I’ve always been a cafe person. In many ways cafes are my favourite drinking and eating places – think especially the wonderful cafes of Vienna, Paris and Turin, steeped in cultural and political history. But even at home, I’m a regular seeker of a morning coffee and croissant in a favourite cafe. So, it was pretty much esssential that I found a cafe in Worthing to satisfy my morning coffee craving. Yesterday I found the fabulous Malt Cafe, barely a 2-minute walk from my flat, where I had a great coffee and pain au chocolat.

Today, I joined my friend Tina who was meeting her son and family and some friends at Coast Cafe a little way eastwards along the seafront for breakfast.

I passed Coast on Thursday when I went for my first exploration of Worthing. I’d thought I could get an afternoon coffee but they closed at 3pm and I was just too late. Opening hours here are very different to London, which is worth bearing in mind, and many cafes close mid afternoon; most restaurants are closed on Sundays or open only for lunch. Tina – who has been staying at the Travelodge very close to my flat – and I walked down to Coast together. It was beautifully sunny and a gentler wind than yesterday, so not so cold. However, it was still a bit too cold for us to want to sit outside, but there is a good beachside eating area outside Coast (you can see in photo at top) as well as a fantastic playground at the back, which kept Tina’s granddaughter Rose happy for a while.

Inside there’s seating on the ground and first floors. It’s a cafe with a funky buzz to it, a great menu for cooked breakfasts and light lunches – but I was only after a flat white and croissant.

It was a great place to hang out for a couple of hours with a friendly atmosphere that encourages one to relax and stay a while.

We bid farewells and Tina and I walked back to my flat where she’d left her things. Then she set off home. It was almost lunchtime. I didn’t want to eat a big meal as I’m eating out tonight and decided to head back onto the seafront where a number of food shacks had popped up today. 

 

 

It’s been very quiet here in Worthing since my arrival but today is a little busier and the food shacks, previously shuttered up, have opened for the weekend visitors. I’d seen The Shellfish Shack this morning which sold, amongst other things, crab sandwiches. Really, that had to be the perfect light lunch.

 I ordered  a crab sandwich and some prosecco. I rarely drink at lunchtime … but I am on holiday.

I sat at a bench by the shack sitting on the edge of the pebbly beach. Despite a few clouds, the sun was shining and all was blissful with my world as I tucked into my lunch.

My timing turned out to be perfect too. The weather has changed very quickly from sun to rain over the past couple of days. Now the sudden change brought a darkening sky and flurries of snow, almost hail, whipping around me. Luckily I wasn’t far from the flat, but nice as it is, more inviting was the nearness of Malt Cafe. So I decided to make my second visit for a coffee.

It was busy inside; well, it was lunchtime. They have a good lunchtime menu but I’d had my crab sandwich. However, I couldn’t resist a slice of carrot cake.

Their coffee is excellent and the cake was amazing. A guy sitting next to me, waiting for his partner to join him, took a look and decided he had to have a slice too. I ended up having a nice chat with the couple who recommended some things to do in Worthing while I’m here.

The photo below is from yesterday morning when I got there early and it was much quieter. It’s an attractive artisan cafe, fabulously welcoming staff, and a great place to have discovered. They’re open on Sunday too, so I shall be back tomorrow.

I’ve found some great places to eat and drink during the short time I’ve been in Worthing. When I booked the flat here – seeking a short seaside escape – I hadn’t much idea what I was coming to. But it’s turned out that Worthing is delightful.