The Mermaid

You'll find The Mermaid tucked away on Fish Street—yes, that's a real street in St Ives, and yes, it's absolutely the right place for a seafood restaurant. Walk in and you're immediately in that comfortable zone where locals feel at home and visitors understand why they've shown up. The menu shifts with what's landed that morning, so there's no point asking what's best—everything tends to be, depending on the boats. This is proper seaside eating without the pretension: grilled fish, generous platters, the sort of place where you'll overhear people making bookings for next week because they know it's worth the effort.