The Bolingey Inn in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

We chanced upon this cosy, historic pub while out walking along the Saint's Trail from Perranporth to Cocks on Thursday, 5th December. We initially popped in for lunch - sandwiches, dripping cooked chips plus drinks - and ended up returning that evening for fish and chips, and again on Sunday lunchtime for the Sunday roast. We were that impressed!!!! The haddock and chips was sublime, as was the roast pork, which came with all the trimmings plus the excellent cauliflower cheese as an extra. The desserts of sour cherry roulade and sticky toffee pudding were also excellent. Finally, Matt clearly knows how to keep beer as both the London Pride and Landlord were perfect. As others have recently commented, the new landlords, Matt and Diane, are a class act and we found them very friendly, accommodating and professional. They have a lot of experience from previous ventures and we wish them well at the Bolingey Inn - we will certainly return there, next time we are on holiday in the area and will happily recommend it to others.

Great menu, lots of variation. Beef bourginon was amazing and the beef dripping chips are so addictive. Very laid back atmosphere in the bar too.

Had an incredible lunch here this afternoon. The beef bourgingon and the wagyu beef burger, both of which were amazing! Decent pricing and an excellent range of draught beers! The new owners are very hospitable and make everyone feel welcome as soon as they come through the door!

What an absolutely wonderful spot for lunch! We had the wagyu beef burger (which was incredible!) and the Beef Bourgingon (it was divine!) The new management, Matthew and Dianne are absolutely amazing! As a couple they're very hospitable and make everyone feel welcome as soon as they come through the door! Cant wait to come back again! It sounds like they've done alot for the pub already, with more plans for the new year!

Lovely roast. Would just recommend cauliflower cheese as a finishing touch. Was lovely to see the fire blearing out and happy customers, ale was good, atmosphere was good, would recommend 😀

New landlord started November 2024. So early days for this review. Went in for some dinner to see how it was after the debacle of the previous landlords. So ooo much nicer. Fire was lit. Two beers on tap (more to come this week). I've for the G&T. Food was lovely. Excellent beef borguignon, steak pie full and beef dripping chips. And you have to try the chocolate lava cake dessert which was on as a special. We will be back many times I'm sure.

Food a little bit overpriced, nice friendly staff.

Lovely pub,wonderful people and warm atmosphere

We have just had the worst Sunday lunch here that could possibly be imagined. We have been going to the Bolingey Inn for the last 25 odd years and always relied upon it being the best for food in the area. Quite often visiting 3 times a week during our 3/4 annual visits. The last visit before today was in June and the food, although not up to the standard of previous years was passable and we put that down to new owners feeling their feet. We visited as soon as we got down on Friday evening and was surprised that the menu had been cut to only non veg and only 1 veg house. Again the food was passable so we booked for Sunday roast today. It was not only not passable but was actually awful, I mean really inediblle. Absolutely Disgusting. Unfortunately this is an end to a long and memorable times had at the Bolingey. We will certainly not be returning.

Fantastic home made food! Would highly recommend.

The Bolingey Inn is a hidden gem, tucked away off the main road but well worth a visit. We both had steak with green peppercorn sauce, everything was clearly cooked from scratch. The steaks were fantastic quality and were cooked to perfection. The peppercorn sauce was really flavoursome and accompanied the steak perfectly. The roasted vegetables were also delicious. The chef was on his own due to staff sickness but he was very attentive and pleasant, he even lit the open fire to keep us warm during our visit. We will be returning home tomorrow but will definitely come back when we visit Cornwall again and will be recommending to all, thank you for your wonderful hospitality.

Excellent Sunday lunch. We had the beef . Nicest beef we’ve had in a long time and veg included cauliflower cheese, plus 4 veg.. Can’t fault it

Came in for Sunday lunch with visiting family. Dogs welcome in the bar area which was great as we had our golden retriever with us. Two of our party have small appetites so it was refreshing to note two sizes for Sunday lunch. In the end we all opted for the smaller size which was quite large enough. I had beef and my partner had lamb. Both meats incredibly tender making me wish I’d opted for the larger portion! Great roast potatoes and although the Yorkshires were a little dark, they were crispy and delicious. Vegetables also well cooked. In fact my plate was totally cleared at the end of the meal. Very satisfied, thank you. It was so nice to have a roast that was more individual than the usual pub fare. We will be back very soon!

