Eating & Drinking
We keep a comprehensive list of places to eat and drink in our Area Guide, which is updated regularly and available to all guests. What follows here are our own recommendations — the places we return to ourselves and suggest to guests who ask.
On Your Doorstep
The White Horse in Brancaster Staithe is a short walk from the apartments — turn left out of the drive and either follow the coast road or coast path east; it is less than ten minutes on foot. The food is consistently good, the setting on the marsh is hard to fault, and it is the natural first choice for an evening meal without needing the car. Booking is advisable in season.
The Jolly Sailors is even closer — the village pub, opposite. It is convenient for adrink and serves decent pub food, but it is a local rather than a destination. Useful to know about, particularly on evenings when you want something informal without the walk.
Restaurants Worth the Drive
Socius in Burnham Market — about ten minutes by car — is a small-plates restaurant with a regularly changing menu. The cooking is thoughtful and the produce is local. It is one of the better dining experiences on this stretch of coast and worth booking ahead.
No Twenty9 is also in Burnham Market. A relaxed bistro-style restaurant with a good wine list. It does not try too hard, which is part of the appeal.
The Crab Hut in Wells-next-the-Sea is exactly what the name suggests — fresh crab and seafood, simply prepared. Wells is about 15 minutes east along the coast road, and the Crab Hut is well worth the trip if you like seafood at its most straightforward.
The White Horse in Holme-next-the-Sea — not to be confused with its Brancaster
Staithe namesake — is about ten minutes west towards Thornham. Good food in aquieter village setting, and they have a bakery and cafe on site for daytime visits too.
Further afield, The Old Bank and The Rose & Crown in Snettisham are both reliable choices and about 20 minutes west. Snettisham is inland, north of Sandringham, so these work well if you are combining a meal with a day trip in that
direction.
Cafes & Breakfast
The Old Store in Snettisham is, in our view, the best cafe in the area for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. It is worth the 20-minute drive. They now have satellite branches at Drove Orchards in Thornham and at Fring Estate, both of which are closer to Brancaster Staithe. The satellite branches may not keep the same opening hours as
the Snettisham original, so check before making a special trip.
The White Horse in Holme also has a bakery and cafe, which is a good stop if you are walking or cycling west along the coast.
Local Beer
Duration Brewery in West Acre produces some of the best beer in Norfolk. You will find it on tap at several places along the coast, including the White Horse in Brancaster Staithe. If you want to visit the brewery itself, West Acre is about 35 minutes south and adjacent to Castle Acre. You can buy beer to take away, and it is a pleasant drive through quiet Norfolk countryside. Well worth a visit if you
appreciate good beer.
A Note on Booking
This stretch of coast gets busy in the summer months, and the better restaurants fill up quickly — particularly at weekends. If you have your heart set on somewhere specific, book before you arrive. In winter, availability is rarely a problem, and several of these places are noticeably more relaxed out of season.
For a full list of options — including pubs, takeaways, and farm shops see our Area Guide, available to all guests online.