Tolcarne Inn in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Excellent food & service, great location, dog friendly.

Overpriced and mediocre. The service was slow and poor (we were asked whether we would like tap, still, or sparkling water upon arrival yet had to ask for it 20 minutes later; dirty plates left on the table for inordinate periods despite waiters drying cutlery. The table beside us had the same experience: they became so bored waiting for their plates to be cleared that they went outside for a smoke, returned, and still waited. They also appeared to receive the wrong mains on a night when they ostensibly were celebrating.) The food does too much. Scallops cooked perfectly but then overpowered by slices of sausage; John Dory seemed cooked well yet was smothered in hollandaise sauce; courgettes with harissa is a mash that favours neither element. This came to £160 inc. a bottle of wine. (Payment of which, having waited again for some semblance of service, we sought and paid directly at the bar.) An expensive meal with food that aspires yet disappoints and service that abandons.

Best quality meal that we had in Penzance - recommended.

the food is excellent and tasty, shame about the time in which it is served, I am the one serving they are not very fast but the wait is worth it, nice environment, because it makes you remember the old style

What an experience! Brilliant food. From beginning to end, the food was marvelous - delicious homemade bread & smoked almonds; two very special starters, smoked salmon and scallops, clearly well thought of and beautifully plated; John Dory as a main plate with courgette and lemon butter sauce on the side; and finally, two amazing desserts: Pistachio, almond and peach tart with ice cream and dense chocolate mousse with red wine cherries. We absolutely loved it! Well done to everyone behind it the making of our experience.

£6.10 for a pint of lager, £6.85 for a lager shandy - you get half a pint of lager yet still charge you for a pint and then an extra 0.75p for lemonade! that's how it is and in my eyes that's a rip off. I disputed it with the barman he agreed with me

Booked one night before. Pricey but quality of fish dish was quite good. The john dorry fish fillet was particularly good and tasty. Scallop was also very fresh. Enjoyed our dinner here.

Stayed in St just for a week, booked and went for a 50th birthday meal here in Newlyn, such an amazing place the inn it’s self was quaint and lovely old building, nice outside eating area in the sun, As for the food everything was cooked to perfection, the Chef certainly knows his stuff, the only down side was there wasn’t enough to eat, ( I could have eaten everything twice at least, ) 😄 Will be back again as the food was stunning and well worth going for. Thanks for a great meal.

FABULOUS RESTAURANT! It ruined all experiences afterwards, because none could compare! We all had a different fish dish and the cook, seasoning and balance was amazing! I had a John Dory, which I cannot state enough how amazing it was. I would recommend this restaurant 💯 without reservation. The staff were also very nice!

I was recommended to try this restaurant and was not disappointed went for lunch. I wanted something off the evening menu no problem the chef was happy to cook the fish. Ordered the home made bread it was warm a good start to the meal. The fish was cooked perfectly one of the best I have ever tasted, much better than a well known restaurant in Padstow. The staff were very welcoming and attentively so nice for the solo customer.

Sailing along the south coast towards Isles of if Scilly, we stayed a couple of nights in Newlyn. And saw this little restaurant with a menu that's changing every day due to fresh catches and dito delivering. A real treat! We orderd first a main fish dish and that was great. The dessert could not meet the same level, and now we know you shoud not ask for cafee at the end. Not cheap. The venue is simple, the way we like it. Chairs coud be more comfortabel. Staff is professional, good.

Really lovely service and food. Just needs a few veggie options.

Great and friendly service, delicious food and a very nice and cozy place. Highly recommended!

Gr8 place fir a quick pint of offshore..and just to sit outside and and chat.

Lovely food, great service, friendly staff, good atmosphere .car parking EXCELLENT

Very large portions, everything delicious.

Had lunch here at a recommendation of a friend. It was great. Lovely pub feel with some fantastic seafood. Had Deviled Egg for starters followed by Ray Wing. Service was great - really friendly! Definitely a thumbs up!

Beautiful dinner experience! It's a must visit if you are in the area! I'm recommending it 100%.

Our friend suggested the restaurant and we wanted to give a try. I had no idea before and I was not expecting anything like that. the food was incredibly tasty, fresh and satisfying. Good atmosphere and definitely recommend it!

