The story
No 1 Cromer delivers refined seafood cooking to the Norfolk coast through a partnership that blends local heritage with professional expertise. Spencer Gray built his first business off the water at seventeen, drawing on a family fishing lineage that dates back to 1842. He later joined forces with Michelin-starred chef Galton Blackiston to transform a traditional chip shop into a recognised culinary destination. This collaboration earned them a place in The Good Food Guide, where critics praised the shift from casual takeaway counter to structured dining.
The kitchen anchors its menu around daily catches of fresh seafood pulled directly from the North Sea. A standout starter features salmon poached precisely at forty degrees Celsius, resting in a miso broth alongside a cured egg yolk and crisp teriyaki flakes. Battered skate arrives cooked to exact standards, served with house-made tartare sauce and miniature pans of mint-infused mushy peas. Staff prepare gluten-free batter on request and cook exclusively with a palm-oil-free rapeseed blend.
Large picture windows frame the tempestuous coastline, allowing diners to watch the tide roll past while they eat. The ground floor retains a lively chip-shop energy for walk-in customers, while the upper level offers a quieter environment with wooden flooring and sea-blue painted walls. Grey-blue timber bars anchor both spaces, creating a relaxed backdrop for holidaymakers seeking British coastal cuisine. Private functions and large parties can reserve the dining room, though guests should note the venue reaches it via stairs without lift access.
Recognition
Details
History
Galton Blackiston (of Morston Hall fame) picked a peach of a location when he took over a traditional chippie in 2013 and turned it into a high-class fish and chips restaurant. Big picture windows on both floors give superb views of the often tempestuous North Sea and Cromer pier. Summertime crowds stretch down the street, with holidaymakers eager to grab a takeaway. Small wonder, as the fish and chips here are a rare delight. There are tables for walk-ins downstairs, while the (bookable) upstairs dining room is a tad classier, with wooden flooring, sea-blue walls and a grey-blue wooden bar. Here, a couple of specials also soar above the chip-shop norm: a thick, succulent square of salmon (poached at 40°C) was expertly presented in a miso broth and topped with an appetisingly viscous cured egg yolk and a spear of crisp teriyaki ‘jerky’ – a marvellous starter, though perhaps wasabi might have better substituted for the dabs of coriander and avocado purée. To follow, battered skate was cooked with pinpoint accuracy (not easy with skate) and accompanied by satisfyingly thick chips and a miniature saucepan of mushy peas topped with a big spoonful of mint sauce. Don’t forget to order a generous pot of creamy homemade tartare sauce (served gratis). There’s ice cream for pudding, but the special of lemon-sherbet Eton mess comes highly recommended: an indulgent blend of tartness, sweetness and creamy, crunchy chewiness. A brief wine list (from £22) is supplemented by local cider and Galton’s own-label bottled bitter (from a Norfolk brewery), which makes an ideal companion to deep-fried food. Staff are bright and breezy, as was the Cromer weather in late April when we visited – thankfully, though, they’re a great deal warmer.
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
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