The Ruin Beach Café
Tresco’s wonderfully laid-back vibe meets modern, Mediterranean-inspired beachfront dining with dishes fresh from the wood-fired oven...
As you approach The Ruin, you’ll know you’re in the right place. The smoke curling from the kitchen chimney is a heady blend of delicious dishes fired by island-grown wood.
The wood-fired oven sets The Ruin apart. It is right at the heart of the restaurant and the menu, producing delicious pizzas and roasting succulent meat, fish, and vegetables for our tempting sharing platters.
Enjoy morning coffee overlooking the ocean, a long and lazy lunch on the beachfront terrace as the children play on the white sand below, or sundowners and a special evening out as the sky outside the window cycles with the reflected colours of a Scilly sunset.
The beachfront restaurant's name comes from the ruined smuggler’s cottage that forms part of its terrace, overlooking Raven’s Porth. The Coastguard boathouse next door—now Watch House cottage—must have made smuggling from here a precarious business.
2024 Opening Hours
From 1st March | From 29th April | From 30th September | From 2nd November | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Coffee & Pastries | 9am - 12pm | 9am - 12pm | 10am - 12pm | Closed |
Lunch | 12 - 2pm | 12 - 3pm | 12 - 2pm | Closed |
Drinks | 2 - 6pm | 3 - 6pm | 2 - 6pm | Closed |
Dinner | 6 - 8pm | 6 - 9pm | 6 - 8pm | Closed |
Make a Table Reservation
Booking is strongly recommended for lunch and dinner at The Ruin.
However, only indoor tables can be booked ahead, so if it's nice weather, we'll usually have space outside if you want to be more spontaneous.
Online booking is available for up to 6 people; please call or email for more.
Please see our full table booking terms and conditions below.
Early Summer Menus
Our menus change with the seasons, supplemented by daily specials
Lunch
Sharing plates, pizzas , salads and more, fresh from our wood-fired oven. Perfect on the terrace with a glass of something chilled...
Dinner
Mediterranean-inspired favourites from the woodfired oven as sunset colours light up the ocean
Wine & Drinks
Our carefully curated wine list, sourced, from fresh and flavoursome whites to rich and aromatic reds and something with a touch of sparkle
Children's Menu
Flavoursome favourites for the younger ones - if you can tempt them away from the beach...
Pudding
Rich and tempting flavours with perfect pairings; what finer way to round off your meal?
Cocktails
Aperitifs and cocktails just made for long and lazy summer afternoons on the terrace
Table Booking Terms & Conditions
You can book online for up to 6 people; for more, please call us. We cannot accept additional party members in the 'Comments' box. We also recommend calling if you're making multiple bookings. Please note that we charge a 10% service fee for tables of ten or more people.
Please let us know on booking if you have any dietary requirements.
If you're dining with us early evening (bookings starting 6 - 6:30 pm), you will have your table for two hours.
We take indoor bookings only, but you're welcome to move outside if there's a table free when you arrive.
Dogs are welcome on the terrace but not inside, so if you're bringing a dog, you'll be unable to book ahead.
We reserve the right to charge £25 per person if you forget to cancel your booking or do so less than 24 hours before arrival. We always prefer not to charge, so we will do our best to re-sell your table. Your booking confirmation email details how to change or cancel your booking; do let us know if this doesn't reach you.
If you're running late, please call ahead, and we'll try to hold your table. While we can't guarantee to do so for longer than 20 minutes, we'll do our best to work something out.