Sheringham, set on the Deep History Coast, is a family friendly resort, with its own museum, heritage railway and lovely Blue Flag beach. The long High Street offers a mixture of independent and chain shops, and there’s been a real increase in the number of street food cafes opening.

What’s the cafe society like?

There is a great selection of cafes to work your way through. We like Trendie’s Beach Cafe, on the Prom, which is a great place to sit, enjoy a coffee and cake and watch the world go by. The toasties are good, and dogs are very welcome. (Find them on Facebook). The Sitting Room (www.thesittingroom.cafe) is just off the High Street and has a sunny south facing courtyard. The cakes and puddings are hard to resist here – we tried their Frutti di Bosco, an Italian dessert. Whelk Coppers Tearoom, again by the seafront and set in old fishermen’s cottages, is family run, with both outdoor dining space and cosy interiors as the weather turns – there’s a very welcoming woodburner. Enjoy all your favourite treats, from sandwiches to tray bakes – and dogs are welcome, too (www.whelkcoppers.com). Grey Seal Coffee (www.greysealcoffee.com) has a branch in the town with excellent locally roasted coffee.

Streat Boss (find them on Facebook) is great for big ‘set you up for the day’ breakfasts and has a lot of vegan and veggie options. Burgers, salads, hot baguettes and very good platters are on offer alongside your favourite drinks and more. It’s a very friendly place, with the new owner Rob Grand just about to celebrate his first anniversary in charge.

And for drinks?

You spot the coffee and cocktail bar, The Gangway (www.thegangway.co.uk), the minute you enter the town on Station Approach. There are big windows and plenty of outdoor space to enjoy more than 40 craft beers, lots of local spirits and a great cocktail list! There’s also a little takeaway coffee window, The Porthole, for grab and go options. Simple but welcome snacks are available, too, with a range of cakes catching the eye.

The Two Lifeboats, originally the town’s Fishermen’s Mission, (www.thetwolifeboatssheringham.co.uk), is known for its rum shack and gin palace alongside great seafood. Right on the seafront, you can enjoy a pint of real ale as you gaze out to sea. There are well furnished bedrooms on offer, too.

One of the hot new trendy places is Guac and Mole (find them on Facebook) which serves Tex Mex street food. Their shack has a prime position on the Prom and does a good line in cocktails, too. Think burgers, nachos and burritos with a touch of attitude. 

Family-run Fat Ted’s Streat Food (www.fatteds.com) has a super busy shack in a little yard off the High Street where you can find really tasty burgers, flatbreads and salad boxes – the spicy chicken burger is recommended alongside the dirty fries and nachos, of course. The portions are huge!

Stubby’s Pizza (www.stubbyspizza.co.uk) offers wood fired pizzas with some unusual toppings – think black pudding – alongside all the classics. Look out for firm favourites like garlic bread, olives, slaw and dough balls.

Any interesting foodie shops?

There’s a great butcher’s, Papworth’s, (www.papworthbutchers.co.uk) who are well known across Norfolk, with branches in other towns and an emphasis on quality produce from their own farms.

CA Seafoods (www.caseafoods.co.uk) is a well-established fishmonger, with a wide selection of shellfish, smoked fish and fresh fish. Look out for halibut, tuna steaks, razor clams and more.

Suffolk favourite Harris and James (www.harrisandjames.com) has a branch here, selling their award-winning chocolate treats, coffee and gelato. Look out for Spanish style churros – we say no more – while their cakes are on the naughty side of naughty!

Winibees (www.winibeesbakery.co.uk) is hard to miss with its pretty pink exterior. It’s run by husband and wife, Jimmy and Megan (who is ex-Hummingbird Bakery in Soho), and is named after their children, Barnaby and Winnie! Expect Oreo Cookie Pies, Caramel Cornflake Brownies and Biscoff Cookie Pies. 

The Chocolate Box (www.thechocolateboxsheringham.com) is a traditional sweet shop, whose windows are crammed with jars and jars of tempting treats which will take you on a trip down Memory Lane. Flying Saucer or a Cherry Lip anyone?! They do fun ‘decade’ boxes so you can relive your childhood with your favourite sweets and chocolate bars.

One to watch

Look out for the newly opened Fishmongers Tavern, a seafood restaurant with links to CA Seafoods in the town. The town hasn’t had a dedicated fish restaurant for many years so it’s sure to be a very welcome addition.

What’s nearby?

Rocky Bottoms (www.rockybottoms.net) at West Runton is run by the Matthews family, with husband Richard catching all the delicious seafood from his fishing boat, the Anna-Gail, while wife Alison prepares it. Set in an old brick kiln, this is a fabulous place which is justifiably popular. Their crab dishes are hard to beat. 

Three to try…

Reef Leisure Centre (www.everyoneactive.com) is a new leisure centre with good facilities, including a large pool, well equipped gym and wide selection of fitness classes on offer. There’s a lot for children to enjoy here. 

The heritage North Norfolk Railway (www.nnrailway.co.uk), also known as the Poppy Line, runs six miles to Holt, operating a mixture of steam and historic diesel locomotives almost every day between April and the end of October, with additional services in the school holidays. There’s a stop en route at Weybourne, which is lovely, plus outstanding views of the passing countryside and coastline. 

Look out for special events and their varied programme of dining trains on selected dates – think a Gin Train, Lunchtime Dining Trains or perhaps the Cream Tea or Fish & Chip Supper services. Their Christmas activities are always great fun, too.

Sheringham Little Theatre (www.sheringhamlittletheatre.com) is a terrific asset to the town, showing a mixture of leading films, its own panto (they’re doing Snow White this year), concerts, comedy performers and theatrical shows in its 160-seater auditorium. The cafe, The Hub, is recommended for its scones!

Want to know more?

www.experiencesheringham.com is packed with useful info and advice.