Great service in a lovely old pub with a lot of character at the heart of the village. Excellent ales & and thoughtful menu

A small pub, very little in reviews or social media presence, can often be a warning sign, but not in this case. The pub is a delight, I found the service to be excellent, the drinks to be exactly right, but the food, wow, totally unexpected and utterly delicious. Just a short walk from Perranporth but you enter a different and totally endearing world, highly recommended

Absolutely love this pub and is one of my go-to places to eat every year we come to Bolingey. Sadly this time our experience wasn't very good. The menu choices were very limited which is fine if what comes out of the kitchen is spot on. The food was poor but the drinks were very good. Also not a fan of the chef sat outside the front door smoking.

Fish greasy. Childrens lasagne cold. Next try of lasagne, just sliced fresh tomatoes with skin and some very soggy 'stuff'. Chips nice. Sticky toffee pudding and no ice cream or cream. I use to love this place. Menu is rubbish. Never had a bad meal in here, that was four years ago until now.

Normally supportive of a small menu, as it usually means a few really good things but seems a bit unreasonable to have only 5 mains and then have 2 of them run out. We then felt rushed to order despite half of us not being able to find something we wanted/could eat out of the choice of only three. Customer service was a bit lacking, the person taking our order seemed a bit snappy, and even asked us to order food when one person hadn’t even sat down yet. When the food did come everyone was in agreement that it was very good. Not sure if visit again though. I guess it was a bank holiday Saturday so maybe a bit stressed but didn’t seem busy to me.

Finally made it upto the Bolingey Inn for lunch and was delighted with the food. I had fish of the day and my partner had the chicken burger. Both of which was absolutely delicious really excellent standard. The chips were gorgeous and washed it down with a Cornish bitter!

First it pains me to write this review. Having been the Sunday before and several times in the past and enjoyed my lunch I thought of treating my son and granddaughter, how disappointing it was. Ordered lamb and pork, we got a very small lump of lamb and pork, thrown in was a lump of salty gammon. Asked for the cauliflower cheese to be admitted from three of the orders but weren't. The Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes were burnt. I paid my bill but made a complaint to the chef in person whom tried to make a joke about it and said opinion of the meal was subjective and seemed not to want to take any criticism.

The Bolingey Inn is our "local", and has been for many years. The licenced trade has struggled nationally, and the "Boly" is no exception. However, despite this, the pub still maintains it's traditional atmosphere. The new chef has the flair to produce that little bit extra, with a changing menu, using locally sourced produce. With friends last Friday, we enjoyed excellent food, and service despite the pub being busy for Bank Holiday. Locals and tourists alike, need to frequent this lovely pub to maintain it's viability. You won't be disappointed!

No food available on visit ,did food hygiene check as place seemed very run down ,0 hygiene rating so was in theory shut down for food

New chef the day we went so the choice wasn't the usual but the food was still good.

Quaint little pub. Staff are genuinely friendly and food is great.

First time visiting this pub... and I have to say, really impressed! The food was great (new chef who had it all to do but pulled it off brilliantly)... great service (despite it being just one guy, but he sure could run!)... and a fantastic atmosphere. Highly recommended this pub if you're in the area or just passing through.

Booked a table for 7oclock arrived at pub to be told no food had our number could of called us .Don’t know why they took booking because they have no chef! Been going to this pub for years food always great don’t know what has happened the place looks very scruffy and run down what a shame.

Stopped in for a drink only. Great music, nice drinks. Otherwise quiet and little ambience.

Lovely traditional old pub with bags charicture

Amazing hidden gem in Bolingey just a short walk from Perranporth. The food was excellent ( we had mushrooms and calamari for starters excellent!) and my whole crew had fish and chips, some of the best I ever tasted. I had the Thai green curry with veggies which was very tasty. Deserts also great! Prices very reasonable as well.

Lovely, friendly staff and good food. Would happily go again.

Good old fashioned pub in the village. Everything you'd expect. A few friendly locals, having a beer and a chin-wag at the bar when we arrived. Chris (hope I've got his name right) found us a nice table for two, in the dining area, near a window and looked after us very well. The food was traditional english fayre, home cooked, generous portions and very tasty.

Very good food and kind service. Love from The Netherlands.

