Chef Ben Prior, formerly of Ben’s Cornish Kitchen, in Marazion, is opening a new restaurant with rooms in St Ives this spring, adding to the culinary attraction of West Cornwall’s food capital.
Ben’s Cornish Kitchen in Marazion was a small family restaurant, open for almost ten years, which won acclaim many times from the Michelin Guide and from food critics including Jay Rayner.
The restaurant closed last year, but Ben promised to return with a new project, and he does so in this venture, Ben’s Kitchen at No. 27 The Terrace.
No.27 The Terrace is a Georgian townhouse with nine luxurious bedrooms and impressive views of St Ives Bay. Located above Porthminster Beach and just a short stroll from the harbour, it’s an ideal base for exploring St Ives.
Ben said: “I’ve been looking for the perfect spot for a new restaurant for a while now, and couldn’t resist the pull of St Ives and its vibrant food scene.”
The modest number of covers — just 20 — will allow Ben and his team to deliver a bespoke and memorable dining experience focusing on Cornwall’s many superlative ingredients, alongside a bold and carefully curated wine list.
Ben has long been an outspoken champion of South African wines — he travels regularly to the Cape winelands and imports direct from small producers — so naturally the wine list at No.27 The Terrace will have an unapologetically South African bias.
Ben said: “Around 80% will be South African, and I’ll be importing some of my favourite wines direct, as well as working with about eight different specialist merchants.
“The immediacy and vibrancy of South African wines — famous for their purity of fruit — works particularly well with my food, which I would describe as uncompromising on ingredients, focusing on clean and bold flavours, and served without unnecessary embellishment.
“Wine will be integral to the development of the daily-changing menu, with dishes and accompanying wines going hand in hand. I strongly believe that a wine should enhance a dish, not just complement it.”
Working with a small and experienced team, Ben will serve both a tasting menu (£65) and a three-course set menu (£39). The menus will be based on day boat fish, meat from local farms, and produce grown on Ben’s own allotment, supplemented by organic market gardens. In due course, Ben hopes to enlarge the dining room and to host wine dinners.
The restaurant opens on March 17 and bookings are now being taken via email only — contact bookings@bens.kitchen to enquire about a reservation.
