Rafferty's Cafe & Wine Bar in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

This is a lovely cosy restaurant with a great atmosphere and owners who care about what they do. I was celebrating my 60th birthday and had scallops to start followed by half a lobster, my husband had pork bites and hake. The presentation was lovely and food cooked to perfection. The wine choice is very good and very reasonably priced. For pudding we shared a Cornish cheese board and husband had a port whilst I had an espresso martini. The night was really enjoyable and we left very happy. This is a gem of a place in St Merryn and I would urge you to try for yourselves.

Amazing food, simple friendly service, and value for money. The steak was absolutely perfect and sauce was exquisite 10/10

We visited Rafferty and had a great meal - we chose the small plates and the presentation and quality of the food was excellent. The staff were welcoming and very polite and pleasant and the restaurant area provided a good atmosphere. We will definitely return if we are in the area again.

Beautiful lemon sole. Relaxed atmosphere and wine menu too We returned for another lovely meal. Lobster this time...and as it was my first time and I don't like lemon 🫤 the chef prepared it with a herb butter and the waitress talked me through how to access the meat...it was delicious

Another great evening at Rafferty’s. Early Saturday evening great food and service. Wheelchair access with 3 generations 31 to 93 years. Happy Days we will return.

We visited early on a Saturday evening the Restaurant is nicely laid out and staff were friendly and welcoming we both opted for the sticky pork belly bites for starter which was amazing ! Then I steak and peppercorn sauce and hubby had the burger both were really good, we did look at the pudding menu but unfortunately there was nothing we wanted the cheesecake was vegan would have been nice to have a regular version , the only other downside is there’s no parking they should come to some agreement with the pub to let customers park for a change

This is a simple restaurant serving great food at good prices. Nice atmosphere with friendly staff. Food preparation is great with perhaps the only negative being sometimes needing more staff to do things quicker.

Absolutely delicious and superb service. Really pleased with our meal and the service. Food was incredibly fresh. Divine service and food we will be back. xx

What a find! I never normally give 5 stars, but I just had to for this restaurant. From the moment we stepped in the service was exceptional from ALL the staff. Welcoming, friendly & relaxed. Then the menu surprised us with the range of food, vegan options and carefully crafted dishes. They very easily and expertly catered for our fussy son, by changing a dish to suit and were knowledgeable about all the dishes. Then the food arrived - every plate tasted beautiful. Bold flavours, but also subtle when needed. As a café owner I know how hard it can be to produce consistent good food, train confident staff and cater for all tastes. I think they nailed it. Next time I'm in Cornwall, I'm going again.

Five adults and four children had two great meals at Raffertys. Service and food were excellent superb many thanks the Edwards family

What a fabulous restaurant. The small plates option is awesome for those who just can’t make up their mind and want a bit of everything. Having said that I had the “Rockpool” which was beautifully tasty (perhaps just add some bread to mop up the lovely sauce). Service was first class. Can’t fault it. Highly recommend.

As a casual drop in experience as a local from 'just down the road' during holiday season, and as a coeliac, this was a refreshingly wonderful encounter. Super friendly landlady, nothing was too much trouble - we sat outside under the arbour with grape vines next to a lovely wood burning stove. Perfect. Lobster on the specials, my favourite so a no brainer, and gluten free onion rings!!!! The chef came out to give me the lobster tools, we met the landlord later (lovely also), and oh, my, the food was delicious. Such a wonderful and wholesome place. Thank you so much for a really beautiful meal and evening!

Fantastic evening out. Staff were pleasant helpful and great fun to be around. Super tasty meal and good wine offerings.

Excellent fresh food in a lovely atmosphere. The best food in St Merryn. Looking forward to returning soon in the summer.

The food was actually very good. Steak was well cooked and tasty. Fish special, Hake, that my wife had also looked good. Well done to the chefs. What let this place down was the service. It was early season and there were only 3/4 table occupied whilst we were there. The staff seemed more interested in talking to each other and with their mates in the bar than actually serving us. It was a real shame. Excellent food let down by poor service.

A very enjoyable meal in a tastefully decorated restaurant, not formal but welcoming and cosy. Baba ganush nice but very garlicky. Can definitely recommend the Rock Pool, the sauce was delicious. To finish we had the cheesecake which was well- balanced:good mixture of sweetness and tartness. The salted caramel tart was very rich and a bit solid, but all in all a very enjoyable meal, and so nice to be able to take the dog.

