for a very classy but relaxed evening out. I'd highly recommend a visit, it's perfect.

Best takeaway in St Ives!! Super affordable was only £24 for a fat box of ribs, chips and a big pot of coleslaw. Ribs just fell off the bone, can’t recommend them enough! If you’re after a takeaway in St Ives this is number 1!

Had lunch for four adults. Absolutely superb. Gambas Al Ajillo, Sardines, Jamon Croquetas, Port Ribs, Chicken Schwarma, Bitter Leaf Salad. I could go on but it was simply superb food. Great service and the wines are excellent too. One of the best meals we have had in a long, long time. And, BTW, we all know Spanish food really well. This was up there with the best. We'll go back for sure.

On a bitter cold night we dined here recently and were delighted to be so warmly welcomed in. The menu looked good. Creative and innovative, and so we ordered a number of share plates. Most were really nice however, the shrimp in the gambas dish were hard, meaning over-cooked and the jambon croquettes should be called cheese croquettes. There was only a speck of ham on each one. Service in the restaurant was clumsy. First, we were given ice cold share plates to use for our hot food. Second, we asked that the share plates not all arrive at the same time. Of course they did. How does one enjoy the food if it is all there at the same time. Finally, the service with the credit card machine was questionable when the server simply took our card from us and tapped it without even showing us what the total was?! Not the finale one expects in a restaurant.

We went for the bottomless brunch (Saturdays only) 3 of us and as there was 9 dishes on the tapas and you can choose 3 each we had one of each, superbly looked after from the young waitress from NZ, the food was really good glad we tried everything all very tasty, drinks were all amazing thanks for keeping us topped up throughout.Will definitely visit again.

Great friendly service, Tegan was very attentive, great menu options, food was lovely, would definitely go again!

Had a fantastic dinner. My wife highly recommends the Roast pumpkin. We had a table downstairs where we could watch the Chefs in action. I must compliment them on the efficient way they went about their jobs . A very busy night but they showed no stress and kept on top of things as the orders kept rolling in. Well done kitchen team. Really enjoyed our meal. We will be back.

I have been to many famous restaurants (Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth, etc) but this is genuinely the most beautiful food I’ve ever eaten in my life. I know to many people that are reading this review might just think that I am totally overreacting, but as a 14 year old (very picky) child, I ate absolutely everything that came. I was so pleasantly surprised, I would definitely drive another 6 hours just to eat here again. Would recommend to everyone!

Had a solo meal here, lots of choice and excellent service - especially from Daisy. Oysters were delicious, anchovies really fresh and josper ribeye was cooked to perfection. Happy hour cava was an added bonus! Venue is beautifully decorated too.

Without doubt some of the finest food in St Ives. Service is exceptional and the drinks a treat. Dorian and his team have done something very special here.

Excellent restaurant, if a bit pricey.

What a gorgeous place! Food was amazing! Service and staff were fab.

Wow! What a phenomenal restaurant. My wife and I were lured in by the very tempting menu on display and the gorgeous decor and appointment of the restaurant’s interior. We were met with the warmest of welcomes and we booked a table for the same evening. Everything was perfect. The ambience was fantastic, the service impeccable and the food...well, that was utterly outstanding. Our very special meal was, without doubt, one of the best we have enjoyed this year and we cannot recommend Ardor highly enough. We were lucky enough to be introduced to Dorian in person by his wonderful partner and co-owner, Chloe and we were very grateful to be able to pass on our compliments to them both. The only downside for us is that we live around 170 miles from the restaurant so regular visits will sadly not be possible! However, when we are next in St Ives we will absolutely not miss the opportunity to return. This restaurant deserves to succeed. 3 months in from opening it seems to be doing everything perfectly and we wish the team every success in the months and years ahead.

Best food in St Ives. I live locally and this independent restaurant is fantastic. Great atmosphere, excellent service

Very good food. Position of table could have been better.

Had a fantastic meal. Service was faultless and the staff were very knowledgeable and attentive. The food was delicious and we all agreed one of the best meals we had ever eaten. Both the fish eaters and the vegetarians were delighted with the food. Highly recommend

Myself and my partner recently spent the week in St Ives, we had planned a date night later in the week at another establishment however after spending an evening in Ardor we immediately cancelled our reservations and returned for a second meal. The food was outstanding and all of the staff were very professional and friendly, I highly recommend sitting at the chefs table and watching the food being prepared as the smells are divine. Cannot recommend this place enough and will 100% be returning at a later date!

This place is a welcome new addition to the food scene in St Ives - a high end restaurant to complement the many very tasty places serving smal plates. The service was excellent from start to finish, all really friendly and happy to have a conversation. Even got to thank the chefs personally as we were sat next to the kitchen in the beautifully finished downstairs section. The food itself was delightful - had the croquetas, monkfish and prawn skewers, rotisserie chicken, and churros. All washed down with a few glasses of delicious wine. A very enjoyable relaxed eating experience.

