UPDATE (JAN 2014): See the Nutmums.com directory of nut allergy friendly restaurants for recommended UK restaurants, pubs and cafés for people with nut allergies.

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I’ve now taken my quest to find a nut allergy-friendly restaurant, pub or café on tour… to Cornwall!

You may already have seen my list of the restaurants, pubs and cafés we have so far visited in Cheshire. As we’ve just returned from a week’s holiday in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall, I’ve also compiled a list of the Cornish eateries we have tried. This again sets out whether:

• They were able to provide a peanut and nut free meal for my son.
• If not, whether they were happy for him to eat food brought from home.

Menus and policies can change, so obviously do make your own enquiries each time you visit. For tips on eating out safely with food allergies, please see:

• The advice we were given from the hospital.
  
• The Food Standards Agency’s advice.
• The Anaphylaxis Campaign’s advice.

Restaurants and cafés

1. The Bowgie Inn, Crantock

• West Pentire, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 5SE
• 01637 830363
• http://www.bowgie.com/

Date last visited:  September 2013.

Were they able to provide a peanut and nut free meal?  No. I was advised that there were nuts in the kitchen and therefore they could not say that a meal was nut free.

If not, were they happy for the allergy sufferer to bring their own food?  We decided to eat elsewhere, so didn’t go on to ask.

2. Blue Beach Bar, Porth Towan

• Beach Road, Porthtowan, Cornwall TR4 8AW
• 01209 890329
• http://www.blue-bar.co.uk/

Date last visited:  September 2013.

Were they able to provide a peanut and nut free meal?  No. The lady I spoke to advised that the stone baked pizzas did not contain nuts as an ingredient. However, there were nuts in the kitchen and so they couldn’t promise that there hadn’t been cross-contamination with nuts from another dish.

If not, were they happy for the allergy sufferer to bring their own food?  Yes. They were very happy for my children to eat a packed lunch, whilst we ordered food from the menu.

3. Hendra Holiday Park snack bar

• Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4NY
• 01637 875778
• http://www.hendra-holidays.com/oasis-pools/oasis-pools.aspx

Date last visited:  September 2013.

Were they able to provide a peanut and nut free meal?  No. This came as a surprise. We had visited the Oasis Pool at the Hendra Holiday Park on a previous holiday to Cornwall in June 2013. On our way out, we stopped by the snack bar and asked if they could cater for my son’s severe nut allergy. On that occasion, we were referred to another member of the kitchen staff who produced a large file, listing the ingredients for every item on the menu. We ordered our son a cheese and tomato pizza, which was described as “nut free”.

So when we visited again in September 2013, we were hoping to be able to have lunch again at the cafe. Unfortunately, this time, we were advised “we do gluten free, but not nuts” (helpful…). Could we look at the black file again, which we had seen three months ago? “I didn’t work here then”. Could we please speak to someone who did? “We are very busy”. So we gave up and ate elsewhere.

If not, were they happy for the allergy sufferer to bring their own food?  We decided to eat elsewhere, so didn’t go on to ask.

4. The Merrymoor Inn, Mawgan Porth

• Mawgan Porth, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4BA
• 01637 860258
• http://www.merrymoorinn.com/

Date last visited:  September 2013.

Were they able to provide a peanut and nut free meal?  Yes. We popped in for a drink and on the way out, I mentioned my son’s severe nut allergy to one of the staff and asked about the pasta and tomato sauce on the children’s menu. He checked with the chef and confirmed that the pasta (and to the best of their knowledge) the home made tomato sauce were safe for nut allergy sufferers. On our next visit, I explained the situation again to another member of staff. He, in turn, relayed the severity of my son’s allergy to the kitchen staff, stressing the need to make sure the pasta and sauce hadn’t been anywhere near nuts.

5. National Maritime Museum café, Falmouth

• Discovery Quay, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3QY
• 01326 313388
• http://www.nmmc.co.uk/

Date last visited:  September 2013.

Were they able to provide a peanut and nut free meal?  No. The café staff were frank that there were cakes containing nuts in the kitchen, so they therefore couldn’t vouch that their homemade sandwiches were “nut free”.

If not, were they happy for the allergy sufferer to bring their own food?  Yes.

6. Pizza Express, Falmouth

• Discovery Quay, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3QY
• 01326 318841
• http://www.pizzaexpress.com/visit-a-restaurant/restaurant/falmouth

Date last visited:  November 2012.

Were they able to provide a peanut and nut free meal?  Yes.

For more details, see Let’s hear it for Pizza Express!

7. Sam’s on the Beach, Polkerris

• 14 Polkerris, Par, Cornwall PL24 2TL
• 01726 812255
• http://www.samsfowey.co.uk/sams-on-the-beach/

Date last visited:  June 2013.

Were they able to provide a peanut and nut free meal?  No. The manager I spoke to was extremely frank in that they couldn’t warrant that anything was nut free.

If not, were they happy for the allergy sufferer to bring their own food?  We decided to eat elsewhere, so didn’t go on to ask.