Best winter beach cafes - part one - Dorset to West Sussex

This month we do a round-up of the best beach cafes that are open in the winter months, even if they close slightly earlier they don’t naff off to the Caribbean like some, just saying……….Cornwall and the Scillies probably have the most scenic settings, but we’re not going there just yet.  We cover the stretch from Dorset to West Sussex, taking in the Isle of Wight as we travel east.

 

Hix Oyster & Fish House, Lyme Regis
This relaxed restaurant overlooks Lyme Regis harbour. The simple dishes, use locally sourced sustainable stuff. Obviously good with fish but I like the afternoon tea, including the Dorset border cream tea and toasted teacakes.
Contact: 01297 446 910; www.hixoysterandfishhouse.co.uk

The Watch House Cafe, East Beach, West Bay

Wood fired pizza oven, great choice of home made, local food, great farmhouse breakfast, ice cream parlour, seating outside on beach. Sister to the Hive.

Contact: 01308 459330 www.watchhousecafe.co.uk

 

Hive Beach Cafe
This seafood cafe at Hive Beach offers views of Lyme Bay and the Jurassic Coast. Spider crabs from the beach are served in summer, the menu changes daily depending on availability, dishes may include West Bay turbot, with a wild mushroom and tarragon sauce, or pan-fried Lyme Bay monkfish. Closes a bit earlier in the winter, but good for breakfast and lunch.
Contact: 01308 897070; www.hivebeachcafe.co.uk

Top seafood destination at the Hive - photos Vertiworks

Taste, Chesil Beach, Portland. Situated half way along the causeway in the pretty Wildlife Trust building, serving great food all day, good coffee, crab sandwiches and platters to share. Casual. Evening openings in the summer months. Then walk out onto Chesil and look back along the Fleet – magical. Just won the Taste of the West Silver Award – well earned

Contact 01305 206196 www.tastecafechesilbeach.co.uk

Harbour Lights, Portland Marina. Hot of the press, just re-opened under Dean & Reddyhoff’s management, the waterfont bar has a wood-fired pizza oven outside and is offering some great winter deals and live music to warm up locals and berth holders Contact: 01305 823000 

The Pig on the Beach, Studland. This isn’t a pig and it’s not on the beach, but I know some of you like the setting, up above Studland and looking out to Old Harry, magnificent, but the food’s not nearly as good as the hype, let’s hope it improves. Contact: 01929 450288 www.thepighotel.com

South Deep Café, Parkstone Bay, Poole. We reviewed this a while back. Lovely sheltered spot with own baker on site. Good food, freshly cooked and sensibly sourced. We like it here, but check tides if you’re coming by water – sports boat country!    Contact: 01202 733155 www.parkstonebay.com/cafe    

The Deep South Cafe - worth a visit - bakery on-site

 And now to the Isle of Wight… my best foodies here are Matt & Cat, follow them on twitter @MattandCat and Telegraph travel writer Fiona Duncan @HotelGuruGuru

The Little Gloster, Gurnard, Isle of Wight

Everyone talks about this place, and I am yet to try it, but here’s what Fiona Duncan said recently ‘this restaurant with rooms is possibly the best place to eat on the Isle of Wight. At Gurnard, just along the coast from Cowes, it has views right down the Solent from inside or out. The menu changes daily, but enjoy brunch of eggs Florentine, lunch of Bembridge crab and crayfish cakes, or dinner of Cheverton sirloin steak. Bookings are advised. Winter openings Thurs - Sunday
Contact: 01983 298776; thelittlegloster.com            

 

What a setting - the Little Gloster

and now back to mainland…….

Pebble Beach, Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire
Watch the sunset from the smart cliff-top terrace. The dining-room has a much more formal feel, as does the sophisticated à la carte menu, on which diners might find Gigas rock oysters and lamb shoulder. Opening times: vary - see website for details
Contact: 01425 627777; pebblebeach-uk.com

The Beach House, Mudeford, Christchurch Harbour – catch ferry over or train from Christchurch to Hengistbury Head. We all share fond memories of shuffling in here, sand footed, for a plate of crab cakes and bottle of Picpoul. Always busy.

