The Sloop Inn on the harbourside is the oldest pub in St Ives, with parts of the building dating back to 1312. It has survived fishing booms, pilchard crashes, two world wars, and the transformation of St Ives from working port to tourist destination while remaining substantially unchanged. The low beams, stone floors, and fireplace that lit them suggest it has been a pub for most of that time.
The beer selection is good (local Cornish ales feature), the fish and chips are decent, and the location on the wharf, looking directly out over the fishing boats, is hard to beat on a summer evening. It gets crowded in July and August; the seats outside on the harbour wall are the best in town when the weather allows.