The Flying Boat Restaurant in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Am unexpected delight! We had ham hock and pea hash, seasonal soup, bacon sandwich, and it was genuinely one of the tastiest lunches we've ever had. Packed full of flavour. Service was fast, friendly and helpful. Thank you for a really lovely lunch!

If you are charging central London prices you need to deliver central London service. We gave up waiting and left to go elsewhere.

Took our friends here as in previous years we have thoroughly enjoyed it. This year found it very disappointing. It was so overpriced…….£5 for a plain croissant. I had quiche and a few lettuce leaves for £14, bakewell (which was so dry) £6. Staff were friendly but come on guys don’t rip the tourists off.

Nice place for coffee and cake, food also looked great but didn’t get the opportunity to try it. Will be back to try another time.

Love the Flying boat! Relaxed atmosphere with amazing crab sandwiches. Breakfasts are good too as is the coffee. The staff are welcoming and professional, offering to seat you at your table with a smile. We visited multiple times during our 4 stays this year (May, June, August and September 2021). I also loved the playlist, great tracks while we pondered our days on Tresco! Thank you, see you again soon.

It’s a nice bistro / cafe with lovely staff and an ok selection but far too expensive for what it offers. Next time I will bring a picnic and flask!

Food options on Tresco are limited but this fits the bill if you're looking for a light lunch, a snack or a drink. The service was good and there is a nice outside seating area.

Since our last visit or at least from what i remember, the FB is now really just an overpriced cafe open. £15 for a ham sandwich and some chips is a crazy price. really limited food options of overpriced cake, sandwich or a salad.

We had lunch here today and we really disappointed. The menu was actually really limited, with just sandwiches and a couple of salads available. We ordered our kids the only option available for them (ham or cheese toasty with fries) - they were simple white bread with a slice of ham and a few fries. Not a vegetable or slice of cucumber in sight. How is this reflective of the advertised fresh produce of this island? Do kids not need a veg or bit of side salad too? We had a salad to share from the pre made fridge and a kids toastie to share and again it was a dry, white bread simple affair. Two hot chocolates and two coffees, which were both cold. I did return one and ask for a hot one but the next one bought to the table was also cold and bitter. All in all unappetising and extortionately expensive at £50 for what was essentially 3 ham toasties, 3 small fries and a small pre made salad. Disappointed as we have visited Tresco before and remember the days of this place serving a nice looking varied menu, but we found today to be basic, over priced and not actually that nice to eat. Felt very much like this place has become too reliant on its reputation and in doing so taken it’s eye off the ball. Nowhere near good enough Tresco!

Waiting staff didn’t listen to orders due to me not having any Ham in my ham and cheese toasty with only 3 lunch time options, several other tables also had wrong orders. Also, £14 for a sandwich and chips seems extortionate to me.

Food was lovely as were the staff. Beautiful views across the harbour too. I'd definitely come back. I had the ham sandwich and my wife had the crab, each was more like a meal. Great quality.

after a full coastal walk of Tresco a sit down and a coffee was on order. I'm a bit of a coffee critic and can honestly say this was the best blended, served hottest, most delicious coffee I've had anywhere for a long time. Great service and lovely outdoor seating area.

Fantastic location, decor and service but just disappointed that the breakfast menu was limited, would have loved a kedgeree or an omelette, perhaps an Arnold Bennett omelette. Hopefully our next visit may show an increase in choices.

Great food and wonderful service. We have often walked past assuming the food and prices wouldn’t be worth it but today went in for lunch: the food was incredible and the service fantastic. Definitely worth a visit for a specia meal!

For my last night on Tresco I was going to be wined and dined at the Flying Boat and intended to pull out all the stops. There were relatively few people in but for some reason there was a lady waitress who very much made me feel like I was of no consequence to her and was very vested in a larger table which did spoil it a bit on the service side of things. When I asked for a new salt shaker as my one was blocked it was met with a frosty retort. The interior is inline with the image Tresco portrays, fresh and pleasing. I had a nice glass of bubbly followed by the Grilled half of Bryher lobster which was excellent and concluding with an indulgent pudding which I can’t remember now other than it was delicious. The whole menu was divine, abundant with options that excited and tempted me. I love that the Flying Boat offers food pretty much all day in different incarnations, a true find. I regret not having gone onto their deck perhaps before to have a drink and take in the view and would certainly return many a time were I to return to the Island. Brunch there sounds like a very good idea.