We went to Rafferty’s whilst on a short break in St Merryn. What a lovely friendly restaurant. Brilliant food and great beer. We will definitely visit again if in the area

This is our go to restaurant, great for steak, great for seafood, caters for everyone. We tend to go 'out of season', but i'm sure it's quality throughout rhe year. Drinks are reasonably priced.

Visited for Sunday lunch and couldn’t fault it. Staff and locals alike were friendly and chatty and the food was outstanding and reasonably priced for the quality and standard. Highly recommend!

Pork belly and chicken wings were excellent. Nice lively vibe for a Friday in February.

Found this gem of a place a couple of years ago. Great steaks and today had one of the best roasts in the area (my other half’s favourite meal). The atmosphere created by the staff from front of house to kitchen is very welcoming. Great banter and laughter. Just how it should be instead of corporate/turn tables quickly places. Well done to Ed and his team. We look forward to seeing you very soon. Nick & Sam

We really enjoyed the amazing food here. Definitely recommend the Rock Pool dish.

Love this place, always our go to restaurant for a great steak or some lovely fish (check out the Rock Pool dish). Service is always very friendly and the wine list is great. We're so confident with Rafferty's that we have recommended it to many friends.

Having pre booked, there were four of us and three dogs. Two selected the hake, one selected the Rafferty’s burger, and one selected the vegetables in hoisin sauce. All food we very good. Staff were very friendly and attentive. The night we chose was as the predicted storm was moving in. We did find the interior of this lovely restaurant a bit on the cool side,that was the only thing we could fault.

Rafferty's Rock Pool wow, Michelin star quality for sure! What a wonderful place, been here a few times, and never had a bad experience, not ever. Prices are extremely reasonable for the quality of food and service. I would highly recommend this restaurant...better visit after going to Rick Stein first, because after you've tasted Rafferty's, you're left wondering if Rick Stein has robbed you! Fantastic with kids and couples alike.

We have a hoilday home in St merryn and we stay in Cornwall most weeks. We have visted raffertys on many occasions and it never disappionts. Great menu, food absolutely spot on, service amazing and you can see the kitchen staff cooking your meal and it was lovely to hear them all chatting and laughing. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting. Would recommend booking welldone eveyone who works there 10/10

From walking in to leaving everyone was welcoming to us and the dog. You can tell when somewhere is truly dog friendly when they bring you a water bowl without being asked and make as much fuss of the dog as they do the humans! Food was excellent and service was second to none. Atmosphere was perfect in the restaurant too. Will definitely go back next time we’re down here.

Go for the rock pool on the menu every time, amazing

After a bit of searching in the Padstow area we came across this gem. Service was top notch, even a bowl of water and a biscuit for our dog. Food was amazing, half a lobster which was cooked to perfection and a steak which again was perfect, can highly recommend Rafferty’s and will certainly return again when we can. Price also very reasonable, stay away from being ripped off in Padstow and come here instead.

This is the first time we have been to Raffertys , but will certainly return. The service was efficient , friendly and helpful. They made us extremely welcome with our small dog. The food was absolutely excellent, especially the fillet steak, which was perfect. The whole vibe is relaxed and cheerful but also efficient and professional. We will be back next time we are in Cornwall .

Great find! Fantastic food and service. They found us a table even though we hadn’t booked. A rare find indeed.

We had the most beautiful meal with excellent service. Would highly recommend Rafferty’s. Our dog was also made welcome with treats and a water bowl at the table! Perfect end to our holiday ☺️

Fabulous food and perfect service. Not cheap but you get what you pay for.

Worst dining experience ever would not recommend very disappointing and expensive

Honestly one of the worst dining experiences I have ever encountered. We were seated in the corner next to the kitchen, next to us was a filthy fridge. We could hear all the kitchen staff talking and how they had forgotten to take off the mushrooms on one of the orders (severe mushroom allergy). I ordered the steak and when it arrived it was the black and burnt. When I reported this to Mr Rafferty, he told me that it was “Chargrilled”. I appreciate this, but it was completely burnt and inedible. I mentioned the dirty fridge, but he simply said we could have moved tables if we had wished. It obviously takes time to sit down and look around before you notice such things. I wanted to offer some constructive comments but he could not have been less interested. A real let down for our last night in Cornwall and very disappointing for our well-meaning comments not to be acknowledged.

