The Jolly Sailors
The Jolly Sailors.
Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk, PE31 8BJ.
Tel: 01485 210314.
Latest!
A Jolly Party – Monday 4th June 8pm. Free entry. All welcome.
Celebrate the Queens’ Diamond Jubilee. Join The Jolly Sailors in lighting a jubilee beacon and dance to music taking you through the decades from the ’50s onwards.
Fri 22nd – Sun 24th June. 3rd Norfolk Ale & Music Festival. Free Entry. All welcome.
Norfolk real ales, beer marquee, live music, freshly cooked pub grub.
More details about this BEER FESTIVAL and all UPCOMING HAPPENINGS & EVENTS at The Jolly Sailors.
Dine ‘al fresco’, Jollies-style, now the weather’s hotting up. View the new GARDEN MENU.
Or treat yourself to a soft scoop with all the trimmings from The Jolly Ice Cream Hut – in the garden at The Jolly Sailors.
Situated on the A149 coast road at Brancaster Staithe, The Jolly Sailors is a long-established North Norfolk pub, updated by the same owners as the nearby White Horse. It offers great food and ales at good value prices and is very family friendly.
Housed in a white painted façade with blue door and windowsills that you can’t miss, the inside of The Jolly Sailors is rustic and warm, with plenty of wood and stone. It is also smart and cared-for, giving it an appealing vibe that elevates it to a higher-than-average-quality traditional eating pub.
The bar offers a wide selection of real ales and guest beers. Being the associated pub of the independent, family-owned Brancaster Brewery, The Jolly Sailors has many of this breweries’ ales on tap.
If ale isn’t your thing, there is a comprehensive wine list, with choices by the bottle and glass and there’s always a good cup of tea or coffee on the brew.
Outside is a large, leafy beer garden for warmer days with an adventure play area that would occupy even the most energetic child.
Food-wise, you’ll find home cooked pub food (including a plethora of local seafood) as well as delicious stone baked pizza (an unusual twist) that you can eat in or takeaway. Perfect if you’re holidaying nearby. There’s a Children’s Menu, a Daily Specials board and lighter options for lunch.
A sign outside reads “Children, muddy boots and dogs welcome” and this pretty much sums The Jolly Sailors up. Unpretentious and open to all, it has been providing warm hospitality to friends and strangers since the 18th Century. Still true to its traditional roots, it is also firmly 21st Century, focusing on good quality food, drink and service. Among other publications of note, The Jolly Sailors is featured in the Michelin Eating Out Pubs Guide 2011 and The Good Pub Guide 2011. Rightly so.
Bar open 7 days. Mon-Sat 12noon – 11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm.
FOOD SERVED Everyday 12noon – 9pm. See menu boards for Daily Specials.
View the QUICK BITES MENU.
See the WINE LIST.
PIZZA TAKEAWAY available at serving times PLUS late night Friday & Saturday until 10.45 pm. See the Jolly Sailors Pizza Menu, including NEW Gourmet Pizzas.
News & Upcoming Happenings At The Jolly Sailors.
The Jolly Runners
Meet every Saturday morning @ 10am in the car park. Whether you’re a regular runner or a keen starter – set your own pace and enjoy the great outdoors!
Wednesday is CURRY NIGHT 7pm onwards
£7.95 for the best home made curry with sundries.
The Anchor Inn
The Anchor Inn.
The Street, Morston, Norfolk, NR25 7AA.
Tel: 01263 741392.
A former smugglers inn, The Anchor Inn Pub and Restaurant has received something of an update recently, after friends Rowan and Harry took the helm (apologies for the boat-related pun).
Good food, good beer and a friendly atmosphere ensure that everyone feels welcome, whether you simply want to sit and warm up with a pint beside the roaring fire in the ‘Old Pub’, or you are out with the family celebrating a special occasion with a meal in the contemporary and stylish new Restaurant.
Produce is sourced as locally as possible (very locally in the case of the Morston Mussels, which are available when in season and hail fresh from the Quay just yards away, while meat is supplied by award-winning Rutland Butchers) and Harry likes to experiment with well-loved pub classics, updating them with a modern twist. All dishes offer excellent value for money.
As you’d hope with its proximity to the coast, seafood and fish features heavily. However, vegetarians will not be left wanting and Children have a selection of their own dishes to choose from. There are tasty specials that change daily and The Anchor does a fabulous, traditional Sunday lunch.
Drinks-wise, The Anchor has an impressive selection of real ales, including a variety of local brews (for example Woodforde’s, Winters and Adnams). There is a well-balanced and competitively priced wine list that perfectly complements the food coming out of the kitchen.
Very recently, the Beer Garden has been revamped. Seating 30-40, it is a perfect little suntrap infused with the sea air on summer days.
As if the promise of great hospitality, food and beer weren’t enough, The Anchor is conveniently situated on the coast road, and the Coasthopper bus service stops right outside. The Inn is partnered with Temples Seal Trips, which operate from the Quay, taking trips to Blakeney Point to view the seals and migrant birds. Temple’s Seal Trip tickets can be purchased from the bar of The Anchor. That’s a fabulous day out in north Norfolk planned for you, right there. Marvellous.
The Anchor is open daily 9am – late.
Food is served 12noon-3pm and 6pm-9m (until 8.30pm on Sun).
Sunday Lunch is served from 12noon-8pm.
The Anchor Inn is Dog friendly.
The Anchor is available to hire for private parties, weddings and functions.
The Briarfields Hotel
The Briarfields Hotel.
Main Street, Titchwell, Norfolk, PE31 8BB.
Tel: 01485 210742.