Went to the Flying Boat for lunch - big bowl of celeriac and apple soup with beetroot salad - went back for an elegant dinner of roasted sumac cauliflower. Good organic wine too. Staff very helpful to us as Vegans, especially Beata !

had a lovely carrot and coriander soup for lunch, it was the only vegan option on a mostly seafood menu.

We only popped in towards the end of our day trip for a hot drink and weren't sure it was open. We were greeted warmly however by the solitary member of staff working and enjoyed really good coffee, hot chocolate and delicious shortbread biscuits. Were we to visit Tresco again we'd definitely try the lunch menu.

Great food and beautifully presented. Service efficient and atmosphere lovely. Squeaky clean environment. Also good for afternoon coffee and cake after a visit to the spa next door. Lovely.

We have visited this restaurant on many occasions, the food this time was excellent & the service was superb. We had a really nice table looking out over the sea to Bryher. The sunset was amazing. Ever since Philip Callan (who runs The Hell Bay Hotel on Bryher) took over management of all matters food on Tresco the increase in quality has been,impressive, from fairly ordinary beginnings this is now a restaurant to be reckoned with. As well as the food, the quality of staff is extremely good too. Well done the whole team.

lunch on Sunday, lovely food, lots of interesting nibbles, service a little slow, but who's in a rush on holiday, wine a little expensive.

From reading other reviews, it seems I wasn’t alone but having been ignored for 20 minutes I decided to go back to my timeshare and make my own cup of coffee! However, not sure that this place has really figured out what its “offer” really is. As timeshare owners who paid to be members of the FBC, it seemed to offer a club-type environment which was beautifully fitted out, but shutting it two days a week (Sunday and Monday) in the peak Summer months seems odd. That and inattentive staff plus signs of uncharacteristic (for Tresco) wear and tear and being a bit under maintained (the outdoor ground floor “bow of the boat” seating area needs a jolly good power wash and the weeds removed and the wood needs rubbing down and re-oiling etc) left an impression that this place really doesn’t work. Contrast this with the New Inn or the Ruin which were always busy with attentive and engaged staff. Maybe a re-think is required?

We have had similar experiences as described by others in recent reviews. We went first time to the Flying Boat for a coffee, on arrival we asked if we could go upstairs and the young man said he would come up and take our order. We waited for 30 minutes, we weren't too bothered about the lack of coffee as we were enjoying the views. He never came up, so we left. On another occasion we booked for an evening meal, we saw the same young man, no smile, no welcome. My girlfriend went for Hake and I had catch of the day, Plaice, both small portions and only a few vegetables. And as described by others, we thought it was overpriced compared to the New Inn and Ruin Beach, where we had excellent meals.The staff are clearly not well trained, nor friendly and upbeat as they are everywhere else on Tresco. However the decor is wonderful, the paintings are fabulous, the interior is beautifully designed and the views are excellent.

We had a really tasty meal here. Other than that we weren’t very impressed. Our waiter didn’t smile once, the wrong food came out with little apology. Our table was not cleared after ordering coffee an hour before ordering lunch. We left the table before any lunch plates (or previous coffee plates) were cleared. I can semi understand service like this during busy hours however there was 3 waiters to few tables. We were disappointed with portion sizes.

We had three evening meals at the FBC this week - as a couple and in a group of 8 and 10. Very friendly and flexible service and really good food. We ordered most things on the menu and all were very much enjoyed - particularly the lobster. Really great presentation of the food and a varied menu. We have eaten at the FBC for the last 10 years and really felt this was up with the best years we have had there.

Only had coffee and cake. New French waitress served hot frothy milk with tea. I mentioned at check out, her senior (French) swore blind several times that loads of customers had frothy hot milk with tea.

