The Old Forge Lelant in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Tasty food, easily accessible. Helpful staff and nice atmosphere.

Where is the sixth star?! ✨ Favourite place in the UK to eat. Great food, great staff and we've been coming for the last three years

Great food, atmosphere and service

Wonderful meal here and lovely family and dog friendly restaurant. All courses were delicious, in particular the crab linguine and my son, who is a very fussy eater said it was the best dough balls and bolognaise he’s ever had. Would thoroughly recommend. Parking was busy, but the station car park is a two minute walk will ample spaces.

If this review was for food it would be 5* If this review was for staff it would be 5* If it was for venue it would be 5* I live in the local area and have been to TOF a few times. On a recent lunch trip with 2 friends we had a service charge over £23 This is why I give TOF 1* This is not London Mayfair ….it’s Lelant. It is not even suggested ( with diff % ) it is added on and you have the embarrassment of saying , no , I am not paying that ridiculous price. 4 starters , 4 mains , 4 puddings , 1 drink each should not be over £23 for service charge for lunch . £5-£10 is fair and £10 would be generous. Sadly , we will not be back until this utter greed ends. Mgmt please get real and reduce this charge or you will destroy the business . It smells of the utter greed that exists in hospitality in Cornwall . We are not all tourists !

Had dinner here in the week. A lovely little find. Cosy atmosphere, particularly in the recent bad weather. Service was friendly and food was brilliant. Highly recommend

Many years been using Old Forge and it is only getting better. Always a great place to grab a bite to eat, really lovely food and customer service.

We ended up eating here 3x during a recent stay in St. Ives. We only planned to eat dinner there once, but the food was so good we went back twice more. One night we both had Steak & ale pie, the next time Crab linguine and Carbonara, and the last time Margherita and Pepperoni Pizzas followed by ice creams and coffees . All were excellent, the mains were freshly cooked and served piping hot. There were still more things on the menu we'd like to have tried, so we'll be going back for more next time we're in St. Ives.

Having read the great reviews we decided to book for dinner with friends. It was quite busy when we arrived and we had high hopes. The menu was quite limited but we decided on the sweetcorn fritters which were not very tasty at all and did not go well with hummus. We then all ordered pizza which was slim on toppings with a huge crust. It was £68 for four pizzas and we realised why it was so busy when we arrived . There is an offer of two pizzas for £20 which we were not told about in booking! We felt ripped off and to add insult to injury they slapped a £16 service charge on our bill …for putting the food on the table ! 12.5% which we did not pay! There was only one waiter for the whole restaurant . Many of the best restaurants in Cornwall don’t add a service charge it is always a pleasure to reward amazing service. Beware this overpriced restaurant.

Excellent meal with friends Really love this place , from the team to the atmosphere to the excellent food all so good ! Can’t wait to come back I had the pan fried hake was absolutely delicious and cooked perfectly ! Finished with an affogato 👍👍👍

Amazing food!! They have a separate vegan menu and there's a lot to choose from. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Cute cosy atmosphere with real log burner on the go and low lighting. I'd recommend the pizzas, the bases are perfect. To start I'd recommend the Bangladeshi Dahl.

Excellent quality ingredients and fabulous flavours, very well presented food. Friendly attentive staff. Highly recommend

Best pizza in the UK!!! Thank you for a delicious lunch - vegan pizza (without vegan cheese -which I dislike) , super service, friendly, relaxed, efficient, professional - and still the best pizza!!

Really lovely setting, friendly staff and top notch food!

We booked a table at The Old Forge at the weekend for our mums birthday. Becky and the team went above and beyond . The food was delicious and the service was great - our server was extremely attentive. I’d highly recommend.

This is a perfect place for lunch. Nice surroundings, friendly and efficient staff. A wide ranging menu. The food was beyond expectations. Dog friendly as well which is a bonus for us. Parking is a bit limited but we managed to park. There is alternative nearby. Booking advisable This restaurant is used by locals so it is recommended. We were recommended by a local We would definitely go back

Have been there with my friends few days ago. Nice tasty food, especially pizza! We like general atmosphere there and lovely staff. Merry Christmas to you ♥️

Amazing food. Great selection of pizzas for my kids. Crab linguine was out of this world good. Also, recommend sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

Cosy little coffee shop/restaurant not far from St Ives.

