Newquay's nightlife is famous and infamous in equal measure. The town has been a stag-and-hen-do destination for decades, and in high summer the bars along Bank Street and the lower end of Fore Street get loud and chaotic. Outside of July and August it is much calmer.
Tom Thumb on East Street is the best cocktail bar in town — small, well-stocked, and run by people who care about what they pour. The Chy is a big seafront bar with a roof terrace and DJs at the weekend. Sailors and The Walkabout are the classic mass-market venues; come for the atmosphere, not the drinks.
For coffee, Box and Barber on East Street and Beached Lamb near the bus station are both serious about the bean. The Fort Inn on Fore Street is the pick of the traditional pubs, with sea views from its garden and good local ales.