The Cornish Deli in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Love treating ourselves to lunch at the Cornish Deli when we are on our hols in St. Ives. The Crab Sandwich and the Spicy King Prawn Po Boy were, as usual, delicious 😋

One of the best breakfast/brunch ever. We had the veggie full breakfast, and the avocado and poached eggs. So tasty and not greasy. Huge servings. Good coffee. Excellent and friendly service with a non-pretentious setting. Thank you.

A lovely, cosy cafe with great food. The specials board offers some great fish choices. Everything freshly made with high quality ingredients and care in its presentation. We loved the fish finger sandwich with lemon sole and the king prawn and crab fish cakes with salad. Gluten free choices offered across the menu and you can tell how good the food is by the amount of locals using the cafe. Thank you for a wonderful lunch.

We had a fabulous lunch here as recommended by the positive reviews on this site. Absolutely brilliant service and delicious food all round.

Thank you trip advisor. This was the first place that came up for best breakfast in St Ives and we were not disappointed. The full Cornish breakfast was fantastic, the service great with local advice too. The place is authentic and has lots of character, just like a tourist would want. We'll be going back there later this week.

Discovered this hidden gem today, whilst we were walking our dog and we are so pleased we came across it. The breakfast was amazing and is honestly the nicest breakfast we have had in St ives. All the ingredients are fresh and excellent quality. Friendly staff and its dog friendly too, which is always a bonus for us and our fur baby

Delicious contemporary food and generous potions. We’ll be back to try something else off their menu.

Today's sandwich was very delicious and the french fries were very tasty. The special menu, squid blah~, was a little weird because there were too many fried potatoes and sausages. The special menu seems suitable as a beer snack. There was a lot of smoke inside the store, as if there was no ventilation, and the clothes had a lot of odor, so it was a bit...

Probably the best meal we had on our Cornwall trip this summer. Absolutely divine, the fish was cooked to perfection. Great cosy atmosphere too

Service was awesome Food was fantastic Portions were fantastic So so big Can’t wait go back See you Back in march Can’t wait

Favourite place for crab sandwiches, definitely worth to price. Their breakfast are also fantastic, all ingredients very fresh and well cooked. Service is lovely too.

First visit to the cornish deli and will definately be back, delicious food, lovely young man who served us and lovely cosy place to have lunch thankyou 😊

First time back for 3 years- didn't disappoint. Cakes were the only thing different- they didn't do them- but a delicious shop close by is available ! Small inside with limited seating but friendly and welcoming. The kitchen, cooking area, is small and how the excellent food is prepared and served never ceases to amaze us. As well as Gluten free- more importantly for us- completely nut free. A rarity. Keep up the good work. Wouldn't eat anywhere else in St Ives

Quite possibly the best sandwich I’ve ever had

Wonderful lunch today at The Cornish Deli in St Ives. Fish just beautiful, Coeliac heaven no cross contamination issues, can’t recommend highly enough! 😍

Fantastic seafood and Cornish breakfast

What a great little place to have brunch Never been here in the nine years we’ve been coming to St Ives because I thought it wasn’t Dog Friendly - completely wrong… our cockerpoo Ruby was made very welcome So… a very warm welcome from Mark we chatted over the options for brunch and chose the Frazzled Chorizo and the Smashed Avocado - amazing, really tasty from the first to last mouthful. The menu has many interesting and unusual dishes and we will certainly be returning to sample the lunches whilst sampling the Ribera We also came away with some Cornish Yarg and smoked anchovies to try later A very talented chef and really friendly “front of house” we can certainly recommend brunch… delicious!

Really good food and service. Top notch

Been going years, always a delight, staff are friendly and attentive with delish food that changes depending on season/availability. Tastes fresh and the seafood is a winner. Eat in or takeaway its a gem. Bloody Mary's are our go-to cocktail and I bring friends and family here when they visit.

We are on the vacation and decide to have brunch here, the woman who served our table is very friendly, polite, and patient. The food especially the fries is delicious which is my favourite. And beef sandwich is also great!

Absolutely amazing crab sandwich, delicious

Fantastic food! I had the crab sandwich and it was delicious!! Felt like the portion sizes were really good and you can tell the food is all freshly made 😋 I have been coming to this place since I was a kid and their food is still just as good. Make sure you visit if you're in St Ives!

Probably the best food i can remember ever eating!! Hats off to the chef's, best steak ever on the surf n turf, just melted in your mouth! and the mussels.... well thats another story, so fresh and perfectly spiced and paired with the chorizo. The hake and scallops were also so so yummy. Thank you so much for a wonderful cosy experience with amazing quality fresh food!!

