There is no topic in Cornwall that’s as hotly contested as that of where to get the best Cornish pasty – we even have a world championship every year to help us decide! Of course, there’s a degree of preference and personal taste that ensures this conversation isn’t likely to be settled anytime soon – phew, we need something to discuss over a pint in the pub!
Cornwall is home to countless pasty makers and bakers that have been producing this much-loved food for generations. Over the years, bakery menus have expanded to offer more than just the Cornish classic, with vegan, vegetarian, and even festive variations providing endless choices for hungry patrons.
To help the discussion along, we’ve collated some of our favourite Cornish pasty makers from around the county, so you can compare them for yourself – we heartily recommend doing your own taste tests, you know, for research’s sake…
Ready to start your tour of the best pasty makers in Cornwall? Here are some firm favourites (in alphabetical order to avoid riots) to get you started…
Ann’s Pasties
Lovingly preparing her pasties on The Lizard, Ann’s bakes have developed an avid following over the years. Perhaps it’s due to her quality, locally sourced ingredients (Cornish grass-fed beef, Cornish potatoes, Davidstow cheddar, Doves organic flour, and her own special pastry recipe) that are combined to ensure a totally flavoursome feed.
Or it could simply be that the fine-tuned family method allows the flavours to melt into the perfect mix. Either way, her traditional steak, cheese, and vegan variations (with a side of The Lizard’s extraordinarily beautiful views) will certainly satisfy your pasty cravings – for a truly epic feast, opt for The Gurt Licker, which is the size of two large pasties! You can now pick up your Ann’s pasties on The Lizard, in Helston, and in Porthleven, alongside your doorstep thanks to their crave-curing home delivery service.
Aunty Mays
Down in the waterside wiles of Newlyn you’ll find a pasty shop that’s so much more than just a pasty shop. Aunty Mays has become synonymous with not just proper Cornish pasties, but mouth-watering cakes, bakes, and more. Full of friendly faces and right by the water for an unbeatable view for your meal, this charming bakery is a firm favourite amongst locals and visitors alike – and we can see why.
Chough Bakery
Named after the iconic Cornish bird (which is pronounced like chuff), this famous Cornish bakery is as embedded in local culture as the little black bird on our coat of arms. Made fresh in Padstow, Chough Bakery focusses on proper Cornish pasties and proper cream teas, both of which you can get delivered straight to your door! If you’re in town, we recommend picking up one of their pasties before heading out on the Camel Trail, it’s the ultimate picnic for your stunning Cornish cycle ride!
Cornish Bakery
With pasties so good they wanted everyone to have access, the Cornish Bakery has opened bakeries all over the country, selling Cornish pasties alongside other sweet and savoury pastries. Dine on a traditional steak for starters before diving into an apple, rhubarb and custard pasty for dessert – now that’s what we call a feast! You can also get your pasty fix by post, perfect for stocking up the freezer with memories of Cornwall.
Cornish Oven
Baking over 2,000 pasties a day, the Cornish Oven is quickly becoming one of Cornwall’s biggest pasty makers. Staying true to the traditional fillings of steak (which is available in shortcrust and flaky), veggie, and chicken, you know what you’re getting with a trip to one of their many stores – a bleddy good pasty! You can also pick up sausage rolls, fresh sandwiches and super moreish sweet bakes, from tiffin to cake, all of which you can wash down with a fresh cup of coffee.
Etherington’s Farm Shop
We love an independent farm shop, especially when they’re rolling out pasties as good as the ones found at Etherington’s in Scorrier, which is perfectly placed for a pasty on the go. You can also stop by to stock up your cupboards with local meat and veg. Of course, the star of the show is the pasty, which has actually been recommended by the Cornish Pasty Association as a ‘genuine Cornish pasty’ – what an accolade!
Gear Farm Pasty Co
Another farm shop selling top-notch pasties, Gear Farm is nestled down the winding roads beyond Helston. This family-run farm shop uses only the best ingredients in their pasties, ensuring a taste of Cornwall in every bite.
Not only are the pasties packed full of quality meat and fresh veg that are grown in their very own fields, but you can pick up your own organic veg when you visit – a pasty for now, potatoes for later! You can even pick up some freshly baked scones or flapjacks to really round off the Gear Farm foodie experience. We do recommend calling ahead and booking your pasties if you get a craving, as these much-loved oggies have been known to disappear fast – once you’ve tried one, you’ll understand why!
Hampsons of Hayle
With an impressive meat content to challenge even the beefiest of pasties, Hampsons of Hayle pride themselves in quality ingredients they prepare and assemble themselves. The oggylicious menu features classics such as chicken, pork, and cheese, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get something a little less traditional. Simply give them a call and they will see what they can do – previous requests have included the likes of minted lamb, steak and liver, and breakfast pasties to name but a few!
Looe Bakery
Whether you want Cornish pasties or a Cornish cream tea, Looe Bakery is full of tasty treats that are sure to get your taste buds tingling. Made to supreme traditional standards, these pasties are best enjoyed next to the ocean for the ultimate Cornish experience. Offering local pick-up, delivery, and national delivery, this is a Cornish feast you can enjoy anywhere, at any time.
