Muddy Beach Cafe – my winning restaurant.

This week I am pleased to announce the winner of our Cowell’s Cuisine Cornish Food Awards. In the end the voting was very close but I am delighted to announce that Muddy Beach Café in Penryn takes the title.

Muddy Beach has been a personal favourite since it opened last year. It is one of those rare places where you can go to eat any time of the day. Breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. The menu changes accordingly, but what I love about this restaurant is it never tries to do too much – the menu focuses on offering just the right amount of choices that can all be cooked from fresh.

Muddy Beach is a family business run by Christian Dann and his parents, Phil and Lisa. Lisa’s family, the Barnicoats, opened the very first fish and chip shop in Penryn, so Christian’s love of the restaurant trade is a trait passed on through several generations. Christian has worked front-of-house for some of the most successful restaurants in the area, and when the opportunity arose to take on the lease for what was the popular Miss Peapods café on Jubilee Wharf, the whole family jumped at the chance. The word ‘family’ is at the heart of everything. It truly is family friendly, run with passion and the sort of customer service that ensure you feel part of the family.

Christian runs the restaurant along with his best friend Ella Brett who acts as assistant manager. They met when they first opened Rick Steins Fish in Falmouth seven years ago. They both share that same vision which has helped make Muddy Beach so successful. The café is also dog friendly with a special area where you can sit – with dog biscuits on-hand, too. You will also meet Doris the Muddy Beach dog, who spends a lot of her spare time in the café.

When I went to Muddy Beach to meet the family, Christian Dann told me: “We run Muddy Beach as a family, and we want you to feel part of that family from the minute you walk through the door. It’s all about sharing great food, relaxing over a glass of wine or sipping a warming mug of our speciality coffee. Bring a group of friends or just bring the Sunday paper – and enjoying those gorgeous river views. We didn’t set out to create such a chilled vibe at Muddy but all our customers say how relaxed they feel when inside. We are delighted to win this award, it’s a great honour and we look forward to welcoming you all.”