God lunch på väg från tresco abbey garden Fin miljö god service och mat öl. Rekommenderas mycket starkt

There seem to be a few old miseries reviewing this place! We have just spent 3 days on Tresco and came here for drinks and on one occasion dinner. We found the service to be timely and very friendly. Dinner was excellent. It is quiet during the day which from our perspective was just fine. As we are buying a time-share on Tresco we will be regulars in the future.

Usually it’s ok but today we went for a drink, were told to take a seat upstairs and “we will come and take your order”, waited 20 minutes while staff busied themselves clearing tables without seeming to notice us....and walked out! Service at the New Inn is much better!

Very poor service and mediocre food ,very expensive for cafe type environment .

Visited at 11am. Took over 30 minutes to get our drinks. Cafe was quiet so no excuse. Very average coffee too. Would have been nice to have pastries available but only cooked breakfasts. Could make it really special but very disappointing. I fear they are counting on the views to draw people in. Hoped for a great coffee, a pastry and a nice view. Won’t return.

Abbiamo pranzato qui dopo la visita dei giardini. Posto molto carino e curato. Cibo ottimo. Si trova anche qualcosa di diverso rispetto al solito. Consigliati i dolci

Ci abbiamo pranzato dopo la visita del giardino. Siamo stati all'interno perchè c'era molto vento. Il cibo buono, con una vista suggestiva. C'era come cameriera una ragazza con non so quale genitore italiano ma che probabilmente aveva vissuto sempre in uk, perchè non parlava bene. E' stata però molto gentile. Siamo stati bene

We had a beautiful day in Tresco and stopped for lunch here on a Saturday afternoon. We had a lobster risotto which was extremely tasty and the veg gnocchi, both dishes were really enjoyable but was a sunny day so we sat outside on the spacious patio area. Beware of the sparrows! They are so tame they’ll happily hop onto your plate for a taste if you let them!

While we usually frequent the Ruin Beach Cafe, a meal or three at the FBC is a must. Really great cooking this year. Great for fish eaters. What’s not to love about Lobster & chips?! Market fish of the day was excellent.

Had lunch here with my mother and we loved it

Two happy evenings spent here overlooking the sea and the Island of Bryher. Delicious food, well cooked and presented. Nice for a coffe and snack as well as main meal

Lunch here. Had the squid & prawn tacos. Delicious & beautifully presented. Would definitely recommend the food here.

Yes twice in one week in October, I enjoyed a delicious meal with Lobster sustainably sourced from the pots around the Isles of Scilly by local fisherfolk (the Pender family from Bryher). The sun shone and the view was superb, staff were efficient and Andre, the manager, is unique: hilarious, friendy and professional !

First time at the Ruin Cafe, but won’t be the last. Excellent lunch, lovely outside space with good views. Service was good.

An interesting experience - company and food was good along with wines. Evening rounded off by visiting the upstairs gallery. Staff excellent. If staying at The New Inn take a torch for the walk back.

While visiting Tresco for the day we had lunch here. Very nice setting pleasant atmopher and helpful staff. Lots of places to sit inside and out, with nice views out to see. Food good and lots of gluten free choice very nice.

Stopped by after a walk & lunch on the beach for a coffee.

We had grilled lobster which was fantastic. A great location, good atmosphere and friendly staff. Must visit if you are on Tresco

Lucky enough to arrive Tuesday for welcome drinks and canapés- thank you!!! Dinner following day very enjoyable. Attentive service and food as advertised.

Our second visit this year and both times have been amazing. The young lady makes amazing iced coffee. We will definitely be back.

I had an excellent fish of the day dish but the option for my vegetarian daughter was either tomato soup or a salad and that was it. The waiter did offer the children's macaroni cheese or a risotto without the seafood so full marks for trying.

We visited the Flying Boat three times on our short stay on Tresco and loved it each time. The service was relaxed, friendly and attentive. Our first visit was for morning coffee and as it was overcast we were invited to take this upstairs with a wonderful view of the harbour. Our second visit was for dinner and the service was equally exceptional and the food was superb. Our third was for lunch taken this time sitting outside in the sunshine with great views again. All three visits were relaxing and service/food/drinks were wonderful.

Great food - Crab & Lobster. Nice atmosphere. Lots of places to sit and soak up the sunshine and beautiful view of the beach and sea

Like everywhere on the Isles of Scilly eating out is expensive, but we loved it here. The food was incredible, the service was excellent, so we would obviously recommend this eatery.

