It doesn’t look like most of us will be jetting off abroad for this year’s summer holidays, but who needs abroad anyway, when the sun is beating down and the sea’s a couple of hours away at most?
Here’s where to eat by the coast this summer:
House
Ardmore, Co. Waterford, Republic of Ireland
120 EUR • Modern Cuisine
One Michelin Star
This smart hotel restaurant has a stunning cliffside setting and its full-length windows ensure that every table shares the impressive coastal view. Top local ingredients are showcased in creative, sublimely flavoured dishes.
Harry's Shack
Portstewart, Northern Ireland
27 - 43 GBP • Traditional Cuisine
Michelin Plate
Stunningly set on a sandy National Trust beach with views across to Inishowen, this appealingly simple spot lets regional ingredients speak for themselves, with seafood from the local day boats the star of the show.
Mark Jordan at the Beach
Beaumont, Jersey, Channel Islands
28 - 51 GBP • Modern Cuisine
Bib Gourmand
Its address – La Plage – tells you everything you need to know – and what a beach the beautiful sandy St. Aubin’s Bay is. The chef, Mark Jordan, is well-known on the island and cooks refined yet hearty dishes featuring Jersey produce and fish from local waters.
Green Island
St. Clement, Jersey, Channel Islands
37 - 49 GBP • Mediterranean Cuisine
Michelin Plate
Sitting on the terrace on a sunny day, there are few places one would rather be than this popular, personally run beachside spot: the most southerly restaurant in the British Isles. Unsurprisingly, they specialise in fresh local seafood.
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias
Colwyn Bay, Conwy, Wales
21 - 37 GBP • Modern British
Bib Gourmand
This striking brasserie is right on the promenade, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Colwyn Bay. The vibe is laid-back and locally caught fish and shellfish leads the way on the unfussy, great value menu.
Coast
Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, Wales
35 - 57 GBP • Modern Cuisine
Michelin Plate
As its name suggests, this is a restaurant with an expansive sea vista, and there’s not a table without a view, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The contemporary, understated décor matches menus of modern, carefully crafted dishes.
Seafood Ristorante
St Andrews, Scotland
30 - 58 GBP • Seafood
Michelin Plate
A dramatic modern glass building featuring full length windows with fantastic views of St Andrew’s Bay. The seafood menu comes with an Italian twist, so expect cicchetti, fish platters, stews and homemade pastas.
2 Fore Street
Mousehole, Cornwall, England
28 - 43 GBP • Seafood
Michelin Plate
This relaxed, friendly bistro is by the harbour and comes with a secluded courtyard terrace and garden. All-day menus offer unfussy dishes guided by the day’s delivery from neighbouring Newlyn.
Porthminster Kitchen
St Ives, Cornwall, England
30 - 50 GBP • Modern Cuisine
Michelin Plate
This contemporary bistro is in a lovely spot by the beach: nab a seat on the first floor terrace for the best views out over St Ives harbour. There’s an all-day menu and the cooking is fresh and confident: go for the fruits de mer for two.
Anchor
Walberswick, Suffolk, England
30 - 39 GBP • Traditional Cuisine
Michelin Plate
Global dishes, a friendly, eager-to-please team and a one acre garden which features a wood-fired oven and leads down to the beach – no wonder this place is so popular! They even have eco-chalets so you can stay overnight.
The Star Inn The Harbour
Whitby, North Yorkshire, England
27 - 49 GBP • Modern British, Regional Cuisine
Michelin Plate
An extensive menu of British dishes including the ‘catch of the day’ are on offer at Andrew Pern’s modern harbourside brasserie; champion of all things Yorkshire. As befits a seaside eatery, there’s even an ‘ice cream parlour’, for the young and the young at heart.
Whitstable Oyster Company
Whitstable, Kent, England
34 - 65 GBP • Seafood
Michelin Plate
The historical ‘Royal Native Oyster Stores’ is situated right on the beach and offers outside seating with fantastic views out over the estuary and the oyster beds themselves. The seafood menu is super-fresh and keeps things pleasingly simple.
