Socius

Despite its location on the outskirts of one of Norfolk’s most gentrified little towns, ‘very buzzy’ Socius has the air of a confident city restaurant. A large open kitchen stretches almost the length of the ground floor, giving ample opportunity to see the well-run culinary operation; there’s less bustle in the mezzanine, where white walls, splashes of copper paint and Velux windows allow natural light to flood the stylish, minimalist interior. Young, on-the-ball staff and an upbeat soundtrack add to the cheery vibe. The weekday menu focuses on contemporary sharing plates, from roasted mushrooms with artichokes, hollandaise, and parsley to larger servings of confit duck leg with celeriac and green peppercorn sauce, followed by desserts such as berry frangipane with lemon curd. On Sundays, the kitchen delivers what one reporter called ‘the best roast on the coast’ – aged beef, chicken or pork, plus an excellent cast of side dishes and ‘proper Sunday gravy served family style’. Factor in a pleasingly varied wine list, and you can see why Socius deserves its place in the top division of Norfolk dining.