Short answer: Don't eat fish and chips in St Austell town centre — drive the two miles to Charlestown harbour instead. The Rashleigh Arms and The Boathouse both sit by the tall ships, and Par Market's Jacks does a good cheap version on its three opening days.
St Austell is a working town rather than a seaside one, and its town centre reflects that. The good news is that a genuine historic harbour sits two miles away.
Charlestown is a preserved Georgian harbour with tall ships moored in it — the setting alone justifies the short drive, and the food follows. It's where locals take visitors.
A large gastropub two minutes from the harbour with an extensive menu and a big outdoor seating area — dog-friendly throughout, and reliable with a mixed group.
A light, airy restaurant with genuinely excellent seafood sharers alongside the standard options — dog-friendly, with a varied enough menu to suit people who don't want fish.
If value matters more than setting, Jacks Fish and Chips inside Par Market does a genuinely good cheap version — but note the market only opens Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
The harbour wall at Charlestown, with the tall ships in front of you, is a genuinely memorable spot for something as ordinary as fish and chips.
Charlestown sits close enough to both the Eden Project and Heligan that it works naturally as the lunch or dinner stop either side of a bigger day out.
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