Ruth’s Bakery & Cafe in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Friendly staff and absolutely amazing pasties

It was a cold, windy and occasionally wet Monday morning about 10am and we were in Helston as a stop off on a coach trip. Most of the shops on the Main Street were closed or not very interesting to us. We couldn’t find a decent coffee shop open and began to walk back to our coach when we noticed Ruth’s cafe just opening up. What a find! The lady owner made us very welcome and we had our drinks - Green tea for husband and the most amazing Hot Chocolate for me. Thank you Ruth you made our visit that much better. Apparently Monday is the day many businesses don’t open in Helston and Saturdays are quiet too.

I wanted a simple chicken and mushroom traditional pastie. But it seems everything now has to do something extra. Bought a standard instead, which was smaller than expected and more expensive than expected.

My 1st call on way to campsite! Love these pasties Friendly staff

I highly recommend this Tea Room. The menu is good and the food delicious - served by friendly and welcoming staff. We eat there regularly and always leave happy!

Best pasties in all of Cornwall FACT

Great pasty, love the cheese and veg, always get them for the coast path walks

Had a beautiful flakey pastry pasty, recommend.

Best Cornish pasties around. Cheerful, efficient, hard-working staff. Highly recommended.

Plenty of filling but far too much salt.

Over rated , they're ok but there's alot better around here

Love Philps pasties! Proper job!

Never open. It's Saturday 12th Msrch, the sign on the door says it should be open now, but it's not.

Every time we go here we are impressed, nothing fancy just good fresh, tasty food. Homemade cakes are delicious either to eat in or take away. Service is friendly and quick. They are willing to provide changes to the menu food if possible. Would certainly recommend and will be returning.

Very very salty cheese and veg pasty. The pastry was good. The service not so good. I found the lady at the till was rude.

The pasty are lush but everytime I go I can't resist the salad boxes 😋 and the brownies are amazing 2

Omg the Christmas Vegan Pasty was the best ever. Thank you Philps Bakery 😍

Lovely homemade reasonable snacks & hot food. Small area, but covid measures in place, very clean & hygienic. The food is very good, good selection , friendly staff. It’s popular so may have to wait for a table, but a nice place to go when in town.

A lovely little tea room with a lovely menu, good food very reasonable priced. We had some iced coffees which we absolutely delicious, a teacake and a slice of lemon drizzle and it was definitely worth the stop. If you are looking for a little local tea room with good food this is the place to visit

As a cornishman my favourite pasty shop in Cornwall get a flaky steak if they have any left 😋

My second favourite Pasty bakers. Always top quality

Bought 1 to eat and 10 frozen to take away. Just tje best!

Excellent pasties! Fabulous marketing pictures. Vegans catered for.

Great pasties. Bought to eat on the way home and very nice flavour and perfect pastry.

Nice helpful staff, good pasties 👌

Bought 2 medium Sized chicken pasties. Freshly locally made and Delicious

Friendly staff and good prices, it won't ever replace the horse and jockey pasties but I can't really complain with what's there. Decent sized pasties at good prices.

I was attending a course with others in helston, and decided to visit for a hot lunch. We had only half an hour for lunch, however had to wait 40 minutes for ready heated jacket potatoes and some tomato pasta. Throughout this wait we asked several times how long the food would be to be told it will be ready when it’s ready by the chef despite saying we were on a tight schedule. We appreciated that it was lunch however people had walked in after us and had been served before a take away order. However, the food was lovely.

Fantastic eating and food experience.

Actually rather disappointing - sorry

Can't go to Cornwall without having a proper pasty or have them sent home for a family party like us.

Pasties too peppery and not enough meat in the chicken ones 3 pieces is not enough.

Such a selection of pasties, and they taste so nice

Very friendly staff and the food is amazing will definitely be going back next time we are in Cornwall 😊

Simply wonderful pasties. We had a steak one which must have contained at least half a cow! Fabulous!

Sadly this is no where near the standard set by the previous owners of the Horse and Jockey. This is just mass produced fayre designed to exploit tourists. Avoid

The first thing to say about Helston, is that its not that big, but packed full of tourist-focused eatery's. This unfortunately includes the chains, but avoid those and find something local - like Ruth's. Secondly, Ruth's is a real bakery - part onsite, part bought in, but its real. This means staff who know their product, so its pretty hard to buy something you won't like. The cafe to the rear has its own additional dedictaed staff, who offer table service with a friendly local smile. Decor is quaint, but well kept and clean. Coffee is good, and very reassuringly hot! Avoid the chain's and find something local and real - this is for those who like bakery-style coffee shops, as opposed to cafe's.

Sorry but I don’t like the pasties but the sandwiches are ok

Best Cornish pasties in Cornwall

Went in here for a coffee, then saw the cakes and had a slice each. They were both large & delicious, and only £1.70 per slice. Ladies serving were efficient and friendly. Will definitely visit again.

Ive reviewed Philps pasties before, and the ones from Hayle are brilliant and quite frankly the best in cornwal. However the ones from Helston are terrible, undercooked, pastry is dougey in side but hard and crunchy outside almost like like they have been cooked on too hot a temperature. First time I went I thought it was because they was new, second time I thought I won't bother again, then today my wife bought me one, and I decided Philps Helston never again. From now on I will be loyal to Philps Hayle which for me is still the best.😋

Horse and jockey were better. Mince pasties??

I never not an pasty because the customer service is so poor waited 5 minutes and then the ladies serve others people that was in the queue for less time than me ended up going to another shop in Helston where the customer service was very good and helpful ended up spenting more than £50 sorry your lost I will be going back to Warren's in future and telling others about your poor customer service

We got the flaky and shortcrust pasties and omg awesome...plus we got the caramel flat cake with carrot cake and another omg!!! Large portions and wonderful flavours. Awesome

Excellent service from friendly staff..always prepared to go the extra to ensure you get what is required...fresh and enjoyable local baked food..keep it going.

