Cornish Pasty Recommendations

[Halwynd]

I'm looking for a good Cornish bakery which sells pasties online.

Living several hundred miles away, my local choice is limited to Ginsters - or the local bakery which has decided a pasty should contain carrot and garden peas.

Last time I was in Cornwall, sadly many years ago, I bought my pasties from Warren's in Penzance so looked there first, but it seems they discontinued their online shop last year. There are other options but I'm not sure who to look at.

Any recommendations would be gratefully received!

 

[PauloDavesi]

There's a fim called "Ivor Dewdney" that makes excellent pasties. Not sure if they have online sales, but a quick google search should help!

Pasties By Post – Ivor Dewdney® Pasties – Voted Plymouth's Best Pasty

ivordewdney.co.uk

 

[Bertiethebobby]

I'm looking for a good Cornish bakery which sells pasties online.

Living several hundred miles away, my local choice is limited to Ginsters - or the local bakery which has decided a pasty should contain carrot and garden peas.

Last time I was in Cornwall, sadly many years ago, I bought my pasties from Warren's in Penzance so looked there first, but it seems they discontinued their online shop last year. There are other options but I'm not sure who to look at.

Any recommendations would be gratefully received!

I can thoroughly recommend the pasties that are sold at Arley buffet on the SVR, they are delivered from Ludlow but I don't know the name of the supplier unfortunately.
Incidentally, I thought it's OK for a CP to contain diced carrot amongst other things, although I don't think that these ones do.

 

[gg1]

The Cornish Company

We had a hamper from there last year, I was quite impressed with the pasties, streets ahead of Ginsters.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Sarah's Pasty Shop in Looe. I can certainly recommend these pasties and having checked they deliver nationwide between november and June.

 

[BrandanM]

I can recommend Pengenna and also Philps for Cornish pasties. Both have an online ordering service in addition to several shop outlets in Cornwall.

I haven't used the delivery service of either, but I've eaten plenty fresh from the bakery ovens

 

[Halwynd]

Thanks everyone for your recommendations, I'll look at each of them.

I can feel the pounds piling on already...

 

[SteveHFC]

Can definitely recommend Philps.

 

[AndrewE]

I can thoroughly recommend the pasties that are sold at Arley buffet on the SVR, they are delivered from Ludlow but I don't know the name of the supplier unfortunately.
Incidentally, I thought it's OK for a CP to contain diced carrot amongst other things, although I don't think that these ones do.

I'm happiest if a pasty only has potato, onion and swede as its veg part, and I think Ginsters does a good job of making "proper" pasties available nationwide.
The guaranteed Cornish ones sold hot on stations are usually quite good too, although pretty expensive.

 

[Gloster]

If I understand correctly a Cornish pasty must be made in Cornwall, and contain diced or minced beef (minimum 12.5%), sliced or diced potato, swede/turnip, onion and seasoning (mainly salt and pepper); vegetables must a minimum of 25%. (And no inhabitants of Stockholm as Spellcheck thinks.)

Pastry can be shortcrust, rough puff or puff. It should be crimped, although this may not be part of the legal definition.

The regulation was formalised by an EU one back in 2011 and I think that is still in force. Those of us old enough to remember the ‘genuine Cornish pasties’ that contained a smear of meat with few bits of black-eyed potatoes and yellowing carrot in a flat, doughy envelope are heartily glad of it. Curiously, the worst pasty that I have eaten (only a couple of bites of) was from Newquay.

EDIT: There is a Cornish Pasty Association that has a website ( .cornishpastyassociation.co.uk ) and it includes a list of members.

I did once have a recipe for Cornish pasties. I was going to spend a year in a Swedish residential school (folkhögskola) and took it in case I, as a foreign guest student, might be asked to produce a native recipe. That never happened, luckily for all.

 

[jon81uk]

If I understand correctly a Cornish pasty must be made in Cornwall, and contain diced or minced beef (minimum 12.5%), sliced or diced potato, swede/turnip, onion and seasoning (mainly salt and pepper); vegetables must a minimum of 25%. (And no inhabitants of Stockholm as Spellcheck thinks.)

Pastry can be shortcrust, rough puff or puff. It should be crimped, although this may not be part of the legal definition.

The regulation was formalised by an EU one back in 2011 and I think that is still in force. Those of us old enough to remember the ‘genuine Cornish pasties’ that contained a smear of meat with few bits of black-eyed potatoes and yellowing carrot in a flat, doughy envelope are heartily glad of it. Curiously, the worst pasty that I have eaten (only a couple of bites of) was from Newquay.

