The Sailors Arms pub and restaurant is located on Fore Street in Newquay and backs onto the seafront, overlooking Towan beach and the fantastic north Cornwall coastline. We visited on a warm Monday lunchtime in early October keen to try some of their vegan food offerings.
We easily found a seat on the mezzanine which was perfect for this time of year as it provides panoramic views over Newquay, from Towan beach and the island house to Watergate Bay and all the way up the coast to Trevose Head Lighthouse.
We’d not been here before so were keen to find out if this pub restaurant was any good. We were keen to see how many vegan food options were available, if the food was tasty, what the decor was like and if the service from the staff was of a good standard.
Vegan food options at the Sailors Arms Newquay
We were surprised at how many vegan options there were as most pubs tend to have one vegan burger and maybe another option if you’re lucky. The Sailors Arms in Newquay had more than 10 vegan main meal options. Plus there are some vegan sides too and kids choices.
The bartender said it was a new menu and it had so many more vegan-friendly options than their previous selection. This is great news for us!
The vegan-friendly options at the time of our visit in October 2022 included:
- Vegan pizza (two choices)
- Vegan burger (two choices)
- Vegan hot dog
- Vegan tacos
- Vegan gyozas
- Vegan burrito bowl (two choices)
- Vegan mac and cheese
- Vegan cauli wings
- Vegan topped fries (two choices)
As you can see, it’s not the place to come when you’re wanting a wholesome plant-based vegan meal, but when you’re in the mood for comforting vegan pub grub then it’s ideal. There’s a lot of options!
Our vegan meals at Sailors Arms in Newquay
We opted for the vegan burrito bowl which is served on a beetroot wrap, a sloppy joe vegan burger with chilli fries and a portion of vegan sloppy joe loaded fries.
We got a bit excited at all the vegan food options and totally overindulged with a meal each and a shared portion of vegan loaded-fries! It was definitely too much food – next time one meal each will suffice!
But we enjoyed every meal, even the chilli fries with the burger (these are optional) which set our mouths on fire!
Vegan food for kids at Sailors Arms Newquay
We were also happy to see on The Sailors Arms online menu for kids has a couple of vegan choices. We didn’t have the kids with us for our lunchtime date while they were at school, but we’ll take them back another time. Most pubs offer an adult vegan meal, but completely forget about the kids!
We are a vegan family so it’s good to see they offer a vegan burger or vegan mac and cheese at kids prices. So often we have to order them an adult meal at adult price and it makes eating out so expensive. I know the kids will be so excited there’s a pub that caters for them too as vegans, so we’ll be back to treat them soon.
Honest thoughts on the Sailors Arms restaurant and vegan food options
The choice of vegan pub grub at the Sailors Arms in Newquay is really impressive. If you’re looking for vegan food in Newquay then there are multiple options and we were spoilt for choice. It’s also good to see a kids menu with a couple of vegan options at an affordable price.
The views from the outdoor terrace are great, but I think next time we’ll sit indoors to experience their cosy pub atmosphere. Winter is coming and I can already picture us visiting as a family treat one weekend, wrapped up warm, eating warm comforting food and having a hot drink after!
The prices are pretty standard for pub meals nowadays. It’s not the cheapest place to eat as a family, so it will be an occasional treat for us. Or maybe a more regular treat for us adults when the kids are at school and we can escape from work!
We liked the decor inside the pub and the bartender was really friendly, making us feel instantly welcome in a pub we had never been to before.
The food was as you’d expect from a pub, not too cheap but also not gourmet. To improve I’d add a side salad to the burger meal and more rice and beans on the burrito wrap instead of so much salsa. On the menu, they need to add an extra vegan tapas plate to the small plates menu (the minimum order is three small plates, but there are only two vegan options, doh!). I’d also add some sort of lunchtime meal deal or better prices to entice more people (and us) in for weekday lunch.
One meal we’re keen to return for is the vegan pizza! They have two choices for vegans and they are stone-baked pizzas which are always appetising.
Would we return? Yes, we would. When we next want a pub lunch in a friendly atmosphere with lots of vegan options for both adults and kids, we know exactly where to go!
Discovering Sailors Arms and their vegan food on OpenTable
We chose the Sailors Arms as we were looking for somewhere new to eat that had lots of tasty vegan options. We wanted some naughty pub grub and used OpenTable to search for restaurants in Newquay that had vegan food.
You can use OpenTable to search in any location such as for restaurants in Cornwall, or you can be more specific and search for a restaurant in an area such as Newquay, and book a table directly from their website. We did book a table, but being out of season in Newquay we didn’t really need to for a Monday lunchtime!
However, if you are visiting Newquay on a busy weekend, during school holidays or during the busy summer season then it’s recommended to book tables at restaurants! One of our favourite restaurants this summer was fully booked for six weeks!
OpenTable lets you see availability, opening hours, photos and menus, so you can decide if the restaurant is right for you. As we are vegan, I searched for vegan food in Newquay which showed us all the options with vegan food, so I didn’t have to trawl through menus to find these myself!
This is how we discovered the Sailors Arms did many vegan options, more than most pubs we have been to! Plus, they have an outdoor seating area overlooking Newquay Bay, so it was perfect to catch the last bit of sunny autumn weather.
Where is Sailors Arms restaurant in Newquay?
If you want to visit Sailors Arms for yourself, then you’ll find it amongst the hustle and bustle of the popular Fore Street in Newquay centre.
The address is 11-17 Fore Street, Newquay, TR7 1HB.
Here’s what Sailors Arms says about their venue:
“Overlooking Towan beach is the Sailor’s Arms; a venue that has been at the heart of Newquay’s community for over 150 years. It is popular with visitors and locals alike and offers a very friendly welcome to all. With a stylish and contemporary interior and a friendly and knowledgeable team, the Sailor’s Arms is the perfect place to visit, whatever the time of day. During the day, this is a family-friendly pub, boasting a menu that caters for every palate.
Head to the suntrap terrace and enjoy a refreshing cocktail, pull up a pew inside and gossip with friends over a bottle of wine, or share a platter of delicious treats. Whether you’re looking to hold a midweek working lunch or after a fantastic evening meal, the Sailor’s Arms has something to suit your needs.
A new range of hand-stretched pizzas is available, complemented by an extensive selection of premium draught and craft beer, wine and soft drinks. By night, the Sailor’s Arms transforms into a lively venue. As the lights go down, the music is cranked up and the partying begins.”