Falmouth Continued

In the early days of sailing ships Falmouth was one of the most important ports in England. This was not so much because it was a place where cargoes were loaded and unloaded, since its distance from the centres of industry and commerce and the bad roads connecting it to the central counties of England made this impossible. Its importance lay in the fact that a sailing ship coming from the Americas or anywhere from the southwest would call in at Falmouth first of all to establish communication with the owners of the cargo and to find out where they were to proceed for unloading.

When in a town as close to and as dependent on the sea as Falmouth is, it makes sense to sample some of the delights of a seafood restaurant and Falmouth is blessed with a number of excellent choices.

One of the best is the Bistro de la Mer in the centre of the town along Arwenack Street. You can be sure of fresh fish here and as far as is possible all the ingredients used in the large variety of dishes are from Cornwall. Not all the family may like fish so the Bistro does a great selection of other dishes as well. As the name suggests there is a Continental atmosphere here and the emphasis is on the casual and friendly rather than the stuffy and formal.

Most of us try to eat out at least once or twice while we are on holiday and if you choose the Bistro de la Mer for one of your occasions we are sure you will not be disappointed.

Considered to be a hidden gem along the same street, identified only by its blue door, is the Two Ten 200 restaurant. Venture to the bottom of the elegant staircase and you will find a stylish, atmospheric restaurant, with contemporary wooden furniture, leather high-back chairs and minimal decor that add to an air of sophistication.

Head Chef Chris Taylor hand crafts his talented dishes with an eye for detail and ensures that there is a phenomenal array of fantastic tasting fresh and local sourced fish, meats and grown produce. Along with fantastic semi-traditional sweets and a good-value wine list, it is easy to understand why booking is advisable.

Falmouth Art Gallery, housed in the Municipal Buildings on The Moor, in the centre of the town, is one of Cornwall’s leading art galleries. Its permanent collection features work by major British artists, including Sir Alfred Munnings PRA, Dame Laura Knight RA and Henry Scott Tuke RA. The gallery houses one of the most important print collections outside of London, including The Art Fund's Hugh Stoneman Archive and runs a lively temporary exhibitions programme.

The gallery has been nominated for 14 national awards and has won The Guardian’s Family Friendly Museum Award, Interpret Britain Awards and The Museums & Heritage Excellence Awards. Make a visit and you will easily see why it is one of the foremost galleries in the country.

Pea Souk is the only Vegetarian Café in Falmouth and also produces the most interesting food in town. Pea Souk is run by Cordon Vert graduate Nicola Willis and specialises in Middle Eastern and Moroccan Cuisine as well as baking the best cakes, some of which are now famous in Falmouth, such as the Green & Black's Brownie with chocolate fudge icing and the carrot. beetroot and orange cake. The café serves an astonishing selection of homemade food even down to the chutneys, jams and marmalades and also offers several different soups and fresh salads a day. Pea Souk serves breakfast all day and opens in the evenings with bookings only.