St Erth Station Buffet in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Arrived in the cafe of this lovely station at 7.45am on a Friday morning prior to our journey home to Newcastle at 8.48am. The cafe too was lovely with empty tables so my daughter and I went in to have tea. We'd left St Ives at 7am in a storm and were tired and cold. The lady in the cafe said we'd have to take our tea into the waiting room, nobody is allowed to sit in cafe now as it gets crowded with people and luggage - these were no other people at all. So we had to sit in the cold waiting room prior to our 10 hour journey north where a hopefully warmer welcome awaited us. Empty cafe? Not allowed to sit inside?? Dark ages? Cornish hospitality????

Overpriced and undrinkable coffee - so weak I wouldn’t have known it was coffee if tasting blind. Partner threw his away!

Small but perfectly formed. We ordered bacon and sausage baps and the fillings were cooked for us, I repeat, cooked, not warmed up in a microwave. Friendly, efficient, unflappable service and reasonable prices.

There is always a welcome at this cafe . Reasonably priced drinks and snacks (and home made cake). There are few tables inside but plenty of seating on the station if needed.

Independent station buffet. Good to see these rather than corporate samey style. I had a lively loaf cake and coffee. A nice way to munch through the time waiting for the next train.

The little cafe has a nice selection of food and drink, plus soveniers, run by one lady so don't expect late afternoon opening. The station itself has recently been updated, with ramps, covered cycle racks ample parking and a refurbished waiting room, the listed Victorian footbridge over the line remains, but there is a park and ride bus which drives anyone with mobility problems from one side to the other! The P&R drivers are very helpful. The station is manned (not 24/7) by the most helpful and kind staff, I needed to get to the other side of Cornwall and Julie and Ray couldn't have helped more including getting me a discounted RideCornwall ticket. The whole station is beautifully maintained and very efficient, but beware G8 is using Station and therefore services may be disrupted?

This station is the junction for the St Ive's branch line. It has a small tea room which sells home made produce and gifts. I went to the booking hall to get a ticket but it was closed for lunch. A short time later I met the booking clerk on the platform and she kindly opened up the office so I could get a ticket from her rather than from the ticket machine. The Park and Ride facility is very useful.

Stopped for tea and a bacon roll before the train to St Ives. Wonderful station buffet, lovely lady and couldn’t fault the whole experience. A great find and worth finding a reason to return.

Such a gem just like going back in time, amazing friendly service. Had sausage bap and coffee for breakfast on journey home great way to end holiday. Went back for sandwiches much better choice than train buffet car and better stocked. Highly recommended *****

St Erth station is a little gem. Very well looked after and staff seem to care. The tearoom has some homemade snacks, such as scotch eggs and sausage rolls. It's also a mini gift shop with a few souvenirs available. So typically Cornish!

Having got the 2 carriage train from Newton Abbot where there were no refreshments,it was pleasant to get a hot drink at this railway cafe. They offer a nice range of snacks and sandwiches. All served with a smile!!!!

They had opened specially because of the emergency work on the line to St Ives. Very friendly manager was so helpful with our grandchildren. Coffee and Hot chocolate brilliant ? The Station waiting room has just been refurbished . We will come again

If you have time to spare at St Erth station it is well worth going into this lovely cafe. A lot of thought has gone into making it cosy and appealing. Good coffee and a carefully chosen range of snacks, some home made.

i can't describe it , it's like turning the clock back, just whats needed while waiting for a train ,a nice cup of tea and some cake.A bit crowded when we were there,as only three tables and the other two were occupied by John Betjeman and Daphne Du Maurier

St Earth station is the changeover place to go to St Ives via train. We spotted this place, had twenty minutes to spare and tried it out. The small cafe has a few tables but also serves takeaway. This place has a lot of Railway memorabilia, it was like going back in time. They sell sandwiches, cakes, sweets and hot and food drinks. Recommend a visit here, we visited a few times different staff but very pleasant drink and snack stop!

What a lovely little station cafe, the staff are so friendly, the service wonderful, its only got three tables, love this place and will pop in any time I'm passing.

This is what a station buffet used to be like, charming, nice coffee and a warm and friendly welcome. Spent a very happy 30 mins here waiting for the train to St Ives. It's such a shame places like this rarely exist anymore.

No creo que nunca se debería escribir una crítica para un café estación de tren, pero esta uno es diferente! Realmente encantador, el servicio amable y ojo para el detalle especial con pequeños detalles como el libro de visitantes locales y fotografías! Buena selección de bebidas y un buen queso viejo y tomate sandwichera - justo lo que necesitaba durante el viaje desde Londres a St Ives!

Swift and friendly service and good pot, yes, pot of tea. No polystyrene foam beaker with a plastic lid her. Tasty cakes too. Served on a tray at your table! Outclasses even Westbury station buffet. Plenty of railway pictures to look at.