Conveniently located on the A149 coast road in the pretty village of Titchwell, 3-star (Visit Britain) Briarfields Hotel is a warm and welcoming place to stay, eat, meet and unwind in North Norfolk. Made up of a collection of sympathetically converted barns and farm buildings, it offers a relaxed and cosy atmosphere that is the perfect setting for a romantic or celebratory meal or to stop for some sustenance while exploring the North Norfolk coast.
The bright and open hotel restaurant with views towards Titchwell Nature Reserve serves the finest locally sourced produce at lunchtimes and dinnertime and traditional roasts and special dishes are available for the perfect lazy Sunday afternoon. A large wine selection will complete the occasion. Vegetarians are well catered for, as are children with their own menu.
For a more informal experience, there is a large bar and lounge area if you fancy kicking back and relaxing with a newspaper and a drink. A selection of meals can be ordered from the bar at lunchtimes. Again, with a children’s menu, families are more than welcome.
As well as being perfect for a romantic retreat or a family adventure, Briarfields is also available for weddings, conferences and other functions and events.
Enjoy ‘Posh Afternoon Tea’ 2pm-5pm – £10.50. Why not join the ‘Afternoon Tea Club’ – just £10 annually to enjoy special seasonal afternoon tea and special pricing all year round?
Restaurant open for lunch 12noon-2pm and for dinner 6.30pm-9pm.
Bar snacks available from the bar at lunchtimes.
View a Sample Lunch Menu.
View Briarfields evening menu.
Friday night is Sushi & Oyster Night at Briarfields.
Deepdale Café
Deepdale Café.
Main Road, Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk, PE31 8DD.
Tel: 01485 211055.
An extremely popular haunt for locals, campers, walkers and holidaymakers alike, Deepdale Café successfully combines the relaxed, but high quality vibe reminiscent of a Parisian Café with the cool appeal of a beach-side coffee bar.
Situated in Burnham Deepdale on the A149 coast road between Burnham Overy Staithe and Brancaster Staithe, among a well thought-out cluster of interesting businesses on the ‘Dalegate Market’ site, the Café is perfectly positioned for refreshment when exploring the North Norfolk coast or surrounding villages such as the Burnhams.
Cooked to order (no microwave!) from lots of lovely local produce, portions are reasonably priced and plentiful with satisfying and delicious options for breakfast, lunch and throughout the day (including veggie, children’s and gluten-free options). Relying on imaginative and well cooked food instead of fried grub and nutritionally void dishes, Deepdale Café supports healthier eating, without being preachy.
The carefully constructed menu includes sandwiches and snacks as well as more substantial meals, and there are lots of regularly changing Specials to choose from. If you can’t eat in, try the ‘Grab Food’ option – takeaway food prepared in the Café (a bit of Deepdale to take home or back to your holiday accommodation – marvellous). A ‘Grab Bag’ is ideal for taking along to the beach.
Fully licensed, you can relax with a local alcoholic tipple of Beer or Cider, or a refreshing glass of wine. For non-drinkers, children or drivers, the list of soft drinks is more than adequate, with various coffees, teas and juices on offer.
Ideal for families, couples, the young and old, Deepdale Café is a fabulous, unpretentious eating-and-meeting place that is bound to please even the choosiest diner.
Open daily 7am-4pm (7.3am-7.30pm in holidays and high days).
The Lodge
Transformed by the owners of the luxe-for-less Briarfields Hotel, The Lodge is a delightful pub with a restaurant and rooms, of a quality usually only found at a stylish, designer inner-City hotel. A Dower House in the early 1800’s and The Lodge Hotel from 1912, the listed building offers a lovely mix of the old and the new, with wooden floors and real ales sitting happily alongside new world wines and the latest technology.
Pretty Corner Café & Tea Gardens
Pretty Corner Café & Tea Gardens.
Pretty Corner, Upper Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8TW.
Tel: 01263 822766.
As the name implies, Pretty Corner, found en route to Sheringham in Norfolk, has been a renowned beauty spot for decades.
Pretty Corner Café and Tea Gardens first opened in 1926 in a wooden pavilion that had no running water or electricity. The owners of the time became widely known for their homemade chocolates and sweets, which won a number of awards. While it has evolved, it is still as popular today as it was back then, with walkers, cyclists and holidaymakers enjoying the peaceful woodland setting.
Inside, the modest flint and brick Café is airy and homely with pictures by local talent decorating the walls, flowers on every table and gently padded chairs. There is a wood burning stove for cooler days and an outside patio and garden, flanked by many shrubs and flowering plants, for warm weather.
Pretty Corner Café and Tea Gardens pride themselves in using fresh, locally sourced ingredients throughout their menu, supporting local producers as well as growing their own.
The menu includes lunchtime favourites such as Panninis, Jacket Potatoes, Salads and Sandwiches, as well as homemade daily specials. There is a mouthwatering selection of homemade cakes, scones and desserts.
As you expect from a self-respecting Tea Gardens, Pretty Corner Café and Tea Gardens offers a selection of speciality teas (as well as coffee and soft drinks) – perfect with a homemade scone in a Pretty Corner Cream Tea.
Coffee fans will appreciate the Espresso machine (new for the 2012 season), which means you can now enjoy really good Fair Trade Cappuccino and Cafe Latte coffees.
Vegetarians and children are well catered for, and there are gluten-free options on the menu.
See the PRETTY CORNER MENU.
View the PRETTY CORNER CAKES & DRINKS MENU.
Pretty Corner Café and Tea Gardens is child-friendly and welcomes dogs.
Pretty Corner Café and Tea Gardens cannot accept credit or debit cards.
Open daily from 30th March – October 2012 10.30am – 5pm.
Cliff Top Café
Cliff Top Café.