Fishfinger sandwich was nuts. Probably the most beautifully cooked fish I'd ever had and it was in a fingered sandwich format. Everything else looked insane, definitely go here when in st Ives

The cornish deli has amazing food, it's freshly prepared and great quality. We were so impressed with our take out lunches that we went back for brunch the next day and enjoyed it even more. Eat in prices are more than take out, but I would expect that and had no issue with it. What we didn't like is that they then add on another 12.5% service charge; this is only notified by a small sign at the side of the bar and you don't get an itemised receipt that clearly shows what you are paying for. We love to support local businesses and cannot fault the food, but service charges should be included in the price and it should be up to the customer to decide if they want to tip.

I had the sandwich of the day: 3 types of salami, balsamic tomatoes and cheese and it was amazing!!! I had fries with it and split them with my husband and it was more than enough for lunch. Very generous portions and great quality ingredients, especially for the price. I could hear the fries being cooked from my seat and they had a lovely seasoning on them. Very friendly and knowledgeabke staff and it's just off the main route through St Ives where you can escape the hustle and bustle. We'll definitely be going again!

Breakfast is very good, the ingredients seem high quality. Service is very friendly and quick. Cornish tea in pots is nice, however the coffee is not great. The fried potatoes are extra on a relatively normal sized breakfast. The mushrooms are quite nice but they aren't actually that mushroomy.

Starters fine but one main course was not as advertised - new potatoes were actually deep fried and the dish was swimming in oil as though it had been decanted. After deliberation and our insistence the meal was refunded. Real shame

Amazing place, food was outstanding. definitely recommend

Wonderful spot in St Ives - had the butterflied sardines and crab sandwich, both sensational and the best crab sandwich I’ve had in Cornwall, full of flavours and super generous. Service was also excellent, staff were so lovely - kudos on running such a great operation!

A very nice crab sandwich, with very nice fries! It’s all I had so all I can comment on, bar with the option of a sourdough baguette or multigrain bloomer, as well as a whole host of other exciting filing options, they’ve got your lunch time sorted really. The space is nice though a little cramped, bring difficult to navigate when it gets busy, yet offering a range of Cornish produce, from cheese to meats to Gins and coffee. The staff are lovely too, always serving with a smile. I would like to come and try the evening menu here, with fresh fish being a clear focus, given the crab was so good too. I would recommend stopping by, though it is a little pricey with an added service charge on top as well

We ate here twice. Once for take out and once for a full English. The food was excellent. Two of the party have ceoliac disease, quite often, places state they do GF food. When questioned, they don't have a clue about cross contamination. The Cornish Deli were all over this and were able to provide a full Coelic Friendly menu. It's worth a visit regardless of dietary constraints.

Stumbled across this place by chance and our taste buds were delighted that we did! Delicious food (I had the gammon and C had the Veggie option), tasty coffee and great service, will definitely come back on our next visit.

The best place to enjoy fresh food and friendly service, I would highly recommend this place. Check opening times and i would recommend to book before as it's a small place ( family business) . Can't wait to enjoy your food 🥳

Delicious delicious delicious! Prawns, and scallops, and pan-fried fish were fantastic. So happy to choose you guys for a dining in St Ives!

Fantastic gluten free food! It was wonderful to have so many safe and delicious options for people with coeliacs. We had lunch here twice because it was so good, and particularly enjoyed the chorizo moules frites, the crab sandwich, and the Cornish gammon & cheddar sandwich. The portion sizes are generous, the chips are crispy, the staff are lovely. I can’t recommend this place highly enough!

Nice place for lunch. The staff are very friendly and the food is tasty. Only nit was that the coffee was a bit weak. Would definitely go again.

Best fried sea food I've had in Britain. I'd recommend reserving a table in advance as it gets quite busy.

Great Breakfast and Service. Feels more authentic, it was recommended by a local.

A gem of a cafe with superb food and cheerful service. Highly recommend.

Great fresh and delicious food made to order. Ansum

It's a must for us to visit, at least once, whenever we are in St Ives or surrounding areas. It's really well cooked, tasty food and always great service

Had take away chicken baguette. Staff were friendly. The baguette had plenty of filling and was delicious

Just popped in for a pot of tea. Service as good as if I'd been spending loads!

The best meal I've had in Cornwall. The Banh Mi from the specials menu was absolutely bonkers. I made a complete mess of myself stuffing every tasty morsel in and I have zero regrets. The patatas bravas were also delicious. This place is very deserving of the praise it receives. The staff was also super friendly. You can't go wrong with The Cornish Deli. Thank you!!!!!!!!! I'll be back for more.

Loved the fried fish plate special. Very friendly staff and fresh food!

Gem of a place, what a find! Had a couple of sandwiches with fries & they were phenomenal!

Amazing food, great staff. Top find

Stunning food! Best squid I've had in England...ever. so delicious and decent portions too. Quite small inside so can imagine it getting busy but it would be worth the wait :)

Food has quality, is tasty and well presented. Customer service is brilliant. The order we placed was such so that we could share as a couple. The owner took the initiative and presented the food in the best possible way so that we could share it as they if they were individual portions. Well deserved five stars.

