Potager Garden Cafe

I enjoy a pasty as much as the next person but I often find myself craving something a little more fresh and interesting on my visits to Cornwall, especially during the summer months. If you’re visiting the Penzance area, The Potager Garden and Cafe is a great location for a spot of lunch and a brief wander around the kitchen garden and glass house. A short walk up a stony track leads you up past a chicken coop and a shady wooded area with hammocks to lounge in to an old-fashioned greenhouse. The interior is lovely and spacious- plenty of room for both large groups and some cozy corners for couples too. There is extra seating in an extension of the glasshouse, where you can sit amongst fragrant rosemary and lavender bushes and trailing tomato plants.

In short- the setting is lovely. There’s also table tennis for anyone who has a lack of patience and extra energy to burn off before consuming the dreamy vegetarian fare on offer. There are only a few choices on the menu, but there should be something for everyone, from generous bowls of soup to tea and cake. I had to try the mezze (who can say no to hummus?) and it did not disappoint. Delicious summery slaw, sourdough bread, hummus and a selection of salads with toasted seeds- all extremely tasty. For people more accustomed to a hot lunch option, the three bean cassoulet was wonderfully warming and the breadcrumb topping was a great texture-creating addition to an otherwise plain casserole.

The gardens are run by volunteers and the profits from the cafe go back into the gardens, helping people who might otherwise not have access to gardens of this kind. Not only is the food delicious, but its all made for a good cause.

In a place that can seem oversaturated in its concentration of tea rooms and harbour side cafes, the Potager cafe stands out for the beauty of its setting and fresh quality of its food. Below is a selection of photographs taken in the cafe and garden- I feel they do not do justice to the interior of the glass house, so hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised upon your visit to the cafe!