Best and biggest pasties in Flora Day.

partly "hidden" behind the shop front is this little cafe with excellent food and home made cakes...my friend had just come out of hospital after a stomach op and was a bit fussy about her food but they didnt mind jiggling the menu aroundto suit r her and it was excellent and such a good price

visited helston whilst on holiday in cornwall. We were looking for something to eat for lunch and by chance we found Ruths Bakery & cafe. We were plesently surprised by the food and the prices. My husband had sausage egg and chips, The sausage was so big that it had to be cut in half to fit on the plate. , I had a burger, which had bacon cheese relish tomato on it was served with crisps,and coleslaw. It was a real plateful, I didnt know where to start. For dessert we had a banana long boat, which had banana with ice cream, cream, chopped nuts, chocolate and strawberry sauce and cherries, and for £2.50 it was supurb value. The main meals were around £5.00 each. I would thoroughly recommend eating here, and if we are ever in the area again we will revisit

We have eaten here before and chose it again.Its a narrow building going back a long way with typically Cornish improvision , like the toilet out side in a narrow alley. But, its all there and all works. Our tea came with all the thing you might expect and was soon joined by our sandwiches.Unfortunately, we found the bread very dry and the filling, coronation chicken, did not appeal as a favourite item should. Having both chosen the same, we could not swap either.hence, we left disappointed and a little hungry. So, dry bread, from a bakery shop? I don't remember that being our previous experience so hope this was a one off disappointment . Judging from the number of very happt customers, it was.

Fantastic pasties. Best in the area, The standard is Huge. I like the shortcuts skirt. Also do flakes, chick plus different sizes. Highly recommended.

We had two hot chocolates here. The café is at the back so you cannot see what it is like until you have committed yourself. The staff were friendly and the service was quick. The drinks were fine but I felt that the mats were a little greasy so I don't think I would have fancied eating there very much. Also, there were no windows so it was rather dark. Also, you had to stand up and pay (and wait). It was fine but I wouldn't go back as there are other cafes which look more inviting elsewhere in the town.

Lovely pasties and filled rolls made to order!

Best Cheese pasty for me, best steak pasty for him.... the danish are to die for and cakes and filled rolls are amazing too.

Best pasties around. Cheese topped baps aren't bad, either.

You can never go wrong with a whopping great big Cornish pasty from Horse & Jockey

A great selection of filled rolls freshly made to order and the pasties are the best in Cornwall.

Fantastic value and excellent food. Highly recommended. Friendly staff.will definitely use again. A real little gem found by mistake, so not all mistakes prove costly. Very clean.

Best pasty in Cornwall and yummy brownies

Pasties are super tasty. Staff very friendly.

Hidden behind the cake/ sugar decorating shop is delicious home cooked food tearoom Ruth's We ordered cheese & mushroom omelettes with fries, it was nicely presented with a good salad by friendly staff.

Best pasties around. Proper sizes too!

A marvellous family run tea shop, the best! Cakes are baked on the premises and there is such a choice. Handy to use the shop area too for own baking bits.

Good old fashioned cafe, excellent fresh cooked food, reasonably priced, served quickly,my only criticism, although the locals got a cheery happy friendly welcome, sadly, I didn't feel this, without any words of welcome the waitress stood over us with her notepad the moment we sat down, we barely looked at the menu, when the food was brought to the table, it was dropped in front of us with barely a word, my wife felt most unwelcome and went outside leaving me to pay. Shame really, we loved the food, it was amazing, but we won't go back, well go where we feel we're wanted.

Always a pleasant visit ,great food with Tony at the helm in the kitchen,ally a staff friendly a work hard to please customers old and new

You can't come all the way to Helston without conducting a pilgrimage to and buying at least one pasty from the Horse & Jockey! Quite simply one of the best.

A great little cafe for a quiet chat, serving delicious cakes & various lunch options, great take-away food, super friendly service, would highly recommend.

A homely and wonderful cafe with great staff and properly cooked good food served with a smile we made a few requests as to menu changes which were no issue which is rare and pleasant to find. All the meals were enjoyed and appreciated!

Really lovely! Have the best cake. It goes right back, and has lots of room for customers to sit, even a few prams. The shop area also has lots of space, and the staff are so nice. They always have a smile on their faces. Great prices for amazing food and cakes! Big portions, too!

4 of us popped in here for a light lunch. The panini so, toasted sandwiches and pulled pork baguettes were piping hot and delicious.Good value too.

Lovely atmosphere. Food was good. Lovely cake selection. Staff attentive but not pushy. Comfortable, clean and relaxed. Thank you.

an old style cafe at the back of the bakery but well worth a visit. the cakes are yummy. real home baking stuff. did not have food, other than tea and cake but it all looked good and a reasonable price.

This little cafe stood out this Tuesday afternoon merely by bring open, when so many more august establishments, including restaurants and wine bars remained steadfastly shut. Perhaps they know they cannot compete with the quality of the hone cooking here if my steak burger with cheese garnished with tomato slice and gherkin melting onto some crisps with coleslaw on the side was anything to go by. My wife was similarly impressed by her bacon sandwich. Pastas and jacket potatoes are also available.

We visited Ruth's Teashop yesterday, and the lunch was good. Staff very welcoming and friendly. Prices very reasonable. Would go back again!

We have been using this Cafe for many years! Fast service with a smile! Good lunch Menu and huge slices of Cake made on the premises! Brilliant Sarnies Etc to take away! A credit to the owners!