Lovely small deli. Bought some very good Cornish Yarg cheese. Disappointed not a greater range of cheeses. Helpful service.

Lovely lunch at the Cornish Deli: crab sandwich and fries and a seafood stew. Both top notch. Friendly place tucked away off the main drag, well worth a visit.

Really good fish finger sandwich which is in fact lemon sole with all local pickles and sauce. Not cheap but really worth it-excellent food and worth a visit

This is one of the best places to eat in St Ives. We ate there last week the food was of a very high standard the best gammon and eggs I have had in a long time and my wife had the BLT sandwich 🥪 again, the quality was great. The staff were very welcoming and friendly. Next time we come here on holiday we will definitely eat here again, highly recommended 😊 Just simply the best, so pleased we ate here! Such a pity we don't live nearby!

Absolutely love this place - it’s a favourite of mine when we visit St Ives. We had the king prawn po’boy and crab sandwich which now live in my head rent-free. If you’re gonna eat just the one thing from St Ives - make it these two sandwiches!!

I’ve just had *the* best fish ‘finger’ sandwich I’ve ever had. It took a few minutes to prepare (for takeaway) because they cooked a whole piece of breaded lemon sole, and served with a delish tartare sauce and salad in a baguette. So blown away I thought I’d review with the sauce still round my mouth. Yum yum yum.

Absolute gem hidden a few streets back from the main streets. Proper Cornish local food, done well. Great selection of alcoholic drinks, soft drinks & coffee. A really wide selection of food options, definitely check out the specials board. Top notch food, fantastic service and great all round experience.

Located off the main tourist streets this tiny cafe is excellent. We had breakfast, chorizo, mushrooms, fried spuds, poached egg. Was fabulous. immediately made a reservation for dinner. Essential to book. Nice coffee too. Strongly recommend this little cafe.

Food is amazing, we had a fish finger sandwich with potatas bravas and it’s worth finding this place for just these two dishes alone! Really friendly staff, expect a small wait as everything is cooked fresh, but it’s worth waiting for!

What a fabulous gem to find. Not on the main drag but very much worth searching for. The staff are brilliant, friendly and know their stuff. The food looks and tastes wonderful. I only live a 1hr n 30mim away so will be making this a regular day trip for lunch.

Delicious, fresh food - great spot no matter what meal you’re after 🤗

Absolutely delicious! Wish we had eaten there more than once. Had the fish finger and crab sandwiches. Was quite busy so we grabbed them to go and ate by the beach

Simple menu but super fresh and delicious - good wine selection. We come twice each week we come (3rd year running). Don't miss out and book ahead.

A truly life changing experience. The brisket sandwich was like nothing I have eaten before… the girl hosting from of house did a superb job for such a busy little deli. I will come back again and again

***still as lovely as ever*** Lovely Deli Cafe off the busier streets with Gluten Free treats. MrsO, a coeliac, was able to have virtually everything off the menu, and we both opted for Gluten Free Cornish Beef, Blue Cheese and Onion Marmalade Grilled Deli Melt (hers on GF bread but looked every bit as good). Kids shared a Croque Monsieur. Well worth a look if you're in St Ives. Brunch visit in 2022. Amazing Cornish breakfast for the Boys, Coeliac Mrs O had Omelette (GF) and daughter had Smashed Avo ♥️💯👍

Just stopped for a coffee and ice cream, both top class. Friendly staff and a great little spot to stop when exploring the town.

Short version: best fish and chips (deluxe) experience in our lifes

Delicious food and excellent service.

Came here for dinner with friends. The guys running it were so welcoming, friendly and helpful. Food was amazing, fresh cooked seafood. Between us we had most of the menu and all were exceptional. Can't recommend enough. Best to book.

Superb crab sandwich, with hot, crisp well - seasoned fries. Glasses for drinks were also frosted! Brilliant. Lots of choice, like a foodies treasure trove. Good selection of drinks- hot, soft, wine, beers, ciders and cocktails too. Definitely worth seeking out if you want something different to fish & chips or a pasty. Not that there's anything wrong with them 2 options 😂🤔🤣

Gorgeous food and service amazing. Couldnt do enough for us and young waiter was so on the ball and accommodating for food for our baby. Fresh, tasty food. What a find! Thank you

Such a delicious brunch!! Very friendly service. Took a little while for food to come but that is expected as the food seems to be made freshly. Was very happy to relax with a drink in a lovely environment.

The best food in St Ives by far..great food great value great music..if we come back we will definitely be visiting you 👍

Great crab sandwich & korev lager after a visit at the Tate. Welcoming place, lovely efficient staff and got a great vibe from customers that day too. Easygoing no fuss and food was fantastic. The place itself is just the right size and perfectly close to but off main harbour flow to have that special spot quality to it.