Great service, dog friendly lovely food

We stayed in Carbis bay for a week, this is easily the best restaurant around (excluding Adam Handling's Ugly Butterfly, but that's a different category and price point). We came twice and food was divine on both occasions, simple dishes were delicious! I had a Greek salad that was so fresh and vibrant, the quality of ingredients really shone through. My girlfriend had a crab linguine special that she adored both times and I had a pizza and a risotto (both vegetarian) that were amazing. The wine was also a big plus, I think the wine shop next door is run by the same people so there was an impressive list. Service was also excellent. 11/10

We had a lovely lunch here at the Old Forge. The filled ciabatta’s were delicious and generous with the fillings. A bit more expensive than some places but worth it. We have passed this restaurant so many times but never really noticed it, but we will definitely be back.

Very cute, characterful atmosphere with friendly staff. Food was amazing. Best doughballs ever. Steak was cooked to perfection and the ceab linguine was delicious, tonnes of flavour in every mouthful with just a hint of heat. Little hidden gem we hope to return to.

Visited this restaurant whilst on holiday in the local area. Amazing food, very plentiful. Lovely service and very friendly staff. Would definitely recommend a visit here

Stopped off for breakfast as in the area. Great friendly staff, lovely food, facilities well maintained

What a great find after a very long walk. Happy friendly staff and great cakes. Dog friendly and very clean not far from St Erth station.

The best restaurant around, we absolutely love it every time. No need for us to go anywhere else!! Food is always perfect and the kids love it too. Becky and Mike make the best team!!

Really lovely restaurant with delicious food, generous portions, and lovely staff. Definitely one to seek out. Highly recommended.

The decor is very neat and warm, the menu offers good processed products and the dishes are generous. I tasted the saffron risotto which I enjoyed.

Lovely menu and food was super too, we had the saffron risotto, so tasty, and the others had the chicken satay wrap and the thai chicken red curry, both delicious. We spent a lovely afternoon catching up with family we hadnt seen for a while. Service was also great. Only downside was the included service charge of 12% which, to be fair, the waitress said we didnt have to pay, but we all felt that tips should be discretionary, so a bit disappointed in that although we paid it. Otherwise, would recommend.

Have eaten here 3 times and on all occasions it has been excellent. This visit was for a birthday and did not disappoint. Cheese dough balls, steak, satay chicken wrap - all very flavourful and prepared to a high standard. Portion sizes very good, service highly attentive. Will definitely return again.

We ate here twice, for breakfast and for dinner as the food was absolutely amazing! The croque madam for breakfast is incredible. The food has so many flavours that all go so well. The place itself is quirky and has a great atmosphere. You can also purchase other groceries from here (meat, cheese, condiments). The staff are always so friendly. The best crab linguine I’ve ever had! Would recommend trying the dough balls. Just a 10/10 place!

Amazing place, we had a fabulous dinner and where very well looked after by Mario highly recommend xx

So so so good - absolutely everything!! Great portions, beautiful flavours, a real range of cuisines and very reasonable pricing. Lovely staff too!!! Will be back asap.

Loved cosy setting, seating inside and out, food was lovely and service really prompt.

We ate here a few years ago and decided to go back. The food was as good as ever! I had the saffron risotto, my daughter had the carbonara and my wife had a chicken satay wrap. My only complaint would be the slowness of...

Great food and service. Good menu choice. I was able to choose a dish that didn’t have chips on the side. The hake was delicious!

My wife arranged for a special birthday leisurely lunch at The Old Forge. The four courses were brilliantly executed. I cannot imagine any chef improving on our dining experience. Everything was perfect: the food, the timing and the service. I absolutely recommend this restaurant. Booking...

Get yourself the Shakshouka!! (Gluten free too)

Finally we managed a day out, and finally we made it to The Old Forge. Oozing a relaxed, modern slightly Scandi feel. Staff are amazing, friendly, smiley and professional. We went for breakfast and I have to say the flatwhite was excellent and the hash,...