Booked weeks in advance and our table wasn’t ready. Waited 45 mins for starters. Rarebit that was burned and wings that were dry. Didn’t eat them and they were immediately taken from the bill. Both had fillet for main. Beautiful meat cooked internally to perfection but the char grilling was either too hot or the grill wasn’t that clean. It was so chargrilled it tasted a bit acrid. The host was a great chap and so busy, probably too busy. I think if everyone else there worked as hard or had as much pride then it would be much better.

Love this place, super food, dog friendly and really welcoming owner and staff. It’s nice to eat well and be welcomed rather than be another sausage in a celebrity chef sausage machine pub

We had an outstanding family meal here. The moment we went in we were made to feel welcome and at home! The staff are first class, the service is impeccable and the food, well, not a clean plate to be seen! The steak seafood and kids meals were delicious! I would also recommend the “snapper rock” (I think it was called) Sauvignon wine! Might I also add my other half struggles with heart burn and the lovely owner/boss recommended a cure, it worked! Honestly nothing is too much trouble for these beautiful people! It’s a 10 from me! Thanks so much for your attentive attitude and amazing food! Xx

Absolutely first class evening meal all round. From the minute we walked in the front door we were greeted by friendly staff and shown to our table in the main restaurant which was airy and light and nicely decorated. The menu is varied with something for everyone and very reasonably priced (as with the drinks also). I had the crispy oysters with clotted cream to start with and I can safely say that was one of the best starters I've ever had! For the main course I had the Rump of Lamb and my wife had the Crusted Hake which were both fabulous. I cannot recommend this place highly enough, if your in the area you've got to give it a go, you wont be disappointed.

My family and I are staying in St Merryn so booked a table for dinner. Whilst I appreciate Saturday evening’s are busy, I expected a better experience for the money we paid. The staff serving us were friendly enough, and our drinks arrived promptly. My husband ordered two starters for his main course, one of which came first, an hour and 20 minutes after we were seated. Three of us shared the cote de boeuf, and two had hake. Our mains arrived nearly two hours after we arrived! Nobody apologised for our wait when the food eventually arrived. We are a family that hates complaining and tend to go to with the flow. The waiter to his credit did come over at one point to ask about the food, but we had only just started eating it. The cote de boeuf was really poor, full of fat, tough and under seasoned. The hake and potatoes were nice, but the sauce had so much garlic in it, it over powered those who ate it (over 10/15 cloves in each dish). We asked that the remains of the beef be boxed up for our dogs, because there was so much left and I hate waste. After paying the bill, we asked for the doggy bag, to be told it had gone in the bin! Whilst the waiter was really apologetic, we were really disappointed with the whole experience. A real shame because we would have dined again during the remainder of our holiday.

Our favourite restaurant , always visit at least once , and often more , when we are down here . Lovely food at reasonable prices , lots of freshly caught fish on menu . Recommend anyone to visit whilst in Padstow area .

First visit here will definitely return. Service fantastic , food fab, 2 couples I had haddock with Mediterranean vegetables Absoloutely gorgeous other members of party had lamb, sirloin and seafood rockpool, really good wine list as well and all reasonable

Great welcome for us & our little dog. atmosphere. Amazing food. Just a really good restaurant & bar with happy people.

The food and service are brilliant, our waiter couldn't do enough for us and very kindly brought out our birthday cake for my grandson. We will definitely return

Food was nice and freshly cooked but where we were seated was very disappointing. Sitting in a corner close to the kitchen not a problem but, eating our meal and having staff scrapping the leftovers of others meals into a black bin(no lid) next to...

Great food and service, generous servings (maybe too generous) and no pressure to move on.

Called in on the off chance to see if we could get a table, we were told there would be a 40 minute wait so had a drink at the bar. It was well worth the wait the food was delicious we will definitely re visit but will book in advance next time

Really pleasant place. Great ambience with lovely staff, grub and music. Very enjoyable. Accessible for me and my mobility scooter with no fuss or difficulty (small drop down as you enter but nothing too difficult). Good disabled loos. Recommended.

