Hunstanton - Restaurant Guide

“Absolutely superb in every way” – the “amazing seasonal food from a one-man kitchen” at this famous former coaching inn on the north Norfolk coast is “a real treat”. Owners Kevin & Jackie Margeolles are celebrating their twentieth year here, and many dedicated fans regard a visit as “our annual event, despite the distance” – “Kevin’s refined touch and constantly changing flavours keep you coming back, while Jackie’s friendly and knowledgeable service complements his cooking to a T”. A “reasonably priced wine list” and “comfortable bedrooms” complete the picture.

2025 Review: “What a delight” – a “special dining experience” in Drove Orchards from Eric Snaith of Titchwell Manor fame, where you can either eat in or cart it away to enjoy amid the apple trees. The main event is “crisp, perfectly fried fish” ’n’ chips, and the “lunch and early-bird specials are excellent value”. There’s now a single spin-off in Holt, the chef having closed a five-year-old branch in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, in July 2024, with the intention to redirect his focus back on Norfolk.

“Brilliant shellfish, with wonderful sea views over the marshes” is the trump card of this coastal village pub that has been transformed by Cliff Nye and his family over the last 20 years or so into a “restaurant-with-rooms with a lovely open feel”; and which is the flagship of his Anglian Country Inns group. Hugely popular in the summer for “meals on the outside deck”, it’s great at any time of the year (“we celebrate our wedding anniversary here in early December”) – but “it’s wise to book well in advance for a front-row table: the view’s not so great from the back of the dining room”. Top Menu Tips – “Brancaster mussels from local fisherman Tom Large served with focaccia followed by chargrilled whole gilthead bream”.

“Fish is always a winner” at this “first-rate gastropub”, which remains “deservedly very popular” under the direction of chef Jeremy Parke and his sommelier wife Rachael, who took over the 300-year-old inn in 2023 – “the menu has a great selection, supported by a good wine list”.

“Venture beyond the rather unprepossessing exterior” (a car park-adjacent new build) and “delights await” at this surprisingly bright and “always amazing” outfit, est. 2018 by self-taught chef Dan Lawrence and partner Natalie. The “really interesting (in a good way) menu” is “constantly evolving” and focuses on “lovely small plates to share (or not)”. Added boon: you won’t “feel like a freak asking for gluten-free”.

“Wonderfully situated restaurant on the Holkham Estate”, with “lovely views over the marshes” and “excellent local produce” on the menu – much of it grown on the estate itself. The Vic is regularly listed as one of the UK’s favourite boutique hotels, and last year added four shepherd’s huts to its accommodation options. “If you’re dining here you do have to like dogs – after all this is in the depths of rural Norfolk, and there are sometimes a good number of them”. No-one has harsh critiques of the cooking, nor for that matter grand claims. Top Menu Tip – “a favourite from the lunch plats du jour is salmon and prawn pie with sauteed greens”.

Floor-to-ceiling glazed windows frame gorgeous views of the sands in the dining room of this recently-refurbished pub – part of the portfolio of the local Chestnut Pubs group. Dishes include items such as potted local crab and fillet of seabass, alongside Barsham’s beer-battered fish and triple-cooked chips, Mariner’s pies, and sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce.

“Atmospheric old building in a pretty village not far from the coast”, with “very well cooked food – way beyond gastropub level” from Fred Clapperton (ex-head chef of the Clock House in Surrey), and “a good wine list” to match, although “you can still pop in for a pint” (or of course a gin). Dating from 1668, the former coaching inn joined East Anglia’s Chestnut Group in 2024, and has 13 boutique rooms for overnight guests.

“A little away from the coast”, Aga & Lewis King’s small venue in a former coffee shop is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2026. They offer the option of a Shorter menu on Wednesdays and Thursdays (five courses for £65 per person), but it’s the Longer version that’s always available with seven courses for £85 per person. “The ingredients, cooking, presentation are superb” and Aga’s wine pairing is exceptional. (“Good thing it’s got an outside loo (due to lack of space) because the food’s so good I couldn’t afford it otherwise!”).

“New and praiseworthy venture which brings the Hackney vibe into deepest Norfolk, serving some attractive dishes in an impressively converted cattle shed”. It’s an open-kitchen venue incorporating a bar and five King-size bedrooms, and “in the summer, eating on the deck is a delight”. The à la carte menu is the ‘main event’, but there’s also a set menu available at certain times and also a snack menu served during the afternoon.