22 Cliff Road, Overstrand, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 0PP.
Tel: 01263 579319.
Once a humble Donkey shed, Cliff Top Café in Overstrand has come a long way since it was originally established in 1925. Owner Lorraine has been in charge for the past 5 years and most notably the Cliff Top Café recently (Nov 2011) placed 6th in The Times ’30 Best Places For Tea’ list. Need we say more?
Well… along with the Tea, Cream Teas and vast range of fruit teas, the Cliff Top Café offers good value for money, wholesome, home cooked food. Cooked to order, it is not fast food. But it is well worth any wait.
Inviting and spotlessly clean (they hold 5 stars for Hygiene), the inside bears all the hallmarks of a traditional tearooms or café. The unpretentious vibe will appeal to all generations from all walks of life. Families with children are welcome, as are dogs. The Menu is full of time-honoured classics, from the sandwich fillings to the presence of Horlicks, Ovaltine and Bovril. Fantastic after a bracing coastal stroll on a chilly day.
Until Noon, you’ll get big breakfasts (including a vegetarian breakfast). From noon onwards, enjoy delicious home-cooked lunches such as Steak Pie, Fish Pie, Lamb Shanks or Cottage Pie (to name but a few). There are also also 3 vegetarian options on the menu each day. Throughout the day there are cakes, toasted teacakes, soup and salads.
Last but not least, the location of this café (quite literally on Overstrand’s cliff tops) makes it a fantastic place to visit. Perfectly placed to rest and refresh after a walk along the beach from Cromer, sit outside for stunning views out to sea. Not a bad side to go with your tea and cake…
Open:
Nov-Easter Weds-Sun 8am-4pm
Easter-Nov Open 7 days 8am-5pm.
Closed throughout January.
Breakfast is served 8am-12Noon, Lunch from 12Noon.
Cliff Top Café is licensed and sells wine by the bottle and glass.
Cliff Top Café does not take credit or debit cards.
The Jetty Café
The Jetty Café.
11 High Street, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 0AB.
Tel: 01263 513814.
When Owners Louise and Dave were removing the old sign for what is now their Jetty Café, they discovered the remains of an original 1960s sign for the ‘Jetty Espresso Bar’. Strangely they had no idea it used to be a ‘Jetty Café’ in a previous life. Surely a good omen for this fabulous new Café and Coffee Shop?
The Jetty Café, situated just off the High Street in the centre of Cromer, is dedicated to offering a warm, friendly environment and great homemade food prepared from as much local produce as possible. Fresh, modern and very clean inside, the Café welcomes families with children (highchairs available).
Enjoy a tasty, light Breakfast throughout the week, and then a blowout Full English on a Sunday (including vegetarian and gluten-free options).
Tempt yourself with delicious and colourful Krazy Kupcakes cupcakes. We love the themed cupcakes for Easter, etc and the idea of larger, completely edible cupcakes in chocolate cases during the summer – a terrific treat for the kids (as is the Norfolk-produced Ronaldo’s Ice Cream).
To replenish some energy after a day of shopping, sightseeing or on the beach, The Jetty Café specialises in Pizza and Pasta. Made from fresh dough, prepared daily, choose a 12” Margarita Pizza for only £7 and add your own toppings. Yum.
Refreshment-wise, The Jetty Café has a range of Teas and Coffee, including herbal teas and decaffeinated options. It is fully licensed for those that fancy something slightly stronger.
The Jetty Café offers a discount for NHS staff.
Opening Times:
Tues-Fri 10am-3pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun10am-1pm (You can pre-book tables for dining or private hire outside normal opening hours).
The Blakeney Hotel
The Blakeney Hotel.
Blakeney, Norfolk, NR25 7NE.
Tel: 01263 740797.
Winner of the EDP Tourism in Norfolk Award 2011 for Best Hotel (second year running!).
Just right for total escapism, The AA 4* Blakeney Hotel is situated beside the quay with outstanding views across the estuary to Blakeney Point (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). A traditional, family hotel that prioritises quality and value for money, it is a good base for exploring the wider area (ideal if you like walking, bird watching or want to visit the nearby towns of Holt, Norwich or Aylsham), but equally perfect if all you want to do is kick back, read a paper and gaze out dreamily over the salt marshes.
The Blakeney Hotel boasts over sixty rooms, all furnished to a high standard and some with balconies or terraces offering wonderful views over the estuary and salt marshes. Extra beds or cots for children can be provided and the ground floor rooms are ideal for holidaying dogs.
If you don’t feel like going too far, there is plenty to occupy and delight you within the hotel itself. The Hotel has a heated indoor swimming pool with adjacent Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and air-conditioned mini gym. There is a games room for table tennis, pool and darts and a billiard room with a full-sized table for billiards or snooker. Use of all the leisure facilities is free for residents.
For eating and drinking, the Hotel has two lounges, an AA Rosette restaurant and a bar, offering hearty English breakfasts, light lunches and seasonal À la Carte choices.
Picnic hampers can be made up for residents.
Great for enjoying the whole North Norfolk area, or a getaway destination in itself, The Blakeney Hotel is worth discovering whether you’re planning a romantic break for two, a half-term getaway with the kids or a weekend of walking and exploring with just you and the dog!
The Corner House
The Corner House Tea & Coffee Lounge.
2-4 Cromer Road, Mundesley, Norfolk, NR11 8BE.
Tel: 01263 720509.
If a great Café or Coffee Shop mean good coffee, a friendly, relaxing atmosphere and great cake to you (but no greasy fry ups!), then The Corner House Tea & Coffee Lounge in Mundesley is for you.
Opened in October 2011, The Corner House café is situated is situated near to the seafront in this lovely Norfolk seaside village (Mundesley has a great beach). Moreover it really serves as the heart of the village for social gatherings and passing the time of day.