Fantastic evening dining here in August! The cocktails and food were delicious. Beautiful atmosphere, a must if you are in St Ives!

Amazing food and great atmosphere, a must visit when in St Ives.

great food, great service , good atmosphere. Visited to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Can highly recommend

Superb, and much needed, quality addition to the town. Exceptional food and a menu focused on true quality not just churning out sub par for the obligatory tourists requiring feeding. Pricing Absoloutley on point and somewhere you can go and enjoy a treat and splash out or be conservative with a few shared starters and a glass of wine. Shared steak for 2 with a few sides with the best sear I’ve ever had, cooked to perfection medium rare, was exceptionally good value. Service, second to none. Great team all round but Vicki and Daisy in particular were super polite but not overbearing, attentive but not intrusive. Excellent knowledge of the menu and easily offering advice and suggestions. Just that perfect service to make you feel looked after but not rushed and perfectly provided exactly the style and type of evening that was required. Superb! Decor is stunning and just a beautiful place to spend the evening. Back soon. Thanks guys!

Spectacular mackerel with chorizo, even the side vegetables were excellent. Staff were kind and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed this place.

Ok this was the best seafood experience in the UK for me. The chorizo pillow bread was divine. The crab linguine was so flavourful. The pork ribs melted in the mouth. The grilled sardines and gambas al ajillo was so good, I cannot write enough in words to give justice to how yummy the food was. It was so delicious, a must visit place

A fantastic dinner - utterly delicious with superb ingredients and great service nice atmosphere as well ! . We thoroughly recommend !

Great little find from walking past the previous night, excellent service and friendly but not OTT , food exceptional and the best jambon croquettes I’ve ever tasted, every plate was delicious!

Highly recommended - the food was epic and the staff were brilliant. Great atmosphere and would definitely come back here again! Food was delicious!!!

Such a lovely place - grilled cauliflower was amazing, as were all the starters we shared & our cocktails. The sherry flight was great and our waitress was knowledgable & friendly.

Fantastic place! Service was wonderfully done by great staff. Kitchen is beautiful and smells so good

Food was pretty good - very over priced for what you get. The staff however let this place down massively. Not friendly, not attentive and completely not interested. The restaurant is situated with a beautiful view despite that for what they charge and complete lack of service its definitely not worth it. It's a shame because it has potential but we didn't enjoy our visit at all.

On a recent trip to Cornwall, I discovered a gem of a restaurant in St Ives that left me so impressed, I returned for a second visit the very next day. It’s rare to find a place where every dish hits the mark, but at Ardor, that’s exactly what you can expect. The staff are friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable, always ready with a recommendation. If you find yourself in St Ives, Ardor is a must. I’m already looking forward to my next visit.

Was unsure at first as was expecting the seafood cafe when booking online and from previous visits but the food was superb and and the service too. Bit pricier than other restaurants but worth it. Everything explained in the menu along with recommendations. Can thoroughly recommend.

Ardor was a great experience: staff were kind and attentive. They generously offered us a table even though I mistakingly booked it 2 hours later (turning us away would have been completely justified at that point given how busy they were) Wine list was surprisingly extensive, and the food was a rare combination of both filling and unique. Sitting by the Chef’s table was a pleasure and it’s clear the cooks and the staff all love what they’re doing. I am very glad I spent one of my final nights in St. Ives here. I can see this place has its sights set on the stars and any future accolades it receives will be well-deserved.

Excellent! We had several dishes and everything was very good! A good evening in a very cozy place. Thank you for this beautiful tasting :)

We had the most amazing food at Ardor! Could not fault it. Dorian is an incredible chef and the staff were so attentive. Would 100% recommend!

This was recamended, but what a rip off, ordered half chicken between myself and my brother inlaw who was on holiday from south africa. We got a leg and a wing each, a small basket of chips, shared and a bowl of salad leafs also to share. £50 for this very pityful dinner. Give this place a wide birth

Fabulous food and great service, friendly and welcoming. I would highly recommend the St Ives Bay mackerel and the Frito Misto was delicious.

Unfortunately not as good as the sea food cafe that was here previously that we’d eaten in many times before. Most of the reviews and pictures are of sea food cafe dishes not Ardor. Very limited selection if you’re a vegetarian (1 dish) Our expectations were high based on the previous experience, unfortunately we were left disappointed, especially at £200 for 2 adults 3 children and no alcoholic beverages

delicious and fresh food! we also loved the atmosphere and the service.