Lucy Bakes
A one-woman business is taking Cornwall by storm with her awe-inspiring oggies that prove you don’t need a big business to offer mighty bakes. Lucy handmakes 100 pasties a day for her bakery in Hayle, alongside sausage rolls, quiches, and an insane array of brownies.
Her pasties are made using her grandmother’s recipe and all the fillings come from local suppliers, so you know you’re getting the real deal when biting into a croust from Lucy’s. Our favourite thing to do? Pick up a pasty from Lucy Bakes and enjoy it sitting on the sands of Mexico Towans or Gwithian – it’s a pasty backdrop you just can’t beat!
Malcom Barnecutt
Made fresh overnight then baked by demand in their shops, Malcolm Barnecutt has been baking their beauties since 1930. And their heady list of pasty types will satisfy every pasty lover from the conservative to the experimentalist with the likes of steak, cheese and onion, vegetable, steak and stilton, chicken and vegetable, pork and apple, stilton and broccoli, chicken balti, cheese and bean, bacon and leek, and chicken and chorizo all having graced the menu over the years.
If you fancy an even bigger feast, you can add a Cornish cream tea to your order and opt for one of the uber-satisfying picnic boxes, which contains pasties and everything you need for a proper cream tea. You can find a Malcom Barnecutt bakery all over the North and South of Cornwall, so they’re great for a pasty pitstop during your travels.
Morris Pasties
A piping hot pasty after a surf on one of Newquay’s incredible beaches just hits different – it really warms you up and restores all the energy you’ve just spent riding the waves. Newquay’s very own pasty royalty Morris Pasties is here to provide that post-surf, savoury saviour with their locally-made pasties that pack a punch – thanks to the secret recipe that remains under lock and key to this day!
Philps
This family-run bakery has been offering its take on the best Cornish pasty since 1958, with a real emphasis on local produce and family values. Using traditional recipes and methods, the taste is a testament to the provenance of Philps’ pasties, with vegetables sourced from local farms, meat fresh from the market, Davidstow cheddar, Rodda’s butter, and free-range Cornhill Farm eggs.
Alongside the classic steak and mince pasties, you can also pick up cheese, chicken, and vegetable pasties from this Cornish baker, providing an even greater excuse to indulge in some of their wonderfully flaky pastry.
Portreath Bakery
Qualified craft bakers and pride of the small seaside town and beyond, Portreath Bakery is well deserving of its stellar reputation.
Do the gut-busting double whammy with a savoury pasty (pick from the usual suspects as well as steak and stilton, vegan, and gluten-free) followed by one of their melt-in-your-mouth sweet pastries, which are also baked fresh every day. Pair this super-satisfying combination with their stunning beachside location in Portreath and you have all the makings for the perfect Cornish day.
Pengenna Pasties
Another baking beauty that offers pasties by post alongside their bakeries in Bude, St Ives and Tintagel, Pengenna Pasties have got you covered wherever you are. Their signature pasty sits happily alongside other classic fillings of steak and stilton, lamb, vegetable, cheese and onion, and vegan pasties – all of which share the same soul-warming feeling. For a truly epic pasty, head to their Tintagel shop and walk along to Cornwall’s famous castle for a seriously dramatic view. Plus, rumours say it’s haunted, making it a rather spooky spot for a pasty!
Pip’s Pasties
If you’ve ever been to Falmouth, you’ve probably heard Pip’s Pasties uttered by hungry passers-by – and for good reason! Situated in Penryn, this local institution has been busting out their renowned pasties for as long as our swede-soaked minds can remember. Offering a legendary choice of fillings (including tikka, cheese and bacon, and lamb), this humble pasty shop is the place to go when hunger strikes. We like to take ours down to one of Falmouth’s stunning beaches for an extra special treat.
Prima Bakeries
Nestled in the heart of Cornwall, Prima Bakeries has been baking ‘ansum pasties for over 40 years – as well as their famous saffron buns and hevva cakes. You can pop into their shop, which is next to their bakery in Scorrier, and pick up a range of fresh bakes (and frozen pasties for stocking up the freezer at home) or you can find their traditional pasties in a whole host of shops, cafés, and pubs around Cornwall.
Proper Cornish
Hand-crimping over 50,000 pasties a day, Proper Cornish are determined to ensure everyone has access to quality – and traditional – Cornish pasties, whenever the mood strikes! Baked using a family recipe, these pasties can be found in many bakeries around the county and even around the UK, so you’re never far from a Proper Cornish pasty. Alongside the classic filling, you can choose between an ever-expanding collection of savoury treats, including an award-winning Middle Eastern Lamb and vegan pasty.
Rowe's
Winners of the World Pasty Championships two years in a row, Rowe's have been one of the big names in Cornish pasties for a long time. Now with over 20 bakeries across the county and offering a fantastic online delivery service (which includes all of their fantastically flavoured pasties from steak and ale to vegan chicken fajita), the choice is endless when you visit Rowe's. Alongside the epic menu of savouries, you can also tuck into an array of sweet treats and bakes, including saffron cake and scones (with strawberry jam and clotted cream, of course).