Styling inside is eclectic with elements of rustic charm, French Café culture and a nod to tearooms of yesteryear with real tablecloths and china tableware, cake stands and pretty china teapots.
The Café serves various types of real coffee with authentic French flavouring syrups for a real continental twist. You’ll also find a vast choice of Teas (including Whittard flavoured and herbal teas), Hot Chocolate and refreshing cold soft drinks.
Sustenance-wise, The Corner House offers simple and imaginative breakfasts, snacks and light lunches such as Jacket Potatoes, Sandwiches and Soup, and mouthwatering cakes (during the summer, The Corner House will be offering ice-cream style cupcakes – delicious cupcakes served in a cone). Much is locally sourced or produced. We like the ‘Bronte Dunking Biscuits’ – how quintessentially English!
If you’re in need of real indulgence, treat yourself to Afternoon Tea or Cream Tea (with clotted cream, naturally).
As we’ve already mentioned, The Corner House is friendly and welcoming to all. There are provisions for children and dogs are also welcome. A sign on the dresser reads ‘Enter as strangers. Leave as friends’ and this basically sums up The Corner House Tea & Coffee Lounge. (Although perhaps it should read ‘well fed and watered friends’, to be absolutely accurate).
Eat in and take away service available.
Open Mon – Sat 9.30am-4.30pm, Sunday 10am-3pm.
The Black Lion Hotel Restaurant
The Black Lion Hotel Restaurant.
Friday Market Place, Little Walsingham, Norfolk, NR22 6DB.
Tel: 01328 820 235.
Under new management since June 2011, The Black Lion Hotel in Walsingham has several hundred years experience of offering hospitality fit for a King (the northern end of The Black Lion was built to accommodate King Edward III, who made regular pilgrimages to Walsingham).
Nowadays, The Black Lion Hotel has 7 smartly styled en-suite bedrooms and a restaurant that is elegant without being unnecessary. Being a former hostelry, the atmosphere is one of a dining pub with character that has been subtly modernised, where appropriate, to suit most tastes.
Contrary to its ancient origins, The Black Lion Restaurant is nothing but modern with its food and drink selection. Chef Greg Haye’s daily-changing menu features fresh, seasonal goodies sourced from local farmers, fishermen and producers.
As well as a hearty all-day breakfast, and tasty A la Carte menu, you’ll also find all-day Tapas (we love this little cosmopolitan twist in such a traditional and historic setting!). Marvelously, the entire menu is very reasonably priced, with a 4 course set price from the A la Carte menu totaling £19.50 and Tapas options between £1 and £2.50 a dish.
Standout choices (when available) are the Crispy Squid, Breaded Cheese & Honey and Spicy Pork Belly Tapas.
Drinks-wise, The Black Lion has a well-stocked bar that serves good coffee, hot chocolate and herbal teas as well as a wide range of alcoholic tipples. Hot Chocolate Fondant is a specialty, and well worth the 15 minute wait it takes to prepare it.
For sweet-tooths and nibbles, The Black Lion kitchen makes its own cakes and buns, potato and parsnip crisps, pork scratchings and covered nuts.
Food is available all day on Sundays, when a regularly changing roast is also on offer within a 2-course, 3-course or 4-course option (with coffee and handmade chocolates).
The Black Lion holds regular events, including a quiz on Sunday nights (more details below).
The Black Lion Hotel is dog friendly.
Hotel/Bar/Restaurant open from 8am-1am 7 days a week.
Lunch served 12noon-3pm, Dinner served 6pm-10.30pm.
Every Wednesday Night - Steak & a Pint £10
Sunday Night is Quiz Night – starts 7.30pm – entry £2 per person – winning team takes all!
The Lifeboat Inn
The Lifeboat Inn.
Ship Lane, Thornham, Norfolk, PE36 6LT.
Tel: 01485 512236.
Now part of Marco Pierre Whites Wheeler’s family, the 16th Century Lifeboat Inn at Thornham is a real North Norfolk treasure in its stunning coastal location (even the car park has a breathtaking view out onto Holme Dunes).
Other than the cosy oil-lantern lit bar and general ambience, that remains faithful to traditional inn-keeping values, The Lifeboat is a great place to eat all year round – particularly throughout the winter months when it is a really inviting and snug bolthole.
For summer dining, there is a lovely walled patio garden and bright conservatory, the roof of which is covered by an ancient vine that we once heard thrives on Abbot Ale. For evenings and special occasions, try the more formal dining room.
Year-round, the reasonably priced bar menu features local delights and daily changing specials and is very popular with holidaymakers and locals alike. Children’s meals are available and there are options for vegetarians.
View the RESTAURANT MENU and the BREAKFAST MENU.
Highlights are a pot of the Lifeboat’s steaming mussels (available when in season), or how about a huge traditional plate of locally caught fish and chips. No visit to North Norfolk would be complete without at least one of these.
The WINE LIST is interesting and imaginative, selected predominantly from small growers and bijou vineyards.
If you’ve tried the Lifeboat and want to experience something a little different, why not try its sister Inn – The Old Coach House, which is just down the road in Thornham. Serving pizza and pasta in rustic, informal surroundings, it is perfect for everything from a romantic meal for two to a night out with the whole family.
Booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment. Bookings taken for dining between 12Noon-2.30pm and 6-9pm.
The Briarfields Hotel
The Briarfields Hotel.
Main Street, Titchwell, Norfolk, PE31 8BB.
Tel: 01485 210742.
