Golden Lion, Padstow

An attractive pub in the heart of Padstow, it is pretty much completely covered in hanging baskets and seems to be competing in that respect with The London Inn just down the road. It’s divided in to a couple of different areas with a bar at the front and another room at the rear that is perhaps more geared up for dining. There is also a small courtyard at the back. The main bar at the front of the pub has dark wood panelling on the lower part of the walls and cream plasterwork above. A number of old black and white photos were on the walls and there is a small stone fire-place. The rear room meanwhile has a carpeted floor and white-washed stone walls with black timberwork. An unusual half-vaulted ceiling with exposed stonework was an unusual feature, and there was a picture of Padstow’s old railway station on the wall, sadly now long gone. A number of copper plates, ceramic pots and such like were scattered around. Food wise the menu offered a decent selection of pub grub dishes, with options such as Steak & Ale Pie, Fish & Chips, Burger, etc., and these were mostly in the £9 - £12 range. There was also a small specials board. My Fish Pie with a Cheesy Mash Topping was a decent dish and a very generous portion, so much so that I was unable to try the Salted Caramel Cheesecake from the desert section which was a bit of a shame. An accompanying salad included Baby Sweet Red Peppers which were a new one on me and I had to ask the friendly waitress what they were. Beers on tap were Doom Bar, Tintagel Castle Gold and Betty Stogs. Ciders meanwhile were Stowford Press and Cornish Rattler, of both the Original and Pear varieties.

This cosy pub situated just off the harbour is reputed to be Padstow’s oldest pub dating back to the14th Century. It is the starting point for the Padstow Obby ‘Oss ceremony that is held every May Day and is one of Europe’s oldest regular festivals. The interior has a cosy front bar with bare parqued flooring and a small fireplace in front of which a dog is usually sprawled. There are several pots, pans and earthenware jugs dotted about as well as some lovely old pictures of the town and local football team. The front bar also contains a TV and a dart board. Most locals congregate in the front bar and everyone seems quite chatty and approachable. A further seated area is the other side of the main door and at the rear is a separate carpeted bar with exposed whitewashed walls under a vaulted roof. At the rear is a small patio. One useful asset is the free WiFi, something that can be a big bonus in remote areas. Given that Cornish pubs don’t tend to be particularly adventurous in their beer choices, it was good to see Tintagel Castle Gold among the more common Sharps brace of Cornish Coaster and Doom Bar and at £2.80, reasonably priced. I didn’t note any details regarding food. Whilst things were relatively calm and reklaxed, I would imagine that the pub (and the town in general) has a different ambience at the height of tourist season. To be honest, having done all Padstow’s pubs at least twice on our long weekender, they all had their merits but the Golden Lion was one of the picks of the bunch if I have to single any out.