Sarah’s Pasty Shop
Filling the streets of Looe with the wafting aromas of freshly made pasties, family-fun Sarah’s is a Looe institution and shouldn’t be missed when visiting this South Cornish gem. Handmade every day using homemade pastry and top-notch local ingredients, these cribs are a true representation of a Cornish Pasty. Everyone can enjoy this traditional feast too, thanks to the vegan and celiac options available.
St Agnes Bakery
It’s not just iconic engine houses that have people pointing their feet in the direction of St Agnes. Oh no, with a bakery that’s been producing epic pasties since 1905, St Agnes is on the map for a considerably tastier reason.
St Agnes Bakery is one of the oldest bakeries in the UK to still be operating out of its original site, which means a trip here is more than a foodie stop, it’s a step back in time. Their pasties are just as traditional as the bakery itself, with their famous Giant Rolls adding even more tempting treats to the menu. Many of the ingredients come from a very small radius around the bakery, including R.J Trevarthen butchers and Rosedown free-range eggs.
St Ives Bakery
Where better to tuck into a piping hot pasty than the vibrant harbourside town of St Ives, where you have your pick of beaches and perhaps a seal or two for company. Well, if you’re in the area and the hunger pangs strike, a trip to St Ives Bakery is just the ticket! Located down the cobbles of Fore Street, you can often tell where it is by the huddle of people gathering around the window to marvel at the baked treats inside. And quite rightly so!
Offering a tantalising selection of pasties (such as flaky steak, shortcrust steak, vegetarian, cheese n’ vegetable, and steak n’ stilton) alongside fresh loaves of bread and a seemingly impossible collection of cakes and bakes, St Ives Bakery is the last word in Cornish baking. The hardest part will be deciding what to go for!
St Mawes Bakery
Handmade using a century-old recipe, St Mawes Pasties are about as traditional as you can get without heading down a mine to enjoy your tasty croust. Located on the waterfront, this iconic St Mawes eatery has been feeding hungry locals and visitors for generations. The pastries are perfectly flaky and the fillings are just that – filling!
Pop in for a traditional steak, cheese or vegetable pasty and grab an artisan loaf while you’re there before enjoying your Cornish haul harbourside. You can also join the Pasty Club for regular oggy deliveries, or you can simply order a box of Cornish pasties to your door whenever the mood strikes (which could very well be weekly!).
Tasty Pasties Bude
With a name that really does say it all, Tasty Pasties Bude have built up quite a name for themselves. With one of the biggest selections of fillings we’ve seen (and we’ve seen some pretty extensive lists), you’ll be pondering your pasty choice for quite a while as you try and decide between a full English breakfast pasty and a steak and ale – you can even get a turkey, ham and cranberry pasty at Christmas! You’ll also find a superb selection of vegan and vegetarian pasties, further ensuring every taste and dietary requirement is well and truly catered for.
Warrens
Bearing the title of ‘Oldest Cornish Pasty Maker in the World’, Warrens have been baking pasties for, well, a very long time! During this taste-filled time, Warrens have produced some exotic fillings alongside the traditional steak we all know and love (which you can order online or pick up across Cornwall). Previous tempting additions to the menu include Thai Green Curry, Moroccan Spice and a summery Spicy Chicken and Mango. It’s always worth popping in to see what’s new though, as these fun fillings are often for a limited time only.
The history of the Cornish Pasty
Now we know where to go for a proper Cornish pasty, let’s take a quick look at what a Cornish pasty actually is and why it means so much to us.
Cornish pasties are one of the fascinating foods in the UK that have received Protected Geographical Status (PGI). That means only a pasty that was made in Cornwall can be called a Cornish pasty – so naturally, we’re rather protective over what bears the name.
The Cornish Pasty Association asserts the following definition: “A genuine Cornish pasty has a distinctive ‘D’ shape and is crimped on one side, never on top. The texture of the filling for the pasty is chunky, made up of uncooked minced or roughly cut chunks of beef (not less than 12.5%), swede, potato and onion and a light peppery seasoning.”
The shape and filling of the pasty come from Cornwall’s industrial past when miners would take a pasty down into the mines for lunch. The shape made them easy to transport and eat (the crusts would be held and then thrown away) and the veg filling was cheap and hunger-squashing. There was rarely any meat in the pasties at this time though, as that was an expense most just couldn’t afford.
A fun fact about pasties is that it was once thought that the devil was afraid of being baked into one so miners would leave pieces of their pasties in the mines to keep him and other nasty spirits at bay.
When conducting your own pasty research, you might hear terms such as ‘crib’ or ‘croust’, or ‘Oggy’ floating around. These are simply a Cornish way of saying pasty. You see, we talk about them so often we really needed a wider vocabulary! The word ‘pasty’ actually comes from medieval French, meaning ‘pie without a dish’, which we have to admit, is a rather perfect name.
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Tags: Food and Drink