Conveniently located on the A149 coast road in the pretty village of Titchwell, and with prestigious 3-Star Silver (Visit Britain) status, Briarfields Hotel is a warm and welcoming place to stay in North Norfolk. Made up of a collection of sympathetically converted barns and farm buildings, it offers a relaxed and cosy atmosphere that is perfect for helping you settle in to holiday mode, or to escape for a short getaway.
All rooms are en-suite and the homely traditional decor is brought bang up to date with flat screen televisions, luxurious four-poster beds and heated towel rails, offering you the best of both worlds. Family-friendly (check out the impressive play area to the rear), there are 4 family rooms that comprise a second bedroom adjacent to the main bedroom – perfect for keeping an eye on the little ones.
The hotel has a wonderful restaurant that serves the finest locally sourced produce at lunchtimes and dinner time and there is a large bar and lounge area if you fancy kicking back and relaxing with a newspaper and a drink.
For the more adventurous, Briarfields makes the perfect base for exploring the delights of the surrounding area, including Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve (which the hotel overlooks).
Aside from all this, one of the biggest surprises about Briarfields is that it is so reasonably priced. In keeping with their aim to remain accessible to all, room rates start at £125 for a double room, bed and breakfast in high season and £100 in low season. Dogs are welcome at a nominal charge of £8 per night and a discount can be arranged for groups of 10 or more.
As well as being perfect for a romantic retreat or a family adventure, Briarfields is also available for weddings, conferences and other functions and events.
Heydon Village Tea Room
Perfect for morning coffee, light lunches, afternoon teas or a rest stop while out walking or cycling, Heydon Village Tea Room is no ordinary café.
Now under new management, the Tea Rooms are located in the charming village of Heydon, which is about 12 miles north of Norwich. Other than being very pretty, surrounded by quiet country lanes that are ideal for a bike ride, Heydon is also one of only a handful of privately owned villages in Great Britain. The last construction in the village, which has only one road in and out, was built over 100 years ago to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.
Sympathetic in character to the bygone feel of the village, the Tea Room is a lovely place to relax and forget time for a quiet moment. Indulge in scrumptious home made cakes, home made soup or a light lunch from the specials board.
Traditional Cream Tea is a speciality at Heydon. Layer your butter and jam on delicious Lavender scones (made with genuine Norfolk Lavender), Spicy Fruit, Fig & Apricot and good old plain varieties.
Sit inside and enjoy the white tablecloths and real china like your Grandma used to use (sugar cube tongs included) or take your tea or coffee outside on warmer days and relax amidst the serene, slow-paced setting of Heydon Village.
See the Menu.
View the Scone Menu.
See the Heydon Drinks Menu.
Opening times:
Open all year round. Summer Opening Tues-Sun 10am-5pm. Winter Opening (November-March) Tues-Sun 10am-4pm. Closed on Mondays.
The Funky Mackerel
The Funky Mackerel Café.
Cliff Road Car Park, Cliff Road, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 9BJ.
Tel: 07887 676649.
Imagine a funky surf-shack style café that wouldn’t be out of place on any beach from Newquay to Maui, and you’ll get an instant flavour of The Funky Mackerel Café. Except this relaxed shore-side family-run business is located on Sheringham beach in North Norfolk.
Dog- and Family Friendly (there is a Café dog – ‘Sparkle’), The Funky Mackerel Café prides itself on offering great food but with an all-inviting, non-pretentious atmosphere.
The Mackerel Menu is comprehensive and uncomplicated with great Fair Trade coffee, toasted sandwiches, pasties and sausage rolls. As you’d expect from a Café that overlooks the ocean, there is often seafood on the menu as well, for example Peppered Mackerel, Sardines on Ciabatta and Crayfish. Most noteworthy are their Bacon Sandwiches, said to be the best in town (and perfect after a morning on the beach, no matter what the season).
For those with a sweet tooth, The Funky Mackerel is also renowned for their delicious homemade Flapjacks. Available in a rainbow of flavours, including the likes of Cherry & Ginger, Bombay Mix, Banana, Fig and Cherry & Toasted Coconut, these tasty treats will leave you with plenty of energy to enjoy the delights of Sheringham and the surrounding area.
Unashamedly quirky, The Funky Mackerel has a delightfully unique ‘Rummage Room’, an Aladdin’s Cave of second hand clothing and accessories, where browsing is an art form and you’re likely to find the most amazing bits and bobs if you well… rummage long enough.
The Old Coach House
The Old Coach House.
High Street, Thornham, Norfolk, PE36 6LT.
Tel: 01485 512 229.
Despite its name, this former Coaching Inn on the North Norfolk Coast is not all it seems… Sure, the frontage looks charming and traditional, and the front bar is also fairly true to its origins as a rustic coastal hostelry, but at the back The Old Coach House is secretly a rather swish Italian restaurant.
Rather unique to the locale, The Old Coach House could be described as ‘a country pub with a Mediterranean style’. Two bars at the front tick all the boxes for a lovely Norfolk pub (you’ll usually find a few friendly locals propping up the fixtures), complete with sink-into-sofas and local ales.
Out back, a bright, open restaurant decorated in cheerful colours and adorned with contemporary art offers homemade pies, pizza and pasta dishes. See the MAIN MENU.
See the DESSERT MENU and the WINE LIST.
Perhaps one of the nicest aspects of dining at The Old Coach House is its suitability for families. Their children’s menu will tempt even the fussiest toddler, while an outside play area and mini train will occupy them before the meal arrives (and maybe wear them out a bit – always worth a try!).
Pizzas are also available to take away. See the TAKEAWAY MENU.
Open Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, Sat 8am-12Midnight, Sun 8am-10.30pm.
Butlers of Holt
Butlers Café Bar Restaurant.
9 Appleyard, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 6BN.
Tel: 01263 710790.