Contact: 01202 423474  www.beachhousecafe.co.uk

The Jetty, at Christchurch Harbour Hotel, Mudeford

A treat. Gorgeous Grand Designs style timber and glass rooms overlooking the harbour. Great food and wine list – lunch is something of a bargain for the quality of food (cooked by local chef Alex Aitken) and eye poppin surroundings

Contact: 01202 400950  www.christchurch-harbour-hotel.co.uk/the-jetty   

Alex's infamous twice baked cheese souffle

 

         

The Haven, Lymington Yacht Haven. Wonderful setting above the marina office and brokerage, with far reaching vies over to the Island, much improved since Chris Evans helped update. Cosy sofas. Big fish platter (worth asking price before ordering this fella – or be sitting down) also good for a beer or a coffee. Nice place. Treat

Contact: 01590 679971  www.havenrestaurant.co.uk

 

The Haven, cosy bar, great views and local produce

Trinity’s at the Lightship, Haslar, Portsmouth Harbour, on your left, big green boat.

Now this isn’t a beach café, but as it’s right on the water and you can come on into the marina, tie up and have lunch, it goes on my list. Run by Maria, serving great food from breakfast ‘till dinner on one of the world’s remaining Lightship’s, atmospheric. Try it. Closed first two weeks of January

Contact: 02392 503387 www.trinitysatthelightship.co.uk

The Boat House Cafe Chichester Marina, West Sussex. A convivial café in attractive building at Chichester Marina, so zip through the lock – always fun – and enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Contact 01243 513203 www.idealcollection.co.uk     

    

      

East Beach Cafe, Littlehampton, West Sussex
Stunning building, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, a giant piece of oxidized steel that reminds me of knuckled mecano pieces, sitting on the shingle, looking out to sea. The menu consists of retro seaside classics done properly, such as beer-battered fish and chips, and kippers on toast. Check website for winter opening hours.
Contact: 01903 731 903; eastbeachcafe.co.uk     

                        

The inspiring East Beach Cafe

 Credits to Telegraph travel writer Fiona Duncan @HotelGuruGuru 

Bite 17 Salcombe

Bite 17 Salcombe ; butcher, baker, Quba sailmaker…

Sunny, sparkling Salcombe. Darling estuary on the South Hams, favoured sailing holiday retreat of Mary Berry and birth place of Jack Wills - what's not to like?

So happy to be here in Salcombe on a sunny Friday morning. All smiles and good mornings as I walk along the high street heading for my first coffee. I duck into Salcombe Coffee Co where I join a small queue for breakfast and am tempted by the tomato & mozzarella muffin idea. Great coffee, quite small and cosy - if you want an alternative with waterfront view try the Ward Room, who use Clifton Coffee and there's some fine art on the walls by Dartmouth's own Peter Barber.

The tempting breakfast muffin at Salcombe Coffee

Great artwork from Peter Barber on the Wardroom's walls

                                       

Coffee sorted am off to find the best baker in town, which is easy, as it's the Bake House. In the bag go cheese straws, a slim bronzed baguette and some Bakewell slices. 

A trot along to one of three delis (Salcombe Deli my fav) fills the basket with Quikes Hard Goats, Tintagel Smoked cheddar and some Rocky Road for later... well a girl can get hungry you know.

Now into the Harbour Master's Office to say hallo and see how the summer's been. Adam Parnell says he's seen some changes this year in the visitor's pattern, the overall numbers have been down, but they have all stayed longer with continuing journeys to Kingsbridge etc, so the total number of nights stayed is the best for three years. This is good news for the town as everything begins to slow down after the October half term, but what a fabulous Indian summer we have right now and for those who can slip their moorings easily, there are vacant buoys in the top spots and even a bit of space on the harbour pontoon.

I’ve heard that you guys don’t like too long a hike before lunch so we’ll stroll along the cliff path to the Winking Prawn (an institution here with new sister the Cracking Crab opened on Polzeath Beach this summer) with the best crab sandwich out of town; very family friendly, they even have a dressing-up box for heaven’s sake – jump in!

 

If there’s time you’ve got to head up and round the bend to Overbecks as it has stunning views and a veritable jungle of agapanthus to gaze upon. Sparkling water to my right, smiling dog walking happiness to my left, we are in strong Border Terrier country here, I head back to the Harbour Hotel, where I have a lunch date. But there is just time for a quick glass of rosé at Dick and Wills, as I’m planning a re-visit here, the menu is full of spicy mixes – King Prawn and Brill Aloo Gobi catches my eye, as does the char grilled fillet steak burger. I’ll be back.

Dick and Wills bright terrace

Salcombe Harbour Hotel has been transformed over the last few years into a haven of calm for holidaymakers and weekend escapers. Its magnificent position on the terraced banks assures guests of an ever changing view over to Small’s Cove and up and down this enchanting estuary. The group is small, but perfectly formed with waterfront hotels at Christchurch, meandering westwards to Sidmouth, Salcombe and St Ives. Pilates on the roof terrace, cocktails on the deck, a crustacean bar in the summer months and the Jetty restaurant serving reliably good local produce throughout. 

