Short & Strong Cafe & Deli in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Coffee and cake. Many options for cake and they all looked delicious. Good advice given by staff to help choice!

Nice venue friendly staff bit pricey

Really nice and friendly shop. Well presented and the cakes were Epic!! I drink a lot of coffee and in London am spoilt but I will be back in here when I’m next in Cornwall. #livingthedream

Called in for a light lunch whilst enroute back to Somerset after a short stay in Helston. What a find! Don't miss this place. Perfect in everyway. Thankyou and well done to all. Keith Rudyard

Mushroom sourdough sandwich was delicious.

Good sandwich, coffee a bit cold otherwise a decent choice for a snack.

This is a wonderful place on the quayside of this really interesting quayside village. The menu had the usual breakfast offerings but also something that bit different too. We shared a couple of toasties (1. roasted red peppers, tomatoes and chargrilled courgette with salsa verde 2. Grilled mushrooms, Gouda, roasted tomatoes and aioli) which were delicious. We treated ourselves to one of their brownies for the walk back to Parsands and that was truly amazing - probably helped by the view from Spit beach as the sun glistened on the water as we sat on the rocks. Definitely to be recommended

The coffee here is amazing - exactly as described 'short and strong' and just how I like it! Food is great too, lots of veggie options and delicious. Even the side salad is always very tasty! Dog friendly too which is always a bonus!

We have travelled extensively but both agreed that their coffee was the best we had ever had - ANYWHERE!! Excellent well done!

Beautiful little place on the harbour. Food is absolutely superb and the staff were nice. Considering moving to cornwall just for the ice tea!

Came for a late lunch - nice selection of smaller dishes if you're not in the mood for a full meal. I liked the fact you could add things to the roll to create your own dish. My personal preference is not to have a brioche roll as these were very pappy and tasteless, hence the 4 star review, but everything else was so good, including the cheese scone 'cream' tea (shame they don't include the drink in the price like other places) but the scones were excellent and a great choice. Lovely courtyard so we could make the best of the lovely sunshine, shame about the aggressive and yappy dog but that's not the restaurant's fault

Really enjoyed our visit today. We ordered at the cafe and sat in the cellar. The food was superb, coffee art was amazing.

Lovely bacon bap with the most delicious hash brown bites. Coffee and cake delicious. Highly recommend. Clean toilets

A great coffee shop. Specialty coffee roasted and served well. Great breakfasts. Nice buns (no not like that) and good service.

Solid Cornish breakfast with quality ingredients. Do not miss.

Great location, stylish little business, great staff, fantastic home made cakes and ‘gert lush’ coffee (in my best Bristol)

Fantastic flat white and cappuccino along with a cinnamon bun. Great service and beautiful surroundings. Definitely recommend.

What an absolutely delightful cafe this is! We pencilled in a visit to Charlestown on our Cornwall holiday and we were not dissappinted. I loved the hot chocolate, everyone else LOOOOVED their coffees. I had a delicious cinnamon swirl and some hash brown nuggets, all just cooked to perfection. We wanted to come back here, but we were only visiting for a few days, but we will definetly be coming back at some point!

Very happy with my visit to this lovely cafe. The service was great and the staff create a friendly welcoming atmosphere. Drink and food was enjoyed by everyone. Picture: Matcha latte and blueberry muffin

Really lovely staff, all had a smile on their face, good coffee and wheelchair accessible, what more could you ask? Can't recommend the Buddha Bowl highly enough.

Be sure to order the scones with jam and clotted cream here... unbeatable😁

Delightful service from the staff. Amazing Buddha bowl and the cheese, mushroom and tomato toastie was superb. Highly recommend !

Delicious coffee ☕️ delightful savoury (cheese) cream tea and scone with jam and cream. We sat outside with our dog in a sunny courtyard, but headed for the top corner closest the dog water bowl which allowed shade from the building (umbrellas were available in other tables). Service was prompt and friendly. We devoured the savoury tea before managing a photo. The cheese scones were served warm and melted in your mouth! Delightful! We will return! 🤗

Dog hair found in the food… came here with family for breakfast and found hair in my food - vegan breakfast. Politely and discreetly explained this and was given a replacement only to discover more hair in my coffee and my breakfast again!! Not acceptable to be asked what would I like To do about it is shocking. You will come to be seen and take pics as the venue is alright but the food hygiene (who I will be calling) is not good enough.

