Cheap Eats in Falmouth: A Guide to Dining Well Without Breaking the Bank

Falmouth has a serious food scene for a town this size, but you don't have to splurge to eat well here. Plenty of pubs will let you bring food in from a takeaway, the market does a pasty as good as anywhere in Cornwall, and there's a quiet handful of sit-down spots where dinner for two stays under fifty quid. Here's how locals do it on a budget.

If you're after the full restaurants run-down, see our guide to the best restaurants in Falmouth and Penryn for the splurge-worthy end of town.

Bring your own food to a pub

One of Falmouth's best-kept open secrets is the network of pubs that let you bring food in. Perfect when your chosen restaurant is full, when you're picking up a takeaway nearby, or when you've made sandwiches and just want a pint to go with them. Things change, so worth a quick check with the pub on the day.

• The Grapes. Friendly, no kitchen of their own, so they actively welcome takeaway in. Order food to your table from local delivery places. Draught beer prices are some of the lowest in town, starting at £3.10 with a discount before 7pm on weekdays.
• The Front. On the quay under Harbour Lights and Trago Mills. Takeaway burritos, curries or fish and chips go down very well here.
• Finn MacCools. Cosy, welcomes outside food, also does a properly good cup of tea.
• Seven Stars on the Moor and The Moth and Moon. Both rumoured to allow outside food. Confirm on the day.
• The Famous Barrel, Penryn. A short hop out of Falmouth, also allows outside food.

Pair-with-a-pint takeaways

If you're taking advantage of a BYO pub, here's what to pair the pint with.

• Curry Baba. Popular Indian, delivers across Falmouth, classic curries through to creative vegetarian dishes brought straight to your pub table.
• Boo Koos. American-style burgers, delivers to The Grapes and The Games Room. A loaded burger with a local beer is a hard combo to beat.
• Harbour Lights. Next to Trago Mills, multiple-award fish and chips, perfect for a takeaway pint by the sea.

Affordable sit-down spots

If you'd rather a table and a menu, these stay friendly to the wallet.

• Wilder Allotment Kitchen. The standout. Their curry thalis come in under £16 and the portions are generous. A quiet evening meal or a casual lunch, both work.
• Bodega18. Spanish-leaning tapas, good for sharing plates with a group.
• The Shed. Near Events Square, classic pub fare done well, decent value.
• Planted Cafe. Fully vegetarian with plenty of vegan, reliable for a wholesome lunch.
• The Lemon Twist. A quiet gem for light bites or something more substantial.

The market and quick bites

For a fast, cheap and very Cornish lunch, the local market stalls are hard to beat. Pasties from a proper Cornish baker, wraps, sandwiches, traybakes. Best eaten on a bench by the harbour with a coffee.

Eating well, spending less

You can have a long Falmouth evening on a tight budget. Pick up curry from Curry Baba, walk it round to The Grapes, sit with a £3.10 pint while you eat. Tapas at Bodega18 with friends. A pasty from the market on a bench by the harbour. The food's good. You don't have to spend a fortune for it to be.