Located in the centre of the pretty market town of Holt, which is excellent for shopping or as a base to explore the surrounding area, Butlers is equally perfect for lunching during the daytime or for evening dining.
Opened in 2005, this family-run Café-Bar and restaurant has gone from strength to strength, receiving an AA Rosette for culinary excellence.
The open, airy restaurant bears hallmarks of a European brasserie, with a twist of rustic Norfolk charm. Secluded outside seating is excellent for al fresco dining on warmer days, while the inside with its sloping glass roof and large double doors offers perfect protection from autumn winds and chilly winter days, while still enabling diners to ‘experience the outside in’.
Experienced Chef and owner, Sean Creasey has created a modern European menu with a leaning towards the Italian. Seasonally influenced, ingredients are sourced wherever possible from good quality local suppliers. The menus change daily to offer the best and freshest produce.
For those who are simply looking for a break from work or shopping, Butlers Café is serious about its coffee and, of course, delicious cakes. Free WIFI makes Butlers the perfect escape from the office or hotel room. The large oak bar that runs the length of the room serves a good selection of wines, beers and spirits throughout the day for those looking for something a little stronger.
Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-11pm.
Breakfast served 9am-11am.
Lunch served 12noon-3pm.
Dinner served 6pm-9pm.
Open for Sunday Lunch every Sunday.
See Butlers Menu.
View Butlers’ Wine List.
Monday nights are Mussels Nights! A large bowl of hot steamed mussels, cooked in an onion, garlic and white wine sauce. Finished with a touch of cream, bread, bowl of french fries and either an 175ml glass of Cataratto, Ca di Ponti Italian wine, or a Pint of Peroni / Kozel – £13.95.
Every Tuesday evening, Butlers also have an Italian bistro menu from 6pm (regular menu also available).
2-For-1 Cocktails every on Thursday evening 6pm-late.
The Owl Tea Rooms & Bakery
The Owl Tea Rooms & Bakery.
Church Street, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 6BB.
Tel: 01263 713232.
Dating back to Victorian times (making it one of Norfolk’s oldest tearooms), and presently a family run business for some 25 years, The Owl Tea Rooms in the centre of Holt is a delightful place to sample scrumptious homemade food all day long. Traditional in feel, The Owl resembles a large country cottage kitchen, with wooden booths and tables, earthenware condiment pots and fresh flowers on each table. There is a warm touch of nostalgia throughout.
Values too are traditional in that all food is freshly made from local ingredients, service is attentive and friendly and everyone is most welcome.
The menu, however, may surprise you. It is forward-looking with one shared theme: deliciousness. On the Specials board, classic British indulgences such as Local Norfolk Lamb Hotpot or The Owl Special Steak & Kidney Pie can be found alongside Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Fruit Infused Cous Cous and Roasted Butternut Squash stuffed with Cranberries and Chestnut Puree.
Lunch options include a number of lighter dishes – jacket potatoes, sandwiches and hot buttered crumpets. For the sweet tooth or to complement a tea or coffee, The Owl does a positively dangerous line in Cream Teas and homemade cakes.
There are options for all tastes and persuasions, including vegetarians, diabetics and those avoiding gluten. There is also a Children’s Menu.
For warmer days, The Owl boasts a hidden walled tea garden, tucked behind the Tea Rooms. A sheltered, tranquil spot to enjoy your yummy goodies, this really is an experience worth savouring on sunny days. Dogs are allowed in the garden and there is wheelchair access.
After you’ve enjoyed your meal or cream tea, the adjacent bakery and shop selling all manor of freshly baked bread and scrumptious cakes will enable you to take a little taste of The Owl away with you. Our personal favourite temptation – the fat, homemade donuts just bursting with jam. There should be a law against something so naughty.
As well as food, The Owl shop stocks a great range of wooden toys (perfect gifts and stocking fillers) and handmade greeting cards. You can also hire cake moulds.
Open Mon-Sat 8.30am-5pm (last orders 4.30pm) including Bank Holiday Mondays.
Lunch is served 11.45-2.15pm.
Back to the Garden Cafe Restaurant
Back to the Garden.
Letheringsett, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 7JJ.
Tel: 01263 715996.
Food doesn’t get fresher than this. Back to the Garden’s fabulous new Café Restaurant uses their own organic fruit and vegetables, locally reared organic beef, lamb and game and a rainbow of other Norfolk-produced goodies to create tantalising food from homemade cake to blow-out Sunday lunches.
Housed in a towering 18th Century barn situated beside the A148 in Letheringsett, the Café Restaurant is wonderfully, yet minimalistically, styled to combine touches of the rural/agricultural with chic modernity. Accents from the huge focal-point pendant lamp that resembles a large metal tractor wheel to the stylish metal-framed images of rural scenes that adorn the walls provide subtle, but wonderful decoration against the exposed brickwork, generous timber and almost floor-to-ceiling windows.
The menus (breakfast, lunch and Sunday lunch, as well as a lavish selection of drinks that includes lagers and wines) are well thought out, including high quality seasonal local fare in generous portions.
The organic Sunday lunch is a highlight (see our review), and despite the fact that the tables were pretty much all full by the time we finished our 2-hour eat-a-thon, the waiter/waitress service was impeccable throughout.
If you do find space lacking inside the barn, and the weather is pleasant, there are further tables outside in a beautiful garden area (think country cottage garden, but larger). Tranquil and pretty, with grapes growing on vines, a fish pond and discreetly hidden boxes for owls and bats, you’ll find yourself so relaxed that if you’re not on holiday, you’ll feel like you are.
For afternoon treats or morning coffee, Back to the Garden stocks plenty of diet-busting sweet goodies, including homemade pastries and cakes (the Chocolate & Guinness Cake looked very interesting).