Another wonderful meal at the Bolingey inn. Superb food & really friendly service. Great beer as well. If your coming down to this part of cornwall during the school holidays, make a booking before you come

A great pub. Quiet and out of the way of the hustle and bustle of Perranporth. Take a walk up the Saints Trail from Perranporth, and you will find a lovely little village with a good pub. The service was friendly and prompt and the beer was good too!

Drove a while to get here to be told they arnt serving food. This was not stated on the website, lady behind the bar was rude. Wouldn't return again.

Not bad selection but nothing amazing lovely venue

Quaint little pub, The Food was very good A very pleasant night out.

Found this hidden gem on our way home to Cheddar after a weekend break in Cornwall. Lovely roast lunch, great service and warm cosy atmosphere. We would definitely recommend a visit. Thank you for a great lunch!

Firstly booked via Facebook 2 weeks before which was replied by the pub and confirmed online. Called the pub 2 days before, but had no record of a booking. However they did manage to fit us in for time and date required which was great. Arrived for Sunday Lunch, and there seems to be 1 lady serving at the bar, as well as taking food orders. Seemed a lot running front of house for 1 person. Food turned up in reasonable time, beef was very nice if a little cold, and big yorkshire puddings. Considering there was 9 of us, the portion of veg was for about 4 people. Very mean veg portions and not good considering £17.00 per head, even the childs sunday lunch was £15.00!!.....disappointing overall, considering the costs for a group of people.

Had a lovely meal in an old traditional pub. Nice food and pleasant helpful man behind the bar. Plus the best welcome to the tiny village with their Christmas lights. They were a delight to see

Great spot for a beer and a rest.

We've been here on 2 occasions and loved it we will definitely be coming again it's a lovely place food is fantastic

Just an amazing Sunday Roast, great value for money. Sad about the sold outs being put on most of the desserts on the board as we were really forward to the banoffi pie being on the menu and what was on the board that we liked sold out. We will just have to go back next year and try again xx

Lovely period pub with friendly staff. Great food and great service.

Lovely traditional pub, friendly welcome, good hand pumped beer and great fish and chips for lunch.

My friend and I were very disappointed. On entering, we found the Bolingey Inn to have no character, dim inside and not a cheerful fire (I know it's only October, but it was cold and very windy outside. We had read the menu on their website, and decided on one of their hot meals. However, when we got there, the only things hot were toasted sandwiches or soup! When we queried this, we were told that was all there was. There was a lovely menu for an evening meals, but this was lunchtime. The toilets left a lot to be desired - taps not working properly, and the sink was not clean. The lady who served us, on listening to our remarks, told us that it has been under new management for a year. That being so, surely more could have been done since then to enhance the interior. Very disappointed. Pegetty and Susan. Somerset.

A must when you visit Cornwall, food and service is always on point, yes it coukd do with a freshen up inside but in my opinion it adds to the charm 😊

Spotted this place whilst on a walk and visited on the off chance for Sunday lunch and can honestly say that it was the best my Wife and I have had. Our friends rated it very highly and were also very impressed. Good range of beer also. Made our day.

This 17th century inn is a short distance from Perranporth. It is attractive from the outside but the inside does need some maintenance. There is limited parking outside. I just tried drinks here so I cannot comment on the food.

Highly recommend this lovely pub. As a party of four we all had different meals & all of us thoroughly enjoyed them. Absolutely delicious & good portion sizes. The service was great too which added to the overall experience.

We really enjoyed our Sunday lunch here. Located very close to Perrenporth, this old pub is well worth a visit (it used to be the Count House of a mine). Highly rated. We had Sunday lunch, one was beef, one Turkey, one Veg Wellington and one vegan stuffed mushroom. They cater for everyone here. Served with lovely seasonal veg. Roast potatoes were excellent. A very well cooked meal with very welcoming staff. We will be back to enjoy this relaxing atmosphere.

Bolingey only a short distance from Perranporth, great way to relax after a day at the beach with solid food and beer from Cornwall.

Very strange experience. The food was average, nothing really to get excited about. The table service was odd in that we had a drink on arrival and then was not asked again all evening. As we were all in deep conversation I realised I had only had one drink all night. Then no coffee or tea offered at the end....just nothing. I came away dissapointed and felt I hadn't really had a proper attentive service. So I would say it wasn't a bad evening but it could have been so much better. Some little issues, no sauce of any kind, with the steak. Mustard served up in sachets. I would go again but with a little bit more thought the whole experience could be improved.

