Let’s move to Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex | Money | The Guardian

(This is something that I wrote on theguardian.com.)

There might not be “artisan” bread but there is Lilley’s, the bakers on Portobello Road, tucked behind Tesco. Fresh bread and cakes made on the premises every day, plus great eggs, Tiptree jams, etc.

Other highlights not mentioned…

The Naze Tower is my favourite of the three cafes at the Naze - always friendly service, sandwiches, cakes, baked potatoes, etc. Eat in the tower (which also contains an art gallery and, of course, a great view) or on the picnic benches outside

The best options for dinner, in my experience, are Samui Thai - a friendly, family run place with lots of veggie options (and happy to do things vegan) - or The Victory pub which does delicious, well made food. The Victory also does lunches (book for Sunday).

Emma’s Cakes is probably the smartest place on the High Street, and the place to go for your cupcake fix.

The volunteer-run Maritime Museum is open 2-4pm during the season, and is in the old 19th century lifeboat house, and worth a look.

You can walk from the Naze around the coast, and all along the curving sea wall, looking out over the Backwaters, right into town. A shame that the far end deposits you in the middle of some light industrial units and a collection of litter. But you are then only a short walk beside a car park to get to…

… a brand new Aldi and, next to it, presumably to make Frintonians jealous, a Marks & Spencer food hall.

While Frinton is an easy joke, it’s a lovely walk along the front, or the clifftop, to get to it and there are interesting shops there, such as Caxton Books, Great Danes, Number 24 Art Deco shop, lots of charity shops, and the St Helena Hospice charity bookshop and (over the road) its CD/DVD/musical-instrument shop. Plus great food at places like the Hat And The Mouse, and coffee and food at the Bird & Bean.

But then, of course, you will make your way back to Walton, to “keep it real”.

See on theguardian.com.