What a nice little place, slightly tucked away but a must stop. Fab food selection, really good atmosphere and the loveliest staff. Truly recommended.

Clean and well presented place. Food menu is different to the pictures in Google. Food is lucking imagination and presentation. Staff was very polite and attentive, but we waited 45 minutes for salads for 3 people + a pasta dish, when only one in seven tables was occupied. Very overpriced, so really bad value for money.

Lovely cozy atmosphere we were seated in the court yard which was heated and also dog friendly. The food is exceptional , a true gem.

What a fabulous gem we found whilst on holiday this year. We have drove past this place many times but this time we stopped. Beautiful decor and ambience matched by the fabulous range of food including a whole vegan menu. Food was delicious and cooked to perfection. Smoothies were incredibly scrumptious and I tried the kombucha which tasted very refreshing. We will be back again.

What a fabulous gem we found whilst on holiday this year. We have drove past this place many times but this time we stopped. Beautiful decor and ambience matched by the fabulous range of food including a whole vegan menu. Food was delicious and cooked...

This is one of the best restaurants in Cornwall. Unfussy and unpretentious, with a lovely menu of hearty main dishes including pizzas, pastas and curry at what we think is a very reasonable price in the current climate. (approx £13 to £15 for a pizza,...

We enjoyed our visit. We had a meal whilst away on holiday to celebrate our daughter’s A levels. We had the saffron risotto, steak, New Yorker pizza, and the bolognaise. Desserts, ice cream, crème brûlée, tiramisu and sticky toffee pudding. Bill with drinks £156 The...

Fantastic food, staff very friendly and helpful.

We always love visiting the Old Forge for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Our favourite place to get pizza 😋 Great at catering for allergies (we have multiple in our family).

This is one of the best restaurants in Cornwall. Unfussy and unpretentious, with a lovely menu of hearty main dishes including pizzas, pastas and curry at what we think is a very reasonable price in the current climate. (approx £13 to £15 for a pizza, pasta dishes approx £13 to £20). It is so lovely that we came here 3 times the last time we were in Cornwall in 2021 and booked again for two meals this time around for our return visit. The mackerel pate, squid and crab cake starters were delish, the crab pasta main chock full of white crab meat. No tiny portions here! We also had the beef ragu linguine which was rich and fabulous. The pizzas were also great. I wish this restaurant was closer to home for us but we will certainly return. Our two lovely dogs were welcomed too. Thank you again 😊

Hidden gem just after the motorway exit to Lelant. Ambiance, service and food form a harmonious unit. Curry and pizza were very good.

Really good food in a great setting. We really did enjoy our evening out. One small criticism was that a 10% service charge was added automatically to the bill. It was optional to pay that and we could have asked to have it removed but...

Just got home from a gorgeous meal. We had a rare family Sunday meal together due to all having a day off at the same time. The food was amazing. My son and myself had the rare steak which was cooked to perfection, my husband...

Great place overall. Staff were friendly, food was good and served quickly enough. The menu was a little bit basic and limited in scope and parking availability wasn't the best, but will definitely visit again in the future. Overall a really nice restaurant.

I only had coffee but it was great tasting. Nice ambience in this place with reggae music playing which gave it a real chilled out vibe.

Found this little gem by chance on our travels around Cornwall, wonderful little cafe bar, warm welcome, very clean and a lovely atmosphere, great latte. It is lovely to see such a nice place that is dog friendly. We will be visiting again for sure. Would highly recommend.

Excellent food and drinks. Good service and lovely ambiance. Highlight is the stonebaked pizza! Would recommend to anyone in the local area and from afar.

Food was lovely. I had the steak and it was loads of food. Not sure about the caramelised onion with it though. My wife had a pizza which she really enjoyed

Fine eatery with friendly staff. Much enjoyed with family and young children.

Always really good. Amazing pizzas

We had an amazing meal here. It’s a little hidden gem. Sat in the courtyard which was lovely. We all had something different, I had the crab linguine which was outstanding, my husband has the bolognese which wasn’t just your average spag Bol and our...

