Rick Stein's Cafe - Padstow

When Rick Stein opened this cheery place a stone's throw from Padstow quay, he wanted to create 'the sort of café you find on every street in London or Sydney'. He also wanted it to be be 'somewhere where you could drop in for tea and cakes or a morning cappuccino and it all had to be great value for money.'

Judging by the crowds and the queues, it's just what the punters ordered, especially as it provides the chance of grabbing a slice of the Stein action without having to book months ahead.

The menu is pretty straightforward, children enjoy themselves and there's always plenty of Stein-inspired seafood on offer. Among the possibilities might be mussels with chilli, tomato and parsley or grilled cod with cannellini beans, thinned mayonnaise, capers and tarragon, as well as goujons of plaice with tartare sauce and chips (aka. fish fingers). Meat-eaters can always fall back on a plate of charcuterie or a char-grilled ribeye steak, and there are a handful of straightforward desserts like lemon posset with fresh raspberries. The wine list hits the target with its neat selecton of good-value bottles.