Pilchard Press Alehouse in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

If you like real ale served in a quirky and historic building down a waterfront alleyway then don’t miss this little place. Very enjoyable.

Cosy pub with a great atmosphere in a tucked away location off the seafront. Great selection of beers with friendly, knowledgeable staff.

When this place first opened it felt like stepping back in time. It felt like a makeshift secret hideout with barely any matching furniture, make shift seats and tables, barrels behind the bar with drinks poured directly from the tap. Over the years the place has tidied itself up, which imo has taken away some of its previous charm and quirkiness, but that is very much down to opinion. This is still the best place in town if you want a real cask ale that isnt Doombar or Tribute.

The best secret in St Ives. Friendly pub with excellent beer and other drinks, in an unusual and interesting historical location.

Always pop in here when in St Ives. Great atmosphere, delicious beers and ciders. Friendly staff. Love it.

Very busy strange bar. Visit and make your own mind up.

A truly Proper pub, great beers in a really unique location.

Fantastic pub. Great selection of ales. Very friendly. Toby behind the bar, is extremely knowledgeable, and very friendly. When we're next down from London (Kingston) we'll definitely be making a beeline to the Pilchard

Lovely quaint little pub in an alleyway. Had local beer and enjoyed the atmosphere with the locals

Hidden gem, definitely worth finding for a cozy little pub experience with friendly staff and a great selection of ales and cider

An amazing find down an uninviting alley. Very busy and very popular.

amazing olde worlde pub that serve amazingly kept ales! proper pub!!!

Amazing place, it’s like we stepped back in time, traditional ales and ciders, will definitely go back

A hidden gem.... Literally!.. Up a dirty passageway full of waste bins, barrels and food packaging But worth the experience for great ales, ciders and local gin.... But doesn't open until 4pm. Everytime we went(at 4pm) it was comfortably full by 4.15 (seats around 25 comfortably) Need to keep the door shut in winter as it can get chilly inside.

Excellent little bar, good beer and cider choice and friendly staff, the landlords dog brooke was cute 😊

No messing simple pub with good beer and cider and a friendly welcome.

First time in this lively bar. Meva Key Notes were singing as part of the St. Ives Shanty Fest. Place was rammed and just waiting for entertainment. Audience up close and going for it. Excellent friendly venue. Great range of beers and wonderful staff.

Amazing tiny old pub. Great pilsner on offer.

Great Selection Of Real Ales & Cider ! Great Atmosphere ! Just wish they had other local spirits instead of only Gin !

Barman was super friendly and good selection of craft beers on tap. Great back alley atmosphere.

Great pub, just like they were years ago. It was like turning the clock back years. About 3 ales on ,which were served straight from the cask behind the bar, brilliant. Took a little to find it up a back alley, but well worth the effort.

Well. I will only say. Simple authentic traditional. Keeping the past alive.

Felt I couldn't get to the bar because of bums on bar stools. Needs to be little space for service instead of reaching over people.

A gem. A real gem. Absolutely love the place.

Great choice of well kept ale, well worth seeking out.

Visitors and locals equally welcome, including kids. A friendly atmosphere and a great place to enjoy a relaxing drink, away from the crowds. I had a pint of the Skreach farmhouse cider from Penzance.

Very nice local pub! For being small, very easy to start conversations with other people. Nice staff! Pretty cool!

Brilliant little Micropub in St Ives with a great range of local ales. Worth seeking out

Love this little alehouse! Visit every time we come to St Ives.

Brilliant little bar for anyone looking for something other than the big chain boozers or posh/expensive wine and food places that proliferate in St. Ives. Well recommended.

Small and very busy easily missed

Great little pub. Not easy to find, quirky and small. Cask ales on offer and friendly staff.

This is the only place in St Ives for excellent real ales. They don't serve food but have crisps etc. No music, no WiFi and limited reception so no phones. Perfect place to drink.

The access is daunting, but the pub is great. Exquisite beer selection. Other guests sang a capella shanties with us.

Great micro pub, with friendly staff

Brilliant little pub, love it. If you love beer 🍺 then visit here

It is hands down the best pub! They wer singing in there tonight spontaneously singing old sea folk songs. Brilliant! And the beer goes down well! I recommend the Rhubarb Cider it has a Rhubarb and custard boild sweet after taste 😋 👌. The bar staff are also the best to. Thankyou for a wonderful evening

Lovely beer, great location, nice friendly atmosphere and snug seating

Lovely quaint pub, tucked away serving local beer

Cosy pub with a good atmosphere and a great selection of beers

Always a great selection of cask ales.

A proper pub with friendly people. No fuss enjoyment. Thank you for welcoming a pair of tourists like us, we felt so mixed in during our short visit.

Brilliant....great beers and ciders.

Good selection of beers, quirky surroundings and friendly atmosphere

Absolutely love this cosy little pub. They don't serve rum, but you get rum anywhere.

Great little bar with a good selection of beers. Nice to have a selection of non St Austell beers and not a pint of Doombar in sight!

Lovely little ale house, no frills, great beers and ciders.... and other drinks for the weaklings. Welcoming and knowledgeable staff. A great couple of hours spent here. Prices are fairly typical for St Ives, I dare say they have a grockle and a local price list like everywhere else touristy, it helps them through the winter.... worth a visit

Great if you like Ale and Cider. Really relaxed atmosphere and my dog was welcome. Friendly staff very helpful advising on drinks.