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, efficient service and delicious 🤤 food! Hadn’t booked and sat at high table which was still comfortable…eating out with two teenagers can be difficult but they loved both the food and ambiance. We we’re staying in St Ives and got coast...

Very good food! Lovely outside space to enjoy the meal!

Went for dinner with some friends, service was friendly but slow. Starter was mediocre. We had two pizzas one of which was burnt on the bottom and the other had something on it which was so spicy it I could not taste the pizza itself...

Delicious food, crab linguini was amazing , our fussy eaters enjoyed the pizzas. We sat in the outside space, which was fab. Staff very nice.

Very good food and nice staff Ate caesar salad and pizza. Highly recommended!

We came for dinner with our 2 year old who to be honest isn’t always the best behaved when we eat out as he gets bored and overwhelmed (We are working on it) The waitress was SO lovely entertaining him and watching the hungry caterpillar...

Excellent meal would highly recommend

Been here on a few occasions now and never fails to disappoint, especially when they fit you in at the last moment. The food was lovely and the staff are lovely too. We'll worth a visit if you are in the area.

The food and staff were amazing and overall one of the best meal experiences I’ve had. We was told there was a delay on the food but it still came fast enough, there was no doubt that the staff deserved a good tip. Fantastic, we will be returning on future holidays.

Some good things, some bad. Lovely place, good choice on the menu. Expensive but I'm not criticising, everything is, very accommodating to our baby in a high chair. But!! We were rushed through our meal, rushed to pay and made to feel, well, generally rushed!! Eating out is a treat these days, far more so than one or two years ago and, as such, should be enjoyed. Also!! I really dislike the addition of £15 to my bill for service. This was over the customary 10% and I feel this should always, always be left to the diners to decide the amount. The staff are all paid at least minimum wage, as am I, and tips should be optional. The overall feeling of get the money and get them out spoilt the very nice meal and atmosphere.

Service was poor, main course took an hour and others who arrived after got there meals first. T When our food arrived the waitress apologised on behalf of the chef, why was this not done before. When the food did arrive, the Red Thai curry...

Stayed in the area for a few days popped in on the off chance and they was able to accommodate table for 2. Nice outdoor table. Food and drinks reasonable prices, good quality and good service.

A great little restaurant. Good quality food, you get what you pay for. Fresh food, good ingredients put together very well.

Lovely place staff were friendly but also gave you time to sit and enjoy your meal. They even made a free from pepper corn sauce for one of our family members who has allergies

Lovely food, even the kids liked it! 🙂 Thanks for a great evening 🍻

Came in for coffees. Good friendly service and great coffee.

Friendly staff and good food with posh names and a price tag to match. When we went for breakfast, it was so noisy, due to a group of Hooray Henriettas that we could hardly hear ourselves think. Also, the main exit is a hazard for...

Really imaginative menu. Truly delicious food and very attentive service. An excellent place to eat.

We went for dinner at the end of a busy day. I had looked at the menu on line and decided what I would have but the specials board completely change my mind. There was a starter which incorporated the seasonal flavours of wild garlic...

Italian inspired eatery with a nice mix of dishes and Pizza. Could have chosen three or four things off the menu as they all looked good. Went for the pan fried hake and chips and brisket ragu pasta and they were both great. Washed down with ginger ale and shared Tiramisu to finish us off.

Great brunch of bacon poached egg and bubble and squeak

Great informal eating place. Great menu, good service. Can be relied upon for good quality, good variety, tasty menu. Sitting outside under canopy best - it’s warm in winter and summer.

The food, wine and service was excellent from start to finish. Although a little wait for food, it’s because it was fresh. We had the Bangladesh Dahl and scotch egg to start which were both incredibly tasty. We then had a steak and thai red...

First time here today and it was great. Lovely place, really friendly and efficient staff and the food was excellent. Can highly recommend the squid starter and if you're a veggie the Red Thai curry.

Lovely place and will go again. Many years ago (over 20) this used to be a place that sold pottery but it's been done up really well. Food is excellent (far better than I thought it would be) and if loos are a priority for...

Had heard great things so we booked for dinner. Service was excellent and the wine was good; just very disappointed with the food and the price paid for this. The pizza was good and a reasonable price, but the other main course and staters were...