What a brilliant addition to St Ives! The food is absolutely delicious, the restaurant is buzzing and the staff are attentive and friendly. I’ve already been twice and have enjoyed trying out all the incredible dishes. Favourites so far include the croquetas, the chorizo pillow bread and the pork ribs! Highly recommend!

We felt like we had been transported to San Sebastián, WOW! Ardour delivers on every level. Authentic Spanish decor, beautifully styled and designed .. the menu is extensive .. some of our favourite dishes were the ribs, the monkfish skewers and the gambas. Everything we ate was quality in preparation, presentation and taste! We will certainly return.

We were lucky enough to eat at Ardor again last night, and it did not disappoint. As on our previous visit, the food was stunning, the atmosphere relaxed, with beautiful contemporary decor. We were so well looked after by the attentive staff. The tapas were delicious and a number of our group had the chicken and are raving about it. The cocktails are also delicious and very well executed and the ‘old fashioned’ with the cinnamon twist was a real treat. As a table of ten, we were so well looked after. A huge thank you to the lovely front of house staff and the amazing chefs. Cant wait to cone back!

I recently had the pleasure of dining here and I cannot sing its praises enough. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted warmly by the staff and felt immediately at ease in the modern yet cozy atmosphere. The menu at Ardor is a dream for any food enthusiast - with a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and innovative dishes that are as beautiful as they are delicious. I also appreciated the attention to detail in the presentation and the impeccable service from the staff. From the sommelier's wine recommendations to the dessert menu, every aspect of the dining experience was top-notch. Overall, Ardor exceeded all of my expectations and I cannot wait to return. If you are looking for a memorable dining experience in the area, look no further than Ardor. You won't be disappointed

Delicious and creative starters. We will be back to sample the mains. Our second visit was just as delicious. A seat at the Chef's counter gave us a front row to kitchen action. We are tourists passing through but hope that Cornwall appreciates this new restaurant and talented chef.

Very relaxed restaurant with delicious food and very good service.

We had an absolutely gorgeous lunch at Ardor. The food was exquisite, the staff were lovely, and it has a really family-friendly atmosphere (we visited with our 10-month-old). Great choice for vegetarians too. We can’t wait to visit again to try out more of the menu!

The service was excellent. The lemon cocktail was ok. I had monkfish prawn skewer, it was a bit bland, could do with seasoning and a bit of chilli. Chicken was nice. Overall good.

The best food ever! You have to try this place. The quality of the food, wines and service are remarkable. The best food in town.

Our best meal in St Ives. The Tomahawk pork chop and the pork ribs were exceptional. Upscale atmosphere for a beach lication

Amazing food. Great wine. Good vibes. Recommend the sirloin 100%

We really enjoyed the whole experience at this new restaurant. The food was delicious with great service looking forward to returning! Would definitely recommend.

2010: 5 stars when this was the seafood cafe back around 2010. Dropped to 3 stars about when level of service noticeable dropped and they stopped the fresh fish counter. 2024: Zero stars as this is now Ardor and they seem to have obtained the ratings from the now defunct Seafood Cafe.

Great place to eat. Can get very busy. The Crab Linguine is a particular favourite. 😋

Great food, fresh, would highly recommend and will definitely be returning

It is a nice cozy place, reasonable prices, nice helful staff and nice atmosphere. A good experience in general but I would like to point out some points to improve on. The prawns were one of the best we ever had, we even ordered a second, but it should be made as a main with bigger portion. Mussels mariniere were nice but lacked herbs and should be accompanied by bread to eat with the sauce. The seafood showder was the biggest disappointment. It had some pieces of code and 5 Mussels. The sauce was very thick and overpowered with bayleaf, no other flavours. The menu should include more seafood, as the name suggests it is a seafood place, but menu is limited. Also the beef fillet was very overpriced, small and not great quality.

Just had a lunch , new year's eve ,fish and chips were excellent, fish pie better than home made , we go every NYE but were not aware of 1.5 hour meal time and I questioned how long service charge had been imposed , told only a few months. Disappointed no cream Brulee on menue , so in fact we did not have any sweets . I spoke to a staff member who said service charge and lack of deserts was not down to them !! My lasting impression was of a waitress walking away from me while I was trying to pass on feedback !!

Highly recommend, the prawns were so good I had to ask for a spoon so I could drink the sauce. Prawns were so fresh and perfectly cooked! Crab bruschetta amazing, scallops delicious. The crab linguini was yummy, interesting as the flavor was not quite what I was expecting but it was still really good and enormous portion!

Honestly the best meal I’ve had out for a while! We were visiting St Ives on holiday and stopped by this place for dinner. Everything we ordered was delicious and the mussels were to die for! It was also good value as the tapas style meals were substantial. Staff were very friendly and helpful :) would 100% recommend if you are planning a visit in St Ives.

