The Hidden Hut Revealed: A Review

A meander along the Cornish coast path not only leads to breathtaking scenery, but quite often to some delightful surprises. The Hidden Hut, an eatery at Porthcurnick Beach, is one such. To be fair, there is a car park not far from the Hidden Hut. But there’s something rather special about coming across it as you round a headland. Read this review and I defy you not to want to try it for yourself.

I have great pleasure in welcoming CT to my blog for his annual guest review. His last one was the Cornwall Food and Drink Festival. Crafter of language, food pioneer, gardener, botanist extraordinaire and eater of cakes, you can find him on Instagram @Rhizowen. He gave up on his old blogs, Radix and From our Owen Correspondent a while ago, but they’re still worth a read if you can find them.

Cornish Coast Path

In spring, a young man’s thoughts are said to turn to love. In autumn, I find a good stroll along the Cornish coast path serves just as well as a means of delighting the senses and stocking up on joie de vivre before the winter sets in. So when Choclette suggested a walk along the Roseland Peninsula one sunny and calm day recently, I jumped at the opportunity.

Roseland is a pleasant, beckoning finger of land that juts out into the sea on Cornwall’s south coast between Falmouth and Mevagissey. The coast path here has less of the patella-pummelling ups and downs which characterise some sections. I hardly know this area at all, so it seemed like a good chance to make its acquaintance.

Rather than portray this as a gentle trek for the middle aged across the beaches and along the cliffs, my vanity dictates that I dress things up in slightly more heroic garb. Let’s call it another in a series of impromptu ethnobotanical walks. Ones where I brush up on my floral identification skills and try and recall the various uses made of the plants in days gone by.

I occasionally nibble on a leaf or two, but anyone who knows me will confirm that this is hardly sufficient inducement to persuade me to drag my frame on a forced route march of several miles, no matter how stunning the scenery.

No, I prefer to combine some foraging with at least one stop in a well-appointed tea room or café for proper refuelling. I mean, have you actually tried raw seakale shoots?

Choclette is astute enough to know, that like snakes and numerous armies, I too march on my stomach. So she mentioned that a café stop, at a place called the Hidden Hut, was part of the deal; she’d heard good things about it.

We parked up at Pendower, not far from the Nare Head Hotel and duly set off. The sky was cloudless and the sea had that strange glassy quality that seems to come with calm conditions. The waves lapping on the shore made scarcely a murmur.

There were few other walkers around and we enjoyed the sensation of peace and isolation in a majestic setting. It was hard to imagine a better way to work up an appetite.

The Hidden Hut

After walking steadily for some time, we rounded a headland and before us, a few hundred yards away was Porthcurnick Beach, the home of the Hidden Hut. Indeed, we could see a squat wooden structure with a few chairs and tables placed around it just above the strand.

More alarmingly, as I was beginning to suffer pangs of hunger and my throat was distinctly dry, the shutters seemed to be closed. We both exchanged anxious glances as we continued down the path and approached the beach. Then, with impeccable timing, as we crossed the sand, the shutters lifted and so did our spirits.

We plonked our bags on one of the large wooden tables, decorated with vases of flowers and proceeded to the counter. Choclette opted for a reviving mug of chai and the inevitable chocolate brownie, while I went for a more prosaic Earl Grey which I followed up with a Roskilly’s ice cream. This from the lovely Jersey cows not so far away on the Lizard.

It was abundantly clear that this was no ordinary beach hut café. Not a single all day breakfast featured on the menu. In fact, al fresco gourmet dining seemed more like it – quite a surprise given the unadventurous fare walkers often have to endure when tramping the coast path.

The hut itself is owned by the National Trust and has apparently occupied the site since WWII. Hidden may be pushing it somewhat. It doesn’t look as though it would have presented any difficulties for a U boat captain intent on target practice.

Lunch At The Hidden Hut

In its current incarnation it is run by Jemma Glass and Simon Stallard. They’re a local couple, with Jemma’s mum, Maggie offering logistical support on the cake front. Their policy is a simple one: the best local food, prepared with love and care, for a reasonable price. And the punters have voted with their feet – literally.

There’s no parking at the Hidden Hut, so everyone has to walk there, either from Portscatho, about half a mile away, or from nearby Rosevine Hill. And after the relative isolation of the walk, there did seem to be quite a few people gravitating towards this rather unpromising looking shack.

Simon is a trained chef. In addition to the fare served during normal hours, he also cooks up a storm in summer (when the weather doesn’t) with great paella pans and more for summer evening feasts.

Jemma started to chalk up the lunch menu on the blackboards and we exchanged glances once again. The weather was lovely, the location superb and the offerings very tempting. Hang it, we thought, let’s stay for lunch now we’re here.

Choclette opted for a delicious vegetarian option, a salad of tangerine, feta, Spanish olives, mixed leaves and toasted almonds with warm pitta bread. I went for Italian meatballs with mozzarella. Both were truly delicious and we consumed them with gusto. Eating outdoors is a real delight and is in fact the only option here.

Refuelled, we proceeded to march on to St Anthony Head, stopping at the fort to take in views of Falmouth and St Mawes, before returning via the inland route to Portscatho. If truth be told, I was feeling pretty weary by this time and longed for a sit down.

Descending to the Hidden Hut once more, I prayed that this last homely house would be open for refreshments before we lugged ourselves over the last leg of our journey. It was indeed, so I had another pot of tea and an ice cream chaser before carting my weary bones back to the car and home.

When the weather is with you, as it was on the day we visited, I can think of no better place to work up an appetite and eat some first class food in a lovely setting. In fact, if the wind and rain hold off, we’re going back this weekend with some friends.

I’m sure my mum told me that you shouldn’t judge a book by the cover. In future I will avoid doing the same to any hidden huts on the Cornish coast. Because at least one of them is a real gem.

Hidden Hut: Key Facts

• Opening Times – 11:00 to 15:00 daily
• Lunch Is Served – 12:00 until 14:30
• Dining Style – informal – alfresco and takeaways only
• Feast Nights – once a week during the summer – booking required
• Chef – Simon Stallard
• Porthcurnick Beach – dog friendly all year round
• Location – near Porthscatho, Cornwall

Other Places To Visit In Cornwall

• A Scilly Trip, Isles Of Scilly
• All Is Not Lost In Lostwithiel
• Cornish Cake Crawl, Penzance
• Feeling Full In Fowey
• Glorious Glynn Valley
• Scintillating Isles Of Scilly, St Mary’s

Keep in Touch

Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you visit the Hidden Hut, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making the most of it?

If you post pictures on social media I’d love to see them, just tag me @Choclette8.

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If you’d like to read more travel posts, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them.

Choclette x

Update June 2023

The wind and rain did hold off. We did go back with our friends and we had a celebratory birthday lunch in bright sunshine. Everyone was as impressed as we had been. In fact there’s no holding us back. We’ve returned on many an occasion since. And I’m glad to say the Hidden Hut is still going strong.