PLACES TO EAT
A taste of North Norfolk Feeling peckish? Harriet Cooper offers some tips on where to go for laid-back dining
Thornham Deli, Thornham The lowdown Head chef Gemma Arnold and her team take enormous pride in serving a fresh, locally sourced, homemade menu at the café. If you love what you eat (and you will), the Deli offers outside catering and you can pick up a huge range of tasty treats from the groaning shelves of the shop, including pre-prepared freezer meals. On the menu Ok, let’s start by talking cake: they’re all baked in-house and are utterly irresistible. Breakfast is yummy, too, and there’s a dazzling choice of salads (we like the superfood extravaganza), sandwiches, grazing boards and main meals - all cooked from scratch. 01485 512194, www.thornhamdeli.co.uk
The Barsham Arms, East Barsham The lowdown This destination dining pub, under new ownership, has recently had a refurb - we’re talking exposed wooden beams, a huge fireplace and oodles of atmosphere. The Hayloft restaurant, separate from the bar, can be hired as a private dining area and there is a patio for dining alfresco. If you want to make a night of it, the pub has newly-renovated rooms and a holiday cottage to rent. On the menu The team of chefs use locally sourced, fresh produce to create hearty dishes - favourites include the hot pork Scotch Egg, the Barsham Burger and, of course, the classic Sunday lunch. There’s also a comprehensive snack and kid’s menu. 01328 820729, www.thebarshamarms.co.uk
Creake Abbey Café & Food Hall, North Creake
The Lifeboat Inn, Thornham The lowdown The Lifeboat Inn has been welcoming visitors for over 500 years, so it’s got warm and welcoming down to a fine art. There’s a cosy oak-beamed bar, relaxed dining room and sunny conservatory, while on a balmy evening you can dine on the pretty terrace. On the menu Head Chef Mike Smith’s love of the area and its produce is reflected in his cooking - from à la carte to afternoon tea, you won’t leave hungry. If we had to choose one dish? The Lifeboat’s famous fish pie is platelickingly good. 01485 512236, www.lifeboatinnthornham.com
Drove Orchards, Thornham
The lowdown For a tantalising array of local foodie delights, head to Drove Orchards. Here you’ll find PYO plus delicious home-grown produce and fresh juice in the farm shop, as well as Gurneys fishmongers, two restaurants, shops, a garden nursery and gallery. On the menu Eateries at Drove include Eric’s, Fish & Chips, above, (where the freshest of fish is beer-battered and cooked in beef dripping), which is owned by local chef Eric Snaith of nearby Titchwell Manor and Shuck’s in the yurt, offering relaxed, rustic food from chef patron, Philip Milner. 01485 525652, www.droveorchards.com
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The lowdown Where better to sip artisan coffee than Creake Abbey Café, a stone’s throw from the eponymous abbey ruins? After savouring the café’s fresh, seasonal menu, peruse the adjoining food hall with its butchery and cheese counter. On the menu Expect healthy smoothies, charcuterie platters, inventive salads and sandwiches. If you’re after a fun, new dining A lunchtime experience, special try the pop-up Supper Club when guest chef Robbie Spencer Ashworth will be teaming up with fellow local boy Tom Hanson-Smith, who’ll provide wines from Journey’s End Vineyards (28 and 29 July, 17 and 18 August). £42 per person for three courses, an amuse bouche and welcome drink. 01328 730399, www.creakeabbeycafe.com
Artemis Homes, Antiques & Coffee Shop, Cley-next-the-Sea The lowdown Artemis offers some of the most Instagram-worthy views over the reedbeds. If the sun’s shining, bag a table out on the terrace and see how many different species of bird you can spot. On rainy days, hunker down in their new, expanded inside space. On the menu We’re particularly partial to the locally-brewed coffee, which is roasted two miles away at Grey Seal Coffee in Glandford; high on the must-eat list are the golden, flaky sausage rolls and the latest addition to the menu, the seasonal salads. 01263 741674, www.artemiscoffeeshop.co.uk Follow Harriet on Instagram @girlnextthesea