You can’t come to St Ives and NOT have a cream tea. It wouldn’t be proper! It is an iconic food symbol of Cornwall, and St Ives does cream teas in a BEAUTIFUL way.
Cream Tea The Cornish Way!
Before you embark on your cream tea journey, you need to know one very important thing. In Cornwall. It is JAM FIRST, cream on top. Done any other way, well you might as well be visiting Devon!
What Is A Cream Tea?
Cream Tea is a very afternoony type of snack.
A good cream tea consists of a nice big scone – it can be a fruit one, or a plain one. If your scone isn’t big, then you should really have two. The scones are even nicer if they are freshly baked and served WARM.
Your scone should be accompanied by a generous helping of jam and an even more generous serving of clotted cream.
This should all be served with a lovely pot of tea.
So Where Is Best To Have A Cream Tea In St Ives
Living in St Ives, I’ve become something of a cream tea connoisseur! I’ve tried many many places and have got it down to my top 5 places.
1. Olives
LOCATION MAP: Island Square, Island Rd, Saint Ives TR26 1NX
Olives is a hidden gem in St Ives. It is tucked away on Island Square just off Back Road East.
It is a tiny little cafe often filled with aromas of baking. If you get there are just the right time you can get blueberry muffins straight from the oven. Devine with a dollop of clotted cream!
Their cream teas are legendary – think big, mishapen fluffy scones straight from the oven served with local jam, clotted cream and a pot of local tea!
2. Market Place Tea Rooms
LOCATION MAP: Lifeboat Hill, St Ives, Saint Ives TR26 1AE
Contact: 01736 798 666
The Market Place Tea Rooms is at the top of Lifeboat Hill in St Ives by the round(ish) Market Place building and the St Eia Church. It is a super pretty tea room that do delicious cream teas, as well as lots of other amazing treats!
3. Scoff Troff
LOCATION MAP: 11 Market Pl, Saint Ives TR26 1RZ
Scoff Troff is a brilliant cafe in Market Place in St Ives. It does a superb range of food, including a rather good cream tea!
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4. Cafe Art
LOCATION MAP: The Drill Hall, 4 Chapel St, Saint Ives TR26 2LR
Contact: 01736 447 071
Cafe Art is a wonderful cafe, tucked away a little bit in The Drill Hall in Royal Square. Not only do they do the most amazing cakes and cream teas, the cafe is full of art and they hold lots of art and creative events.
5. The Yellow Canary
LOCATION MAP: 12 Fore St, Saint Ives TR26 1AB
The Yellow Canary is right in the middle of Fore Street. It not only does a lovely sit in and a takeaway but you can also order their cream teas by post! Lots of their other food is INCREDIBLE too - I partly blame them for my ever expanding waistline as I can't walk past their takeaway without buying something!
6. Coasters Tea Shop
LOCATION MAP: 17 St Andrew's St, Saint Ives TR26 1AH
Coasters Tea Shop is a tiny little place on St Andrews Street. Walk down the road between the church and the memorial gardens and you will see it on the right hand side - before you get all the way to Emgems.
They do a delicious cream tea with excellent tea - something that is ofter overlooked!
7. The Pier Coffee Bar
LOCATION MAP: Quay St, Saint Ives TR26 1PT
The Pier is the little place right on the corner of Quay Street before you turn onto Smeaton's Pier. It does a really good cream tea and the most excellent coffee too!
8. Lakeside Cabin Cafe
LOCATION MAP: Nance Lakes, Lelant, Saint Ives TR26 3EZ
This is one place worth venturing out of St Ives for. You need to drive down the back road towards Lelant and Hayle. You will see the cafe on the right, by a pond and beautiful hydrangeas (when they are in flower they are the most beautiful blue - very jealous as mine are a ghastly pink!). The cafe does a wonderful array of food, cakes and the very best of cream teas.
9. Una Spa
LOCATION MAP: Laity Ln, Carbis Bay, St Ives, TR26 3HE
If you are looking for a posh afternoon cream tea, then Una is the place to go. I'm a bit biased as I go here a lot - I like to think that if I use the pool I can eat as many cream teas as I like!
Just a last minute reminder, remember jam first cream on top as you are in Cornwall!!
If you have any recommendations you think should be added on here, please do let me know.
