I also admired the beautiful riverside views while tucking into my sweet treat
On a sunny winter’s day, I enjoyed a sweet brunch that seemed more like a dessert – while admiring beautiful river views. It’s been a cold and wet winter so far in 2026, but on a visit to St Ives, there was a rare sunny day.
While on a walk along the river and admiring the swans, I stumbled upon a cute restaurant called The River Terrace. The restaurant is hidden away in a historic archway. It created an instant cosy vibe even before stepping in. As I went in, I was shown to my table.
Once I sat down, I admired the décor. The inside was very rustic, with large wooden beams towering over me and other diners, as well as homely wooden dining tables and chairs.
Feeling hungry, I scoured the menu for its brunch options. There were a few good options on offer, including a full English breakfast. But I wasn’t feeling like something savoury – I desired something sweet.
I saw that the restaurant offered stuffed French toast. This was toast filled with lemon mascarpone, topped with berry compote, crumble and maple syrup. The price felt a little bit steep at £14.50, but I chose this to see what it was like.
Before getting my food, I ordered an iced vanilla latte. This crisp cold latte was very refreshing. The vanilla essence in it was extra sweet, and it has a very creamy taste to it. After only having to wait 10 minutes, my food came. I was surprised with how big this dish was.
For the £14.50 price, I was hoping to have something quite large and I was proved right. The stuffed toast was beautifully presented, with the crumble lightly scattered across all of it, and a handful of berries placed on top.
It looked too good to eat, but of course I tucked in. The toast was certainly stuffed, as it was quite deep to cut into. I took a bite of the lemon mascarpone with a bit of crumble first. The crumble was warm and almost melted in my mouth.
It had a sweet crunchy taste, and combined with the beautifully bitter mascarpone added an extra level of sweetness. Next, I tried it with some of the berries. This was my favourite part. The berries were rich in flavour and succulent. I tried a large berry on its own, and this had a delicious tangy taste to it.
By the end, I was very full and I took a minute to look at the riverside views from the door next to me. The sun shone on the river as it peacefully flowed by. This was one of the best parts of the restaurant where you could enjoy tranquil river views while eating.
What made it even better was the swans. For a sunny day, I think the River Terrace is the perfect place to stop by for a filling brunch.
It’s also the perfect place if you want to admire pretty riverside views, with some wildlife in the mix.
All of our food reviews are paid for by the writer. The establishments do not know we will be reviewing their food, allowing us to make fair judgements on each place.