We absolutely adore Rafferty’s- having discovered it last summer we made sure we pre booked for two diff dinner dates for our recent visit. Brilliant attentive prompt service, friendly vibe and stunning food. Definitely a firm favourite of ours now. The surf and turf is...

What a great place ! We were staying just down the road and walked up to Rafferty’s. First impressions, to be brutally honest, weren’t particularly good and we were sat right in front of the emergency exit in the front section of the restaurant; not...

Brilliant friendly atmosphere,service beyond compare!

Good food but the owner was very aggressive when presented with an issue

We only get to visit this beautiful part of the UK a few times a year but always have a special night at Raffertys and Friday night didn't disappoint 😉

Most of us had a lovely meal all bar one who had black muddy silt in his bowl and a rogue mussel. We alerted the waiter and my friend also spoke to one of the partners on her way home as that ‘one’ person had...

A warm welcome, brilliant service and a menu that is so hard to choose from because it is all so tempting. I went for the 'rock pool' which was absolutely delicious with mussels, longoustine, extra lage crevettes and scallops in a fabulous broth of cider...

From start to finish a great experience. Lovely welcome and straight to our table. Service was good attentive but not OTT. We had Scallops to start which were really good. Well cooked and nicely presented. Main I had the rock pool and my wife the...

If i could give Rafferty's 10 stars i would! We ate out very late last night and Rafferty's very graciously accomodated us..plus little one and our dog. The very lovely waiter we had very nicely brought over a dog bowl with fresh water for our doggo and also a doggy snack. The food was second to none..the scallops were the best i had ever tasted..cooked and marinated to absolute perfection!! The welcome we received, the 10 star service, the atmosphere, and the incredible food..will now be our favourite place to eat when in Cornwall. I just wish we had Rafferty's closer to home😄 Thank you so much Rafferty's..we will be recommending to all⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We were in town for a week and a friend recommended Rafferty’s. We made a reservation and couldn’t have been happier. They have a great wine list that is very reasonably priced and we ordered off the tapas section of the menu. Everything tasted great...

Fantastic, never been before but will definitely be back again. Wonderful staff, delicious food which was beautifully presented and not overly priced like some other well known local restaurants. The drinks menu was just right and some lovely suggestions made. Well done to all the...

Love Rafferty's! It's super cute for date night, the food is always amazing and they have super nice wines too! Can't wait to come back this summer! :)

Really good food and waiter couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful. Only downside was that the place was freezing cold to the point we had to leave coats on.

Wonderful Sunday roast - excellent service, huge and delicious portions.

Arrived to a warm welcome to us and our dog. Food was very tasty and great wine . Would recommend and we will be back for another visit .

Fantastic Sunday roast. Melted in the mouth and huge portions

We had a fabulous meal during our stay in St Merryn. We had steaks, scallops and wings and it was all scrummy! The staff were also super friendly. We highly recommend this restaurant.

Had an incredible roast ! By far the best in the area!

Amazing atmosphere and had a great band

The food was exceptional, great service even though they were busy and a lovely atmosphere

As the title says … it really was faultless. Gentle ambience, lovely staff, food and drink amazing. Thank you.

Me and my partner visited Rafferty’s last year and it was one of the highlights of our trip having their surf and turf. Unfortunately, this year we couldn’t say the same, it was instead the biggest let down. We booked a table in advance for...

We enjoyed a family meal tonight at Rafferty’s. We had the steak, lemon sole, burger and dirty fries. All were delicious and generous portions. Puddings were good too and the menu was varied, all of which looked good. We took our dog and they could...

Sadly I couldn't eat what I wanted as many things were off the menu due to unexpectedly high number of customers at lunchtime. Food I did have was excellent though

Rafferty's was so good we ate here twice on our short break. Food was exceptional. We had the rockpool and steak. Service was spot on. Value for money was excellent especially when compared to some of the overpriced named restaurants in the area. Do yourselves...

Food was excellent- I particularly enjoyed the crispy belly pork bites! Fish was well cooked and seasoned. Service was attentive enough. My only grumble would be that we were sat out of the way in something of a corridor; I appreciate they’re just making the...

