Wine Bar Wells Next The Sea

Let’s be honest: Wells Next The Sea is already a show-off. It’s got that golden, sandy beach you have to walk a mile across marsh to reach (which feels like a very smug pilgrimage), a picturesque quay with pastel-coloured houses that look like they know they’re photogenic, and a fish-and-chip shop that people would likely wrestle a seal for. But recently, the town has added one more string to its bow – a bow you can lean against while sipping a very good Malbec. I’m talking, of course, about The Wine Bar.

Tucked away on Station Road, this place isn’t trying to be a slick, London-style “wine experience” where you pay £15 for three almonds. No, no. It’s much nicer than that. It’s the kind of place where the first thing you notice isn’t the wine list – it’s the warm, slightly dusty-sunlight feeling of the room. Think old wooden floors, mismatched chairs that look like they’ve been rescued from a very stylish great-aunt’s attic, and shelves lined with bottles that seem to wink at you as you walk by. It feels like a secret you’re delighted to have stumbled upon.

Now, the wine. Oh, the wine. They don’t mess about. The list is a curated love letter to small producers. You won’t find a giant plastic list of everything under the sun; instead, you’ll see a chalkboard and a charmingly printed menu that changes faster than North Norfolk weather. I asked the owner for a recommendation – “something light but with a bit of cheek” – and I was presented with a Gruner Veltliner that tasted like green apples had a holiday in the Alps. Glory. They also do cheese plates that are so good you’ll momentarily forget you have a mortgage to pay. The Stilton, the chutney, the crackers… it’s a serious operation disguised as a casual snack.

And the crowd? It’s a lovely mix. You’ll get sailing types in proper yellow wellies who’ve just come off the water, looking very salty and worldly. Then there’s the dog-walking posse, huddled around a table with pups sleeping under their chairs (the dogs, not the posse – though, you never know). And then there’s you, pretending to read a book while secretly people-watching and trying to figure out how to get the Gruner Veltliner home in your handbag.

Wells Next The Sea-GLOBE INN, The Buttlands NR23 1EU (Aug2… | Flickr

Pro tip: If the weather is being kind, snag a table outside. You can watch the world – and the occasional confused tourist with a map – go by while you sip something chilled. It’s basically a masterclass in unwinding. Also, don’t be shy to ask for a nibble to go with your glass; they do a mean plate of olives that are so plump and garlicky they could probably negotiate a small truce.

So here’s the thing. You’ve walked the long beach, you’ve seen the seals, and you’ve bought the obligatory bag of fudge. Now it’s time to sit down, take a breath, and let the day settle around you like a good wine. Wells Next The Sea already had the beach, the marsh, and the charm. Now it has a place to savour all of that. Go. Find your favourite wall. Lean against it. Drink the cheeky Gruner. You’ve earned it, you salty, windswept, happy thing.