Excellent refuge on a wet Cornish day. We stopped by by chance when searching in the area for a lunch with our children and the positive reviews did not disappoint. Greeted with a smile on entry we managed to grab a table just before the rush. Varied menu, great children's options, really high quality food. Attentive and friendly staff, modern but comfortable setting. Happily visit again.

Went for lunch 6 adults and 2 babies with prams staff very helpful lovely lovely food very nice atmosphere

Another lovely visit to the Old Forge! Can’t quite remember if this was our 4th or 5th visit but it’s just as fab. Visited today for brunch, I had the hash with bacon as an extra. They are welcoming to children and ours enjoyed their...

Usually our ‘go to’ place to eat as we love it here but unfortunately there was an intermittent smell of ‘drains’ which was clearly not ideal for an evening meal. Also the loaded ‘fries’ were not fries but potato wedges. Hopefully this was a ‘blip’……

Lovely food, lovely staff and delicious wine. What more can I say 😋

We visited as it was recommended by a surf instructor in St Ives and were most definitely not disappointed. Friendly staff, great service and amazing food. Child friendly but equally suited to a romantic night out. . Dough balls (plain and cheese) were fantastic and...

Absolutely fantastic. Food range and quality is amazing. Locally sourced and served very fresh. Best cran linguini ever. Service is excellent and very professional. Wine shop attached to the restaurant offering high end quality wines.

Went here on a Friday night. We arrive at 7.20, we were greeted and welcomed to our table for two but then left for 30 minutes before we had to ask to order. The staff then took our drinks order and when our drinks arrived the staff member just walked off. We presumed they would come back as we still had food menus on our table... And we'd asked to order: but no one did. Another half an hour later, we said we needed to order our food as we'd been waiting an hour. The staff member took our order and avoided discussion (or an apology) with us and that was that. By this stage we were feeling underwhelmed and frustrated by the experience. The food finally arrived a further twenty minutes later - although the dough ball starter arrived just after the pizza. The food was mostly good (particularly the cheese dough balls) - the four cheese pizza was a bit impoverished from a cheese perspective. The menu could do with better labelling of what is vegetarian/vegan - although the kitchen were able to answer these questions, it would be a simple adjustment to reassure diners with common dietary requirements. At the end no one asked how we found everything but we were wished fairwell. Overall - slow service: yes the restaurant was probably full but this would be typical at the weekend and not unexpected for the team there. Several tables arrived after us and received their food a long time before us. One particular table of 5 people were there when we arrived, had ordered during our arrival and a 6th person joined them 30 minutes into our sitting and ordered straight away, receiving their flood within minutes. This was pointed out to the staff and met with a surley response to suggest she didn't see a problem with it (and failing to acknowledge we had been waiting 1 hour mark without being asked to order at all). This did put my hackles up a bit as no apology or goodwill gesture was offered to make amends. The food here is good. The service lacks compassion and warmth. I'd like to go back here for the cheese dough balls alone but feel put off by the experience. Perhaps we were just unlucky.

Went here today for a lunch, food was great. We ordered cheesy dough balls, scotch egg, pepperoni pizza and fish of the day, everything was spot on! Really nice atmosphere inside the restaurant but the table right next to us, a group of 4 people, they were really really loud, like literally shouting to each others, not even considering other people around ruining our lunch, me and my husband can't even hear each other. No, I don't blame the restaurant for that. Shame we didn't get offered dessert menu while they did to the other 2 tables. It wasn't even busy only few tables around 3pm. We sat there for about 15 minutes after the waitresses cleared up our empty plates expecting they'll come with dessert menu or just checking on us but they didn't, then we decided to just pay at the till. Wanted to try their tiramisu and sticky toffee pudding but oh well, never mind.

Very pleasant, lovely coffee & cake, brilliant pizza's. Lovely staff. Really enjoyable, Lynne

Lovely first visit this week as we were let down by a restaurant in Hayle. Beautiful food and friendly service, I will be back, thank you :)

Not alot of choice but the food we had was good and service was great

Lovely lunch, great layout and friendly service