Quaint&clean old world pub with a range of ales, lagers and Thatchers cider on draught that we have visited a number of times. Please note that there is a car park but with spaces for 8-10 cars, 4x4’s could take 2 of these spaces. Food was cooked fresh with online menu as-well as specials board, but the dressed crab has gone off the menu which is a shame as this is one of our favourites when visiting here. Meals were reasonably priced however a bowl of chips (home made) was £5.50 which we thought was excessive. Would recommend a visit and suggest booking as dinning room is cosy with limited tables during busy times.

Lovely old Inn but the food is pub grub and needs tlc. Not good for parking.

This is the second time me and my group of mates have come down to Cornwall for a holiday and we once again had to visit the Bolingey Inn, the staff were so polite and the service had ah incredibly high quality. The pub has an amazing atmosphere, will definitely be visiting next time I’m in that neck of the woods.

Called in for a meal while on a family holiday, food excellent, drinks great, atmosphere wonderful. Would definitely recommend and return.

Lovely food, great pub. Just thought the ploughmans a little pricey. But otherwise great and will definitely be back.

The food is consistently good. I find the portions a bit larger than they need to be, maybe that's just me.

The staff's are so nice, it so welcoming, the is really lovely, would recommend it to anyone else how like lovely food

Absolutely lovely little pub very friendly, the food is beautiful I recommend the steak and ale pie one off the best iv ever had

We went for one drink on our last night of holiday. Lovely traditional country pub. Parking is a bit tricky but the pub is along a little lane. They have a car park. Tried a Tarquins gin and tonic. Very nice. Loved the decor. Cosey pub. Some local ales. Would have liked to have eaten there but ran out of time. Food on the other table looked really nice. Big portions.

After reading the reviews we thought we had better book in advance & were looking forward to a night out with friends. What a disappointment. If I had to score the pub, I would give it zero for atmosphere/ 1 out of 10 for service and 1 out of 10 for food. Saying it was awful is an understatement. Are there two Bolingey inns in Cornwall? Or have the people leaving good reviews only ever eaten in motorway service stations?

Lovely food, really good quality. We had seafood, vegetarian Dahl (which was really good!) and chilli. All really tasty. This pub is very small with only a rew tables so recommend booking. Only negative is it is quite pricey but nothing extortionate by cornwalls standards. I would definitely go back again

The food was delicious and really hit the spot, I had the blue cheese chicken with potatoes and seasonal vegetables. There was just the right amount of sauce for the meal with lovely complimentary tastes. I also had the honeycomb cheesecake and was surprised by the size of the portion. I always find that normally dessert portions tend to be small but this was the opposite. It tasted good with a lovely base as well. There was a friendly atmosphere to the inn with the bar lady/waitress doing a great job getting around to everyone. The food came out in a good amount of time meaning that the party I was with could chat a bit first. We didn’t feel rushed at all either when eating which was great. Highly recommend although I’d also say that you’re best to book in advance to save disappointment.

Even though we've been visiting our friends who live a short walk of this pub, for a few years, this is our 1st visit to Bolingey Inn. A lovely, little local that's very relaxed and friendly. Hoping to return and try their food on our next visit!

We went for a meal tonight and we were a little late arriving and we got a call to make sure we were still coming and we were. It was nice to get a call to make sure as most places aren’t as diligent. We arrived and we’re met with a friendly greeting. The guy on duty said they were short staffed but that did not hinder the evening in the slightest. He was very attentive . The food was amazing. It was a lovely evening. We didn’t get the guys name and we are sorry we didn’t leave a tip. There wasn’t an option on the card machine and we didn’t have any cash. We are really sorry as you did deserve it.

Lovely olde worlde pub with quaint atmosphere and friendly staff. Drinks in the little front bar followed by dinner in the restaurant area - curry and steak both great. And puds smashing too.

A warm welcome, an excellent selection of well kept real ales and lagers, and hearty, home cooked and nicely presented food. Recommended if you're in the area.

Enjoyable meal, decently priced food and drink (especially for Cornwall) and friendly staff. The regulars in the bar are surprisingly welcoming too. Will definitely return on our next visit.

Great wholesome pub food in a fab peaceful location with parking if needed, or close enough to walk from the centre. A quaint and perfect pub with a family feel and cheerful landlord! Bar staff friendly and welcoming with a pleasant selection of beers, including Sharps and Tribute! Lovely seating out the front of the inn too. A great little find!