This is a Gem! Stumbled across this cafe on a visit to Charlestown and it absolutely exceeded our expectations. The huge fluffy pancakes, made fresh, were absolutely delicious! The service was friendly and welcoming Would definitely recommend a visit

Really Expensive and Extreamly slow, Coffee was cold which took over 20 mins then our cheese toasties over 25 mins later and the place wasn't even busy .. Plenty of staff though why take soo long...

Amazing breakfast in Charles town. I had Avacado toast. Sadly they ran out of Cornish breakfast but my friend had BLAT which was amazing

Always excellent food good coffee and great friendly service. A regular favourite, never disappoints. They even do 'gluten free' option's.

Delicious food, lots of vegan options, great atmosphere. Modern place in the best sense of the word :) Good coffee and even fresh food is available.

Excellent coffee. Beautiful cinnamon bun. Perfect morning stop. Yum.

Great spot, lovely coffee & food! Friendly staff - 10/10!

Had a lovely Oat milk cappuccino while I worked. The staff were lovely and so was the atmosphere and most importantly amazing coffee! Deffo worth a visit!

Great coffee here. Staff very criendly

Well don't bother with the fish and chips for starters. To start with it was fries not chippy chips. The cafe itself has lovely deco and is dog friendly, but over priced.

Great coffee, bacon sandwich and pancakes

We stumbled across this little cafe whilst in the area and were very glad we did. We received a warm and friendly welcome, and the coffee and food were delicious. Being dog friendly was also a bonus!

Nice cafe situated along side the historic quay in Charlestown with plenty of paid for parking nearby. Staff were friendly, cakes yummy and prices reasonable. Seating inside and out, dog friendly too

Can’t recommend highly enough. Great selection of drinks, Long Black I have had in a while. Also recommend the BLAT sandwich - will be back!

The establishment and location of Short & Strong is excellent. The vibe is casual modern and cosy. However the food was average, leaning toward disappointing. Things we tried Tomato soup (5/10): tasted like straight tomato passata. Some herbs/spices would have been great to offset the tomato-y tartness. The accompanying bread was dry and not very good. Buddha Bowl (5/10): visually appealing but lacking in flavor. Roasted red peppers and smashed avocado could use a kick, like lemon/salt/pepper/cilantro. Hummus is also bland. Really disappointing compared to the Buddha bowl at Cosmic Kitchen (Plymouth) Buffalo Mozzarella ciabatta sandwich with almond pesto (7/10): this was probably my favorite out of the three food items we tried. Well balanced flavor from the pesto, and a nice crunch from the toasted ciabatta. Turmeric latte (6/10): nothing notable. Kids special hot chocolate (visually 7/10): gratuitous volume of whipped cream and flake. Upon asking, the barista mentioned that they use bournville hot chocolate powder.

Very disappointed. I came here with my friend as they offer a vegan breakfast. They didn't tell us that they had run out of the sweet potato that goes on the breakfast, so they substituted with an extra mushroom. Neither of us are keen on mushrooms so it didn't get eaten. The tomato was so covered in salt we couldn't eat that either. It appears the kitchen didn't communicate with the waiting staff. An apology was offered when I complained but that was it. Breakfast was £14. That is expensive for the size of the portion. Very small amount of scrambled tofu. It was also pretty cold in there. I won't be going back.

Dropped in for cake and coffee, no indoor seating free which happens, it’s winter who wants to sit in the wind etc…. Ended up sitting outside for cake and coffee, not overly impressed with the service with an attitude, asked for a tray and ended in a “why” discussion which ended in losing napkins and fork while tearing to open a door to the outside benches as it was too much to let me use a tray, hot drinks followed some mins later bitter tasting coffee just a poor experience….

