Ocean and Earth
Our favourite place to eat in Looe, run by husband and wife Nigel and Duan. Duan is a genuinely gifted chef, and the food is fresh, full of flavour and consistently fantastic. Both are super friendly, and Nigel will always ask whether you'd like a dish mild, medium or hot. Take that seriously, because hot here really does mean hot!
The restaurant has twice been awarded "Thai Select" status by Thailand's Ministry of Commerce, one of only around a hundred restaurants in the whole of the UK to hold the accolade.
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The Sardine Factory
Set in a converted harbourside cannery in West Looe, The Sardine Factory is run by chef Ben Palmer, a MasterChef: The Professionals quarter-finalist who returned to his home town to open the restaurant in 2018. It was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2020, the Guide's mark for excellent cooking at a fair price, and the seafood-led menu of moules marinière, crab linguine and the day's local catch has made it one of the most talked-about tables in Cornwall.
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Chennai Indian Fusion
Another favourite of mine. On Buller Street in East Looe, Chennai Indian Fusion is by far the best curry in town. Run by the ever friendly Mansell, the food is fresh, tasty and consistently excellent. One thing worth knowing: Chennai doesn't hold a drinks licence, so it's "bring-your-own." I initially thought this was a bit odd, but I really notice the difference when the bill comes. You can grab a bottle of wine or a few beers from the co-op up the road, so it's no great hardship.
Mansell picked up "Best Restaurant" at the national Curry Life Awards in 2024, then went one better in 2025, when Chennai was crowned Cornwall's Restaurant of the Year at the National Curry Awards, held at the House of Lords.
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