Happened upon the Bolingey Inn while visiting relatives. I fancied a bite to eat and asked my family where would be good to pop in. My family did not steer me wrong. There was a warm friendly inviting atmosphere, I was able to try from a range of local beers. The menu contained a varied choice of local products. I ended up with the fish and chips but everything coming out of the kitchen looked fantastic. I will definitely be visiting again next time I am that way and look forward to trying more of the excellent food.

Had to book to get a table so we thought it would be a popular spot with excellent food. The ambience in the bar seemed good, traditional English pub, but not so much in the dining area. The toilets were basic with instructions on how...

Despite it being a very busy night for the pub, the landlord was really friendly and welcoming and the food and service great. Thank you!

Lovely old pub first went when we were on holiday in 1977 and the place is still the same really nice place Sunday lunch was great called a couple of times in the week we were there a lot of other pubs in the area seam to lack caracter.

You can see by most other reviews, our experience was no different to others. Surely the owners understand that with little passing tourist trade you need to serve up good quality food. We used to go here a lot owning a holiday let, especially when...

Absolutely perfect from start to finish. Sunday lunch was amazing. Lady named Ros served us. She was so busy and never stopped for a second. All the time being friendly and pleasant with a smile on her face. Thank you. This lady deserves a pay rise. 😊👍🏻👍🏻

Great venue just off of the main Perrenporth Road. Very friendly and cosy, I can imagine it would be really nice on a cold winters day!

Good choice of beers, we arrived here after a long walk and enjoyed the draught beers, we didn't try the food but what we saw looked good. Will definately return.

Small, friendly, and lovely food

I’m sure the food here is delicious, however you’ll need to book- car park is tiny, and so is the pub. 7pm on a Tuesday in July no room to accommodate 5 for dinner.

Lunch with friends. Good value and good food

Absolutely fantastic food an we are fussy brilliant surroundings very polite an helpful would definitely recommend an will be going back real character...john from Bristol.

Wow. Beautiful place. Amazing food. Exquisite creamy garlic mushrooms. Quick service. A lot of character.

Amazing old pub where we had excellent food. Great range of beer and its dog friendly too, even when ours was a nob. It's a proper old pub with low beams and a great range of beers.

After enjoying the atmosphere, food and drinks for over 13 years, we decided to take our family who had fond memories of this pub. To say we were thoroughly embarrassed is an understatement. The white wine was warm (and contained sediment). The glasses were filthy...

Fantastic food. Lovely owner. We come every year and never disappoints.

When we arrived it was about 10mins before we were spoken to. We ordered crab salad. It was very disappointing. My salad consisted of mixed green leaves a couple of pieces of cucumber and very soft, tasteless tomatoes. My husband had two pieces of red...

Lovely little gem we found on a country lane. The man behind the bar was lovely and welcoming. Unfortunately they didn’t have the pasties on the menu so we chose a sandwich, which although nice is pretty expensive for what it is £9 for a...

A very old counting house, first visit, where I had roasted Hake which wasn’t fresh and over cooked so it was like eating a ball of cotton wool. And the mash my husband had with his rather tasty sausages was, well - extremely lumpy. The...

Great, fairly priced food with a nice local pub atmosphere. All the dishes were lovely and there was more than we could finish. 10/10 would go back!

Excellent food and great friendly service. We went to the Bolingey for a family meal on a busy Friday evening. The food and service were excellent. Would definitely recommend

Quaint very old pub, excellent food at a good price. Booking advised

Well what can I say been coming here every year for I don't no how long was always fantastic. But yesterday evening all I can say is won't be coming back service absolutely terrible When the barman is tell the kitchen staff to f off...

Here on holiday from wigan , decided to meet with friends who are also here for a few days , food was lovely as was the real ale . Had the steak and ale pie followed by chocolate and honeycomb cheesecake and it was delicious. Would definitely recommend this small friendly pub to anyone visiting the area .

Lovely pub with nice friendly, welcoming staff and great food! Best we’ve had all holiday. Would highly recommend a visit.

Very nice pub, cosy and friendly people . Thanks 👌

wonderful food ,service a little slow but food made up for it

Today we had the best Sunday Roast for a long time!!! Very tasty, good amount, very good value for money! Highly recommended!!!!!

Had a really nice evening meal on the 19th May 2023. The soup starter was amazing and our main courses were both excellent also lovely desserts. Thank you for a great experience.