Holy Mackerel Cafe

4.4 ( 199 reviews )
£10–20
Holy mackerel, S W Coast Path, Helston TR12 6JU, United Kingdom

The Holy Mackerel Cafe in Helford is a delightful gem for both locals and travelers along the stunning South West Coast Path. Its prime location near the Helford estuary makes it a perfect stop for those enjoying a scenic walk. Patrons rave about the cafe's warm, quirky atmosphere and exceptional service, making it a must-visit destination.

From the enticing reviews, the cafe's seafood offerings shine, particularly the 'Posh fish finger sandwich' lauded by Andy for its freshness and hearty flavor. Guests can also indulge in a variety of homemade cakes and scrumptious sandwiches, as highlighted by Chris Barnett's praise for the crab and chicken korma sandwiches. The freshness of the ingredients, including the light, thickly sliced bread, enhances the dining experience.

Whether you're indulging in a lovely cream tea or savoring the Kelford cocktails, Holy Mackerel Cafe boasts a menu that captivates the senses without breaking the bank. Antonia and Nicola's comments on the cafe's inviting garden setup also reflect a beautiful ambiance that complements delicious food perfectly. For a superb meal post-hike or a cozy catch-up with friends, this cafe ticks all the boxes. Plan your visit and discover why so many are enchanted by this charming coastal stop!

Amenities and More

  • Service options
    • Outdoor seating
    • Takeaway
    • Dine-in
    • Delivery
  • Accessibility
    • Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Offerings
    • Alcohol
    • Beer
    • Cocktails
    • Coffee
    • Wine
  • Dining options
    • Lunch
    • Dessert
    • Seating
  • Payments
    • Debit cards
    • NFC mobile payments
    • Credit cards
  • Parking
    • Paid parking lot
    • Parking

Reviews For Holy Mackerel Cafe

Andy
Jun 25,2025
Perfect location if you’re walking the South West Coast Path, as I was, as it’s right next to it Delightful place, a good fishy menu (as you’d expect) along with some amazing looking (homemade) cakes. Excellent service with very friendly staff. I had the ‘Posh fish finger sandwich’ with fresh fish and it was exceptional, probably the best I’ve had. Not the cheapest place, but a perfect example of you get what you pay for. I’d go back again anytime. They very kindly filled up my water reservoir before I continued my walk too, so thanks very much for that.
Nicola James
Jun 24,2025
Delightfully quirky cafe almost on the Helford river, well, ok, it’s next to the car park. However, good quality food here, although we only had tea and cake, and a cream tea, the food on the menu looked sumptuous and reasonable too. A definite must if you are heading out for, or returning from a 5 mile circular Frenchman’s Creek walk as we were. How wonderful
antonia bennett
Jun 13,2025
Found this place yesterday on a day trip to Helford, and had a really lovely lunch. The cafe inside is lovely and quirky, and the garden we sat in for lunch was gorgeous. Lovely coffee and delicious food.
bob Rowley
May 28,2025
A great place. Its a must ! Location,atmosphere, food,and service tick all the boxes. And pooches are catered for too.Right next to the Helford car park and a few minutes from the village and ferry. Go and enjoy !
Chris Barnett
May 3,2025
Today we 4 lunched at the Holy Mackerel Cafe in Helford and had the most delicious sandwiches ever! Crab, chicken korma, and mackerel. And the Kelford cocktails were also very tasty. The bread was so fresh and light even though they were thick slices. The pickled side salad was also very fresh and tasty. We would thoroughly recommend this cafe as a destination, as well as if you're passing by in the area.
Hannie van der Spek
Apr 22,2025
We had an amazing lunch with the korma chicken sandwich with relish & ginger-lemon tea (right) and the smoked mackerel pate with relish & americano (left). Price 32,50 Quirky collection of crockery adds to the atmosphere. Korma sandwich an absolute must-try!!
Lynette
Apr 6,2025
The smoked mackerel salad was brilliant and so were the scorched sardines. There was a bit of a wait for food due to how busy it was but it was well worth the wait.
richard cosker
Mar 24,2025
We stayed in the village and had to try this place as I was intrigued by the reviews, and loved the responses from the owners. First off the food is superb and worth every penny, the chicken korma sandwich was the best sandwich I have ever eaten and the scones were beautifully light with plenty of cream and jam. Contrary to some reviews the service was absolutely fine, no bug smiles or over blown gestures, just very efficient.

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