Delicious food, beautifully presented by friendly staff. Very nice cocktails with local spirits and recipes. Well worth a visit.

The best seafood restaurant in st Ives. Highly recommend!!

Amazing food, great service- loved this restaurant! Solero martini was also delicious!

Very yummy food, and for the small plates option (tapas) the portions were actually quite substantial so you felt you got your money's worth and had lots of different tasty dishes to try. The place was buzzing nicely (without being too busy) on a otherwise very quiet night in St Ives. It felt cosy, homely and atmospheric to sit down. Very nice cocktail menu and lovely service - I'm definitely going to go again!

Second time here, cannot fault the food. Fillet steak and fish pie absolutely delicious! Impeccable service from the two young ladies serving many tables. Lovely cocktails and desert, I could go on. Must visit when in St Ives ❤️

Lovely place great food.excellent service.staff very pleasant.

They served us a Negroni that did not contain more than 40 ml of actual drink: a glass half full/half empty (depending on how you want to see it), with lots of ice inside. We understand inflation and ‘shrinkflation’, but wouldn’t be more honest to increase the price on the menu and serve a full glass as in the good ol’ times?

Nice selection of seafood on the menu and the service was good. Only downside is that the service charge is added automatically so watch you don't tip twice, unless you want to of course.

When people ask me to recommend places to eat in town I always tell them to come here, I've never had a bad meal. The pasta dishes are my favourite and my family always ask me to book a table here when they visit, and they never leave disappointed.

Lovely atmosphere and friendly service. Was able to mix and match on the menu and everyone in our group enjoyed the food. Would be nice to have the specials board on display in the window as one of the group would rather not eat fish and was unaware there was a meat option until we sat down to order

Excellent quality. I had the mackerel, which was wonderful.

My fish pie was delicious though a little hot, whilst my husband enjoyed the 3 small plates he ordered. A particular highlight was the salt and pepper squid with a superb smoky chilli sauce.

Food were so fresh and tasty. The mussels especially is so fresh. Love it!

Extremely terrible experience, all waitresses without any serving manner. If available, I would wish to give ZERO star. Please don’t waste your time on it, it would definitely ruin your holidays and good vibe in St. Ives. I felt really really bad while being this restaurant, it ruined all my good moods.

This was one of few restaurants in St Ives that offered fresh oysters. Most had them fried as it was usually done to any seafood in Britain. We were happy with what we got. And we picked a fish pie, a seafood chowder and local beers out of a nicely small menu. If only they had the beers on tap.

Lovely food, relaxed atmosphere. Waitress service very prompt.

I am a huge seafood fan and hands down this is the best seafood restuarant I've visited at St Ives!! 💖 Came here for a date night on Tuesday and everything was super fresh, juicy, delicious and good sized portions. Little expensive, but great value and really filled me up! Small plates: Prawns, scallops, crab ciabatta Mains: The mussels - absolutely phenomenal!! Rounded up with a beautiful cocktail 👌 It was fairly busy, but we got a seat after a short wait. Not a bad setting, though no special views. Table was a tad tiny to hold all the small plates. Felt a little stuffy on entry. The staff was really lovely though and none of this affected our evening as the food trumped it all. Came up to £65 for 2 people and worth every penny. Highly recommended.

The scallop, mussels, and oyster were lovely! The crab linguine was average! Overall, it was a good experience😊

Lovely food and wasn't bad prices for fresh seafood. We had five small plates (good size portions) to feed two of us, two beers and a cocktail and came to £70

Food was delicious but service let’s the place down. Manager (assumed she was) was passive aggressive at best, the rest could do with lessons in customer service delivery. Prawns were some of the best I’ve ever had. The mussels in the Thai sauce was insane. The sauce for the calamari was delicious. In fact, everything we ordered was on point. I just wouldn’t go back because the service was abysmal and unwelcoming. I caught two staff members speaking derogatory about customers. I would have loved to give this 5* as the food was perfect.

Only popped in to treat myself to some fresh oysters. Was so impressed I ordered fish and chips and a cocktail.

We have just eaten this evening and it was delicious! I had the Cornwall Mojito and it was very tasty and looked incredible. To eat, I had the crab linguine and it was so simple and light but full of flavour. I decided to stay for a pudding and had a Creme Brulee which was beautifully presented and so creamy. A perfect, light, fishy dinner after a hot day!

My boyfriend and I were recently on holiday in St Ives and tried out this spot for some drinks and snacks. Their bread with garlic aioli is to die for- it’s literally so good that we asked to take some home with us and the lovely waitresses were more than happy to let us do that. Lovely cocktails with local alcohol too. 🖤