I catch up with Jason and order a mocktail whilst deciding what to eat, as we have the team on-board later to share our Salcombe Deli and Bake House hawl. I’m going for three starters. I can’t resist the scallop baked in its own shell with parmesan and lemon crust, or the traditional prawn cocktail, but it’s the crab croquettes I can remember Janet Street Porter raving about when Alex Aitken cooked for her and Brian Turner on their Great British Favourites TV show when visiting Dorset. The dark meat’s in the centre, with the white meat enveloped in crisp crumb diddley yum, liked the dill mayo, with baby broad bean and pea crunch to swipe over the richness of the meat. Wonderful, special place to come for a naughty weekend, or to escape the rigours of being on board for a while, time to stretch out.

11. The terrace at Salcombe Harbour Hotel – breathtaking!

And for the rest…

Best pub – the Victoria Inn

Best ice cream – Salcombe Dairy – they supply Virgin Airlines, Air NZ and Singapore Airlines – some amazing flavours

Alternative crustaceans - The Crab Shed, 10 mins north of the Harbour Office, by Fish Quay.

The short hike – The Winking Prawn, barely a mile and half from the town centre.

The longer hike – Soar Mill Cove for afternoon tea – only 3 miles max from Overbecks

www.salcombeharbour.co.uk

The Jetty                     01548 845083

Dick and Wills             01548 843408

Salcombe Deli                        01548 842332

Victoria Inn                  01548 842604

Winking Prawn            01548 842326

The Bake House         01548 842824

The Crab Shed           01548 844280 at Fish Quay, short stroll up river

www.peterbarber.co.uk

www.salcombe-harbour-hotel.co.uk

With thanks to Jason Parry at the Jetty and Lex Thornely at the Orange Cow

Bite 16 - Plymouth, Millbay Area, Devon

Bite 16 Plymouth – Millbay area

 

Plymouth sits on the border between Devon and Cornwall and has played a key role in Britain’s Naval history; Devonport is the largest operational naval base in Western Europe. It is home to the Royal Navy’s amphibious ships HMS Ocean, Albion and Bulwark, 11 frigates and seven nuclear subs, and HQ to Brittany Ferries, the Royal Marines and Princess Yachts.

The area around Millbay is undergoing long term development with additional berthing options now at the Royal William Yard, out towards Devil's Point and the newer King Point Marina, second marina of Sutton Harbour, within the inner basin of Millbay itself.

From a foodie point of view things are definitely looking up with Hugh Fernley-Whittingstal choosing the perfectly converted Royal Navy victualling yard at Stonehouse (Royal William Yard) for one of his rare Canteens and we always keep a watch on the Stable's latest openings, which have been at Plymouth and Winchester this summer.

A mixed City, as all the interesting ones are, with a decent Uni (7^th largest in UK) that still offers a surf locker to interested students and home to Plymouth Gin, one of my favourites.

 

Full English at Jolly Jacks

We get in early so tie up at Mayflower Marina, tucked in on your left as you enter the Tamar and looking over towards Cremyll Village in Cornwall and the afore mentioned Royal William Yard. We know we'll get a good breakfast at Jolly Jacks and I'm intrigued to find out more about this friendly marina which has won TYHA's UK Coastal Marina Award two years in a row now; ah ha, it's actually owned by its 400 or so berth holders, which seems to work very well, happy owners, unrestricted yard and a convivial bunch of professionals in the office.

Fortified by the full English and double poached eggs, with proper crisp bacon, we look at the hike and bike options from here and they're good!

Bike: Our old friend National Cycle Route 2 is sign posted outside the Mayflower's entrance, and a choice of ferries take you over to Cornwall, via the Cremyll Ferry, or from RWY to the Barbican where you can either walk back along the Hoe, looking out for Spanish Armadas to your left..

 

Hike… or take the short ferry hop from the Barbican to Mount Batten Peninsular where you have some splendid coastal walks and we can recommend the Clovelly Bay Inn as a good cosy stop off for sustenance. Yacht Havens' Marina is over here and offers a sheltered berth from south westerlies.

 

We scoot over the narrow passage dividing the Mayflower from the Royal William, noting Princess Yachts' impressive set up with a steady flow of boats chugging in and out. The other interesting hanger is just downstream from the Mayflower, and looms blackly on the otherwise bright green river bank. This fascinating listed building is home to Will Sterling, one of the UK's finest traditional boat builders - note to self to visit next time I'm down, the build quality is meant to be exceptional.

