We visited Norfolk’s Edge with two friends in tow, having promised them a whistle-stop tour of the county’s delights.

We’d enjoyed a stroll around Thurne Mill, through farmland and past village churches, made plenty of Alan Partridge references and stopped for a drink at the Lion. Boxes were fast being ticked.

Onto lunch. Perched next to Winterton beach and serving up food from four airstream trailers, Norfolk’s Edge seemed like a good bet.

It’s run by Alex Clare, former EDP chef of the year and previously of the popular Ingham Swan, and its menu is fine dining meets beachside picnic. We were excited to dig in.

We picked a main each and sides to share, with two lots of the charred steak with truffle and Parmesan fries and chive mayonnaise (£13) arriving first.

Perfectly pink slices of steak with charred edges were tender and juicy, sat on top of crispy, earthy fries. All were dunked in the chive mayonnaise, comfortingly satisfying in the fresh sea air and a deserved reward after our walk.

Across the table was a bowl (the dishes come in street food-style tubs) of the crispy boneless chicken breast bites (£10), encased in a well-spiced crumb with a mild kick of heat.

Though one or two of the smaller bites sailed close to being dry, they were in the minority.

The Brancaster mussels in a white wine sauce with leeks (£12) were stand-out good – plump and fresh, while the sauce (always the best part) was beautifully buttery and rich, and fast mopped up with chips.

We shared the salty-meets-sweet charred halloumi and pomegranate salad, given a kick by peppery rocket, (£7), but a highlight, and my favourite, were the garlic and parsley prawns (£7) – plump, meaty and deliciously garlicky.

I’d have mopped up the bowl if bread had been to hand.

Spurred on by the meal so far, we shared three desserts (£4) each – sticky toffee pudding, Biscoff cheesecake and chocolate mousse.

The airy, velvety chocolate mousse came up trumps for me, but each was someone’s winner.

A special mention goes to the sticky toffee, which, reliably warming, was the ideal pairing for the surroundings.

There’s something about eating by the sea, windswept by the salty coastal breeze, which heightens food like this, encouraging you to really dig in.

It’s the sort of hankering for something hearty you might get after a swim.

Content, we paid up and headed home for a mid-afternoon nap, with two suitably impressed visitors and another, admittedly newly-discovered, must-do Norfolk box ticked.

Setting

Pretty hard to beat. We went on a warm, sunny day, and while it’s more weather dependent than other venues, it’s well worth the experience.

Enjoy lunch there after a beach date, take the family for a day out or stop by after a dog walk.

Service

Friendly and helpful. You order at one airstream and collect from another. We didn’t have much of a wait for food, but on busier days I can imagine they get busy.

Drinks

A good range of soft and hot drinks.

Value

Not bad – it’s certainly not picnic by the beach prices, but then neither is the quality. It’s fine dining in a laid back setting, and we felt it was a fair price.

Toilets

There are the Winterton beach car park toilets.

Parking

Given it’s next to Winterton beach car park, there’s loads of it. It’s £1.50 an hour or £7 for the day.

Highlight

The setting. There are few places in Norfolk – or further afield – you can go to enjoy great food in such a brilliant setting. Alex is onto a winner.

Norfolk’s Edge, Winterton beach car park, 07796001214 or info@norfolksedge.co.uk

If you like that, try this

Wells-next-the-beach Café – Another place to grab a bite to eat in a stunning setting. It’s a stone’s throw from the sandy beach and ideal for a pit stop before or after heading out on a walk.

Ingham Swan – Given Alex spent the majority of his career at the Swan, it seems only fair to give it a mention. Think fine dining celebrating local ingredients in an idyllic country pub setting.

Fisherman’s Return – If Winterton tickles your fancy, try the 300-year-old Fisherman’s Return, which serves up classic pub grub and plenty of local seafood.