The historical harbour of Charlestown A beautiful sight to behold Sunrises laced in layers of colour The pinks and the blues and the gold Wandering down the Charlestown Road The journeys not too long You can treat yourself with a cake or two From the Cafe named Short and Strong Warm cinnamon buns are to die for And their brownies sure fill a gap Just enough fuel to keep walking For this rusty but fun little chap The staff inside are all friendly With a smile and a greeting we need That human touch that's been missing Warms the soul, so it does, yes indeed For explorers who are weary and tired Or maybe just down on your luck There's free fruit upon the counter So you need not feel that you're stuck Theres benches and tables outside Where you can sit and enjoy the view The tallships, the water and cooing doves The brollies save your cake from a poo I love this treat stop cafe Bulbs all alight, by the sea Maybe its the name drew my in Short and Strong, just like little ol' me

Obviously really wanted to enjoy it here: been here a fair few times before (for coffee, tea and cake) and that was always good. Breakfast however was such a disappointment, nothing worse than when you can prepare a meal much better yourself, then when you’ve paid for an experience/dish (and I’m not a good cook). Both vegan and English Brunch/brekkie were pretty bad, toast was cold, beans were okay, vegan tofu was the smallest portion, mushrooms good, tomato’s weren’t great. Vegan sausages looked pretty sorry for themselves. Partners meat alternative was equally as bad. Smoothie was served in a disposable plastic “compostable” (if not just thrown in the generic rubbish. Which it always is) cup, even though we were sat inside. Plates were plastic or some cheap plate, weren’t a ceramic, staff were nice, atmosphere also nice. Sorry to leave this review, but definitely need to review the brekkie food.

Nice cafe near harbour. Had lunch here several times, food always good. Lots of options including gluten free. Excellent coffee.

Amazing little coffee shop! Highly recommend

Had smashed avocado & feta on gluten free bread - delicious. Coffee also great.

Visit this place this morning to have a breakfast. I had an excellent cornish brunch. Nice place too..

Great vegan breakfast! It was nice to see a place offer more than just an avocado on toast. Coffee was amazing but charging 80p for non-dairy is excessive, especially considering the price of dairy and the popularity and accessibility of non-dairy.

Have been here at least 5 times now. Great cafe in Charlestown, coffees are always great and they have plant milks and other vegan options for food/cakes 🥳

Sat outside, nice food and drinks

The consistency in the Cafe is superb! The coffee is always beautifully made and taste delicious! Especially the Oat Latte’s 😍 Best Cinnamon Bun I’ve had to date ! 🤌🏻

Pretty decent vegan breakfast, the only parts letting it down is that the "eggs" were slightly tasteless and they could do with some black salt and more seasonings. I also personally think that the portion sizes are slightly too small for the price - the beans are delicious and its a shame we didnt get much of them. The coffee and granola was fantastic and extremely tasty. Everything else was really good experience and I highly recommend this place to all vegans. The staff were also really helpful and friendly.

Nicest coffee and cinnamon roll I've had in years

Lovely vegan breakfast. Well thought out, creative vegan option. Better than your standard vegan option. We timed it well to got the last table inside, bit of a wait, but as they were very busy we didn’t mind this. Would highly recommend

My husband & I ate here recently and it did not disappoint. Pretty much anything on the menu can be made gluten free much to my delight. I had the full English breakfast and it was amazing. The portions are huge, staff were so friendly and helpful and they are dog friendly as well which is always a plus for us. Would highly recommend.

Me and my partner have been Poldark chasing so naturally found ourselves at this beautiful tiny little gem. Admittedly I was unsure as I walked in. Felt quite claustrophobic and as both the indoor seating rooms were (small and) full, I was nervous of sitting outside as storm Agnes was on the horizon. THANK GOD for the smart optimism of my partner. Because the staff were ABSOLUTELY LOVELY before I'd even arrived at my unfair preconceptions. And they continued to be brilliant thereafter - a man with the moustache of a Greek god and a lovely woman were warm and fantastic! We bought a cappuccino and a hot chocolate, which unexpectedly had that barista touch of art in the foam, like magic. My partner got a vegan brunch and I got the Cornish one... and genuinely, hand on heart was one of the best-looking, heartiest breakfasts I've ever seen. I loved it so much I do believe I drove my partner mad with my ravings of how good this was! It's worth mentioning, the sweet potato on the vegan brunch (my partner gave me some to try) was spiced with some level of magic that gave it a good kick I've never experienced before. Although small, the indoor seating is warm, comfortable and cosy. And the outside area could fit loads more if the sun allowed for it (not today!). The cushions were the only small negative I had, but not one that could even dent the good mood that breakfast and that man's moustache put me in. Please can I have your moustache? Absolutely RECOMMEND RECOMMEND RECOMMEND! ...seriously though... I'll pay for that moustache!