The conversion from victualling yard to atmospheric waterfront living has been done very well. Designed by architect Sir John Rennie in 1825, this is the largest collection of Grade 1 listed military buildings in Europe, and are now a mix of spacious apartments, restaurants, shops and galleries. Many of the flats have superb views out over the water and the developers have left as much integrity in the old buildings as to make them darned interesting, and hold their price! But we don't want to talk property when we can be talking dough! Yep, the RW bakery genuinely uses the old space that would have turned out the ship’s biscuits for the Navy back in the day, but now the impressive Our Bakery group are here, doing what they do so well over in Lyme Regis and Poundbury, making great bread in an atmospheric setting and sharing it out. Big wooden tables, piles of croissants and pain au chocolate straight from the ovens, bakers throwing dough about – near heaven for me, as the coffee’s supplied by Clifton too – they are on it! Everything is good in here, try the lot.

 

Patisserie heaven is found at the Royal William Bakery

The sun is fully out now as we push open the huge heavy door of the bakery and waddle past the RW Water Ferry that runs daily to the Barbican (£3 single) and head to the very end of the quay where the Canteen has tables and chairs spilling out on the cobbles, enjoying a most fabulous view, which we enjoy with a cool local beer in hand and a platter of meat and cheese on the table. Hugh FW knows his punter and provides an excellent grazing table throughout the day and an exciting deli bar that is great for topping up your picnic basket if you’ve only half filled it from the bakery…

The Dock at King Point also comes highly recommended and is another top spot for breakfast, with the modern glazed building having a cracking view over the marina.

Fish cakes at the Dock, King Point Marina at Millbay

And if you want to wander a little further I’d give Rock Salt Café a try, just up the road at 31 Stonehouse Street, good attention to detail, and fresh local produce.

Coming up soon - Dartmouth, Salcombe and Tresco, so send in any favourites you wish me to visit

Contacts:

www.visitplymouth.co.uk

Mayflower Marina                    01752 556633

King Point Marina                    01752 424297

Jolly Jacks, Mayflower             01752 500008

The Canteen, RWY                  01752 252702

RW Bakery                               01752 265448

The Dock, King Point              01752 253555

Rock Salt Café, 31 Stonehouse St     01752 225522

Bike & SUP hire                      Rockets & Rascals    

Bike – Plym Valley Trail 13.5 miles using old rail line inland towards Dartmoor

Hike – www.southwestcoastalpath.co.uk

Bite 15 - Brixham

Bite 15 - Brixham 

Brixham makes a great stop off on your way west after leaving Portland, with a sheltered wide bay, dramatic headlands at Berry Head and a choice of two marinas.

The South Coast's most productive fishing port fills up the western corner of Tor Bay, sheltered by its long breakwater, nodding over to the resort town of Torquay, with its stylish old villas punctuating the cliffs and an hourly ferry connecting the two. With its back to the west, many gardens are shaded, whilst enjoying superb views over this busy bay, awash with bright sails, fishing boats and ferries most days through our very British Summer.

 

MDL's Brixham Marina with dedicated Jetski base

Brixham's old trawlers

We arrive and are shown to a visitor's berth at MDL's marina, they also own Torquay Marina so you can decide which suits your needs, or wind direction, but I want to get over to the huge fish market, built some five years ago and dominating the right hand side of the harbour where the trawlers and smaller fishing boats take pride of place.

We arrive early so off to find a decent cup of coffee, having been tipped off that there are at least three good independents - closest is Millie and Me, then the West Country Deli, or newer kid on the block, but a bit further to walk (up Fore Street and on your left, past a really good fruit and veg shop) you'll find Bay Coffee & Cake Company, and the good looking cakes are all made locally.

West Country Deli, convivial hosts and great coffee

Millie & Me's fruity cocktail list

Sophie runs Millie and Me which is in King Street, conveniently tucked behind the recently refurbished New Quay Inn, overlooking the harbour, but bizarrely not open until 5.30pm, but locals tell us it's a good stop off for a pint or glass of wine, before heading to Simply Fish for supper - just over the street, all a gentle 10 minute stroll from the marina.

We share a bacon butty and I try the flat white, whilst admiring the team preparing for their Pink Banana event, kicking off with a barbeque at lunch time and some fruity cocktails later. Sophie and a friendly couple at the next table put me straight about where I should head next.

The fab chaps from the local branch, shucking away for the RNLI

But before I hit the deli I fancy the walk out past the marina to Berry Head, as it's still early and a glorious sunny morning. Brixham has some lovely smuggler's alleys and we sneak along Newquay Lane walking along the quay, past the marina and slap into an RNLI fundraising day - the end of a whole week I believe, God love 'em! A fab team of four are doing their darnedest to shuck two enormous tubs of scallops, to serve later on with chorizo, chilli and lime I'm told and why the heck not? Concentrate Hopkins! 

