Carn Vean Cafe in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Thoroughly enjoyed our second visit to Carn Vean during our week long stay on St Mary's. Definitely recommend it as a great spot whether you're visiting the beach or en route around the island.

Absolutely 💯 amazing food. The open toasties are loaded with your chosen topping. The cakes are delicious and the staff so friendly. All this in a most beautiful setting. We visited 3 times in 5 days so must be good.

Missed out on a crab sandwich but still enjoyed Brie and Cranberry sandwich, cakes looked lovely but no room left for one. Friendly staff

Came across this cafe whilst walking the coast path. We sat in the beautiful peaceful garden as it was the most lovely sunny day. The food was excellent especially the scones with jam and clotted cream - delicious! The ladies who served us were very friendly and welcoming. We hope to return when visiting St Mary’s again in the future.

We can not come to Isle of Scilly without visiting Carn Vean Cafe. We are always greated with the warmest welcome fron Ann and her team, and the food is just amazing. There is a large outdoor seating area so you can enjoy the glorious sunshine whilst having a bite to eat. Today we had a late lunch which consisted of sandwiches and jacket potatoes, followed by cake and cream tea. There is always room for cake, especially here where you are spoilt for choice. Feeding the birds the crumbs is also a highlight for the children as they are so tame, they will literally eat out of your hand. There is a wide selection of cold drinks/ beers and ciders too, which is a big hit after you have been on Pelistry Beach enjoying the sunshine. This is by far the best cafe on the island and believe me we have tried them all. This is the one that stands out and the one we always want to visit when we come to IOS.

We always look forward to our lunches at Carn Vean where the warmest welcome, the best food and the friendliest, most efficient service are guaranteed. The menu caters for all tastes; the food is delicious and well presented using the freshest ingredients. The cakes are excellent and a wide range of flavours of St.Agnes ice-cream is available. The cafe is in a very pretty setting close to Pelistry beach for excellent swimming. A must if you are visiting St. Mary’s.

After two weeks of visiting the cafes of Scilly for Lunch it has become obvious that the best crab sandwiches and location to eat at lunchtime on any island is Carn Vean. This establishment wins on both quantity and quality. With great bread, well picked crab meat and a generous salad. The crab is not packed out with salad cream or anything else. Is always super fresh. And in my case served with a bottle of St Austel Proper job is just the perfect lunch break on St Mary’s with the perfect walk back either by road or coastal path, long enough to feel that lunch is well deserved. A guilt free extravagance that I highly recommend.

I was on the Island Rover Minibus tour which calls in at the cafe. It is a lovely setting on a quiet road in the north of the island surrounded by trees, hedges and fields. They even have their own chickens. There was an excellent selection of homemade cakes and tray bakes - we were spoilt for choice. There is a is plenty of outside seating in the gardens and this is a lovely place to drop out on a sunny day.

We loved our first ever trip to Carn Vean cafe. Gorgeous setting and amazing food and drinks. Highly recommend the crab sandwiches - but make sure you ring ahead to reserve one to avoid disappointment! We will definitely be coming back :)

A lovely place for lunch, a good menu served by a friendly team. They have a lovely garden to enjoy what in our opinion is the best lunch stop on the island. I can certainly recommend the crab sandwich, this never disappoints.

We wanted to visit on your last day to say thank you for all the lovely food this year. There’s always a warm welcome from Ann, Lee and the rest of the fab team and the cafe garden looks beautiful as ever. Hope you all enjoy a good break after looking after so many people so well all season. Thank you X

A visit to the islands isn't complete without calling in here. Always a warm welcome, friendly service and excellent choice. Perfectly located for a midway stop on a walk around this end of St. Mary's. Looking forward to calling in again next time.

We arrived at the cafe at 4.10m to find it closed despite being advertised as being open till 5 with last orders at 4.45. Given the cafe is quite a long way from anywhere else, this was annoying, However not only was the cafe closed but the gate - luckily fairly substantial - was being guarded by a large and aggressive Rottweiller type dog jumping up, growling, and trying to poke its muzzle through the gate as we approached. A cafe that feels the need to threaten its customers - no, I don’t think we’ll be back here.