The Café Restaurant and garden at Back to the Garden are available to hire for parties, wedding receptions and functions. And best not to get us started on the adjacent Farm Shop…
Café restaurant Opening Times
Tue-Fri 9am-4.30pm, Lunch 11.30am-3pm.
Sat As Tue-Fri plus Breakfast 9am-11.30am.
Restaurant open for Dinner Friday and Saturday evenings 7-9pm. Booking recommended.
Sun 10am-3.30pm, Breakfast 10am-11.30am, Lunch 12Noon-3.30pm.
Farm Shop Opening Times Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm.
(Summer Bank Holidays 10am-4pm).
Back to the Garden Cafe
Back to the Garden.
Letheringsett, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 7JJ.
Tel: 01263 715996.
Housed in a lofty 18th Century barn situated beside the A148 in Letheringsett just outside Holt, the Back to the Garden Café Restaurant is wonderfully, yet minimalistically, styled to combine touches of the rural/agricultural with chic modernity. Accents from the huge focal-point pendant lamp that resembles a large metal tractor wheel to the stylish metal-framed images of rural scenes that adorn the walls provide subtle, but wonderful decoration against the exposed brickwork, generous timber and almost floor-to-ceiling windows.
Ideal for a relaxing mid-morning coffee or indulgent afternoon tea, there is an extensive drinks menu, with a variety of coffee and tea, and a selection of delicious soft drinks. The Café is licensed, so you can even treat yourself to a glass of wine or lager. In keeping with Back to the Garden’s ethos that food and drink should be as fresh and natural as possible, there are organic options across the board.
To eat, Back to the Garden stocks plenty of diet-busting sweet goodies, including homemade pastries and cakes (the Chocolate & Guinness Cake looked very interesting). There are also savoury choices including breakfast, light meals, salads and toasted bagels. Collectively, the Café has deemed such items ‘All Things Lovely’. And they are.
On warmer days, there are further tables outside in a beautiful garden area (think country cottage garden, but larger). Tranquil and pretty, with grapes growing on vines, a fish pond and discreetly hidden boxes for owls and bats, you’ll find yourself so relaxed that if you’re not on holiday, you’ll feel like you are.
The Café Restaurant and garden at Back to the Garden are available to hire for parties, wedding receptions and functions. Best not to get us started on the adjacent Farm Shop…
Café restaurant Opening Times
Tue-Fri 9am-4.30pm, Lunch 11.30am-3pm.
Sat As Tue-Fri plus Breakfast 9am-11.30am.
Restaurant open for Dinner Friday and Saturday evenings 7-9pm. Booking recommended.
Sun 10am-3.30pm, Breakfast 10am-11.30am, Lunch 12Noon-3.30pm.
Farm Shop Opening Times Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm.
(Summer Bank Holidays 10am-4pm).
The Green Room Café
The Green Room Café.
6 Kings Arms Street, North Walsham, Norfolk, NR28 9JX.
Tel: 01692 408993.
The family run Green Room Café in the heart of North Walsham is very much dedicated to supporting, and being a part of, the local community.
Almost all food is home cooked from carefully and locally sourced produce (farm fresh eggs, sausages from the local butchers and fruit and veg delivered daily).
Breakfast is hearty (a vegetarian breakfast is available), with extensive choice to suit all tastes. Fancy a sweet start to your day? Try the pancakes and waffles.
For lunch, you’ll find old favourites such as Jacket Potatoes and homemade soup alongside tasty daily specials such as Chilli, Steak & Guinness Pie and Chicken Chasseur. The colourful Salad Bar is freshly stocked daily. If you can’t stop, all options are available to takeaway.
For a lighter bite, or to accompany your coffee, The Green Room Café offers scrumptious sausage rolls (made, of course, with local pork, and deemed recently by one customer to be “the best sausage rolls in Norfolk’) and tempting homemade cakes, cookies and scones.
If you fancy a tipple with your meal, The Green Room is fully licensed, enabling you to enjoy a truly relaxing lunch.
Children’s lunches are available (as are baby changing facilities).
Always striving to do their best to cater for customers needs, The Green Room Café offers gluten free choices and will accommodate most dietary requirements – just ask.
The Green Room Café prides itself on offering a relaxed and welcoming environment to its customers. Combining a traditional café feel (Heinz Ketchup on the tables; plentiful portions of well-loved dishes) with modern thinking (fresh, local produce; all dietary requirements well served; fully licensed), it is a refreshingly non-pretentious place to enjoy some good value, very decent home cooked food.
Roast Dinners are available (with a selection of meats and a fish option) on Thursday and Sundays*.
Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat & Sun 9am-4pm (last orders 3pm on Sunday*).
*Booking is advisable for Sunday Lunch.
The Cockerel Deli
The CockerDeli (The Cockerel Deli).
6 North Street, North Walsham, Norfolk, NR28 9DH.
Tel: 01692 403743.
The CockerDeli Delicatessen in North Walsham is a treat for those with a passion for good quality, local produce (and that from further a field if it’s up to scratch).
Small, but perfectly formed in a brick out-building on the same site as The Cockerel Restaurant, the Deli stocks cheese, bread, pies, charcuterie, veg, drinks, sauces, jams, cereals and cakes. Products you’ll find inside include Bray’s Cottage renowned Pork Pies, Essence Conserves (divine), Mrs Temple’s cheeses, bread from the Metfield Bakery and milk from Nortons Dairy.
CockerDeli also stocks delicious homemade cakes and scones (made in the next-door restaurant kitchen), fresh homemade soup and homemade ready meals to take away – ideal if you’re on holiday in the area.
