Short answer: Start at the Dolphin Tavern (4.6 from 2,186 Google reviews) by the harbour, then try Admiral Benbow and the Turks Head on Chapel Street. Reviewers say The Crown near the station brews its own beer and serves no food. In Newlyn, the Fisherman's Arms and the Red Lion (both 4.6) look over the harbour.
Penzance pubs fall into three clusters, and knowing which is which saves a lot of wandering. There are the harbour pubs on Quay Street, a run of old-fashioned bars on Chapel Street, and a second set along the seafront in Newlyn, where the boats are. The town also has one pub, The Crown, that reviewers say serves no food and does not need to. This guide goes cluster by cluster, with who each suits and what to know before you go. Ratings are from Google.
The best known harbour pub, rated 4.6 from 2,186 Google reviews. It also offers rooms, and reviewers who stayed praise the staff and breakfast. Reviewers also praise generous portions, friendly service and a good home-made chilli at lunch. Local lore ties the building to privateers and ghosts, and you will hear the stories at the bar. It suits visitors who want a historic bar close to the quayside and the station.
A neighbourhood pub rated 4.5 from 397 Google reviews. Reviewers describe a roomy bar with St Austell ales on tap and some guest beers, and a mix of families, dog owners and regulars playing cards. It also lets rooms, and guests mention breakfast. It suits anyone who prefers a local atmosphere to a themed pub.
Rated 4.1 from 808 Google reviews, this is the pub for the sea view. It is a hotel pub, and guests mention views of St Michael's Mount from the rooms and a Sunday carvery. Service gets mixed feedback in recent reviews, so it is a place for the view rather than a guaranteed good meal. Ring ahead if you are bringing a group.
Chapel Street runs up from the harbour area and has two of the town's best-reviewed pubs.
The two are within a few doors of each other, so you can try both. For a longer food-led evening, see our guide to the best Sunday roast in Penzance.
Yes, The Crown in Victoria Square (4.7 from 483 Google reviews) is a short walk from the station. Reviewers describe a cosy traditional pub with an outdoor area and a good choice of beers from its own brewery. Several say it does not serve food but that you can bring your own, so ask at the bar. Directly across from the station, The Longboat Inn on Market Jew Street (4.3 from 995 Google reviews) is a hotel pub with a full menu, though reviews of the food are mixed, so treat it as a convenient option before a train rather than a destination.
Newlyn is just along the seafront from Penzance, and the pubs there look out on a working fishing harbour. Wikipedia lists four pubs in the village: the Tolcarne Inn, the Fisherman's Arms, the Red Lion and the Swordfish. The walk is worth it, and the bus is a back-up. Here they are in turn.
4.6 from 281 Google reviews. A harbour pub with views from a balcony and terrace over the boats and Mount's Bay. Reviewers praise fresh fish, including fish pie and the catch of the day, and say dogs are welcome in the bar. Booking is advised for meals.
4.6 from 455 Google reviews. Reviewers say it has been refurbished, has a sun-trap garden and a harbour view, and serves a good Sunday roast and seafood such as mussels. A solid choice for a mixed group.
4.5 from 691 Google reviews. This is a gastropub rather than a drinking pub, with a fish-led menu. Reviewers praise the seafood, and some find it expensive. It often needs a reservation, and one reviewer who arrived without one ate at an outdoor table. It does not open every day of the week, so check before you go.
4.4 from 377 Google reviews. A friendly pub with rooms on The Strand. Reviewers describe it as dog friendly and handy for the Scillonian ferry, and praise the breakfasts.
Our guide to the Penzance to Mousehole walk and bus 6 shows how to travel along this coast, and where to eat in Mousehole covers the next village along.
Reviewers describe the Fisherman's Arms (in the bar), the Swordfish Inn and the Dock Inn as welcoming to dogs. Always check at the door, since policies on dining areas vary. For dog-friendly walks after your drink, see our best walks near Penzance.
The Dolphin Tavern and the Dock Inn are both on Quay Street by the harbour, and reviewers who stayed before sailing praise the breakfasts. The Swordfish Inn in Newlyn is another option. Wikipedia gives the Scillonian III crossing between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly as about two hours 40 minutes, so a proper breakfast is sensible. Check the ferry operator's sailing times for your date.
A simple route is Quay Street, then Chapel Street, then The Crown for a last pint. If you want a walk first, see our best walks near Penzance. For the town itself, visit our Penzance guide. Opening times vary by pub and season, so check before you set off.
The Admiral Benbow on Chapel Street is allegedly the inspiration for the Admiral Benbow Inn in Treasure Island, and was home to a nineteenth-century smuggling gang, according to Wikipedia.
Reviewers say it does not, and that you can bring your own, so ask at the bar. It is rated 4.7 from 483 Google reviews, and reviewers say it has its own brewery.
Reviewers describe dogs welcome in the bar at the Fisherman's Arms in Newlyn, and the Swordfish Inn and Dock Inn as dog friendly. Check at the door.
Wikipedia lists four: the Tolcarne Inn, the Fisherman's Arms, the Red Lion and the Swordfish. The Fisherman's Arms and Red Lion (both 4.6 on Google) have harbour views.
About two hours 40 minutes between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, according to Wikipedia. Check the operator for sailing times.
Times, prices and dates are the businesses' and organisers' to change, so check before you travel. Spotted something we've got wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.
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