Following their purchase of the property early last year, the pair - who run a string of restaurants in nearby Padstow including the Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth at No 6 - will introduce two new restaurant concepts.
The Estuary Grill will focus on Cornish produce from land and sea. The menu will include dry-aged meat from Philip Warren Butchers and locally caught fish and seafood sourced from Flying Fish. A blackboard will list daily market price specials such as prime ribs, sirloins, pork chops and whole fish, cooked over fire on an Asado grill by Somerset-based Fire Made. In addition to grilled options such as the St Enodoc burger, the menu will feature dishes inspired by Paul’s Seychellois heritage and the flavours of the Indian Ocean.
The Flour Garden will provide a more informal, family-friendly option. Open seasonally from March to October and operating on a walk-in basis, the outdoor restaurant will serve hand-stretched Neapolitan-style pizzas and salads, including Panzanella and Niçoise, available to eat on site or take away. Homemade soft-serve ice cream, produced using a Carpigiani machine, will also be available.
The St Enodoc Bar will open daily to residents and non-residents. The drinks list will include Guinness on tap, lagers from Sharp’s Brewery, and Monte Carlo beers created by Antho Orengo and Will Scheffer in collaboration with Molson Coors. The bar will also offer cocktails, spirits and a wine cellar selection. A vintage French truck, Monsieur Maurice, will operate as an outdoor bar.
St Enodoc will form part of the Ainsworth Collection, which includes the Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth at No6, Caffè Rojano, Padstow Townhouse and The Mariners.
The boutique property, which overlooks the picturesque Camel Estuary, is the only hotel in Rock and will enable the Ainsworths to offer more of their customers accommodation, building on the six rooms currently available at their Townhouse property.
Described as the couple’s ‘most ambitious project to date’, Paul is leading the culinary vision and Emma is curating the design alongside close friend and interior designer Eve Cullen-Cornes.
“Emma and I share a clear vision for St Enodoc: to honour a place rich in soul and history, bringing a renewed sense of energy and accessibility to its next chapter without losing what has always made it so special,” says Paul.
“We want St Enodoc to be a place for everyone to enjoy, whether you’re staying locally, travelling from afar or living around the corner.
“We can’t wait to welcome guests from the moment they arrive, with the same warmth and hospitality that runs through everything we do across our collection, this time in a truly extraordinary setting.
“With the most incredible views, in a place that means so much to Emma and me, our ambition is for St Enodoc to become a year-round destination, not just for those of us who love Rock and Cornwall but also for visitors from across the UK and beyond to enjoy.”
In addition to the food and drink offering, two new function spaces will launch. The Oyster Salon will accommodate up to 100 guests for weddings, corporate events and celebrations. The Porthilly Pavilion, with bi-folding glass doors and sea views, will host civil ceremonies, private parties and wellness activities.
A second phase of renovation will focus on enhancing the hotel’s 21 rooms and adding a gym and wellness centre.
The St Enodoc is a boutique hotel that was built in the 1920s. It underwent a large remodelling in 1999 to re-establish it as one of Cornwall’s main seaside-chic boutique hotels and was later bought in January 2019 by a family with a long-standing love of the hotel and area.