If you fancy a picnic lunch to go, but don’t want the hassle of making it yourself, why not stop in for one of the CockerDeli’s fab filled flatbreads or sandwiches. With the emphasis on high quality ingredients, these are sure to be some of the best sandwiches you’ll ever taste.
All tastes are well catered for within the Deli (Vegetarian Scotch Eggs, for example), and we noticed that many items have been awarded Great Taste Awards. Not surprisingly I suppose when all items have to pass the owners Mark and Claire Rushen’s own rigorous taste tests before inclusion in the Deli.
With the emphasis on well-produced food and drink without chemicals and preservatives, you won’t find the average, mass-produced treats from the usual high-street brands. You will, however, find tasty, delightful groceries made with fabulous ingredients, sold in a modern, convenient way from a forward-looking deli with reassuringly traditional values. Perfect.
The Cockerel also offers outside catering with its ‘Flying Cockerel’ service. Please visit the Cockerel website for further information.
Opening Times:
Deli: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm
Restaurant: Mon-Sat 9am-4pm
The Cockerel
The Cockerel Restaurant.
6 North Street, North Walsham, Norfolk, NR28 9DH.
Tel: 01692 403743.
The Cockerel Restaurant in North Walsham is a delightful place to indulge in great value homemade food served with a warm and friendly welcome.
The Cockerel occupies a site with a rich and interesting history. Dating back to 1765, the on-site garage once housed the North Walsham, Newsham fire engine. From 1830 it was known as ‘The Cock Inn’ public house, which closed its doors in 1966. The building was converted into a tearoom at the end of the 1970s, retaining many original pub features, including the bar. In 2007, Mark and Claire Rushen took ownership of The Cockerel and it has gone from strength to strength since. Now, alongside the restaurant is a lovely deli stocking all manner of delicious local produce.
The Cockerel still has the feel of a traditional tearoom, with wooden shelving and furniture, and paintings of rural scenes from days gone by.
Food is freshly prepared, from locally sourced ingredients wherever possible (when in season, seafood such as Moules Mariner & Chips and Saltfish Fritas features heavily). As well as hearty ‘main meals’ (including breakfast), The Cockerel does a mean line in homemade cakes and scones.
The Cockerel can cater for those with special dietary requirements and provides gluten free and diabetic-friendly foods.
The Cockerel is family friendly, with high chairs, booster seats and baby changing available, as well as an Under 12s children’s menu and colouring books and toys to keep the little ones entertained. Marvellous.
The Cockerel hosts frequent special themed evenings and events and also offers outside catering with its ‘Flying Cockerel’ service. Please visit the Cockerel website for further information.
Opening Times:
Restaurant: Mon-Sat 9am-4pm
Deli: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm
East Runton Fish and Chip Shop
East Runton Fish and Chip Shop.
Beach Road, East Runton, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 9PA.
Tel: 07538 564753 (Orders).
Follow the A149 coast road out of Cromer and you’ll pass East Runton Fish & Chip Shop. Obviously, this would be a terrible shame, given that these are some of the best fish’n’chips you’ll find in North Norfolk.
At East Runton Fish & Chip Shop you’ll find all the usual favourites – cod, haddock, plaice, rock, scampi, sausages, pies and burgers. This is a traditional seaside chippy – no pretensions or bells and whistles, just high quality, honest fish & chips done very well and delivered with an obvious passion.
There are a few subtle nuances that distinguish this chip shop from similar establishments. For example, owner Will Watson makes his own homemade Tartare Sauce, and every fish is served with a slice of fresh lemon. Lovely.
East Runton Fish & Chip Shop is a Registered Member of the National Federation of Fish Friers as well as holding a 5* (Excellent) rating for Food Hygiene.
An essential ingredient for any holiday on the Norfolk coast, or simply a great end to a day out at the beach, this is one North Norfolk chip shop that is well worth seeking out.
Opening Times
Mon – Thurs 12.30pm-2pm & 5pm-8pm
Fri & Sat 12.30pm-2pm & 5pm-9pm
Sun (Mornings vary) 5pm-8pm
The Blakeney Hotel
Restaurant @ The Blakeney Hotel.
Blakeney, Norfolk, NR25 7NE.
Tel: 01263 740797.
The AA 4* Blakeney Hotel is situated beside the quay with outstanding views across the estuary to Blakeney Point (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). A traditional, family hotel that prioritises quality and value for money, it is a good base for exploring the wider area (ideal if you like walking, bird watching or want to visit the nearby towns of Holt, Norwich or Aylsham), but equally perfect if all you want to do is kick back, read a paper and gaze out dreamily over the salt marshes.
Whether you’re staying at the Hotel or not, it’s a great spot to indulge in a drink or some excellent cuisine. The Hotel has two lounges, an AA-Rosette restaurant and a bar, and offers hearty English breakfasts, light lunches and seasonal À la Carte and Table d’hôte menus that change every 3-4 months. Tasty delights such as Pan Fried Fillet of Cod with Smoked Paprika Potato and Warm Tartare Sauce, Baked Avocado topped with Sweet and Sour Vegetables or Apple and Hazelnut Galette are sure to sate even the largest appetite.
To accompany your meal, the restaurant at The Blakeney Hotel offers a selection of wines by the glass, or if you’re feeling adventurous, why not try one of their cocktails?
Afternoon Tea is available between 3.30pm and 5.30pm, complete with finger sandwiches, pastries and scones.
Drinks and snacks are available in the Lounge, Bar or on the Terrace from 10am-5.30pm. Sandwiches are available daily between 12noon and 2.15pm.
Lunches are available in the Restaurant 12noon-2pm. A traditional lunch menu is available on Sundays.
