A steaming pot of tea… fresh clotted cream… sweet strawberry jam… a scone that crumbles just the right amount (not so little as to make it a rock cake and not so much as to make it a mess), is there anything better than a Cornish cream tea? We don’t think so, and once you’ve visited some of the eateries on this list, neither will you.
From clifftop cafés that pair your Cornish treat with an epic view, to little tea shops that believe that there is no such thing as too much cream (there really isn’t), Cornwall is home to some seriously cracking cream teas that will get you well and truly on the jam-first train. Salivating already? Let’s dive into the best cream teas in Cornwall!
Top tip: Layer your cream tea jam first to blend in with the locals!
North Cornwall
Fern Pit Café
Best for: Sights and scones
19 Riverside Cres, Newquay TR7 1PJ
fernpit.co.uk
This waterside beauty is making itself at home on both our list of the best beach cafés in Newquay and the best cream teas in Cornwall because of, well, the cream teas! Combining mouth-watering food with eye-popping views over the river Gannel and Crantock beach, all your senses are catered for when you visit Fern Pit Café, which has been providing its guests with delicious treats for over 90 years.
When it comes to the cream teas, you can expect a choice of fruit or plain scones with lashings of strawberry jam and Rodda’s Cornish Clotted Cream as well as two piping hot teas to wash it all down with. Throw in one of their famous crab sandwiches and you have the makings of a pretty spectacular Cornish lunch.
Woods Café
Best for: Dog-friendly dining
Cardinham Woods, Bodmin PL30 4AL
woodscafe.co.uk
Tucked away in the heart of Cardinham Woods lies this family-run hidden gem. Dog-friendly, family-friendly, and well, just plain friendly, Woods Café is perhaps one of the most welcoming cafés on this list and that’s not just because the cake counter greets you as you arrive.
While the menu is full of all the usual hunger-quelling items from hearty homemade soup to a warm, filled ciabatta, the big-ticket item is of course the cream tea, which comes in a sweet or savoury option alongside Cornwall’s very own Tregothnan tea. Bring along the whole family (dog included) for a woodland walk followed by Cornwall’s favourite sweet treat – geddon!
The Camel Trail Tea Garden
Best for: An indulgent refuel
Nanscarne, Nanstallon, Bodmin PL30 5LG
cameltrailteagarden.co.uk
Just picture it… you’re enjoying a lovely day out in Wadebridge and cycling along the Camel Trail when hunger strikes… but wait! What’s that just around the corner? One of Cornwall’s best-kept secrets waiting to ply you with fresh-out-the-oven scones topped with a hearty dollop of jam and heaps of Cornish clotted cream. Now that’s what we call being in the right place at the right time.
Yep, situated halfway between Wadebridge and Bodmin on the beautiful Camel Trail, The Camel Trail Tea Garden is perfectly placed to provide you with a Cornish cream tea exactly when you need it most. You can also pick up some equally fuelling light lunches and Cornish pasties to help power your picturesque Cornish cycle ride.
Boscastle Farm Shop
Best for: Sea views
Hillsborough Farm, Boscastle PL35 0HH
boscastlefarmshop.co.uk
The cliffs around Boscastle are jaw-droppingly (and occasionally calf-achingly) beautiful, which is why they are so popular with walkers. During your coastal stretch of the legs, why not turn your feet towards the famous Boscastle Farm Shop where you can pick up all the picnic essentials as well as stop off for a wicked Cornish cream tea.
Not only are the scones freshly baked and the clotted cream Rodda’s (of course), but you’ll get to enjoy sweeping views across National Trust farmland and glittering sea as you feast on clotted cream and jam. After your indulgent cream tea, you can take a look around the farm shop where you’ll find a variety of locally produced goodies including their famous burgers!
West Cornwall
Yellow Canary
Best for: Gluten free cream teas
12 Fore St, St Ives TR26 1AB
theyellowcanary.co.uk
If you’re after a gluten-free cream tea in Cornwall then look no further than the cobbled streets of St Ives. Not only does the bright and cheerful Yellow Canary offer gluten-free scones but they also sell gluten-free pasties and a selection of other cakes – oh, and they’re dog-friendly too!
And to top it all off (not just with jam and cream), you can order their scrumptious cream teas by post so you can enjoy a taste of Cornwall when you get back home. Now, that’s the dream!
