The UK’s best seaside towns for food and drink

Scotland’s oldest university town and a quaint East Anglian resort are the best coastal spots to eat out, according to thousands of visitors.

Only two out of more than 100 destinations scored the maximum five stars for their culinary offerings: St Andrews in Fife and Aldeburgh in Suffolk.

Whether you’re after a great chippie, an artisan ice cream parlour or a fine-dining restaurant, you won’t go hungry in these top-rated seaside towns.

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St Andrews

Expect plenty of foodie flair in St Andrews. Café-hop on South Street and you’ll find everything from haggis burritos to Fife strawberry gelato. Thirsty? Choose from a head-spinning selection of cask ales, malt whiskies and local gins at cosy boozers such as The Criterion.

This ancient university town also has plenty of places to splash the cash. Local favourites include The Grange Inn, a 17th-century farmhouse with superb views, and The Seafood Ristorante – where you can feast on hand-dived scallops while seated in a glass box that juts out over the shorefront.

St Andrews was Scotland’s best seaside town in our survey. It also earned five stars for its two-mile beach and tourist attractions, which include a ruined gothic cathedral.

Aldeburgh

A small fishing fleet still sells its daily catch at the black-tarred shacks hugging Aldeburgh’s sea wall. As one sign asserts, ‘anything fresher is still swimming’. For cod straight out of the fryer, join the queue at Aldeburgh Fish and Chip Shop. You’ll need to book ahead if you're hankering after lobster at The Suffolk, a stylish new restaurant. 

But this well-heeled coastal town didn’t earn a five-star rating just for its seafood. The colourful Victorian high street has everything you might need for a picnic on the shingle beach, including an artisan bakery, chocolate shop and gin distillery.  

Aldeburgh’s annual food and drink festival (23-24 September, tickets from £10) is held a few miles away at Snape Maltings on the River Alde – an old Victorian malt barn that houses cafés, independent shops and a concert hall.

Dartmouth

Whether you’re in the mood for a flat white or a cream tea, a Devon pasty or a ploughman’s lunch, there’s no shortage of enticing cafés and delis in this nautical town on Devon’s River Dart. If you want to push the boat out, reserve a table at Andria’s or The Angel for carefully crafted local produce. 

As well as scoring four stars for its culinary offering, Dartmouth came second overall in our survey. Its tree-lined estuary helped it clinch five stars for scenery, despite its lack of sandy beaches. Work up an appetite with a walk along the South West Coast Path or take a boat trip upstream to Agatha Christie’s home, Greenway.

Lots of Devon’s top producers, along with celebrity chefs, show off their wares at Dartmouth’s food festival (20-22 October, free).

Tynemouth

This clifftop Northumberland town scored four stars for its food and drink as well as full marks for its three golden beaches, which are glorious spots for a picnic. 

After braving the waves at mile-long Long Sands or exploring Tynemouth’s 11th-century priory, refuel on Front Street, which offers reasonably priced tapas, towering burgers, dim sum and more. 

The most sought-after spot in town is Riley’s Fish Shack, where you can tuck into the local catch in a deckchair on the beach, warmed by a fire pit. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, there’s street food galore as well as bric-a-brac and craft stalls at Tynemouth Market.

Southwold

With a brewery at its heart and fresh fish for sale, Southwold scored a solid four stars for food and drink. Adnams brewery has been here since 1876, and its presence is felt everywhere: from the hoppy smell on the sea breeze to its historic hotels (The Crown and The Swan). 

You can buy the catch of the day from the Sole Bay Fish Company shack overlooking the harbour. For picnics on the Blue Flag beach, stock up on sourdough, pies and sweet treats at Two Magpies Bakery and Black Olive Delicatessen. 

Southwold was Suffolk’s highest-rated seaside town and bagged five stars for its seafront – complete with rotund lighthouse, candy-coloured beach huts and retro pier.

source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/best-uk-seaside-towns-for-food-and-drink-aqS207I2uuds