Loved this cafe for years but the last couple of visits have been disappointing. Not much choice on the days I've been in. Tried the 'home made organic soup' which wasn't nice and a few sandwiches with a bit of salad isn't worth the prices they are charging. Staff uninterested. Am amazed at the good reviews. Maybe people are so hungry by the time they've walked here that anything looks good!

Great birthday treat for lunch, thank you. Even on a wet and windy day, Carn Vean is a lovely place to visit, with seating indoors or under shelter in the garden. Love it here xx

A delightful spot for a cup of tea and delicious gluten free cake. Definitely worth a stop. Large garden with plenty of seating.

Lovely stop off for tea n cake. Tasty. Good service. Reasonable price. Lovely settings and garden. Friendly staff

Had two lovely visits during our week away. Lovely cream tea made all the more enjoyable by the friendly sparrows who will eat from your hand. Even better, I bought some plants from their shop.

For lunch today, I had the most sublime crab sandwich. Served with a generous salad, the sandwich was well filled with the tastiest white crab meat - absolutely delicious. Undoubtedly the best crab sandwich I have had.

Well worth a stop. Lovely cream tea, scones still warm, delicious banana and blueberry cake, peaceful setting. The value was excellent, the service prompt, everything was clean and tidy. What more could one want.

Carn Vean is a fabulous place for lunch. Great menu, lots of choice, everything freshly prepared, great value for money and a proper plateful. Delicious choice of cakes and ice cream as well. Brilliant staff, friendly welcome, spotlessly clean and beautiful garden to sit in and relax. Love this place.

Lovely peaceful spot for lunch or a cream tea. Very friendly staff. We took a taxi there for our very generous lunches of cheese ploughman’s and tuna mayo salad. Also paid a further surprise visit for a delicious cream tea as part of the Island Rover bus tour. Lovely gardens with birds and beautiful views just outside.

The loveliest place for tea and cake, the whole team is so welcoming and friendly. The cakes are delicious and the drinks are super. The tea garden is beautiful with chickens and birds on the way in and lovely flowers surrounding the garden. Excellent cafe and excellent staff

Very welcoming Delicious crab sandwich fantastic service. Such a beautiful garden to sit in. Good value for money. Would definitely recommend a visit

Great spot to stop at when visiting Pelistry beach. We left our bikes here, walked down to the beach and back here for morning coffee and cake. Really friendly and helpful staff, lovely coffee, great chocolate brownie. The gardens are a lovely place to sit and enjoy a coffee or light lunch.

Always loved coming to this place but the prices are absolutely ludicrous now for what you get. We ordered a basic cheese ploughman’s which came in at £16 and I’m afraid absolutely no chance was what was presented anywhere near justifying that price. The jacket...

Carn Vean continues to be the best cafe on the island, close to the beautiful Pelistry beach. Set in a wonderfully well kept garden with an abundance of flowers, visitors receive a warm welcome, efficient service and excellent food. The pasties, ice creams and cakes...

A lovely cafe, with good food, and very friendly. The location is outstanding and a brilliant place to stop for a break if you are walking around the island.

I’m not sure where to start this review, the warm kind friendly welcoming staff ? No, the perfect location half way point on your costal walk ? No, the delicious generously filled fresh sandwiches with super fresh salad (with extra onion on request, thank you)...

Best cream tea on the islands. Friendly, family run business. Attractive, sheltered gardens near beautiful beaches.

This is a lovely spot and the only cafe on this side of the island. We’ve been lots of times in the past and it was always an enjoyable visit. Things have changed, however and it now feels very much like a reduced service and...

Rented a buggy to tour the island. Stopped here for coffee and ended up having cream teas. Lovely little pagodas to sit under in the garden. Beautiful flowers and very pretty. Scones were lovely.

What a way to spend a Sunday lunchtime. Beautiful location, fantastic crab sandwiches, coffee and cake. Great hosts and set us up for an afternoon on the beach and a scenic walk back to Hugh Town.

Lovely lunch, lovely setting, lovely staff. What more could you ask for? Thank you all (my scone in particular was gorgeous).