We had breakfast here a few years ago on a previous visit to St Ives. With fond memories at the front of our minds we sought out the place for a rematch. We were not disappointed. The welcome....the decor....the atmosphere....all great. The food was tremendous. It felt like the chef had prepared our dishes with care. We had such a good time we treated ourselves to brunch cocktails. What are we like, eh? We will definitely be back - and we won't leave it so long next time!

Incredible sandwiches and lovely staff. Highly recommend the King Prawn Po Boy!

Absolutely fantastic food. I had Catch of the Day and it's one of the best meals I've ever eaten. All five of us really enjoyed our meals, all different choices. A relaxed atmosphere with friendly staff. I wish I lived closer.

Any praise for the food at this place would not be enough! We had the squid and fries, the newlyn crab sandwich which was a special and sole fish finger sandwich! It was fresh and tasty! Yum yum yum! If I ever go back.. my base is going to be at Ives! And food will be from here!

Best crab sandwich ever, best fish fingers ever, perfect for coeliacs! Thanks guys!!

Fantastic food here. We have eaten at many top restaurants but the food here tops the lot. Don’t be fooled by the decor. It is a Deli after all . The young man serving us was very polite and helpful too. Before we left my wife and I spoke to the chef and complimented on the food. Would happily drive an hour to visit this place to eat. We will be back.

Went back to this Deli today so our 3rd visit and again exceptional food, it was as good if not better than the first time. Keep it up guys there are not many places where you can have excellent quality GF fresh food Fantastic, cannot fault the GF option they have there. We ended up have a crab sandwich which was so bug we could not eat the crisps we had purchased as well. Anyway they would have spoilt the flavour of the crab, the bread was fresh and the GF bread in my wifes sandwich look lovely. Thankyou for having such a range on offer, will be recommend you to all my friends and family, and anyone who has a GF intolerance or needs Gluten or Diary free food get your self along there.

Had a good lunch here. Very interesting menu and helpful service. Well worth a try.

We had there our best cornish food. One of us had the vegan plate- it was fantastic. The fish of the day was sea trout- it was more then excellent!!! 👌

Lovely friendly staff and huge portions of brunch. Couldn't ask for better.

Fantastic food, served by an amiable host. Honestly, there are so many reasons to try the food, there isn't anything bad on the menu, the ingredients are top notch, the attention to detail is superb. For example, the fish finger sandwich is in fact beautiful sole goujons, delicately pan fried, served on fresh granary bread. They also do a fantastic iced coffee and are licensed for alcohol. The whole thing is delightful. Only a few tables so think yourself lucky if you get one, and if not, order take out and sit on the beach. Portions are plentiful so I often take some away for later Lovely

Best bakery in the area, a bit far from the more commercial bit of St Ives.

Although they now don’t do gluten free pasties, I had a delicious sandwich instead. The owner was really helpful and informative about their gluten free menu. Would go back again if ever in St Ives 😃

We have been going to St Ives for years and this is the best food we have had! Do not be put off by the appearance of this place (it is a deli with seating rather than a restaurant) the food is fantastic! Lots of local seafood dishes to choose from and the steak is pretty good too! They do not do puddings though so if you have a sweet tooth it may not be for you. If you are in St Ives book a table at this place and you won’t be disappointed.

Just had 1 off the nice meals We ever had living down in st ives the food was absolutely Beautiful and Service was amazing would recommend to anyone

We had a fabulous vegetarian and Cornish Brunch!

The best place we ate during our visit to Cornwall! The owner and his son were extremely welcoming. The service was fast and the food was so fresh and tasty. It's amazing for gluten free options and super dog friendly too!

Delicious breakfast. Chorizo, mushroom and crispy potatoes, yum. Husband had smashed avocado brekkie and said it was the best he’d ever had ⭐️

Tiny Deli slightly out of main street with lovely staff and absolutely stunning crab sandwich. Wife had crushed avocado and egg sandwich and it was also small piece of art according to her. Next time I'm here, I will come over again

Lovely deli. The crab sandwich was superb.

Great little place in St Ives. The food is really excellent and the service is impeccable. Particularly love that this 0pace has a licence and therefore you can have a beer either your meal. Great at accommodating kids.

Best brunch I've ever had, lovely staff too

A bit off the beaten track but really nice food, had gammon and eggs, plus goat cheese and beetroot salad, excellent 😋 Friendly polite service topped it off. Well done.

Amazing food and coffee, very friendly, welcoming and accomodating, especially with our baby. :) thank you!

Top stuff. Try it, absolutely great food. Booking a must as limited table space. Can't recommend highly enough

Cornish Deli St Ives- great stuff , we had a brunch which was fantastic - very friendly staff - we would definately go there again - just a tip , arrive early or book a table - cheers JD