On to the little beach, with immaculate Ikea photo fit flat pebble discs, the most perfect skimming stones ever, before climbing the concrete steps up to the street that is signed Berry Head and Shoalstone Lido - which I have been watching on Twitter. 

Shoalstone Lido - a wonderful community project on the road to Berry Head

A fabulous local project to update one of our rare seaside swimming pools, with gorgeous retro imagery and a cracking view as you plough up and down to keep warm - yes, it's refreshing, and I note it's the hardy mature mermaids in their cossies and the kids in wetsuits!

 

We can't linger. Berry Head Hotel beckons, with it’s magnificent views out to sea and over Tor Bay to Torquay. This makes a delightful lunch or dinner date, as you have walked just far enough to tackle the local Moules Mariniere, or possibly the smoked haddock and Applewood Cheddar fish cake whilst enjoying the Mediterranean view from the terrace.

The terrace at the ideally positioned Berry Head Hotel

Did you know?: The hotel was built at the start of the 1800s as a military hospital, serving the Napoleonic forts at Berry Head, later Henry Francis Lyte lived here, and wrote 'Abide with me' just four months before his death in 1847, inspired by his surroundings and perhaps suspecting something was up?

The hike: Our old mate the SW Coastal Path runs along these wonderful cliffs and you can go all along the River Dart if so inclined. We rounded Berry Head, passing the somewhat squat Lighthouse before wending our way back into Brixham, bacon butty walked off, but too early for the hotel’s high tea, served between 2.30 and 6.30, mental note to re-visit.

Back in Brixham the dilemma is lunch. I have three recommendations; Simply Fish, at the base of Fore Street, across from Millie and Me, with a lovely big parasol which would make lunch outside possible as the sun is streaming down, Bistro 46, family owned and producing some creative and unusual cooking from a tiny kitchen, but I didn't really fancy the lunch menu so will come back one evening soon, and as I still hadn't managed to get into the Fish Market - and neither was I - I'm whizzing along to Mitch Tonk's Rockfish before you can shout salt and pepper.

View over the fishing harbour from Rockfish's deck

The review

This lovely light barn of a room, with open rafters and gleaming copper bar is my sort of a place. The big deck wraps round the building, so plenty of room, choice of sun or shade and looks out over the fleet of working boats to the heritage sailing trawlers, ferries and leisure boats. A feast for the eyes, but what shall I chose for my plate?

 















Gosh - Rockfish Fritto Misto - red gurnard and monkfish filets with calamari and prawns too?

Then I saw tempura fried oysters and by now you might know that I have to have these little crisp gobbets of sea fresh phlegm whenever I see them on the menu. Rockfish serve them sitting atop their shell which is filled with a vibrant green cucumber relish; it really works and is fresh, not fiery and also a good dip with the chips.
 

My pal has a very generous portion of super fresh, plump, cod goujons with unlimited chips, for just £7.95. The neighbours had the Fritto Misto - great to share as a starter if you want to try a few other specials, like the salt & pepper prawns, calamari or scallops, straight off the boats below. You get a choice of three or four fish of the day that you can have cooked very simply with not a hint of batter; today we had Dover or Lemon Sole and plaice.

Good choice of wines, nice to have a small pichet when you order just a glass, can recommend the Muscadet. A couple of decent local draught beers and Rockfish Sea Cider goes down well with the older teens.

Top tip – visit the loos and listen to an interesting twist on the Shipping Forecast, my favourites being Lundy, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Rockall - sod all! Indeed.

Now I still need to visit West Country Deli and am so glad I did as I load up with great local cheese and eggs and have a quick cortado whilst reading the menu. This is a great quick lunch stop and the platters look tempting. Very friendly couple Jo and Mark run this outfit and have chosen their own blend of organic, fair trade and Rainforest Alliance Certified beans – try it. If you’ve hiked out round Berry Head you may well wish to try their Devon Cheese Tea?

Onwards to Dartmouth – see you in September.

Info

Brixham Tourism - englishriviera.co.uk

Rockfish          www.therockfish.co.uk

Simply Fish     01803 883858             they do a full take away service too   

Bistro 46          01803 858936

Berry Head Hotel         01803 853225

Millie and Me                01803 858488

West Country Deli      01803 855775

Brixham Harbour Office 01803 851854

Fishstock 5th September fishstockbrixham.co.uk tickets £6, under 16s free

The fish market opens its doors and celebrates the local bounty - try and buy. Great SW chefs cook for you, live entertainment, look round the trawlers - all in aid of the Fishermen's Mission 

Brixfest – 28 May – 1^st June 2016.