Having read a disappointing review we were reluctant to go but as we walked past we decided to call a fora cup of tea it was served very quickly by a very pleasant young lady we then went on to order a salad each mine...

Lovely sunny day, beautiful garden and great food. Staff were efficient and helpfull and allowed us to leave our buggy for a couple of hours while we went to the beach. This was one of the highlights of our holiday on St Mary's.

Ideal spot, wonderful food, superb service - and catching up with Ann is always a delight. Once tried, forever in the memory.

Came across this cafe on a long walk, what a disappointment. ‘Fresh’ Coffee- more expensive than the town was delivered with the press of a button. Small limp selection of cling filmed cake in a large empty fridge - the smallest slices I’ve ever seen...

Lovely friendly cafe, really enjoyed sitting in the garden with our cream tea watching the birds waiting for crumbs. 10/10 scones, so nice we had 3 cream teas during our weeks stay.

We absolutely love this cafe, we go to it every time we go to the Scillys. The food is lovely as are the staff, especially Ann who owns it. She's such a kind and caring lady.

Our first visit to Carn Vean this year and the gardens look as beautiful as always. Such a lovely welcoming atmosphere and great to see it so busy when it’s only just opened for the season. I had a brie and cranberry sandwich and asked...

Not our first visit to Carn Vean, but it's been a little while, so very pleased to say it's every bit as good as it was. Lovely cakes, including a good selection of gluten-free, a big pot of tea and beautiful surroundings. Just great!

Visited today, 14/8/22, and throughly enjoyed a Gluten free open toasted sandwich with my wife. Smashing filling and a greengrocers side salad. The lovely lady who served me advised that Gluten-free Lemon meringue pie or Cheese cake were also available. After a 2 hour costal...

The scones with the cream tea were the best scones we have tasted on the scillies. You always get an amazing filling cream tea and is a must to visit.

Yet another lovely lunch at Carn Vean. Simple menu served well (with lots of amazing cakes too). And a lovely Crab sandwich special. Never let’s you down.

This is a lovely cafe with a beautiful garden and fabulous crab sandwiches. I shall definitely look forward to visiting again.

It is always a pleasure to dine at Carn Vean Cafe - delicious food with hearty portions, beautiful gardens and very friendly and efficient service. We love it there and can’t wait to return next year. And thank you for moving the ice cream cabinet...

Another lovely visit! Always on my children’s must-do list as their favourite Cafe! Loads of room in the garden (shade when hot), wide menu, very tasty food, generous portions and a welcoming reception. Well done team!

What a fantastic place for lunch, well worth a stop on your coastal walk. Prawn salad 😋is my favourite my husband always as enjoys the crab sandwich 🥪hand picked by Lee daily . Run by a lovely family. Only sorry we only made one visit...

I cannot praise this place enough. The pasties are delicious, the crab sandwich is incredible. The cakes are amazing and the service is exceptionally friendly. It’s far out but the fact that it is crowded tells you everything you need to know.

Once again Ann and her team made us feel very welcome. The choice of excellent sandwiches made by Lee are superb and good value for money. The service was quick and friendly. I recommend this place whole heartedly.

Have been going Carn Vean while on holiday for a number of years now and it never disappoints. Beautiful location and amazing gardens. The food is freshly prepared and delicious. And to meet up with the lovely Ann again is a added bonus. Highly recommended.

A family favourite we always make a bee line for. Great environment and lovely lunches and cakes to die for - all served by the amazing Ann and her team. - must do on Scilly!

There's a lot to love about Carn Vean team room. Fabulous service, fantastic gardens, and the best coffee on the island, make this an essential stop if you're visiting near Pelistry or Watermill Cove.

Stopped with my family following a walk from Hugh Town around “The Bar” and Pellistry bay in need of some sustenance. Everybody in the group delighted with their cake, ice cream and beverages, but, personally, I couldn’t walk away without thanking the staff for the...

We visited for a fantastic lunch on our way around the islands. The open toastie was very filling and service was very efficient. My only surprise was at paying £3.75 for 1 small tub of Troytown ice cream which seemed more than elsewhere on the...

