Barricane Beach Cafe, Woolacoombe, Devon
Situated in the middle of a sandy barricade, this small, ramshackle-looking cafe cooks Sri Lankan curries every evening from 5-7 p.m. It is surprisingly low maintenance; Just hang out with a beach chair or blanket, pack some cold beer and sit down for a great sunset. Between 10 am-4pm, hearty baguettes, sandwiches and cakes make for an excellent post-dip lunch. It’s just cash and dogs are welcome on the beach all year round (facebook.com/barricane-beach-woolacombe).
Hooks at Rocks, Falmouth, Cornwall
Overlooking the Swanpool Beach and Nature Reserve, this is the place to be for Falmouth Bay lobster and crabs with excellent selection of local cornice ales, lager and cider. There are indoor and outdoor seats (required reservations), but if you are not organized, the nearby Seahorse Food Truck offers drinks, shrimp, musk and crab fries (thin chips with gray and white crabmeat, mayo and chives) that may be. Eaten down on the beach (hookedontherocksfalmouth.com).
Seafood Restaurant, St. Andrews
Behind the city’s iconic Royal and Ancient Golf Club, this sleek, glass-side restaurant comes with panoramic seafood. On a warm evening, the deck is the perfect place for a fun (if expensive) evening of old fish dishes, which include poached Scottish langoustine, lobster raviolo in shellfish biscuits and Shetland code. During lunch, the set menu (/ 35 / £ 40 for 2/3 courses) is a good value option. The Italian-centric wine list includes some of the world-class Super Tuscans (theseafoodrestaurant.com).
Mickey’s Boat Yard, small terraces in Abersok
Situated at the top of the upper slipway between the Machroes, Caf मा at Mickey’s overlooks the quiet bay of Abersoch, with the steep peaks of Snowdonia in the distance. Focusing on promoting Welsh artisan producers, jams and sauces, cheese and chilled meats – are sourced locally. The small but inventive menu includes hearty snacks, Middle Eastern salads and crisps, cheese-filled toasts, and local ice cream with you to take to the beach.thelittletearooms.com).
Porterminster Beach Cafe, St. Ives, Cornwall
Come for the hilarious beach location, stay for the spectacular crab linguine and the creative cookery that has kept Porstminster at the forefront of food for over 25 years at St. Ives. This is the best seafood in its market. It’s perfect for families: kids can get away from the dining table and enjoy bucket-and-spade while parents relax in a glass or two of roses. Many of the ingredients are sourced from the restaurant’s own garden and nearby coastal avenues, and the menu changes regularly (porthminstercafe.co.uk).
Hut, Colwell Bay, Isle of Wight
Don’t get me wrong by name; This delightful restaurant, perched directly on the water (you can hang your toes around while eating) is the place for a long, wine-fueled lunch instead of a quick crab sandwich. The restaurant can arrange transfers from nearby Yarmouth (where again docks) and sailors can peacock in front of the restaurant, which will collect dinners by tender. Fresh fish dominates the menu, alongside bistro classics, and vegetarians and vegetarians with five starters and five main ones (thehutcolwell.co.uk).
See House Cafe, Bridport, Dorset
Fan of Big church The east coast of the West Bay is recognizable, dominated by khaki-gold cliffs rising vertically from a wide expanse of sand, and home to just one beach cafe, the Watch House. Come for a Sunday sunshine brunch or just before 11.30 am for a full English or vegetable breakfast and smoked salmon bagels in a table bag. It’s open until 4pm for pizza, fish and chips or juicy crab sandwiches, and there’s a favorite focus on the kids ’menu and consistency (watchhousecafe.co.uk).
Mickey Beach Bar, Xmouth, Devon
Mickey’s – named after owner and renowned chef Michael Keynes – opened its doors last spring, located on Eckmouth Beach. There is a clubbie vibe in the bar and outdoor terrace area, cocktails that slip down very easily (easily access the five-finger punch), while the upstairs restaurant combines sticks, burgers and seafood all cooked surf surf. Over coal Vegetarians and vegans like kids have their own three-course menu (mickeysbeach.co.uk).
Sands Restaurant, Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk
A quiet spot on the bustling Wales Coside, Sands Beach is the perfect choice for a family-friendly dinner after an afternoon crab, with quaint “beach-hot” booths and a children’s menu, straight bistro dishes – scampi, sticks. , Burgers – and reasonably priced seafood dishes. The Norfolk skyline has some of the most spectacular sunsets in the country, so skip the dessert for ice cream and take a walk on the pier (sandsrestaurant.co.uk).
Riddle and Finn in Brighton Beach, East Sussex
This second outpost of Brighton’s legendary seafood restaurant is located in Rotunda, directly above the city beach, with stunning views of the skeletal remains of West Pier. Although primarily a champagne and oyster bar, it also has a crustacean menu and half a dozen fish-themed main dishes, including fish soup and tangy Sri Lankan curry. There are a handful of tables outside, but the interior of the glass wall is amazingly elegant and boasts the same magnificent views (riddleandfinns.co.uk).