Very friendly cafe, with great coffee. Walls are covered with railway posters, and just the place to wait for the main line or branch line trains.

Una cálida y amigable bienvenida le espera aquí. Un buen café recién hecho con recarga gratis y una fantástica selección de pasteles y bocadillos. Al planificar un día en St Ives siempre comenzamos aquí y nunca nos ha decepcionado.

This is a delightful cafe, set in what would have been a waiting room beside the platform. Upon entering it has a lovely ambience, with period music playing and very welcoming staff. There are numerous GWR posters recommending a visit to various parts of the country, which makes for an interesting browse. Tea is served in a china tea pot with china cups, although we actually had a takeaway and enjoyed the sun on the bench outside. The area outside is clean and tidy with some lovely flowers. It was a pleasure to have to wait 30 minutes for our train in such surroundings!

most rare for a small cafe of this size, lovely haven of tranquility. dairy free options for tea and coffee a rarity in most cafes even larger and in towns.

Had quite a few minutes to dwell as the train from St. Ives seldom coincides with a train to Penzance. Delightful tea room/buffet in the style of a waiting room. Tempting cakes and other goodies and very enjoyable tea/coffee. It is however small and there are not many seats available, but there's always a take-away cuppa if necessary. The plaec has some excelltn railway memorabilia to the walls including many old style railway posters.

What a terrific little cafe, wonderful friendly staff, only 3 tables, but such a pleasure to visit, terrific place.

We found the café whilst we were waiting for a train to St Ives. What a lovely café! Friendly polite staff, good tea/coffee and a large selection of cakes! Good value for money - a real gem.I like the GWR posters that decorate the café walls, it reminds you of the old 'refreshment rooms' that used to be at every station. A must visit.

These days whenever you wish to find refreshment at railway you usually have the only option of a drab, uninspiring Costa or Café Nero, so it was so nice to find, a traditional tea room, at the heart of a well cared for station, which I am sure is down to the most part by the dedicated and friendly staff in the tea room. All the cakes appear to be freshly made, and all these and the drinks are sold at reasonable prices, and it is open 7 days a week. It is in my opinion the best station café in Cornwall.

It was our wedding anniversary, and we took a trip to St Ives on the train, via St Erth..We got back to St Erth station early so took the time for a cup of tea in the Tea Shop on the platform. What a find, a step back In time, lovely lady, lovely atmosphere, great tea in china cups and saucers, with the offer of a teapot top up. Sometimes it's so nice to take the time to enjoy moments like these. Loved it, well done!!

came here with my young son before getting the little train to St.Ives. It is always worth visiting even if its just for a cup of coffee and cake. Friendly staff always pleased to see you.

This was our second visit to the branch line, highly recommend the cream tea. With beautiful gifts to purchase too, worth a stop in xx

Grabbed a salami sani and coffee here whilst waiting for the train back to St Ives, tasted great! Friendly young guy too

I have noticed a recent comment regarding the non use of china cups. I just wanted to say that for as long as I have known, the cafe has always used china crockery when drinking in and has used paper cups for takeaways only. The picture I attach is a picture of the china i know has been in use since June 1st 2014 when new owners took over. Prior to this the crockery used was plain crockery.

This review is not about the buffet service its about the station guard all i can say she is the very pretty blonde lady,we were travelling to reading the station was busy and everyone was asking her where there coach was going to stop, she could not answer them as penzance station was not answering there phones. but as train came around bend she asked every one what coach they were on an told us all exactly the place we had to stand and she was spot on. we arrived about an hour before our train departed we were watching her do her job nothing to much she is a credit to the team weeeeeeell done blondie

I had a look at this place on the strength of the other reviews and was glad I popped in. With the music and the decor It was like a step back in time, somewhere to take your nan perhaps! The homemade cakes looked delicious and the staff were very friendly. If they had served coffee from a proper coffee machine and used crockery instead of a takeaway cup I would have given it 5. It was still very good though.

Thought I would write a review for amusement then found I wasn't the first! We stopped here on the way to St Ives and as we were early went into the buffet for a cup of tea. What a wonderful place - like stepping back into the 1940's/50's. Beautifully decorated, clean and excellent service. Not a prime destination but worth arriving 30 minutes early for your journey to sample the venue.

The (now) privately run station buffet overlooks the proper old-fashioned GWR railway platforms. This is where the branch line to St Ives meets the Penzance to Paddington express.The café ambience and décor is 1940's, with big-band music gently flowing from a replica old wireless.The snacks and coffee are excellent and the staff are very friendly.Another bonus is that St Erth is one of the stops on the 300 bus route, which operates open-top double decker buses on a circular tour of Penwith - a must for any visitor (and free for old codgers with a bus pass).