After a trip round other islands we returned to Tresco and headed to the Flying Boat for a drink. There are great views from the upstairs bar and if the weather is good there is an outdoor area which is very comfortable

Excellent seafood in a beautiful modern building looking out over the water to the island of Bryher. The views from upstairs are even better and it must be fabulous in warm weather when the sliding/folding doors are open. Great service too (thank you Andre!).

All the food at Tresco restaurants is outstanding. Flying Boat has fabulous sunset views - have a drink upstairs in the bar. Lobster is very good but smaller than you would get in New England.

Fantastic meal and service. Had main of steak followed by a Cornish cheese board. The view from the restaurant is also spectacular. All on one level which is good if you have mobility problems

Stopped for a beer on the terrace but enjoyed the great selection of British 20th century paintings - a nice Terry Frost, John Hoyland and a Julian Trevelyan.

I visited the Flying Boat with my son for a drink in the evening and enjoyed a great cocktail. We also went for Sunday breakfast which was everything it should be. The staff are lovely, the view is fabulous. I could quite happily live in the FBC

We went to the Flying Boat for lunch and found it a bit pretentious and disappointing. The lobster soup was tasty, but very watery. Service was no more than average - in need of a shake-up we thought.

Have been before, but it now has seating upstairs, so we had drinks in front of the panoramic picture window watching the sun go down, then went downstairs to eat. Food was excellent (my special was ox cheek - cooked perfectly and well presented, I would say). Staff were brilliant - the right mix of friendly, helpful and informative. Can't wait for another visit.

Good for brunch, quiet for dinner, service pretty average, food quality very good, it has a lot to compete with via the Ruin & New Inn

Went for brunch whilst visiting Tresco with my mother and son... ordered our food no problems, our waitress was lovely and we really enjoyed the food. (The lobster mac and cheese was to die for!) Unfortunately, our visit was spoiled by one rude member of...

We were surprised that when arriving for morning coffee we could not accompany this with a slice of cake, but the waitress encouraged us to try their pancakes with chocolate and berries (£10) which we happily shared between two and it was truly delicious. A bit pricey for elevenses, but it was rather nice!

Had a lovely lunch here we had really well cooked tasty imaginitive food with a sea food theme. nice service and great views had a chat with the chef. A lovely lunch.

Have been here several times, had several amazing meals but currently it seams to have lost it's way a bit, the food was I guess above your average standard but I would expect more for the money, the service needs sharpening up as well !!

We ate here one night but I thought the meal was excellent and would recommend. We had a table by the window and were able to watch the sun setting over a fabulous view. Liked the decor and the whole place had a nice feel.

Tuvimos una agradable cena en este elegante restaurante. Variado menú y lista de vinos y un buen servicio. Es caro pero merece la pena.

Had been looking forward to a meal here, but was quite frankly disappointed. An open crab light bite on sour dough tasted of little if anything at all, the crab, was dry, tasteless and obviously not fresh. When questioned the staff were quick to reinforce the fact that they had pre-warned us about the portion size. This had not been our issue, minimal would be perfect, if it had flavour! A reference was made to Brhyer crab, which on sampling the following day was exquisite. A definite let down and not one I shall be repeatinf

Stopped here for some refreshment following the Spring Tides festival today, it was only 2 o clock, but we were only offered tea and cake, no food available. Tea was OK, but would of liked to have got two cups each out of the pot, there was only enough for one and a bit each! Cakes OK, but at £11+, not very good

We walked into this restaurant for a welcomed beverage but unfortunately the people running it there were full of their own self importance that they had hardly time for us.A green tea was ordered plus a coffee and a cake, the servers were more interested in the staying guests who had all ordered large brunches/ breakfasts and so unfortunately our order was eventually received only to find that the green tea wasn't green so it was taken back.... eventually I had to go up to the counter to ask where it was - my irritation was that there were only other 6/8 other people in the restaurent who were obviously guests and we really felt like 2nd class citizens because we weren't staying in the complex ?Eventually we tried to pay and the staff told us to wait as they were busy and couldn't take our cash - we should have walked out in hindsight ....

il posto è lungo la passeggiata che raggiunge il garden, perfetto per una sosta. gentilissimi, tavolini all'aperto e all'interno tutto molto curato. meravigliosi i quadri, molto originali e di buon gusto. abbiamo anche incontrato un simpatico e molto professionale cameriere italiano, che ci ha accolto con grande affetto. la vista dall'interno è notevole. non abbiamo pranzato ma il menù era davvero accattivante e sono certa che la qualità è ottima.