Salty Beach Bar & Restaurant, Tenby
Located in the glorious South Beach of Tenby, Salty’s Dogs are as welcoming as humans, inside the dog-friendly section and decorated terrace. The menu combines classic fish dishes – made in the catch of the day – with sticks, burgers and salads, and there is a menu for small children (including fish-finger sandwiches). If you don’t want to eat, the bar lines well to cocktails and occasionally hosts live music evenings, while the adjoining salt shack offers excellent takeaway breakfast baps and coffee – the perfect fuel for a morning walk. (saltysbeachbarandrestaurant.co.uk).
Tavola and Tatams, Portscatho, Cornwall
Seafood doesn’t mean seafood. Tavola is a delightful Italian with a sleek, crisp pizza and hearty pasta dishes, three vegetarian pizza options and a small children’s menu on the picturesque waterfront of Portsmouth. From Wednesday to Sunday (5-9pm) all meals are served as takeaways, but can be eaten at the communal tables in the Buzzie dining room, as long as there is space. At other times, Tavola’s sister and neighbor, Tatam, serve homemade baking coffee and cakes and pastries – the best post-dip treat (tavolaportscatho.co.uk, tatams.co)
West Beach Café, Littlehampton, West Sussex
Few people know about the West Beach Cafe on the other side of the Arun River, as crowds have long gathered at Little Hampton’s East Beach Cafe (designed by Thomas Heatherwick). It’s a great place for bacon sandwiches and coffee, or delicious crunchy fish and chips, after a stroll through the dunes and between climpings – one of the last undeveloped areas on the Sussex coast. Open Wednesday through Sunday, sometimes pizza pop-ups Friday night (facebook.com/westbeachcafe1)
Riley’s Fish Shake, Tynemouth, Tyne and Ware
One of the most popular seafood destinations in the Northeast, Riley’s is a steep beach restaurant, tucked away behind King Edward Bay, combining firepits and deckchairs in front (pre-booked). Breakfast includes locally available crusher keepers, while lunches and dinners feature day-boat catches, ranging from chargrilled salt and chilli squid to pan fried hake, halibut and lobster. This is a Pescaterian paradise, with a fine line in homemade drinks including buttered rum and cider (rileysfishshack.com).
Lobster Shake, North Berwick
Open only on the weekends, it has a hot seafood window-covered, hot outdoor dining area, which makes it possible to eat fresh crab, fish tacos or rich, creamy chowder even if the weather is disciplined. The dish to try is grilled northern barbecue lobster, with garlic butter or cumin oil, and the small wine list includes a couple of sparkling options if you’re looking for a real treat. Everything is cooked to order, and food can be taken and staged on the beach if no table is available (lobstershack.co.uk).
Seafood bag, Ullapool, Scotland
The award-winning, much-loved – and with its own cookbook – seafood shake is the creation of two friends who decided to head out of town to enjoy the rich seafood crop of Ullapool instead of eating locals and visitors. The daily changing menu may include smoked trout, langoustines with garlic and thyme, or hand-dive scallops, all served in disposable containers and eaten at picnic tables on the waterfront. Zack is run on a first come, first served basis (no booking) and there are vegetarian options (seafoodshack.co.uk).
The Bothhouse, Insto, Devon
Book a table at sunset for boundless, rose-tinged sea views in this gravel brasserie in the sand of Insto Beach. Great choice for families after a sand castle and swimming day, kids have their own menus and dogs are welcome. The restaurant focuses on locally sourced seafood; The lobster thermometer is sinfully good, but there are lighter options as well as some vegetarian options (theboathouseinstow.co.uk).
Southee Beach Cafe, Hampshire
With a deck on the beach and a close-up view of the elegant pier of Southampton, this Buzzie Beach Cafe is a great place for families, children are able to play on the beach, while parents can sit back and enjoy scallops and stealth baps, chimpanzees. Shrimp or classic fish and chips. For an early start, breakfast burrito is a great way to refuel after a morning sip, while kids can find their own Mini Benedict or Mini English – although they will want a Dig-A-Sours ice cream, complete with chocolate dinosaurs. Piece (southseabeachcafe.co.uk).
Seafood & Grill, Brudenell Hotel, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Book ahead for a table on the terrace at this slick restaurant overlooking Aldberg’s quiet beach. Part of the Brudenel Hotel, the glass front dining room offers equally gorgeous views and food: Crispy Crab Arancini and Nunilo Whitebite for lunch, Crayfish and Clam Linguine or Roasted Stone Bass and White Bean Casillate for dinner. There are also meaty options, veggies and veggies are well served and it is advisable to take a long walk in the sand before eating to enable the flawless joke of sticky toffee pudding (brudenellhotel.co.uk).
Sea Cafe, Angle, Pembrokeshire
The Pembrokeshire Institute, Café Môr is a unique, solar-powered seaweed boat cooked in seaweed butter with fish sauce and lobster rolls for breakfast in the kitchen. This year, it is in a new location, next to Angle’s Old Point House, which has been taken over by peacock owners and is set to reopen later in the summer as a seaside restaurant and bar. For now, Mô is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, but this month is set to extend the hours, so call ahead or check social media before setting out (beachfood.co.uk).