Craig’s By the Sea, Marske

One of our favourite things is to walk along a blustery beach at Marske on the east coast north of Whitby, before heading to Craig’s for breakfast or lunch. Marske is a quiet seaside town, not much bothered by visitors, but when, Christopher and Ruth Laing arrived from Edinburgh to open Craig’s by the Sea, they brought something special. In particular Chris’s amazing patisserie skills, his fab sourdough loaves and his signature black, cast iron breakfast skillets filled with bacon, sausage, black pudding, tomato and poached egg.

This is primarily a daytime café but it’s not any old caf.  There is an ever-changing menu that might feature shakshukah with yoghurt and flaked almonds, bao bread with Thai sausage, mutton tagine with apricot, dill and pomegranate or miso cabbage and squash hummus. A favourite of ours is brioche fried in tomato butter topped with sliced, roasted tomatoes with whipped goat’s cheese alongside. Our own lockdown banana bread was never like Craig’s, a warm, sticky slice with salted caramel sauce and topped with a poached pear, sweet dukkah and cream. They’ve now added dinner, served a couple of times a month with a more sophisticated menu and there are always cakes and bread to take home.  We think Craig’s is simply fabulous.

Do note the opening hours: Closed Mon/Tue. Wed-Sat 9-2pm Sun 9pm, Sun 10-2pm