This was billed as a special fishy evening. There were three mains on the menu...no starters. Our dishes were cold and had to be sent back. They were average. A disappointing evening.

Stopped off here early in the season. Had a hot drink each but both were warm at best and they took about 10 minutes to arrive. There were only 4 diners there!! Due to having to rush to get the boat back, we didn't complain but just gulped the drink down.Friendly staff but wouldn't return. A superb view though, with history of flying boats on the walls.

A special place located in one of the most beautiful places in the U.K. Food was excellent. We visited early season so there were quite a few things not quite ready on the menu, but despite this what we had was very good and I feel I have to give it five stars. The fillet steak was superb. Staff were good fun. Probably the best bit is the incredible artwork that adorns every wall space. A great way to spend an evening.

Loved the place. Excellent gin and tonic!. We had a great lunch in a super surroundings. Tresco is fabulous.

Beautiful views over the bay and food was ok but leave the chunky chips off the menu! Fish was beautiful thou.

A restaurant with a wonderful view. Not only the view was amazing, but the Creamtea I have had twice and the dinner I had tonight were exceptionally good. The Scones and the clotted cream in particular were amazing. The vegetarian Curry (Squash, sweet potatoes, spinach) with rice and the chocolate brownie with clotted cream tasted heavenly. The all Girl's team were a dream team, so friendly and supportive in any matter. Thank you and I hope I can come again next year. 10*<3

Half a lobster meal deal really good, whole family enjoyed it. Nice afternoon tea and cakes with a handy selection of magazines and journals to read.

Poor/mediocre fish served tonight. I had squid with salad and mayo sauce (£13) . the salad was a very small garnish and the squid coating was very very salty - to me inedible but it depends on taste and salt-tolerance. (I mention this to the waitress - she said she'd tell the shelf but no apologies). My dining companion had cod and chips (£14) but he said the cod readily fell apart and was probably pre-frozen (the bill said it was pollack which would be OK if it was fresh but this isn't what was listed on the menu). Overall a disappointing experience compared with meals we have had in the past at the FBC.

The Flying Boat Club should be Tresco's flagship restaurant, and we have eaten truly superb food here, but it is not always good enough to justify the prices. I think it suffers from seasonal kitchen staff, and while service is usually charming, it can be slow and a bit haphazard. The New Inn, or Hell Bay on neighbouring Bryher, offer better value and more reliable food, certainly for dinner. Still, it gets four stars because we have eaten five star and three star meals here.

Came here on a family visit, fish night offered a simple but delicious fresh fish menu with good drinks, friendly drinks waiter and beautiful view, could have been an enjoyable evening, however it was clear from the outset that the staff wanted us out of there as quickly possible which really spoiled things. We understand if the restaurant closes early but it would have been courteous to let us know this when we booked instead of rushing us through our meal on our final night of the holiday instead of clearing plates and turning off music while we were still eating. Other local option Ruin beach cafe offered significantly better service and atmosphere throughout our stay.

We were a big party, and accommodated no problem. The staff were friendly and helpful. The food was nice, but not THAT special for such a price. Having to pay extra for any and all vegetables was a bit steep. The sun also shines right into the testaurant in the evening , which is nice in a way, by also quite blinding and unpleasant if you are facing the window. This has been a problem since the place opened and I can't help feeling there should be a solution by now... The bill came to over £400 for 7 people - and we only had one bottle of wine... (Similar at the Ruin was about 1/2 that) . Given the options, the New Inn is also fab, I probably wouldn't go here for dinner again.