Godrevy Café
Best for: Scones and seal spotting
Godrevy Towans, Gwithian, Hayle TR27 5ED
Tucked away in the sand dunes behind Godrevy beach, you won’t find a better backdrop for your cream tea - and with a whole host of outdoor seating options, it’s the perfect place to head when the sun shines. It’s also pretty jaw-dropping during stormy weather as Godrevy Lighthouse is a spectacular sight when the waves and winds roar.
The menu is full of homemade cakes, light bites, and yes, a spectacular cream tea, giving you plenty of choice for a post-beach walk indulgence. For an extra special visit, we recommend the short trek to Cornwall’s best seal-spotting beach, Mutton Cove, which sits peacefully below Godrevy Head.
Apple Tree Café
Best for: Coffee and cream teas
Trevescan, Penzance TR19 7AQ
appletreecafe.co.uk
Nestled amidst the ancient farmland of West Cornwall – not to mention a stone’s throw from the popular surfing beach at Sennen – Apple Tree Café has been providing visitors with a warm and welcoming atmosphere in which you can enjoy some superb local grub.
While the menu includes lots of seasonal delights from a full Celtic breakfast to loaded fries, the real draw has to be their cream teas. Available in sweet or savoury, we like to buck tradition here and opt for a coffee with our scones as it’s hand-roasted by the lovely people at Apple Tree – what could be better!
Twisted Currant
Best for: A twist on a classic cream tea
10 Fore St, Porthleven TR13 9HJ
twistedcurrant.co.uk
Porthleven is known far and wide for its pretty harbourside views and boggling choice of epic eateries, from a waterside seafood shack to one of the AA guide’s best Cornish restaurants. Among this tantalising list is the much-loved Twisted Current, a tea shop with buckets of charm and an unrivalled assortment of cream tea choices.
Go classic with fluffy scones, mounds of clotted cream, and spoonfuls of strawberry jam, full chocolate with chocolate chip scones, Cadburys chocolate spread, and clotted cream, or savoury with cheese scones, Philadelphia cheese, and red onion relish. After your button-popping meal, you can walk off the lashings of clotted cream with a gentle saunter along the nearby cliffs – it’s a lovely way to finish your Cornish cream tea.
South Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall Nursery
Best for: A bit of luxury
Cott Road, Lostwithiel PL22 0HW
duchyofcornwallnursery.co.uk/cafe
Who doesn’t love a cheeky stroll around a garden centre before stopping off at the café for a coffee and a cake? Well, we see your coffee and cake and raise you a Cornish cream tea! At the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, you can either indulge in your cream tea on its own or (and we seriously recommend this) you can opt for the even more luxurious afternoon tea, which goes above and beyond your standard finger sandwiches.
Either way, you get to enjoy a freshly baked scone alongside some proper Cornish tea and a generous amount of clotted cream and jam – you really can’t go wrong with this combination, can you?
Polpeor Café
Best for: A southerly sweet treat
Lizard Point, The Lizard, Helston TR12 7NU
Fancy something to eat at Britain’s most southerly café? With fresh, locally caught lobster on the menu, of course you do! Surrounded by the beautiful coast that makes up the Lizard peninsula, and only a stunning walk away from the popular Kynance Cove, Polpeor Café is a jaw-dropping spot to settle down for a bite to eat.
The cream teas are out of this world with oodles of clotted cream and jam, topped only by the staggering views that surround you. The menu also features a boggling mix of homemade cakes, sandwiches, burgers and all the seaside delights you would hope to see from whitebait to battered cod – perfect for a refuel as you walk around the Lizard peninsula. Check out their social media to see the menu in all its mouth-watering glory.
Miss V’s
Best for: Vintage vibes and creek-side calm
St Just in Roseland, Truro TR2 5JD
missvs.co.uk
Whether you’re after vintage china, towers of homemade scones or an idyllic atmosphere, Miss V’s in St Just in Roseland is simply a stunning place to settle down for a bite to eat. After a peaceful walk along the nearby creek, head into Miss V’s for a first-class brekkie or lunch or, if you fancy something even more decadent, try out their rendition of a Cornish cream tea.
Fresh out the oven scones paired with local jam and Cornish clotted cream – you just can’t beat a cream tea at Miss V’s. They also have a tearoom on Honey Street in Bodmin, so no matter where you are in Cornwall, you can access a proper Cornish cream tea.
Feeling peckish? Come and stay in one of our lovely holiday cottages in Cornwall as you go around sampling the many delicious Cornish cream teas on offer… it’s the only way to find your favourite!
Tags: Cornwall | Food and Drink | Food and Drink |