This week Woody and I were kindly invited to Lily’s of Truro*, a dog friendly café and creative space in the heart of Truro. As a freelancer, being self-employed means I often work from home. While this may sound like the idyllic creative lifestyle, it can be lonely. It’s important to get out of the house sometimes, to explore your local towns and get those creative juices flowing! Lily’s is an independent café in the heart of Truro and is named after owner Simon’s six and a half year old Border Terrier. Unfortunately Lily wasn’t there when we popped in but we’re excited to meet her next time we visit!
DOGSCLOSURE: We received complimentary food and drink at Lily’s of Truro in exchange for this post. I purchased everything else featured in this blogpost myself.
Lily’s of Truro is situated at the top of the hill on Pydar street. You can’t miss its beautiful salmon pink exterior. The multicoloured cups and saucers, accents of reclaimed wood and contemporary art on display inside all add to the café’s unique charm. A beautifully eclectic mix of textures and colour. Handwritten menus hang from the ceiling and there are plenty of delicious cakes on display. I love the atmosphere in Lily’s, it’s warm and welcoming, making you feel right at home.
The staff are friendly too and immediately greeted Woody for cuddles. There are even free dog treats available at the counter for your four legged friend. Mini Marrowbones, one of Woody’s favourites. It was great to find such a contemporary, stylish café that is dog friendly, as they can be few and far between.
We settled ourselves down at a table opposite the window and started the day’s work. There was plenty of room between the benches and tables for Woody to sit or sprawl out as he pleased. We stayed for a few hours, absorbed in the day to day atmosphere and buzz. There were all sorts of people visiting. From local office workers on their lunch breaks to young mothers enjoying a coffee with friends. We even met a couple and their Labrador, who were visiting Cornwall from Liverpool. The staff are incredibly kind, always there to answer questions, share recommendations and of course cut you a slice of homemade cake!
Lily’s of Truro serves delicious food throughout the day using fresh, local ingredients as much as possible. We arrived just as the breakfast menu changed to lunch and there were so many tasty options to choose. Best of all, they provide gluten free, vegetarian and vegan choices too, making Lily’s the perfect place to meet with a group of friends. I settled for a chicken and pesto wrap, served with fresh salad and crisps on the side. It’s safe to say it went down a treat and Woody certainly enjoyed his share. Working with local suppliers adds to the charm of Lily’s and I love seeing local Cornish businesses supporting one another and there are so many incredible people doing amazing dog friendly things in the county.
There are plenty of places to park nearby. From council carparks to the local multi-storey down the road. Being the only city in Cornwall, Truro has great transport links. Trains run from both Falmouth and Penzance, as well as further afield in Plymouth and even London. There are also regular buses to Truro from just about everywhere in the county.
There are some great dog walks nearby too. Trelissick is fast becoming one of our favourites and Idless Woods, the Bissoe Path and Malpas to Tresillian are all on our list to explore. Truro itself is rich in heritage, with cobbled streets, crooked houses and of course the cathedral overlooking it all.
Lily’s of Truro is so much more than just a café. Not only are they incredibly dog friendly, they also provide a beautiful hub for the community. The café a great place to work and has its own dedicated co-working space upstairs. Aptly named the Dog House, desks are available to rent for as little as £10 per half day. Perfect for local freelancers, creatives and students wanting to escape their bedrooms!
The desks are clean and well lit, allowing plenty of room to spread out. Lockers are available too, so you don’t have to keep carting your work around. With a supply of fresh teas, coffees and cake just downstairs, I’ll be making the most of the Dog House for sure. Just when you think it couldn’t get any better than that, it’s dog friendly. So Woody can come to work with me, result!
So it’s a paws up from us. If you’re looking for a dog friendly café in Truro, Lily’s is the place to go. A great creative space right in the heart of the city.
To keep up to date with our adventures in dog friendly Cornwall, be sure to follow us on Instagram!
*We were kindly invited to a complimentary visit to Lily’s of Truro. All opinions are my own, they are incredibly dog friendly and we had an amazing time!
Great blog post! Putting this one on our last for our holidays in a few weeks! Great to see vegan options!
Yes, they cater for all sorts of requirements, which is great to see. There’s always delicious cakes being baked and they make their own Chai Latte syrup too!
This is awesome… we love it!
Great blog that helps spread the love for local businesses.
Do let us know if you’d like us to share the fact that they have hot desks available for rent on our stories #SpreadTheLove
Wonderful community spirit, we just LOVE it ???