The best pubs in Cornwall

1. The Plough

The Plough is an award-winning pub in the Cornish village of Duloe. This dog-friendly haven offers a warm, relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy a selection of real ales and seasonal dishes. Get cosy by the fireside or sip on a drink in the garden while taking in the view of Looe valley towards Churchbridge. 

Great for: Authentic Cornish food with seasonal ingredients

Find it at: Duloe, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 4PN

2. Pandora Inn

This award-winning pub in Falmouth dates back to the 13th Century and features flagstone floors, low-beamed ceilings and a thatched roof, all in a picturesque waterside setting. Local sailors often moor their boats alongside the pub and stop for a drink. Pandora Inn has a traditional pub menu, as well as a good selection of local ciders, St Austell ales, and wine. It is also dog-friendly. 

Great for: Visitors arriving by foot, boat, bike or car 

Find it at: Restronguet Hill, Creek, Falmouth TR11 5ST

3. The Crows Nest

Patrons enjoy live music performances and quiz nights at the welcoming Crows Nest in Darite. Real ales and local produce are the order of the day, so make a stop here to enjoy some genuine Cornish home cooking and hospitality.

Great for: A fun eveining out 

Find it at: Crow's Nest, Liskeard PL14 5JQ, United Kingdom

4. Blue Anchor Inn

This Helston pub is one of the oldest original inns in Britain to maintain a working brewery. Blue Anchor Inn dates back to the 15th Century. It was once a monks’ rest house, which produced honey-based mead; today, it produces a variety of Spingo ales using traditional recipes. Blue Anchor also includes a skittle alley and a large beer garden. 

Great for: A scenic and beautiful, old setting   

Find it at: 50 Coinagehall Street, Helston, TR13 8EL

5. The Driftwood Spars

Well worth the drive if you’re looking for a cosy pub near the coast. Nestled in St Agnes’ iconic Trevaunance Cove, The Driftwood Spars is a seaside brewpub which serves a selection of proper Cornish ales and homemade dishes. Before it became known as one of the best pubs in Cornwall, The Driftwood Spars was a tin mining warehouse, a chandlery, a sail-making loft and a fish cellar. The beams used to build the Driftwood in the 1650s were salvaged from shipwrecks along the coast.

Great for: Coastal charm and hospitality   

Find it at: St. Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0RT 

6. The Springer Spaniel

Cosy pub with highly popular food, friendly staff and a genuine welcome for all. The Springer Spaniel is an easy-going little bar in a friendly 18 century pub, this has beams, antlers and a few copper pans on an exposed stone wall above a wood-burning stove, books on shelves, pictures of springer spaniels, a rather fine high-backed settle and other country kitchen chairs and tables and old parquet flooring.

Great for: Coastal charm and hospitality   

Find it at: St. Agnes, Cornwall, TR5 0RT 

These spots are just a small sample of the top pubs in Cornwall, where, as an alternative to your hot tub relaxation, you can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, warm Cornish hospitality and a refreshing brew.