This historic maritime pub, masterfully helmed by chef and restaurateur Ben Tunnicliffe, offers a culinary haven for seafood enthusiasts. From the moment we arrived, the warm, inviting atmosphere set the tone for an unforgettable evening. The pub’s charming maritime décor, coupled with its prime location overlooking one of the UK’s most important fishing ports, creates a unique and cosy ambiance. The menu, thoughtfully curated and reflective of seasonal abundance, showcases the freshest local seafood. We started with the salt cod fritters – a delicate, perfectly seasoned delight. For the main course, the goujons and monkfish were outstanding, each dish crafted with impeccable attention to detail and bursting with flavour. The chalkboard menu, ever-evolving to highlight the best of each season, ensures there’s always something new and exciting to try. Service at the Tolcarne Inn was exemplary, with attentive staff who were knowledgeable about the menu and passionate about their offerings. Despite it being a busy Friday evening, the team maintained a friendly and efficient service, making us feel truly valued. To top off the meal, the dessert was a visual and gastronomic treat. The rich, decadent chocolate tart with pecan topping and a scoop of creamy ice cream was the perfect end to our culinary journey. Overall, the Tolcarne Inn exceeded all expectations. Its combination of top-notch food, excellent service, and picturesque setting makes it a standout destination in Cornwall. We left with our hearts and bellies full, eagerly anticipating our next visit. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Newlyn – the Tolcarne Inn is a true hidden gem by the sea.

Lovely menu, mainly fresh local caught fish. Good for a pint in the sun too.

Hugely overpriced for underwhelming, rather unimaginative, obvious dishes. Service efficient, but lacking in any charm. We were warned not to bother, and rather wish we hadn't. Ideas above its self!

Superb sea bass would definitely recommend

Food was absolutely wonderful, well presented and really good quality. The only negative thing I have to say is that the tables are a bit squashed in and the chairs unfortunately rock on the beautiful slate floors (which is going to happen really) They seem to have tried their best with the rocking with the tables by putting wedges under the table legs...so you can't really do much about the chairs. The issue is that you have barely enough room to move to cut your food because we were sta pretty much shoulder to shoulder.

Myself and my partner knew nothing of the place prior to visiting, we saw that from the outside it looked inviting and seemed to be ideally placed very close to the harbour and the fish market and we could see from signage outside that they served sea food so we'd give it a go. For a start we would like to especially commend the staff, a young brunette lady and a young moussy brown haired man with glasses, both were very polite, friendly and helpful and after some poor experiences with rude and judgemental staff at other premises it was an absolute breath of fresh air. We ordered salt cod fritters with aioli as starters each, these were presented beautifully and ample in portion size and were absolutely succulent and delicious. A short while later our mains came out, these being cod, turbot and trout goujons with lemon and herb garlic mayo and funky leaves. Yet again, beautiful. The fish was decidedly fresh and succulent, beautiful batter and well presented, simply delicious. The whole while we were asked along the meal if we were happy and enjoying our food, but not in an invasive way, in a friendly and polite manner. Myself and my partner were so pleased with everything I asked how best to go about personally providing positive feedback towards the staff members for being fantastic and was told to write a review on TripAdvisor which has brought me here to write this review. Highly recommend.

Great, friendly, relaxing pub with amazing bar staff.

Stopped in for a couple of pints only.Really friendly girls behind the bar.Made us both very welcome.Beer well kept.

Fine food, beautifully presented but too pricy. Relationship price and quality not in balance. Too many dogs. Toilet just a pity. staff are friendly and willing.

Lovely food but very pricey. Too many dogs! Toilets substandard with a smelly carpet and nowhere to hang a bag or coat. Relationship between price and quality of premises and service not quite right.

I am overwhelmed by the food here. Just so wholesome and tasty and everything.

My partner and I (with 2 dogs) visited for lunch today. I hadn’t made a booking prior but popped into the pub and asked if there was availability for us and the 2 medium to large dogs. I was told we could have the table by the door as it would be the only one availability. Great and no problem I thought, we were happy to get a table & we were happy to be sat there. (Although what became apparent as more locals came in without a booking that there was flexibility in where people could be sat - though I understand without a booking and not being a regular this may have been their unofficial protocol. Though that wasn’t an issue in our eyes I just wanted to include for this review). What started as a positive experience, as we were looking forward to sea food, gradually became a bit of a sour experience and disappointing. Whilst we are ‘tourists’ we wouldn’t return. We were made to feel like an inconvenience by the two hosting ( and young female with brown hair tied up). A summary of the experience: - the female hosting (young female, brown hair tied back) huffing to the other server she had given the seats to us when further people came to enquire about tables. We could overhear this being so close to the bar and the till. - not being asked how the food was / anyone checking on our meal once the food had been served - no calories detailed on the menu -the portion sizes are small -the fish didn’t have any particular taste to it / it wasn’t anything special. Though in contrast, the chips and garnish salad alongside the meals were delicious. - Charged twice for our drinks when the bill came - no apology from the male server when we raised this (young male, brown mousey hair with glasses). - when asking about the parking refund being told as I had paid via the app they couldn’t do it as he needed “evidence in the till”. I offered to email my digital receipt across. A few minutes later was told that was ok and was handed the refund in 20ps in cash. I trusted what I was being handed but it transpired I had been severely short changed. For me, it is not the fact of the value (c.£1) it is the dismissive attitude of the server and the deliberately short changing / being difficult with 20ps. (If they only had 20ps no problem but say so). If they market themselves as dog friendly and offer pay back for parking then this should be a standard offer & if those that ask for this are not made to make those visiting feel a burden. I did notice retrospectively on Facebook a couple of people had included this in their reviews.

