‘It’s like having lunch on an ocean liner’: readers’ favourite UK seaside restaurants and cafes | United Kingdom holidays

Winning tip: Pier review, Worthing, West Sussex

For years, the elegant art deco southern pavilion at the sea end of Worthing Pier housed a dodgy nightclub. After Covid, it reopened, now owned by south coast restaurant business Perch, having been restored back to its 1930s glory. It’s like having lunch on an ocean liner. There’s a great menu, with plenty of the things you’d expect at a seaside cafe, and good service. I spent years working on arts, culture and regeneration projects to bring Worthing into the 21st century while respecting what makes the town special – it feels like this is everything we aimed for.
Dan Thompson

Window on to the Irish Sea, Anglesey

The Church Bay Inn (on Facebook), at Porth Swtan, Anglesey (Ynys Môn), commands stunning views over the Irish Sea. Its huge windows mean it is an atmospheric place to have a drink when the weather is bad, but when the sun shines the scene is glorious. There are various nooks and terraces and even a small garden with a hobbit hole and a boat to play in for the kids. It’s community owned and has a laid back, simple vibe with just a small range of well kept beer and bar snacks. Well worth a walk along the coast path to get to, or stay in the tiny village and enjoy the stunning unspoilt beach and beautiful walks nearby.
Esme

An Amble to the fish shack, Northumberland

After braving the North Sea crashing against the harbour walls and the wind blowing us in every direction, we stumbled across The Fish Shack on the harbour front in Amble, Northumberland. The whole bream, drenched in capers with the most beautiful lemon potatoes, was wonderful. And the mussels served in a spicy broth warmed us up perfectly. One of my favourite seaside discoveries ever.
Sophie Newbound

Wonderfully Welsh cafe, Pembrokeshire

We had walked the Wales Coast Path from Trewyddel to Poppit for several miles along dramatic cliffs high above coves and seals and rounding Pen Cemaes, the highest point on the Pembrokeshire Coast national park, at 175 metres. Then through a farmyard, down a steep lane and finally on to Poppit Sands beach and the wonderful Crwst cafe. I had a cheese and caramelised onion ciabatta toastie, with great Crwst home-roasted coffee. My friend had an enormous iced bun. Roedd pawb yn siarad Cymraeg – everyone spoke Welsh.
Catrin

Sea views and decent coffee, North Tyneside

The name says it all: The View. I won’t lie, I’m mainly drawn to this cafe cum restaurant overlooking Tynemouth’s Longsands beach for those panoramic sea vistas. But if I’m not lucky enough to get a window table I take solace in a jaunty dining booth resembling a beach hut, or I venture on to its stunning sea-view terrace. It does decent coffees, proper cakes, tasty brunch offerings and heartier meals including humungous servings of fish and chips. They’re licensed too, just in case some vino with a view floats your boat …
Eleanor Marriott

Where profs and surf dudes mingle, Co Derry

Portstewart Strand in County Derry has always been popular with walkers and swimmers and has now become a dining destination. Harry’s Shack is four steps off the beach to your table. Its wooden dining room offers uninterrupted views of Donegal and the Atlantic on blustery days and its beach terrace offers alfresco options. It’s a very democratic space; you’ll see everyone from professors to surfer dudes but maybe avoid it when The Open hits town (at Royal Portrush) – it’s bound to be overrun by golf bores! This is casual dining that lets quality ingredients do the work and you always leave feeling better.
Tom

Homemade grub on a glorious beach, Norfolk

On an unmade track down to Old Hunstanton Beach in Norfolk is the Old Town Beach Cafe. Ice-cream signs, plastic footballs and fishing nets adorn the outside. Inside it’s a glorious, bright, lively posh beach hut with food. “Normal”, gluten-free and vegan menus of delights include sweet potato patties with poached eggs, avocado and spinach (my favourite), superfood bubble and squeak breakfast, curries, great sandwiches, fresh scones and cakes and themed gastronomic evenings. All homemade. Eat gazing out on to the glorious beach. Just perfect.
Wendy Dickinson

Oysters on the coast path, Somerset

Porlock Bay Oysters are served in some of the country’s finest restaurants but eating them freshly shucked in the sunny courtyard or cosy shack outside the company’s tiny kitchen is pure heaven. Porlock Weir is a perfect start or end point for walks (including a section of the South West Coast Path), swimming, or you can hire a paddleboard or kayak and explore the coast from the sea. Dressed oysters are £3.50 and come with a dozen different hot or cold dressings from Exmoor cider jelly and apple to crab butter with pickled samphire. Plus there are specials of fish and chips, mussels and some vegetarian options too. It’s fully licensed so you can enjoy a local ale or classic glass of bubbles.
Julia

Firth of Forth brunch, East Lothian

Drift is a clifftop eatery with good food and spectacular views of the Firth of Forth. It is situated between the busy seaside town of North Berwick and Tantallon Castle so is either an intentional destination or an accidental stopping point, as our first visit was. Several shipping containers with the wow factor of the sea-view side being totally glass create a sheltered eating space. Outside there are picnic tables and repurposed wooden rowing boats, cut in half, upturned and fitted with a seat. Freshly prepared dishes include an all-day brunch menu (a highlight is the spinach tortilla with smoked salmon and lemon creme fraiche, £10.50) or the lunch menu (starting from smoked haddock chowder at £8). Just go, but maybe reserve a table.
Beve

The friendliest cafe ever, Lancashire

The Shore Cafe (on Facebook) at Hest Bank, on Morecambe Bay, is the friendliest cafe I have ever visited. Entering the cafe on a day of wind and heavy rain, I was cheerily greeted by a chorus of “Good mornings” and was invited to share a table with two ladies. The younger of these two informed me she brought her companion, who was suffering with Alzheimer’s, to the cafe every week because she enjoyed the social interactions with other customers. All the regulars knew each other by name and immediately introduced themselves. Several other conversations ensued over the length of my visit and I was encouraged to “Come again soon.” Popular with locals (and their dogs) and tourists, the cafe not only serves a decent bacon bun but surrounds you with a sense of wellbeing.
Sue

This article was amended on 18 April 2025 to show a view of Hest Bank, replacing an earlier image of the more central beach area at Morecambe.