How did it all get started?

The initial concept for the Café was to provide a service to customers coming to the nursery and to give the business a boost. Richard du Pille (Head Chef) and I (Angie Coombs) were keen to offer the food, service and ambience that we appreciate when we go out to eat informally.

The whole redevelopment of the Nursery follows a theme of recycling and reuse so you will find some interesting features: light fittings from Heathrow Airport and Paddington Station, old sterling silver and ivory cutlery, Navy 111 chairs (each chair made from 111 recycled coca cola bottles), lamps made from fire extinguishers and driftwood, it all adds to the atmosphere.
 

What's on the menu?

The food is simply prepared light lunches, focusing on local and seasonal ingredients. The most popular choices are probably slow roast belly pork with Cornish Orchards cider and cream, twice baked cheese soufflé and the delicious saffron cake bread and butter pudding with rhubarb ice cream.

How does it feel to have won the Food Magazine Reader Award?

The team at Duchy of Cornwall Café are all absolutely delighted to have won the Food Magazine Award for Best Café in the South West, especially as it was voted for by the readers, our customers. It is extremely satisfying to receive acknowledgement when you are getting it right, however no one is complacent, it is still very early days and there are lots of plans coming together for the coming season.

What's in store for the future?

Our plans include a new menu for Spring, an events programme of various lifestyle activities which include food, craft and gardening and openings for private evening functions. We are also planning on launching our own ‘Pudding Club’. We believe the café will have year round appeal with the Terrace in the summer overlooking the Fowey Valley and Restormel Castle and in the winter the cosy log burning stove .

Find out more about Duchy of Cornwall Nursery Café here.