My husband and I arrived in Cornwall on 31/5/2024 on Friday. We took a walk around this small little fishing village called Newlyn. And found this little restaurant - The Tolcarne Place. Their menu for lunch is sharing plant. We ordered 3 different dishes. The servers were exceptionally friendly. The service was excellent. The dishes we selected were the best to be known. Thank you for your excellent services. Highly recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Very good food in a rustic atmosphere. Clear, small menu, mainly fish dishes and a surprisingly good selection of wines. Dog-friendly (dog-friendly) Highly recommended

We were looking for a good fish restaurant without crowds of tourists. The Tolcarne Inn is a cute, sophisticated pub serving excellent food. We had the salt cod fritters to start, then the goujons and the monk fish as mains. We booked a table - a good job since the place was full except for our waiting table. Beautiful menu, fabulously delivered, and great service too.

We had a very nice roast lunch here today. So flavoursome & an exquisite dessert. Nice polite staff too. The only downside for me would be where we were seated. I booked approx middle of the week but I think I would be correct in saying that we probably had the worst table in there. Right next to the door & opposite the bar. Yet I did notice others who came in on speck had much better tables. I think for the price & considering the interior layout we wouldn’t return. Pity.

Been here a couple times with the family and it is an absolutely stunning place, with magnificent food. Service Is incredible, and I think the chef is a wizard!

Had the most amazing grilled lemon sole today with hand cut chips . The sun was shining and the cider was cold . Perfect

Great seafood. Friendly service. Beautiful pub . Will return

Nice place, good service, good food ....but way overpriced.

Heavily overpriced. I wouldn’t mind paying £38 (!) for a small serving of brill presented as a main course, without any sides, if it tasted like it was worth it; which it didn’t. Good service though. Much better (and tastier) alternatives are just round the corner!

We sought out this place, for lunch whilst in Newlyn, and wasn't disappointed! Delicious seafood and we had a table in front of the log burner to dry off from the heavy rain. No kids menu but they did do a kids fish goujons & chips.

Excellent ingredients and beautifully cooked - we really enjoyed our meal.

So good.. Going back next week!

We really enjoy eating here at lunch time . Freshly cooked local tasty food

Varies from simply outstanding to very good fresh beautiful Newlyn fish. It's a simple place inside. Winter warmth from open fires but of outside space during summer. It's really well priced for the top quality food. Staff friendly bunch too.

As always good food selection prepared and cooked to a high standard.

Just had the most wonderful lunch of fresh fish at The Tolcarne Inn. A real treat, thank you.

Terrific value at lunchtime for really delicious food

This place gets a lot of good reviews and I can see why! It is certainly not in the cheaper range of places to eat but sometimes you want to spend a bit more (especially on holiday) and get something a little extra! It's cornish and by the sea and as expected they have a lot of very good seafood on offer (they have meat dishes too but fewer purely vege options - I'm a vegetarian who sometimes stretches to fish so was okay but if you just want vege it's worth pre checking the menu). The food however was exceptional! I think it's worth the price and would happily go back. Service was friendly and unpretentious and it was very busy on a Wednesday in the first week of January! Good selection of wines and good recommendations for them by the staff (plus they gave me very generous sized 'tasters' of a couple of wines each time I asked for something different. The sign of a place that's confident to be judged on what they offer!) Loved it and would definitely go back

This was a great spot for a Saturday evening dinner - the kitchen are on point - beautiful seafood well treated with intelligent combinations of flavours - lovely attentive service and a cosy atmosphere. The wine flight was delicious and good value. We tried this place for the first time because we have a voucher - which was a great promotion because we will be back - cracking find!

