Looking for great fish and chips in Cromer?

 
Annoyingly, we visited Cromer just before the Norfolk seaside town’s famous crab season really kicked in. Crab may not have been on the menu, but fish and chips definitely was.

Recommendations from two separate people meant No1 Cromer was at the top of our list. Since opening in 2013, it’s been a popular place: a collaboration between celebrity chef Galton Blackiston and Spencer Gray, who founded Cromer Shellfish at just 17 years old.

The imposing blue building overlooks the North Sea, giving great views from inside. Downstairs, there’s a takeaway and a fish and chip restaurant. Upstairs there’s a restaurant with many of the same dishes, plus additional specials from head chef Matty Adcock.
 

 
We chose to eat downstairs, where the blue-hued decor and views through the windows certainly gave the place a nautical vibe.
 

 
The menu is mostly what you’d expect from a chippy – and the prices are pretty reasonable, too. There are some more novel additions, though, one of which I ordered myself…

The classic haddock and chips (£15.50) certainly looked good. I was told it tasted just as good, too. While the batter looked very light in colour it was crisp and full of flavour. The traditional chip shop chips were beautiful (and generous). The portion was decent for the money, too – if there was one small complaint, it would be that the fish could have been a little less greasy.
 

 
I really, REALLY loved the presentation of the child’s meal. Kids have six different options on their menu, from the classic fish and chips to a mushy pea fritter and chips, all priced at £8 per meal. Portions are generous, and have the same great quality as the adult meals. Again, the batter on the fish was a little greasy, but he demolished a huge amount of it.

The big highlight for the small person was the fact that his meal arrived with a bucket and spade for him to keep! It’s a great touch, and he’s been treasuring his blue branded goodies ever since!
 

 
A few days before we set off for Cromer, I’d asked a Norfolk-born friend for recommendations for places to visit. No1 Cromer was on her list. “I think the cockle popcorn is still on the menu…”, she wrote, and after reading that, I knew what I had to order.

It’s a starter from their menu, priced at £8.50, and I ordered it with a £4 side of chips. And it’s a dish I’d happily order again and again. The bowl was piled high with a mound of the juicy, breaded, deep-fried molluscs. They had plenty of flavour on their own, but the chilli vinegar and lime wedge were the perfect accompaniments. Absolutely incredible.
 

 
Would I head back? Definitely. The service we received was pretty mixed: some servers fantastic, others possibly requiring a bit more training. The food, though, was delicious. After a bracing walk along the beach, there’s nothing quite like good fish and chips to reenergise. And at No1 Cromer, good fish and chips is definitely on the menu.