Favorita brings Mediterranean tapas to Newlyn this month

There’s a new smell drifting along Newlyn’s harbourfront this month, of charred lemon, grilled fish and good bread, coming from a café that has stood quiet for years.

A new home for an old café

Favorita, a new neighbourhood tapas restaurant, opens in Newlyn on Friday 18 September. It’s the work of husband-and-wife team Henry and Laura Russell, built from their years of travelling together, their love of Mediterranean food, and a shared belief in bringing people together around a table.

Favorita is housed in a former café, which Henry and Laura have spent the last few months renovating. They’ve kept some of its informal character, while drawing on the relaxed neighbourhood restaurants and bars the couple have come across on their travels across Europe.

📷Henry and Laura Russell, the couple behind Favorita

Two decades in some of London’s most respected kitchens

Henry brings more than 20 years of experience from some of London’s best-known and most respected kitchens. He has headed up the passes at Moro and Morito, and worked as an innovation chef at Belazu. His cooking is rooted in the food cultures of Spain and the Eastern Mediterranean, built around simple, seasonal ingredients.

From film sets to supper clubs

Laura spent more than 20 years working as a set decorator in film and television before moving into food with Henry. Together they founded Nourished Minds Cookery, working with charities through food and cookery, before developing Favorita Cookery, running cookery holidays and classes across the continent and in the UK. A love of Cornwall eventually brought Henry and Laura to Newlyn, where they decided to put down roots.

Tapas, sherry and records from their own collection

The menu at Favorita draws on the tapas bars of southern Spain and flavours from further round the Mediterranean, including Turkey and Lebanon. It will centre on a short, seasonal collection of small plates, built around the best local produce Henry and Laura can find, including the freshest seafood and fish from Newlyn harbour, just across the road. Expect grilled and fried fish, crispy aubergine, charred meat skewers, fresh flatbreads and vibrant salads running through the menu. The dishes are designed for sharing, whether it’s a quick plate or a long meal with friends.

A selection of wines and sherries will accompany the food, alongside cold Andalusian beer on tap. Music from the couple’s own record collection adds to the homely, laid-back atmosphere they’re hoping to create, for residents and visitors alike, all year round.

Backed by a Penzance Town Deal grant

Favorita has also received a financial grant through the Penzance Town Deal Enterprise Grant scheme, which supports small and medium-sized businesses across Penzance and Newlyn, helping new ventures start and existing ones grow while encouraging new employment and stronger local supply chains. The funding has helped Laura and Henry bring their plans for Favorita to life.

Sarah Shaw of the Penzance Town Deal Enterprise Fund said she was “so excited to see Favorita open its doors in Newlyn.” She called it “exactly the kind of independent small business the Enterprise Grants were designed to support, bringing a new hospitality offering to the area, making use of an existing premises and creating a welcoming place for both local people and visitors.” Sarah added, “It is wonderful to see the investment having such impact, and we wish Laura and Henry every success for their launch and beyond.”

Laura calls Favorita the next chapter for the pair. “Favorita is the next chapter for us and brings together so much of what we love, travelling, cooking, great seasonal produce and a warm welcome,” she said. “Henry missed being in the kitchen and having the freedom to cook and create, while I have been so excited to bring my creative skills into creating the space. We wanted to share the kind of place we have always loved ourselves, and we hope it becomes a valued part of the community.”