The Sunshine Cafe is tucked away in the pretty Cornish coastal town of Penryn. I went just before the Summer holidays, as like much of Cornwall it can get a bit busy there, and with it being quite a small town there is very limited parking. I managed to go on an unusually quiet day and it was so peaceful and charming.
The Sunshine Cafe has been on my radar for a couple of years now, I have had friends recommend it to me & I have also been following them on social media, drooling over all their delicious vegan food and drinks. It did not disappoint, in fact it was a lovely place to stop for a bite to eat. The café space it bright, calm and a very friendly place, I loved the decor and how everything on the menu is plant based with an emphasis on using good local produce. I could have sat in there all day, I felt very relaxed. The food was delicious, I had the vegan beans & sausage on sourdough with a side of sweet potato fritters and an Almond Milk Matcha. I didn’t have room for a sweet treat, but I did spy quite a few options like a vegan croissant, brownies, and carrot cake. If you’re in Penryn, I highly recommend it even if you are not plant based, the food is incredible.
They also have a wonderful yoga space attached to the cafe they offer so many classes throughout the day, from pilates to yoga and guided meditation. I need to go back, so I can attend one of the vinyasa or pilates classes.
Sunshine Cafe and Yoga, Hill Head, Harbour Village, Penryn, TR10 8JU
If you haven’t seen part one of my Cornish Coffee Shop series, you can click through and check it out. In the past couple of years Cornwall has stepped up not only its coffee game, but we are becoming very spoilt for choice when it comes to lovely cafés too. I remember when we were super limited, and it was more of a tea shop/old fashioned vibe, but not any more!
I’ve shared 4 more of my go-to cafés in this post, don’t go shouting about them too much though, I still want to be able to get a seat.
First up is STIR, which is run by a super friendly couple, this is their new premises in Wadebridge, and it has become our go-to stop or coffee when we are in town. Not only do they make delicious drinks and cake, they have a perfect spot to stop and enjoy it. They have outside (and inside seating), the outside feels almost Mediterranean, so peaceful. It has a terrace vibe with plants and colourful patio furniture. They’re nestled at the end of a row of independent shops in The Cedar Barns and STIR themselves also have a fantastic range of Cookbooks, cookwear and local artwork.
So you can enjoy a coffee and a cake then browse the shelves for a cookbook or two, they have an extensive selection to pick from.
If you’re travelling from Wadebridge to Newquay (or the other way) along the A39 Atlantic Highway then you would have seen Hawksfield, which is a collection of Independent & small shops, cafés, and businesses. It is a cool location to stop at for brunch, a coffee and some retail therapy, oh & a cheeky ice cream too!
On this site is a café we have been going to for a while now called Strong Adolfo’s it has a real classic surf, biker, Californian vibe, I love it! Their menu is seasonal, and their ingredients are locally sourced, as is their coffee (origins coffee roaster) and they have a good eco ethos (using their food waste as bio-fuel).
Now the vibe is chilled, and the decor is very cool, but the menu is EPIC! You can expect to queue for a table at breakfast & brunch time, it is well worth it. They do classic full English (and a vegan option too) as well as American style pancakes, granola and some lovely smoothies. Their breakfast stops at 11am, so arrive early, so you’re not disappointed. Their equally amazing lunch menu starts at 12.15.
They also have an impressive cake counter, with so many in-house baked treats, they are big on FIKA (Swedish tradition of coffee and cake). I can never resist one of their Vegan cakes, no matter what time of day. It is always so relaxed, and you get a very warm welcome, even when it is very busy (over the Summer) you never feel rushed. Oh & the view over the Cornish hills is breathtaking no matter what the weather.
Pollen Café opened in Truro, in 2020, it has quickly become my go-to café for a matcha latte and a cake. They offer delicious locally made cakes, all almost entirely Vegan and quite often they’re refined sugar free and gluten free. Perfect to go with a coffee, tea or in my case a matcha.
Pollen offer a lovely breakfast & lunch menu, all locally sourced ingredients and fresh to order. I am a big fan of their chia pots, acai bowels, and they do their own homemade granola! For lunch I tend to get a gluten free bagel with vegan bacon lettuce & tomato (VLT) delicious!
I have to mention the cakes, again, Pollen stock my favourite EVER cakes. They’re locally made in small batches by the Conscious Kitchenery (based in Newquay). They have the most incredible flavours like, Kiwi~Apple~Marigold and Pineapple, Pecan Butter Caramel, Mandarin, Tonka Bean. My personal favourite is Matcha Mint Choc Chip. They’re a chilled cake, with the consistency of a cheese cake, encased in chocolate, so full of flavour, and they look STUNNING too!
These Conscious Kitchenery cakes are made in small batches (locally) and the flavours are tailored to the seasons, as well as being Plant based, Raw Vegan, Refined Sugar Free And Gluten. I am telling you, they’re well worth making a trip to Pollen just for a cake, savour every bite.
Nalu Coffee House is my newest spot for coffee, they opened less than a year ago. Located on cliff road, Newquay (opposite Aldi) perfect if you don’t want to go all the way in to town for a coffee. The decor in Nalu is gorgeous, think plant heaven, Bali vibes with a modern twist. They have both inside and outside seating, and even a cool takeaway hatch. I want all their furnishings for my house!
Nalu serves up delicious healthy smoothies, as well as the best coffee, iced coffee, matcha and tea. So on a warm day you can cool down but you can also warm up on those Autumnal days too. They always have a scrummy selection of homemade cakes and sweet treats for that afternoon pick me up.
They carry a good selection of vegan and gluten free options and plant based mylks. I think their chia breakfast pots are the perfect way to refuel after a swim or if you want something warm you have to try the brekkie wrap.
Their food is prepared fresh and is seasonal, they offer a lovely selection of wraps, poké bowels and classic avocado on toast. So if you want a calm plant filled oasis in what can often be a very hectic Newquay then this is the café for you. Oh & their pink and turquoise cups are super cute too, I am sure they help make my drink taste even better (its the small things that count!)
