Top pubs and restaurants in Truro

Foodie highlights in Cornwall’s capital

Here on the Perfect Stays blog, food and Cornwall are two of our favourite topics. So with a handful of new spots having opened in recent months, we couldn’t help but explore the top pubs and restaurants in Truro. Think bistro lunching, weekend tapas and pre-theatre cocktails.

Petty Fours

Where to find it: 4 - 5 Old Bridge Street, TR1 2AQ or here on Google Maps.

© Petty Fours via Instagram

A welcome addition to Cornwall's fine dining scene, Petty Fours has already been praised for its excellent canapés, extensive wine list and first-class service. The dishes promise tasty local ingredients and unmatched presentation, and the restaurant has a welcoming feel that makes for a laid back dining experience.

Choose from either the set menu (two or three courses, lunch or dinner) or the tasting menu (dinner only), which features a blue cheese salad, seared scallops, duck breast, and banoffee mousse.

Open Tuesday to Saturday, we'd recommend a pre-theatre dinner before taking the short walk to Hall for Cornwall - it's about five minutes away. Something to bear in mind for diners with limited mobility is that due to its layout, the restaurant can't currently accomodate wheelchairs.

Edison & Doyle

Where to find it: 7 Walsingham Place, TR1 2RP or here on Google Maps.

The home of "next level sandwiches and spellbinding drinks", Edison & Doyle is a restaurant-meets-café-meets-bar. From the deep green façade outside, to the exposed brick walls inside, the concept is based around the American inventor and British writer who give it its name. As such, you'll find windowsills lined with books, beams adorned with low pendant lighting, and retro interiors throughout.

Visit for lunch and sample hot calzones with chorizo and feta, Thai chicken and lemongrass soup, or beetroot salad with pan-seared halloumi. You'll find "lightbulb moment" specials at Christmas-time, and a great selection of apothecary-inspired teas served year-round, including peppermint cream, rhubarb and custard, and chocolate digestive flavours.

The Longstore

Where to find it: 62 Lemon Street, TR1 2PN or here on Google Maps.

© The Longstore via Instagram

Always a favourite with the Perfect Stays team, The Longstore is one of the best restaurants in Truro. Find it on Lemon Street, not far from the cinema, for perfectly cooked steaks and fresh seafood. After snacks and starters like sticky crispy beef and padron peppers, look forward to main meals that include a delicious seafood polenta, a rich Cornish beef ragu, and succulent Tomahawk ribeye.

On the cocktail menu, take your pick from a sweet passionfruit hussey, a zesty melon margarita, or punchy espresso martini. Bottomless brunch is every Saturday from 11am until 3pm, or for those catching a quick dinner before a show, the early dining menu starts at 5pm.

Bodega 18

Where to find it: 18 Old Bridge Street, TR1 2AH or here on Google Maps.

With its new owners hailing from Madrid and Barcelona, Bodega 18 is a celebration of Spanish cuisine in Truro's city centre. Suppliers from nearby Redruth support the ever-growing drinks list, and tapas-style dishes from land and sea create a unique Cornish-Mediterranean fusion on the menu. 

Look out for king prawn pil pil and market fish tempura, cauliflower Manchego cheese and confit leeks, but be sure to save room for the Tarta de Santiago, an almond tart served with a sweet wine shot.

Mannings

Where to find it: 82 Lemon Street, TR1 2QB or here on Google Maps.

© Mannings via Instagram

Another pre-theatre favourite, Mannings sits mere footsteps away from HFC, so dinner here promises a great date night. Open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner until late, menu highlights include butter chicken curry, salt and pepper noodles, and steak frites served with medium-rare sirloin and salsa verde.

There's also a dedicated smash burger menu that's perfect for weekends, plus signature cocktails like the salted caramel martini with Ketel One and Baileys.

Tabbs

Where to find it: 85 Kenwyn Street, TR1 3BZ or here on Google Maps.

Another fine dining recommendation, Tabbs is one of Truro's most long-standing establishments. It's open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, lunch for tables of eight and over, and Sunday roast twice a month at 1pm. Though few and far between, it's the Sunday lunches here that aren't to be missed. With a glass of fizz on arrival, think grilled meat and seafood options, served with duck fat roast potatoes, baked carrots and fine beans, not forgetting a warm Bakewell with espresso ice cream to finish.

Favourites from the sample menu are the pan-fried monkfish with red chicory and capers, and the seared fillet of beef with bone marrow butter and red wine reduction. 

Lemon Tree Bistro

Where to find it: 6 - 7 Lemon Street, TR1 2LQ or here on Google Maps.

© Lemon Tree Bistro via Instagram

New to Truro's restaurant scene in November 2024, Lemon Tree Bistro combines neutral tasteful interiors with a tempting menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dog-lovers will be pleased to hear that four-legged friends are welcome inside. 

As well as specials like Cornish hake with Mediterranean veg and pesto potatoes, their seasonal menus aren't to be missed - think Valentine's Day chocolate fondue boards, and Friday two-for-one steak nights.

Thomas Daniell

Where to find it: Infirmary Hill, TR1 2JA or here on Google Maps.

Sometimes, there's nothing quite like a Cornish pub. Blending a cosy atmosphere with restaurant-quality dishes, the Thomas Daniell is a reliable lunch or dinner spot on the outskirts of Truro. Whether it's after a good stomp around Trelissick or just a Sunday afternoon treat, you'll love its roaring fire, local ales and innovative dishes.

Highlights from the sample evening menu include small plates like camembert bites and sticky beef tacos, hearty meals like fish pie and barbeque glazed pork ribs, and tempting sides with an added layer of luxury, like the lobster thermidor fries.

Sam’s in the City

Where to find it: 1 - 2 New Bridge Street, TR1 2AA or here on Google Maps.

© Sam's in the City via Instagram

A restaurant lounge run by a husband and wife team, Sam's in the City promises a varied menu with something for every appetite. Choose from seafood classics like Fowey mussels mariniere, or classic "Samburgers", which include veggie and vegan options like served with hummus, olives, tzatziki and slaw.

The restaurant sits a short walk from Truro Cathedral, and offers a busy downstairs dining space as well as a laid back cocktail lounge if a quiet drink is more your thing.

The Wig and Pen

Where to find it: 1 Frances Street, TR1 3DP or here on Google Maps.

For a pre-Christmas get-together or an after-work drink, The Wig and Pen is one of Truro's best pubs. It's a few streets away from the hub of the city centre, but still only a short walk from the museum, cathedral and theatre. Having been in Truro for over 200 years, the pub re-opened in September 2024 after being hit by a car, but has gone from strength to strength. 

Book a table for featherblade steak, whole roasted plaice or pan-seared scallops, or get the family together for a Sunday roast where pork loin, nut roast, and Guiness Yorkshire puddings take centre stage.

Luxury holidays near Truro

Left: Seaglass House in St Mawes | Middle: Seathrift in Porthleven | Right: The Old School House in Porthleven

For those planning a foodie staycation in 2025, discover our collection of luxury holiday homes near Truro. In idyllic locations like Porthleven and St Mawes, you'll find ocean views, heated swimming pools and a handful of gorgeous restaurants on your doorstep.
 

Image credits: © Petty Fours via Instagram | © The Longstore via Instagram | © Mannings via Instagram | © Lemon Street Bistro via Instagram | © Sam's in the City via Instagram | All other images are our own.