Friendly and attentive staff always seem keen to assist you here. Before booking, make sure you are aware what day their weekly 'fish night' is. As it's usually not very obviously advertised and the menu is limited to fish, obviously. Most of the dishes are based around somewhat basic British and French cooking, but is certainly very reliable. A good wine list is also on offer. Make sure that when you book, you ask to be upstairs by the big windows that overlook Cromwell's Sound, as it is a fine view on a clear evening.

we stopped in here for a quick refreshing drink and a snack. very tasty muffins nice atmosphere and servive

we walked around the wonderful island of Tresco and stopped here for lunch.we shared a homemade warm scotch egg with a runny yoke and a homemade pork , feta and sundried tomato sausage roll....both were devine, the best scotch egg I've ever had ( and I do like the odd one !) washed down with a cold bottle of proper job looking out to isle of Bryher.....stunning

My wife and I visited The Flying Boat on a recent visit to the island. We found the food excellent, the staff friendly and the ambiance pleasant.The restaurant is well placed at the centre of the island so is easy to reach from all parts. When we return to the island we will certainly seek it out again.

A friend who lives on Treco took us here when our group of six visited. We loved it. The restaurant was so comfortable and pleasant, especially on a warm and sunny day. The service was really friendly, relaxed, and felt islandy. The menu had many nice local options of salads and sandwiches. We had a nice variety of both and everything we tried was really good. Top it off with yummy desserts and a good time was had by all.

Tresco has changed a great deal since I was here last and this new restaurant was a great find. In easy reach of the port it has lovely views and served excellent food and wine. Staff were also really friendly and attentive.

The local produce menu (Fridays and Saturdays) is a treat and on Tuesday they have a 'Fish 'n' chips' menu - not just traditional fish and chips but other types of fish/seafood and vegetables too. Fran, the manager, is a lovely character who along with all the staff welcomes you and looks after you from start to finish. The barman, Hayden, likes to create cocktails and will do so for you if you tell him what flavours you like.

Ate lunch here for 2 people. The service was slick and welcoming. The food and drinks yummy. But you do pay for it!

We had the most excellent crab sandwich and vegetable crisps. The crab was locally caught and the bread was locally made. It was a little expensive but was worth it.

We had dinner there looking out over the sea. Excellent food and service. Fish especially good. They only served dinners on certain nights in the week.

Went for a coffee. What an amazing place surrounded by incredible paintings. Was like sitting in an art gallery. Very friendly staff. Highly recommended

We had both lunch and dinner at this lovely place, lacked a little in atmosphere for us but the food could not be faulted..from the fresh Lobster to the steaks cooked perfectly. The staff were very knowledgable about the history and their wine recommendations should be followed

A Wonderfully warm welcome from Wayne set us up for a thoroughly enjoyable Tuesday Fish and Chips evening at the FBC. The ambiance is good, the service is very good and our meals were delicious. Lunch there in glorious sunshine on the terrace was equally enjoyable , with very good, warm and friendly service.

An interesting venue.with staff who are always keen to help. The food is first class, a feature of the whole island. Top quality dishes.

Stopped for lunch - soup OK, but given one small piece of bread toasted on one side; fish cake delivered in a pool of soup(?). Staff friendly but expensive for a not very good lunch

We chose this restaurant for a meal on our day trip to Tresco as we liked the menu (and incidentally had no reply from another nearby venue to our enquiry). We were pleased to have a table with an uninterrupted view out towards the sea and some of the other islands. Our choice of food was an unusual combination but presented no problem for the staff. And the service was excellent. We got exactly what we'd ordered (which is definitely not always the case) and the man who looked after us was helpful, friendly, and had a really pleasant manner. Now if only everywhere was like this.. Oh, and the portions were just the right size.

Had a lovely meal at the Flying Boat Restaurant on Tresco, staff were extremely friendly, and the food was excellent

Interesting lunch menu which catered well for kids & adults alike, good portions and reasonable value

expensive and they can't cook fish, meal was rushed and bar area lacked atmosphere, would go to new inn near by or ruin beach

Average is OK but the reservation we made prior to arrival hadn't been passed on - so we didn't have a very good table. Fashion for unpeeled build potatoes is OK but not when the skins are thick and the potatoes dry. Fish cooked perfectly.