For such a small town, St Ives has a good amount of pubs and bars. Apparently in days of yore there were many many more!
Whether you’re after a refreshing pint with a sea view, a cosy fireside corner, or a buzzing crowd just steps from the beach, St Ives has a pub to suit every mood.
From centuries-old inns frequented by fishermen to quirky micro-pubs serving craft ales, here are 15 of the very best pubs and bars in and around St Ives that are well worth a visit.
1. The Sloop Inn
The Sloop Inn is the oldest and probably the best known pub in St Ives. It sits right on The Wharf overlooking the harbour. It dates back to 1312 but the current building is either 17th or 18th century.
You can eat, drink and sleep at The Sloop, which is made up of 3 parts - the main Sloop Inn, The Captain's Table and The Upper Deck.
Best for: Sunday lunches, live music, meat raffles and sitting outside with your pint, watching the world go by.
LOCATION MAP: The Wharf St Ives, Saint Ives TR26 1LP
Click to visit The Sloop Inn website >>
2. The Lifeboat Inn
The Lifeboat Inn is a very warm, hospitable pub that is on Wharf Road overlooking the Lifeboat slipway. During the Summer it gets very busy, but in Winter when it is a little quieter, it is lovely to sit in one of the chairs by the fire sipping a nice drink.
Best for: fish and chips, watching sport, sitting by the fire.
LOCATION MAP: Wharf Rd, Saint Ives TR26 1LF
Click here to visit The Lifeboat Inn website >>
3. The Union Inn
The Union Inn is a lovely traditional pub on Fore Street in St Ives. It serves Doombar, fresh food and often shows the match. They also have live music on.
LOCATION MAP: 20 Fore St, Saint Ives TR26 1AB
Click here to visit The Union Inn website >>
4. The Castle Inn
The Castle Inn sits further down Fore Street and is a very cozy, and welcoming pub. It is a cosy, characterful real ale pub with exposed beams and slate floors. It also has lots of stained glass and maritime nauticalia which is very intriguing!
They specialise in Cornish Real Ales such as Betty Stoggs and Sennen.
Best for: Liz's Quizzes every Monday and live music. They also often show the sports and have karaoke. They do good food too!
LOCATION MAP: 16 Fore St, Saint Ives TR26 1AB
Click here to visit The Castle Inn facebook page >>
5. The Golden Lion
The Golden Lion is in Market Place and is one of the only pubs to have a little beer garden at the back. It has recently been taken over and has had a very blue makeover!
LOCATION MAP: Market Pl, Saint Ives TR26 1RZ
6. The Queen's Hotel
The Queen's Hotel is a lovely, grand old pub on the High Street. It has high ceilings and rustic charm. It seems to position itself as a gastropub, and it gets good reviews about its hearty food.
They have bingo, quiz nights, pool nights and karaoke. I think they also show matches and have live music - again I will have to update this with better info!
Dog friendly!
Dart board
Pool table
Nice fire
LOCATION MAP: High St, Saint Ives TR26 1RR
Click here to visit the Queen's Hotel facebook page >>
7. The Three Ferrets
The Three Ferrets is about as local as you can get a pub in St Ives! It can be very lively, especially on weekends. It is a bit of a marmite pub, some in town love it, others hate it. I've never had a drink in there, so I can't give you my own opinion!
I understand it does great priced food and drink, shows the sport and holds live music gigs.
LOCATION MAP: 17 Chapel St, Saint Ives TR26 2LR
Click here to visit The Three Ferrets facebook page>>
8. The Kettle N Wink
The Kettle N Wink is in Royal Square and is another one popular with locals. They often have live music on and it is very welcoming.
Best for Friday nights Open Mic Night.
LOCATION MAP: Gabriel St, Saint Ives TR26 2LU
Click here to visit the Kettle n Wink website >>
9. The Pilchard Press Alehouse
The Pilchard Press is by far the smallest pub in town - if not Cornwall! The chances are you have walked past it dozens of times and just not noticed it there.
What I love about it - no tvs, just a straightforward place to go and have a drink. They also have a fantastic range of ales, stouts and all things unusual brewery-wise. I won't pretend I know what I'm talking about, I just go by the funniest or more unusual name. But I've friends and family who are huge fans of real ales and love this place!
LOCATION MAP: Wharf Rd, Saint Ives TR26 1LF
Click here to visit the Pilchard Press Alehouse website >>
10. Balcony Bar
Situated on the 2nd floor, above Jus Desserts, the Balcony Bar is a great place for a drink. It serves a fantastic array of local beers, cocktails and locally roasted coffee, alongside an extensive food menu.
Best for: the views across St Ives harbour and St Ives Bay. Plus great food and drink!
LOCATION MAP: Wharf Rd, St Ives TR26 1LP
Click here to visit the Balcony Bar website >>
11. The Wreck
This is a very quirky local hangout right by the harbour, on the oppsite side of Fish St to The Sloop car park. Great priced drinks. No food but you can bring your own in. They show lots of sports.
LOCATION MAP: 1 Fish St, St Ives TR26 1LT
12. R Bar
Tucked away behind The Rum and Crab Shack, down granite steps on Fore Street is the R Bar - a small, friendly, lowly lit cave of a place. Their speciality rum cocktails are made-to-order by experienced mixologists from a back bar stocking over a hundred rums.
They also offer food, cocktail-making experiences and private hire complete with a bartender.
LOCATION MAP: Fore St, St Ives TR26 1HE
Click here to visit the R Bar website >>
13. The Cornish Arms
The Cornish Arms is a little way out of town on the Carbis Bay road. It is a very traditional pub with proper pub grub and a roaring fire on a cold day. They often have live music on and Wednesday night quiz nights. They also do a good Sunday roast.
LOCATION MAP: St Ives Rd, Carbis Bay, Saint Ives TR26 2PG
Click here to visit The Cornish Arms website >>
14. Halsetown Inn
This is the beautiful pub on the corner of the road in Halsetown. It has had a bit of a tricky time with different owners, but when it is open it is always a lovely pub to visit. Best combined with a walk up Carnstabba Hill, just behind it.
LOCATION MAP: Halsetown, St Ives TR26 3NA
Click here to visit the Halsetown Inn website >>
15. Balnoon Inn
About a mile out of St Ives on the Old Coach Road is the Balnoon Inn. This has recently been taken over and seems to be doing a roaring trade. They do great food and drink, and also have a bed and breakfast. There is plenty of parking as you do need to drive to get there - or walk the few miles out of St Ives.
LOCATION MAP: Old Coach Road St Ives TR26 3JB
Click here to visit the Balnoon Inn website >>