EDIT: There is a Cornish Pasty Association that has a website ( .cornishpastyassociation.co.uk ) and it includes a list of members.

I did once have a recipe for Cornish pasties. I was going to spend a year in a Swedish residential school (folkhögskola) and took it in case I, as a foreign guest student, might be asked to produce a native recipe. That never happened, luckily for all.

You have the ingrediants specification exactly right and yes they must be crimped (by hand or machine) into a D shape.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fd34f3dd3bf7f3059ef3cd2/pfn-cornish-pasty-pgi-pdf.pdf

Cornish Pasty

Protected food name with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

www.gov.uk

 

[zero]

If I understand correctly a Cornish pasty must be made in Cornwall

There's a fim called "Ivor Dewdney" that makes excellent pasties. Not sure if they have online sales, but a quick google search should help!

Pasties By Post – Ivor Dewdney® Pasties – Voted Plymouth's Best Pasty

ivordewdney.co.uk

So technically this one doesn't qualify

 

[dmncf]

So technically this one doesn't qualify

A big offender for this is Cornish Bakery ... of Somerset! Their branches seem to be popping up everywhere at the moment.

 

[Bevan Price]

So technically this one doesn't qualify

Some shops use the name "Lancashire Pasty" or "Traditional Pasty" for what is essentially identical to a Cornish Pasty. My current personal favourites come from an unnamed stall on Earlestown (Friday) market. I have tried Ginster's pasties, but they are far from my favourite.

 

[Gloster]

It has to be said that Ginsters, who I object to because of their political affiliations, when they first appeared on a national basis were a great improvement on the uninteresting offerings available in most supermarkets and the like. They only cost a little more than other brands, but had a lot more proper filling and tasted, if not delicious, at least reliably acceptable. You could and can get better, but when they came out you at least knew it wouldn’t be too bad if there was nothing that you knew available.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 May 2025 ==

So technically this one doesn't qualify

Dewdneys appear to be offering pasties: that is legal. You can call a lot of things a pasty, but a Cornish pasty must be made in Cornwall and contain the specified ingredients. Dewdneys aren’t calling theirs Cornish, so it is legal.

 

[zero]

Dewdneys appear to be offering pasties: that is legal. You can call a lot of things a pasty, but a Cornish pasty must be made in Cornwall and contain the specified ingredients. Dewdneys aren’t calling theirs Cornish, so it is legal.

The OP asked for Cornish pasties!

 

[Trackman]

The OP asked for Cornish pasties!

I suppose you can have Cornish style pasties, a Cornish pasty not made in Cornwall but have the right ingredients

 

[Gloster]

I suppose you can have Cornish style pasties, a Cornish pasty not made in Cornwall but have the right ingredients

I have a vague feeling that the you have to be careful about the use of the word ‘style’ in food description (and possibly other products). I would, personally, be a little suspicious of the word as it could be interpreted very broadly: “I know that it has a liver and blancmange filling, but it is shaped like a Cornish pasty.” Just call it a pasty.

 

[Halwynd]

Ginsters seem to be the nearest to a Cornish pasty where I live. They aren't bad at all and quite often the supermarkets have them on offer (Asda is currently £1.18 which I reckon is quite a bargain these days), but from my visits to Cornwall I always enjoyed the independent bakers. Warren's were always very good, but I know some in Cornwall were even a bit sniffy about them for some reason.

Rowe's also seem to be highly regarded in Cornwall. I got a bit excited when I noticed their sausage rolls and a type of pasty being sold by Asda's in-store bakeries here in the north-west, but having tried them I was a bit disappointed. The pasties are nothing like a proper Cornish pasty - the filing wasn't bad, but it was like that which you would expect to find in a meat & potato pie, and the amount was microscopic, probably 80% pastry - the Ginsters pasty is far more authentic. The filing in the sausage rolls was not pleasant at all. I think it must be some sort of licensing deal, with Asda baking or re-heating the product.

Thanks again for all the comments and recommendations, I might try out each one every now and again.

 

[DelW]

On holiday in mid Cornwall a few years ago, we became very partial to pasties (and cakes) from Nile's Bakery at St Austell. Looking at their website they have several branches in and around St Austell, but sadly for the OP, they don't seem to have a long range delivery option. Worth seeking out if you're in the area though.

 

[Zerothebrake!]

Niles used to be my favourite pasties until I tried one from Proper Pasties & Stuff in Cornwall Street, Plymouth. Ironically they are right next to an Ivor Dewdneys but are so much bertter.A large steak pasty and a drink deal for £5.50 is all you need - and it's best eaten warm not hot.