Great old-type pub, great ales and cider and very good atmosphere... Still the same

If you can find your way to the almost-hidden entrance to the Pilchard Press Alehouse, it's a nice, quiet change of pace from the adjacent bustling St Ives strip. Nice selection of cask ales and ciders, reasonably priced, and friendly atmosphere.

Great atmosphere, beer good, there was some lovely a capella songs by a group of really nice singers. We always go in a few times when on holiday 😁

Great pub down a side alley with good atmosphere. Barman was able to offer suggestions for beer/cider.

A brilliant little pub packed with history, ambience and excellent beer.

Lovely and cozy, fun bartenders, very good prices! Definitely would recommend.

Another hidden gem of St Ives....great atmosphere and nice selection of beers and ciders. Not like any other bar in town

Great beers great place for a drink. The only problem is too many barflys stopping you getting your drink. Don't let the photo put you off it's worth the walk.

My husband loves this place it sells all real ales it has a nice atmosphere

Lovely unique bar in a really interesting building.

What a find, knowledgeable staff, great beer, great place. Please find it and try it 👍

Glad we found this awesome bar whilst we were at St Ives during "hot week". Plenty of choice whether its ales or ciders you're after. Friendly, knowledgeable staff and no lager crowds.

Alway friendly staff good quality beers which taste even better with a shanty or 2 from Mr P and Co

Wonderfully charismatic micro-pub with great beer.

Hidden away down an alleyway off the harbour so you need to look for it! When you finally find it it's a brilliant micro pub with a range of local and regional beers and ciders. There's a faux window to the harbour fed by a camera so you can enjoy the view. No food apart from crisps and snacks.

A hidden gem! Friendly staff and no phone signal ! Just like a pub should be

Loved this place. Like going to an oldy worldy pub. Enjoyed the beer and the atmosphere.

Some interesting beers. A bit off the beaten track down an ally behind the bins but gem once you get inside !

Small but quality venue. Great selection of beers etc. Regular guest real ales. Great staff. 👍.

A real hidden gem, small location that's easy to miss but well worth calling in for. Beer changes regularly but you can expect decent cask ales and traditional "Cyders".

Perfectly Cornish little place, can't believe we've not been before. Amazing local ales and friendly staff!

Once again a great place to enjoy a drink at the bar without table only booking ( for one quick pint!? Reasonable prices great atmosphere, please support this Gem in an otherwise overly priced faded resort.

best ale house, not only in town but probably even in this part of the world. No food, no children, yes dogs... the way pubs used to be before they became continental eateries. 🤣

A hidden Cornish gem. Friendly staff, we will return.🤗

So glad we found this hidden gem 💎 a must to try real ale 🍺

Dog friendly, with very interesting chatty drinkers who seemed like locals, and the best welcoming staff :)

Great little bar that is easily missed as it’s down an alleyway. Friendly landlady and a great choice of beer and cider

Don't go, seriously don't go. Too popular already. One of my favourite alehouses in the world, don't spoil it for me by taking all the seats.

Thorougly enjoyed our visit to the pilchard press

It's a lovely place, with the delight being in the staff and the patrons, a good selection of local brews, I honestly don't know of anywhere with a better atmosphere

Small with friendly staff and decent none mainstream beer.

Great little hidey hole pub, but avoid days when the farty dog is visiting. 😂

Brilliant atmosphere for a little ale House, great cider Rhubarb, Firebrand Ale loved by the old chap ,dog friendly completed by locals singing Sea shanties improtu. Loved it

A hidden gem... don't worry about the bin strewn alley access.. persevere and you'll be in for a treat..

Definitely not enough seats lol and no idea where they'd go. Excellent beer and friendly staff.

What a find (eventually!!!) Wonderful little micro bar, full of friendly locals. Friendly and knowledgeable bar staff serving excellent real ales and cider. An absolute gem of a place!!! Check it out!!! They also sell tins of Cornish pilchards-- yummy!!!

Favourite pub in St.Ives. Great atmosphere and great selection of drinks

Lovely tucked away real ale bar friendly staff

It's an alehouse. What's not to like? No music or machines 😎 just good beer hidden down an alleyway that may have been overlooked when St Ives was "prettied up"

Fantastic ever changing selection of drinks sourced from the local areas. Lovely relaxed atmosphere, friendly Bar staff. A must visit if you like your beers.

Excellent beers and friendly service.

Perfect little ale house! Secluded and a great selection of drinks.

Unique. Hard to find but maybe that's what keeps it authentic.

Lovely place and you can test the ales and ciders before you buy

Steeped in history, the Pilchard Press is a must visit in St. Ives especially if you like Real Ale and Cider An almost unique ambience with very knowledgeable and friendly staff. You'll be disappointed if you like Carling Fosters etc but there's plenty of other places to enjoy them

Love this little spot. Good range of beers, friendly staff.

A special quirky little pub .with stone walls inside and a no nonsense place .how a pub should be .a little bit like going into a cave .a great place to get away from the crowds and enjoy a real ale or local cider.

Always love visiting this place. Small chilled place to enjoy a quiet proper beer!

Best pub in St Ives for a few quiet tasty pints. Great cask ales and ciders in a lovely little pub just off the harbour. It's a little tricky to find as the entrance is hidden down an alley between two other establishments

Excellent quiet pub away from the madness.

Brilliant find in the bustle of St Ives

Excellent little micro pub. Four real ales on when I visited and real ciders. All that I tried were excellent. Staff knowledgeable, friendly and very efficient. Really nice relaxed laid back atmosphere.