Sunday Lunch at Nancarrow Farm, Cornwall

Grace Edmonds
Aug 18
3 min read

Updated: Aug 21

Have you ever eaten Sunday Lunch on a farm in Cornwall? If not, I highly recommend you do.

We spent our blustery but sunny Sunday afternoon at Nancarrow Farm near Truro, in Cornwall. I can’t lie, I was influenced by social media but on this occasion it was a very positive experience.

A very large greenhouse is situated in the middle of a vegetable garden, surrounded by green leaves and tall trees. — The Greenhouse at Nancarrow Farm, Zelah

Where is Nancarrow Farm?

Located just outside Zelah, which is near Truro, it is nestled into the rolling Cornish countryside. Before your visit, you’ll receive an email with detailed directions – pay close attention to them! The new road layout on the A30 can very easily throw you off when relying on a Sat Nav. You’ll want to take the long winding track from the main road pretty carefully – it’s a bit uneven, as farm tracks tend to be.

The Grounds at Nancarrow

In its 9^th generation of farmers, it is the epitome of sustainable living. Rearing their own cows, pigs and sheep to feed their guests, they also grow their own produce to serve alongside. With acres of land dedicated to regenerative farming and initiatives to support conservation, meadow restoration and agroforestry, they put back as much as they take from the land.

An old brick building with a connect wooden archway is decorated by a frame of large trees and climbing plants

At the bottom of the car park, you’re greeted by clucking flock of hens (say that after a few wines!) and a sturdy barn that is used for wedding ceremonies. Entering through a wooden archway, you’re faced by the timber-framed restaurant and bar, opposite the old mill. Draped in climbing plants, creeping flowers and full-bodied shrubs, it’s a very inviting welcome.

After lunch, you can explore the verdant farmland. Taking a Wildlife Walk or a stroll through the herb garden, the love and care for Mother Nature is evident in every step. You could easily while away the time watching the bees dancing among the plants that gently sway in the summer breeze.

The restaurant entrance at Nancarrow Farm is lined with bright green plants and trees that wrap around large timber framing

The Food at Nancarrow Farm

Entering the restaurant, you’ll find majestic wooden beams that are draped with hessian. The smell of the wood-fired kitchen immediately floods your nose. Interestingly, even the charcoal is made on-site – a blend of Sycamore, Ash and Oak that has been through a much more sustainable process in a retort kiln. Even their charcoal is better for the environment.

Floor to ceiling windows at the gable end flood the room with light. An array of wooden tables and chairs are comfortably spaced, each table decorated with fresh cut flowers. The walls are lined with jars and bottles and prints of farm artwork.

A wooden tabletop is decorated with fresh cut flowers, in the centre sits an A5 printed menu in black and white, describing what is on offer for lunch

Through the summer months, a lighter Sunday Lunch is served. So, as we settled down with a prosecco and a pint, we got tucked in…

Two very thick slices of brown sourdough bread are served on a wooden plank with a large scoop of pale cream butter — Sourdough Bread with Whipped, Smoked Butter

Sourdough with Whipped, Smoked Butter

Squidgy soft sourdough bread served with a quenelle of creamy whipped butter. The smoky flavour was delicate and complemented the saltiness, without being overpowering.

A bowl of vibrant panzanella salad made with tomatoes, sourdough and basil is placed next to a large white plate of roasted beef, brisket, cucumber pickles and gravy — Panzanella with Wood-Fired Beef and Cucumber Pickles

Wood-Fired Beef, Cucumber Pickles, ChimiChurri, Cornish Potatoes, Raindbow Chard with Chickpeas and wood-fired Tomato Panzanella

A stunning array of wholesome, honest food. Slices of roasted beef sit atop a generous helping of rich brisket, enveloped in an indulgent gravy from the meat. The cucumber pickles are so crunchy and the perfect thing to enjoy with the salty brisket.

Buttery soft chickpeas in a tomato sauce with wilted rainbow chard and a yoghurt dressing offer something fruity and tangy. Meanwhile, the potatoes bring a light, slightly minty freshness. The panzanella is incredibly flavourful; sweet, juicy tomatoes and fresh garden basil are juxtaposed with sharp pickled red onions for a complete taste sensation.

A large scoop of clotted cream cheesecake is served with blackcurrants and toasted oats, the bright red juices from the currants are running down the cheescake — Cornish Clotted Cream Cheesecake with Blackcurrants and Toasted Oats

Deconstructed Cheesecake made with Cornish Clotted Cream, Blackcurrants and Toasted Oats

Thick, sweetened cream is adorned with tart blackcurrants that excite your tastebuds over the top of the cream and biscuity toasted oats provide a brilliant crunch.

Head To Cornwall For Food That Celebrates The Best of British

The experience of dining at Nancarrow is exactly what I want from my food; seasonal, sustainable, respectful. This menu felt like a celebration of everything that British summertime in the countryside offers; lovingly-reared beef, fresh herbs, vibrant fruit and juicy tomatoes.

Inside the greenhouse at Nancarrow Farm, there are multiple tomato vines with lots of fruit, grown in vertical rows

If you have the opportunity, I thoroughly recommend paying a visit to Nancarrow Farm to experience a bite of the magic for yourself. You won’t be disappointed and at just £30-ish per person for what is essentially a three-course menu, you won’t leave hungry, either!