Ann's Pasties — Restaurant in England

For several years now, I have pursued what some may call a rather obsessive culinary quest: to identify, beyond doubt, the finest Cornish pasty in existence. This endeavour has taken me the length and breadth of Cornwall, and indeed much of the United Kingdom, sampling pasties from hundreds of bakeries. Along the way, I believed I had discovered the pinnacle of the craft in the offerings of Niles Bakery and Philps, both of which held an esteemed place at the summit of my rankings for some time.

However, after seeing Anns pasties celebrated on television, I felt compelled to undertake the journey from London to Helston. What I experienced upon arrival was nothing short of revelatory. It is no exaggeration to say that Anns Bakery redefines what a Cornish pasty can and should be.

We purchased a generous selection: steak, cheese and onion, and vegetable pasties, some ready to eat and others frozen to take home. The first impression struck before even taking a bite: these pasties are magnificent in size. Hearty, hand crafted, and generously filled to the very brim, they command attention. Unlike so many pasties elsewhere, which often leave one disappointed by meagre filling and heavy pastry, Anns pasties achieve a remarkable balance of abundance and finesse.

The pastry itself is a masterpiece, light, delicate, and impossibly flaky, it all but melts upon contact with the tongue. It is a marvel of texture: crisp on the outside, tender within, and never cloying or heavy. Rather than overshadowing the contents, it acts as the perfect counterpoint, enhancing the flavours of the filling without intruding upon them.

And the fillings themselves are sublime. The steak pasty, in particular, is a marvel of generosity. Packed with what can only be described as ampelous quantities of perfectly tender beef, it is unlike any other steak pasty I have ever encountered. Every bite revealed sumptuous, slow cooked richness, succulent chunks of meat, seasoned with a deft hand, and balanced by sweet onion and perfectly cooked potato. The flavour is bold yet refined, rich without being overwhelming, and lingers luxuriously long after the final bite. The cheese and onion variety was a deeply savoury delight, rich, creamy, and indulgent, while the vegetable pasty offered a harmonious blend of flavours that felt both wholesome and hearty.

Perhaps most impressive was the consistency of quality across both fresh and frozen pasties. Two days later, the frozen pasties baked at home to golden perfection, filling the kitchen with a glorious aroma. To my amazement, they were every bit as delectable as those bought ready baked, if anything, even better for having been eaten piping hot, fresh from my own oven. This is a rare achievement, and testament to the skill and precision of Anns craft.

I can state with absolute confidence that my long search has reached its conclusion. Niles and Philps, once my reference points for excellence, have been unseated by a significant margin. Anns pasties are not merely better, they are in a category of their own. Monumental in size, sublime in taste, and executed with impeccable skill, they represent the absolute pinnacle of Cornish baking.

Anns Bakery should seriously consider offering a national delivery service. Were such a service available, I would be a lifelong and loyal customer, ensuring that my freezer was always stocked with these heavenly creations.

In short: Anns pasties are a revelation. To describe them simply as the best pasties I have ever eaten feels almost inadequate, they are quite simply a triumph of...

Ann’s used to be the best in Cornwall by an absolute mile with no pasty even coming close to it. Unfortunately the last 18 months the pasty has been altered and is no longer anywhere near as good as it used to be. The filling is spot on however the change has been the pastry….. the recipe has most definitely been altered and is more ‘ chewy ‘ rather than how it used to be softer and flakey. Alongside this, they’ve changed the crimping? It’s moved more central and as a result less of the filling which is what used to make it stand out from other local pasties. Different crimping and pastry combined with them being more burnt in the oven with pasties appearing a more dark brown and is harder. The burning of the pasty is also meaning the beautiful filling is drying out at the bottom whereas for Ann’s this used to be the best bit of the whole thing was how juicy and gravy filled it was. We used to drive from Truro 1-2 times a week for these and now it’s every few months as they just aren’t the same. Please change the recipe back, and put them back to the size they used to be with normal crimping. Again the filling is perfect just not enough of it anymore and dried out in the bottom from being burnt. We had them today and it’s the worst...

Honestly I'm a little torn! I love my Pasties and been wanting to try Ann's for a few years now. Luckily I'm in Gweek for a few days so I took a trip round to test one out!l, unfortunately I left it a little late, so all the large had gone, medium it was then. So to start on a positive, easily the best pastry on any pasty I have EVER eaten, flakey and mouthwatering . I had waited to get home, so it was at a perfect temperature to destroy in one go.😊 Overall the taste was good but the one thing missing was the pepper kick, it was non existent, pasties need pepper 🤦🏼‍♂️ l the little bit of steak I had was all tucked down one end in the last three bites. So over all I was slightly disappointed my first experience 😞 However I'm not one to judge to quickly so will make a second attempt in a...