Sole Bay Fish Company

In the past, it has faced floods, fire and the pandemic, but this photogenic gem on Southwold Harbour stands strong and seems to get better with every challenge – without losing any of its no-frills charm. A business that started in the early 2000s selling the family’s daily catch from a small shed, has matured into a characterful and wildly popular restaurant, bar, takeaway and fishmonger with plenty of canopied outdoor space, and fishing ephemera piled up to good effect. 

Come here for laden platters of Cromer crab or lobster with cockles, mussels and whelks (you can build your own combo), or chargrilled crevettes doused in lemon, garlic and ginger butter with a pot of chips and salad. Fillets of sea bass are cooked tenderly, and there’s enthusiastic praise for the fishcakes packed with cod, smoked haddock and prawns. Dessert could be as simple as a Mr Whippy with a flake or as hunger-busting as an ice-cream sundae with doughnuts, Maltesers and hot chocolate sauce. 

To drink? You’re a hop and a skip from Adnams Brewery, so maybe go for their Ghost Ship pale ale or Southwold Bitter. Booking is advisable for prime-time summer tables, and don’t miss their equally characterful sister-business, the Little Fish & Chip Shop, in Southwold itself.