Lost count of how many times we have enjoyed a meal here as we are never disappointed. Bought our friends and they loved it too. Highly recommend saving space for the Churros!

Just had the most amazing meal here. Rock pool on the menu is the go to. Fantastic, cannot wax lyrical enough, well done team great experience. 👍

We loved this place, the food was definitely the best we had in the 2 weeks holiday. Cooked to perfection and fantastic flavours. So good we went back!

Visited for the first time and we will definitely be returning, service was fantastic, food was amazing especially the surf and turf main. Wine menu was really good. All very well priced, the venue is small but plenty of space to relax and enjoy your...

Went as a family with our daughter and our four legged doggie little girl. (Most restaurants in Cornwall accepting well behaved dogs on a lead which is great for us dog lovers) Friendly, relaxed atmosphere, yet efficient service. Food was good, and priced very reasonable.

My partner and I were recommended Raffertys by my uncle and auntie who have been there a few times. Nice and modern with a friendly welcome, the menu looked really good with a selection of delicious veg, fish and meat dishes. We decided to go...

Great food. Kids menu. Dog friendly. Great service. Felt a bit special but very unstuffy. Fab experience all round. 👍

Fantastic food and great service. Took my parents there whilst on holiday, and before we'd even finished our meal we booked in again for the following week. Lovely wine selection as well! Also our well behaved dog was welcome which was a big plus for us

We were really excited after seeing the review but sadly were a little bit disappointed. The Main thing that let it down was the service, we were booked for 545 so at the time of eating there were only 8 other diners. It was all...

Visited Raffertys whilst on holiday, very welcoming and fantastic food and service. We had also visited Rick Steins in Padstow and have to say this beats them hands down. Better service and much tastier food. Will definitely visit again

We visited Rafferty’s for the first time this year today and the food and service were fantastic. Friendly welcoming staff greeted us on arrival and cold drinks were very quickly brought to the table whilst we perused the menu. The food was perfectly cooked, generous...

The food was incredible - the best steak and lobster I've ever had. The staff were fantastic, really welcoming and attentive. Lovely atmosphere - can't recommend enough!

Had a super meal here last week. Excellent food and lovely wines at reasonable prices. My daughter ordered a steak to be cooked “bleu” and that’s how it came. Much more expensive restaurants have failed to deliver on this. It always comes rare but bleu...

Amazing food, lovely attentive staff and great atmosphere

We recently camped near St Merryn for 11 days, just a short walk away we found Rafferty’s, what a little gem. We enjoyed a fish dish called Rock Pool with mussels, scallops, prawns and langoustine, absolutely delicious. We were so impressed we booked again for...

Excellent service and food. Pricey puds.

Firstly we were seated in what felt like a corridor- next to a boisterous golden retriever being fed titbits by its owners. After asking if another table was available, we were (it felt) begrudgingly moved. Houmous starter was ok although ratio of houmous to flatbread...

Wonderful warm welcome to us both and our little cavapoo Poppy. Straight away Poppy had a bowl of water and treats. The service was spot on, attentive and nothing was too much trouble. The food was superb we can’t rate it highly enough. We would...

Great food. Relaxed service. Good Guinness. Thoroughly enjoyable atmosphere without trying to hard👍

Booked for dinner and arrived a little early and staff treated us like it was the biggest inconvenience being 10-15mimutes early. (I'd understand if we had to wait for a table relay, but they were almost empty) Drinks took a while, and weren't that great-...

Genuinely incredible experience! We arrived without a booking and were seated without any issues, the waiting staff are incredibly friendly and were on top of all our needs. The food was absolutely stunning, will be returning here and adding to the favourites!

A very pleasant evening with good food, good wine and a good chance that we'll be coming back,truth is we've already booked, overall a very pleasant experience!

We booked for a meal on our last night and were not disappointed at all. The food was very nice and a very good selection of drinks. Staff were very helpful and polite. One of the reasons we booked was the fact there was live...

Excellent service, lovely food, what not to like

We ate here last night as a family & arrived at 6.35pm. Orders were taken after 20mins & starters arrived not too long after but felt longer than usual for starters but the main issue was the wait for mains which was was around 40mins...

Easily the best food in the area. Stein's is terrible by comparison. Staff are all lovely and management couldn't do more for us! Well done Kate!