I asked about gluten free and was told pretty much anything on the menu could be adapted. I went for the spiced poached eggs with feta, a bit like Turkish eggs. It was delicious!

Very nice coffee and cakes in a lovely setting. Outside seating not very comfortable but ok for a quick coffee and bite to eat.

Such a lovely cafe in a beautiful spot. Came with my dog and 7 month old baby and the cafe was very hospitable for both! Had a lovely breakfast and coffee and then enjoyed a walk around Charlestown. Thank you!

Love how friendly and helpful the staff are here. We stopped here for lunch on our first day in Charlestown. A nice selection of toasted sandwiches and breakfast brioche. Not all the cafes in the harbour have a toilet, but this one does.

Cracking cup of coffee, staff extremely friendly, cost was average for coffee, seating outside is nice, and the inside was beautifully clean..thanks Short and Strong for a lovely coffee..

My favourite place to visit for coffee & cake. They also do the best BLT known to man - you have to try. The staff are always smiley, friendly & helpful. Takeaway option is great for local walks

Lovely little cafe. The coffee was amazing and the cake was delicious 😊 Worth a visit if you are in the area.

Great place with amazing food and drinks. Staff are friendly. Dog friendly.

Was a nice way to start the day. I paid more than I would like, but it's by the coast, so I expected it. The staff were friendly and the food was nice.

We had planned ahead to eat here as we'd been on the road since 5am and needed somewhere for breakfast once we'd arrived in Cornwall. Everything was true to the reviews. Really good quality cooked breakfast for £13.50. The eggs were perfectly cooked, and it all had a lot of flavour. Pay and order at bar with table number, which was fine. I paid a tip before receiving my order, and glad I did! We sat outside, and location was great. Big umbrellas that kept us dry when there was a few drops of rain. Would eat here again.

Fab coffee and fantastic food. Lovely selection of brunch options with good vegan and gluten free options. Chose the BLATE - bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato and egg with aioli on gluten free bread and Full Cornish breakfast which was delicious. The coffee and tea selections are great too. Lovely place great atmosphere and warm. Fantastic friendly professional service too.

Good service, nice coffee, lovely cinnamon bun. Definitely added to my list of favourite local cafés and will come again.

We only stopped for coffee, you have to go to a service area to place your order but then the coffee was brought out to our table.

Excellent customer service. Very friendly staff. Highly recommend.

Photos and rating don’t do it justice. A seriously good breakfast. Great service

Really good breakfast. Service was great.

Only stopped here for coffee. They were closing but served us so we could sit with our friends.

Coffee was nice, and menu looks good but charging 80p for non-dairy milk is extortionate. Steepest surcharge I've even seen.

Great brunch options and really good coffee

Top Coffee quality! Nice place inside and a terrace outside. Friendly barista, we had a nice chat. Highly recommended!

Coffee was good- would recommend if you are stopping. So was the cookie we had. Their full menu looks great. Service bit slow for takeaways

Great food, presented well, staff friendly, highly recommend!

The best coffee in Charlestown/St Austell. Consistently well made by the baristas. Be mindful of the high added cost for alternative milk! Origin coffee & a great brunch menu. Brilliant to have so many vegetarian/vegan options. Good service, dogs welcome & lovely outdoor seating area if the sun is shining!

Lovely warm and comfortable haven for coffee ☕️ with a friend, on a stormy day!

Had tea and cake, quite slow at serving, not much seating, they did have extra in a wine bar, if it's not too cold you can sit outside.

A small but professionally run establishment serving fabulous food in a great location.

Excellent food and service here right on the harbour ,we had the mushroom and eggs on sourdough toast with the tomato salsa it was very tasty ,well be back

Thank you so much for existing! It’s so nice to have found a cafe’ in the area that is clearly passionate about what they do. Great tasting food including plenty of vegan options but also they take making coffee seriously. A perfectly balanced espresso is the result of knowledgeable barista who has spent time to dial in the bean to extract a delicious drink and that is clearly what they do. Bravo

Perfect cafe selling healthy food including good vegan and vegetarian food. Highly recommend!!