Three of us went for lunch today & it was excellent ,especially the desserts & of course a great seafood selection of small bites ,however if anybody in your group is vegan vegetarian or a meat eater you may want to ring them and require something off menu ,its the only critism I have ,but a big one ! The waitress Michelle couldn't of been more attentive & worth a visit at least twice as the evening menu may off a more comprehensive menu

Great food. lovely staff . But very pricey two drinks two scallops cost over £60 pounds .

Had starters and a main course from the a la carte at lunch time. Delicious dishes. Especially enjoyed the taramasalata and the turbot!

Excellent fish dishes with ingenious and delicious accompaniments. A couple of interesting vegetarian options. Friendly, knowledgeable and efficient service. Short wine list with good range. A treat all round.

RATS IN THE GARDEN & SMELLY MUSSELS!!! My husband and I experienced both of these whilst down in Cornwall last month. NOT AMUSED! We decided to go for the mussels and was advised one portion would be enough for both. This was of course not the case. There were 11 in total with only 6 of them of size that was worth eating. I also expressed my concerns about the unfresh smell radiating from the bowl in front of us. I was advised that they were mussels, they are meant to smell! Totally unimpressed but at least we made the rats happy with the smelly mussels we threw down for them before leaving.

Had lunch here today. Incredible. It was an experience that I thoroughly recommend. Fairly priced too. I'd be coming here regularly if I lived closer.

Great, locally sourced seafood. Friendly and relaxed staff. A great meal out

Amazing seafood. I was travelling with two mates and we all love seafood…we had lunch here and then came back for dinner, the very same night, to work our way through the dishes we didn’t get to try at lunch.

We had a wonderful meal here this week. Food was delicious - service friendly and they also made my 3 dogs feel welcome And gave us a table with plenty of space for them. Would definitely return the next time we are in Cornwall. Thoroughly recommend.

Don't talk too loud; Don't sing (in Cornwall) in conversation to your friend; be under threat of kick out all the time. It's a cheap pint at the end of the night but not a first go to. Look for a local boozer first.

Really fabulous meal, everything was delicious and that includes a dessert we thought might have been the best desert we’d ever had. So good.

great food, lovely place, nice service. recommended

We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit here. The fish pieces, and new potatoes were absolutely superb. Also, the soft bread and salted butter for starter was 🤌🏻 The staff were very friendly, and accommodating with our baby.

It is my first time trying monkfish that brings a fresh taste. The sauce flavor is weird and delicious.

A Food oriented pub, a reasonable drinks selection, with friendly service, and an attractive from room.

Great spot for a drink and lunch

Best fish I have ever eaten. The Monkfish was superb. Will definitely be recommending this as a place to eat if you are visiting the area.

The seafood here is superb and there is a good selection of quality wines to accompany your meal. Highly recommended.

How could you miss this restaurant everything is so good and fresh. The chef Ben put all his heart int the cuisine and select the best products for our pleasure and he has got the perfect crew. I warmly recommend and I know a lot about good food as my family was in the trade

Refined, very high quality food and best value for money. Ben the chef and owner creates dishes and cooks with so much craft and all his ❤️ and also the best local products, and the result is= it’s soooo delicious ! Thanks a million, it’s such a nice surprise especially in this area.

Beautiful food, great service. Enjoyed a lovely evening there.

Beautiful little pub in Newlin. The food was absolutely outstanding and unbelievably great value for money. I think this was the best 2 course lunch I have had in ages. My trout with treacle bread was just delicious and my chocolate cookie dessert with custard was so good I really could have licked the plate clean! Service was pleasant and efficient and although most tables were filled, it wasn't noisy so enjoyed that it was easy to chat easily over lunch. Really enjoyed my visit to the Tolecarne Inn.

Amazing little find with outstanding seafood!! Would definitely recommend but would advise booking

A really calm and friendly place to eat, fine dining and fine staff. I was pleasantly surprised! A really wonderful experience all round!