Our second to Carn Vean this trip and as always, wonderful! The staff are friendly and efficient. The setting is really relaxed and the food, tasty and well presented. The most charming part of most outdoor eating on Scilly is the sparrows. They never disappoint...

We have been to these wonderful islands for the last 7 years and have to say we make a point of visiting this this lovely cafe nearly everyday of our stay, the food is always brilliant and plentiful and is always busy there….. the staff...

If I could give more than 5 stars then I would. Staff are absolutely wonderful, friendly and very welcoming. Food is delicious, I had the crab sandwich and the crab is fresh and the sandwich was fully packed with crab meat, it came with a...

There are several places to eat on St Mary’s but Carn Vean is the best for a crab sandwich followed by a slice of carrot cake. Lovely location, friendly owner and good staff always make our visits something to remember. Looking forward to our next...

Terrible £14 crab sandwich! Dry white meat only and very little of it. Cheap sliced ‘factory’ bread, 1970’s salad (iceberg, cheap tomatoes and cucumber) and totally tasteless. Not even a slice of lemon to jazz it up. First food in Scilly and it really left...

After another yearly visit to the islands we can still say Carn Vean is the best place on the island if you are looking for good quality food in a lovely setting with great staff. It has the best crab sandwiches on the islands along...

Carn Vean continues to be a top favourite. A wide range of savoury and cake desserts but their scones continue to be our favourite ever, anywhere. Eating in the garden amongst the birds and then a stroll down to the beach after eating - very...

We stopped off here for coffee and cake and it was excellent. Anne was lovely as were her staff and gardens. Gorgeous cake

We enjoyed a lovely lunch and ice cream in a beautiful setting. Friendly and helpful staff perfect for a sunny day, quite pricy but worth it.

We stopped for coffee on a breezy & showery day. The garden looked lovely, but the weather forced us indoors into the small cafe. We had to share with a mini-bus full of tourists, so not much space available ! Having said that , the...

Walking round St Mary’s this is a good choice for a lunch stop. Plenty of room to sit outside on a sunny day. Nice range of sandwiches, cakes etc.

Wifey, myself, plus friends C, H & B, paid a visit here on a late Sunday morning with our hired golf buggy. We ordered 2 cream teas, a toasted cheese sandwich & 2 baked potatoes with tuna mayonnaise. The food was absolutely delicious an well...

Another lovely visit. Simple cafe menu, cooked (and served) well. Never let’s you down. And a cheeky path out the back, down to the beach. What’s not to like.

Carn Vean opened on the last day of our spring holiday and was a real treat. We have visited here before and it soon became a favourite for it's service, atmosphere and quality of food. The best just got better, it would appear there are...

We stopped for lunch and even though we had to wait a little which didn't matter, my pea and courgette soup was amazing. The service was also excellent. I think the young man was called Tom, I could be wrong but he was brilliant.

Stopped off here for a bite to eat at lunchtime whilst walking around St Mary’s . There was a long queue to order food . Food is nothing special .

Carn Vean should not be missed when visiting St. Mary’s! A great choice of cakes ( all delicious!), fabulous lunches - crab sandwiches to die for!!- and all accompanied with the freshest of salads! Great service, friendly staff and the most beautiful garden to sit...

We sat outside and ordered salads (prawn salads, and cheese, and ham). We couldn’t have been happier with them. Extremely generous portions and crunchy fresh salad ingredients. Everyone around us seemed very happy with what they had, and I couldn’t help noticing that the scones...

Very disappointing. Two of us went to the counter and each ordered a scone, we were only given one plate, perhaps they were trying to save on the washing up! The scones were tiny, dry with a strong taste of baking powder; could have bought...

This is a great spot for a refreshment break when exploring the island by bike. The orange cake with dark chocolate icing was scrumptious. Perhaps they should share the recipe!

Carn Vean never disappoints. Had a superb lunch and cream tea today. The food is always beautifully presented and fresh. It's the best place for cream teas, cakes and lunches! In my opinion the best on any of the islands

We always visit Carn Vean cafe on our annual trip to the Isles of Scilly but sadly very disappointed today with the cream tea. The scones were heavy and solid and not much jam - and £7.50 was expensive for stale heavy scones. Disappointing as...