Great for vegetarians and a nice spot to sit outside. Had a toastie and houmous on toast with cold drinks on the side. Was served quickly with a side salad which was a nice touch. Great little lunch, would revisit. Only marked 1 down as I ended up eating a bit of paper that went soggy. Looks nice but not practical.

Lovely spot in a beautiful part of the country. Staff were excellent, food and coffee delicious and perfect for then strolling round the harbour and along the beach. Buddha bowl was delicious

Nice decor, staff seemed friendly and was warm. We had cooked breakfast and avocado on toast. Shame about the paper on the plates under our food. It went soggy and disintegrated which spoilt the meal a bit. Dog friendly, not my thing but might be yours. 🙄

What an amazing place! Beautiful and delicious food, huge choice of drinks and cocktails, lovely atmosphere and very attentive service.

Amazing spot in Charlestown and perfect location. The coffee was the best we tried in Cornwall throughout our stay and there is an array of homemade cakes and savoury items on offer, all of which looked absolutely delicious. Particular special mention for the carrot cake and the incredible spiced apple cake - which was the nicest cake I think I’ve ever eaten. Friendly, efficient service and an extensive menu, all of which sounded delicious. Will definitely be returning when we get the chance.

Excellent espresso based coffee, food exceptionally good as well. An easy recommendation

Coffee is amazing and cake delicious. Service with a smile and all very clean would highly recommend a visit here.

This place was such a find. Number one cooked breakfast of my husband’s life. (I know, bold statement- sorry the gook near Rame head which held the title since 2012!) ) such lovely flavours and all cooked to perfection. I had the BLATE - bacon, lettuce, avo, tomato and egg brioche roll. Oh also had aioli in it. There are also great vegan and veggie options (as many as the meat ones) I forgot to take a photo of mine but attached is the full Cornish breakfast. Such a lovely spot to sit in the sun and delicious coffee too. 100% recommend!

Four of us enjoyed the de Bara sourdough Bacon & Egg BLT & BLAT with hash browns absolutely delicious Coffee was very good too Lovely airy outside seating area

Really enjoy the breakfast offerings here - good quality, fair prices, and great coffee. Always popular but always able to get a table.

Lovely produce, excellent coffee, varied menu and fantastic to have decent GF options! My only criticism would be that portion sizes have decreased but the prices have stayed the same eg 6 months ago my bacon roll was bursting with rashers and came with a huge salad, last month less bacon but 2 good sized hash browns.. last week, 3 streaky bacon rashers and a few small potato tots. Still tasty and I appreciate the cost of ingredients has risen but still..

Visited Charlestown today and headed into Short & Strong for a light lunch. Despite having five staff and not a lot of customers, they were slow. We cleared our own table and despite table service, gave up waiting and placed our order at the till....

Visited Charlestown today and headed into Short & Strong for a light lunch. Despite having five staff and not a lot of customers, they were slow. We cleared our own table and despite table service, gave up waiting and placed our order at the till. Hot beverages arrived quickly, but then the toasted sandwiches took an age to arrive. They were then found to be almost cold. I'm not one to complain so tucked in to make the most of them, however my partner is less forgiving and returned hers - which they offered to remake and delivered well after mine were gone, thankfully hot this time. Wasn't impressed - they didn't check back or appear at all bothered that they had messed up our lunch time treat out. So rather than just not going back, which would be unlikely due to this being our holiday destination, I figured a review to warn others of the place's serious shortcomings. Wish we had checked the reviews before choosing to eat here.

Lovely choice of breakfast, not your bog standard fry up. Vegan and veggie options. Lots of interesting flavours. Outdoor seating with parasols so not ideal if weather is bad. Around £10 per person for breakfast/brunch. They have gluten free bread and are happy to swap out items to make a whole dish gf. My only negative is the use of paper on the plates……if you have a meal with wet items such as salsa or beans you end up with bits of paper in your mouth 😂

A lot of brunch options on the menu but we opted for Halumi on sourdough and a buddah bowl, being a confirmed carnivore my better half asked why i ordered a veggie meal..felt like a change, but so glad i did. Lovely tasty dips, salad...