Unreal food. Super fresh fish,beautifully balanced flavours, beautiful presentation.and most importantly, dog friendly.we will be back for sure

We’ve been here three times since 2020 when we’re on holiday and every time we’ve had consistently great well presented food! With really delicious fresh fish from Newlyn harbour being the star of the show. We’ll be back next year I’m sure

A lovely pub in a beautiful place 😉

if you charge £13 for a crab sandwich, you best make it the best one I've had! Decided to stop here as we cycled down the coast but we could definitely have got something better elsewhere - tried to order the crab sandwich from the main bar with the other food but were told that it needs to be ordered at the hatch (bit weird, but ok)... then, even though we were eating in the beer garden, the food came separately and the sandwich came in a (pointless and single-use) plastic sandwich holder... why not save plastic and throw it on a plate?? Whilst you're at it, for £13, why not put a couple of lettuce leaves, slices of Cucumber, onions or pea shoots if you want to be fancy! Basically, it's a decent pub, beer garden has a view of a wall, food is decent but not worth the price, service is with a smile but could be better. Unless the price comes down, go elsewhere.

Nice place for a drink or tasty seafood dinner

Good restaurant. The food was tasty , the service very kind . I would recommend.

Very well deserved 5 stars, wandered in off the street, seen the menu outside, big fish fan; what a find, impressed. Later found out I've eaten at the sister restaurant/pub, the Packet Inn which I was equally impressed with.

Exceptional dinner. Fresh ingredients masterfully prepared, delightful atmosphere, excellent service, a beautiful selection of wines, and even the playlist used in the background was so tasteful, with indie bands of the 2000. Even the coffee was good, which to me is always a pleasant surprise. A must, if you are around.

Incredible food, tasty, filling and fantastic service.

Nice friendly atmosphere & great beer. 👍😉🍻

The food was amazing. The mussels and scallops are fresh. The kids love the fish fingers and chips and also the dessert. Sticky toffee pudding was the 💣

Just stunning... Ben Tunnicliffe is the best chef in Cornwall... Food is always incredible

If you want to know what top rate fine dining food is, in a friendly pub atmosphere, this is the place. The wife & I were quite blown away. I had the popular lemon sole and she had the scallops. Both, melt in the mouth gorgeousness of what really good food can become, in the right hands. Cheese & a lemon posset for pud. It was simply some of the best quality food. We can't wait to go back again.

Perfect restaurant if you want to eat fresh and locally fished products !

Went for lunch yesterday, it was awesome so went again tonight for evening meal.....blown away, fantastic 5 *

love this place, wonderful food that always seems even better than last time. doesn't look much from the outside, but a hidden gem.

One of the jewels in the crown of fish restaurants in Cornwall. With the big man himself Ben Tunnicliffe doing the cooking it just doesnt get any better. Superb!! And our dogs can come too! Although the little one growled at Ben the other day mistaking him for the vet 😂 We love it here

We ate here today. I can honestly say The Tolcarne Inn is spot on in every way you would want it to be. The food is excellent, packed with flavour, we had bread, olives and salt cod bites twice, muscles twice, fish soup, greens and extra bread, rounded off with 2 desserts. Our bill came to £69 which l thought was excellent value for money, 3 of us ate at Ben Tunnicliffes, not only does he own this place but he is there permanently, he cooked our meal and came out in the bar to see his customers which l think is amazing. The service here is good, the atmosphere is welcoming, our little doggy joined us, there's nothing pretentious here at all. Highly recommended, we will definitely be back. Thankyou Ben and all the staff that make The Tolcarne Inn so good.

Lovely quiet pub with superb mussels and wine.

Excellent fish, friendly service. The kitchen was overwhelmed, so slower service than you might expect. However this was acknowledged, (without any input from me), by the staff and reflected in the bill. I cannot fault such a positive attitude to customers and will certainly be eating there again.

Amazing service and food, they reacted to our special requests like it was no problem at all. We chose to eat here because of their "eat local" and sustainable approach - was our fave meal of our 10 day holiday. Also extensive wines by the glass menu, which is rare to find. Loved the whole experience, they were also very welcoming to our dogs which was appreciated.

Really excellent food l had ray wing with capers beurre noisette it was excellent , my wife’s hake was cooked to perfection. Really good service would recommend it to all.

This is one place we try to visit when we stay in Newlyn but lately have found it booked up..Could not get in on the Saturday night but booked for Friday which was much quieter. Fabulous meals for all of us . Ben is a very talented chef. Even though you know what is in the dish when it arrives it is always a nice surprise to see how he has put the meal together. If you are a fish lover this is a place not to miss and a plus as dogs are welcome

This is my favourite place to eat in Cornwall. The seafood is delicious, beautifully cooked with an imaginative menu. Helpful pleasant staff too. It is a total gastronomic experience!

Great location, small car park next door. Food was lovely, maybe a bit pricey, but mainly fish dishes cooked with imagination. Sat inside as it was January but outside in warmer weather must be wonderful. Bottom line, we will go again.

Very good food and excellent staff.