Stopped here for refreshments on the way back up from Pelistry. Very pleasant garden surroundings to sit in. Very friendly and efficient staff and absolutely delicious food. The sandwich fillings were extremely generous and the cream tea was lovely.

Lovely friendly cafe with delicious food and a gorgeous setting. We visited for morning coffee but should have stayed all day!

A lovely cafe to stop off at. Found it by accident whilst out cycling. Lovely homemade cakes and good range of snack and sandwich options and also drinks. Excellent service in a lovely garden setting.

We called here on a minibus tour of St. Mary’s. It is served by the island’s bus service. Home made scones and cakes are excellent. Very capable lady who serves groups very efficiently. Well worth a visit if you are on the island.

Fantastic location a really nice atmosphere. Sandwiches come with salad and are good value for money. Staff really pleasant and helpful. One of the best places on Scilly for morning coffee and lunch.

We visitied Cara Vean as part of an organised holiday to Isles of Scilly. We had a lovely Coffee and slice of homemade cake in the garden..Lovely flowers and very pretty garden

Lunch at the Carn Vean is one of the highlights of our annual visit to the Scillies. It never disappoints. Great food and a warm welcome. The tuna sandwiches are a particular favourite :)

The food at Carn Vean is just mouth wateringly delicious with lots of local/ Cornwall products. Good portions and served promptly. A great range of savoury and sweet options. The cream tea is simply the best! The garden is fabulous and just down the colocated...

This was a real find just above the lovely Pelistry Beach. My wife and I were walking the coast path and stopped here for a much needed lunch. Extensive menu, good portions and very tasty food with good service. Who could ask for more.

This is a fantastic, friendly cafe. Run by lovely people. It has adapted well to COVID changing to an outdoor only venue, but having built booths in the garden with roofs to go with the uncovered tables. Great cakes and the best pasties anywhere on...

We have thoroughly enjoyed our lunches at Carn Vean but this year was the best ever. The gardens are looking wonderful and the gazebos are a super addition. Ann and her team greeted us with the warmest welcome and, as always, the food and drink...

Recently visited again after a break last year due to the Pandemic. The Food and Service and surrounding all excellent as always. The Garden looking even better with the addition with some sheltered seating as well as the other Picnic benches. We always look forward...

On a sunny day we stopped at Carn Vean for lunch and took seats in the attractive gardens. The food from the extensive menu looked very good. After queuing for over 15 minutes to give our order, it was clear from other waiting customers there...

Had a lovely bowl of soup with granary bread, jacket potato with cheese and salad, and a piece of chocolate/orange cake. This place never has let me down with their cakes. They have improved the garden area with even more seating.

Great outside space lots of tables. Greeted by very happy friendly lady, Easy ordering. Great crab sarnie! Cold drinks as it was hot. Friendly staff brings your order to the table. Great experience all round.

A great place to have a proper Scilly Cornish Cream Tea. Freindly staff great loos. Covid procedures good. Sensible prices.

Lovely garden, efficient and friendly service, fantastic crab sandwiches and good coffee! It was worth getting away from busy Hugh Town by electric buggy to get to this cafe.

We sat outside on a glorious day and had Cornish brie and cranberry sandwiches, which were delicious! We were enchanted by the sparrows who wanted to share our lunch! The staff were friendly and helpful - thank you!

We called in here twice during our week's visit. The first time we literally stumbled across it while walking round the island, and stopped for a much needed cup of tea and (huge!) piece of cake? We enjoyed the tea and cake so much that...

Really great lunch with the family, the service and food was very good and quick which was great for hungry kids! Great place to stop on a walk or bike ride around the island with lots of outside seating.

After a stunning walk we encountered Carn Vean Cafe, and although following strict COVID guidelines, we were made very welcome and enjoyed a refreshing coffee and home made cakes! The tables around garden are well spaced and a very relaxing environment - thanks.

Both had the ham and cheese Ploughman's and could not fault it it. 3 different cheeses and ham, tasty chutney and pickles. Great service. Working well within the restrictions with new shelters in their pretty garden a short walk from the beach. Reachable by road...