Full English Breakfast on a plate

Where to eat: food options on Holy Island (Lindisfarne)

Holy Island has a variety of food options for breakfast and lunch and dinner, but you are advised to book ahead for dinners, especially during high season.

BREAKFAST / LUNCH OPTIONS ON HOLY ISLAND

Holy Island has a number of cafes that serve breakfast, lunch and snacks, as well as great coffee and cakes. The pubs noted further below also serve hot lunches.

1ST Class Food

The café serves breakfast, great cakes and coffees as well as heartier fare. The outdoor seating area is great for people-watching and is a bit of a sun trap. Opens at 9am.
Update (2021): No longer open Sundays.

Pilgrims Coffee House

A modern coffee shop on Holy Island, which serves great coffee (roasted on site), scones and home-made cakes. Gluten-free and non-dairy milks available. This café tends to close for low season. Opening times vary. Their website has opening times by date. 

Chare Ends Cafe

Newly opened in 2023, Chare Ends Cafe offers great coffee, sandwiches and breakfast as well as seafood and ice cream. Open seven days a week from 9am.

The Island Shack

Located next to the mead shop, the Island Shack serves fresh local crab sandwiches, a selection of other sandwiches and toasties, Aberdeen Angus 1/4 pounder burgers, hotdogs, chips, sweet potato fries cold/hot drinks and various sweet treats. Located next to the Winery’s gift shop, with outside tables.

*** The two pubs below also serve lunch ***

DINNER OPTIONS ON HOLY ISLAND

Important note about dinner on Holy Island

During high season (April to September, and more recently October), you are advised to always make a reservation for your dinner, or you might end up being turned away for lack of space. Some visitors ignore this advice, assuming that if they can’t get a table somewhere they’ll just go to a cafe or some fast food place, or even a shop. There aren’t any on Holy Island at dinner time, and if the tide is in, you’ll see them wandering the village hungry, trying to figure out what to do and where it all went wrong. Don’t be one of those guys. Book your dinner place in advance. Phone numbers are provided below.

The Crown and Anchor

The Market Place, Fenkle Street, Holy Island, TD15 2RX (01289 389215)
Website: https://www.holyislandcrown.co.uk/restaurant-menu/

The locals’ local. offers a wide variety of excellent meals, including locally caught fish. Beer garden to the side of the property and dedicated dining room at the back of the pub. They also offer takeaway meals, but it’s best to ring ahead to check if they can accommodate your order, as they don’t always have enough capacity to prepare takeaways.

The Ship Inn

Marygate, Holy Island, TD15 2SJ (01289 389311)
Website: https://www.theshipinn-holyisland.co.uk/bar-shipinn/

A traditional pub with olde-world charm, which has a dedicated dining room and a beer garden to the back. Food options include a variety of fish and local produce on their a la carte menu. They also offer local beers, as well as Holy Island’s local 793 gin and vodka, which are made onsite.

Manor House Hotel

Church Lane, Holy Island, TD15 2RX (01289 389207)
Website: https://manorhouseholyisland.com/#dine

The former Manor House on Holy Island. The kitchen serves traditional food and has a dedicated restaurant (“The Priory”) – and bar that also serves food.

TAKEAWAY OPTIONS ON HOLY ISLAND

The Crown & Anchor pub

The Crown & Anchor offers a takeaway service if it has capacity (2021’s visitor numbers have made this challenging). It is highly recommended that you ring ahead on the day (01289 389215).

The Ship Inn

Started offering some of their menu as takeaway. It’s best to ring ahead, to ensure they can accommodate your order.

Various food vans

During high season, you’ll find food vans during the day in the main car park and on the road to the castle. They include seafood/crab sandwiches as well as fish and chips. Opening times depend on tides.

DINNER OPTIONS CLOSE TO HOLY ISLAND

These are obviously only viable if tide times allow it. 

The Barn at Beal

Beal Farm, Beal. TD15 2PB (01289 540044)
Website: http://barnatbeal.com/restaurant-coffee-shop/

Just across the water from the island, the Barn at Beal is converted barn, with great views over the causeway to Holy Island. This option has a great bar area (Bothy Bar) as well as dedicated restaurant with a large variety of meals to choose from. The views towards Holy Island are gorgeous. As always, check tide times before booking.Times below are subject to change.

Breakfast and lunch

Monday – Thursday
Breakfast 9.30am – 11.30am, Lunch 11.30am – 3pm.

Friday – Saturday
Breakfast 9.30am – 11.30am, Lunch 11.30am – 4.45pm.

Sunday
Breakfast 9.30am – 11.30am, Lunch 11.30am – 3pm.

Sunday Roast available every Sunday

Dinner

Friday and Saturday 5pm – 8.30pm

The Lindisfarne Inn

West Mains, Beal. TD15 2DE (01289 381223)
Website: https://www.inncollectiongroup.com/lindisfarne-inn/restaurant/

The Lindisfarne Inn is the nearest mainland pub to the Island. It is located next to the junction of the A1 and the road to Holy Island. Please check tide times before booking.

SUPERMARKETS AND FOOD DELIVERIES (FOR SELF CATERING VISITORS)

Supermarkets

If you are staying in self-catering accommodation, the supermarkets with the most choice in the area are Tesco in Berwick-upon-Tweed, about 25 minutes drive from the Island (postcode, TD15 2XG) and Morrisons in Berwick (30 minutes, postcode: TD15 1UQ). There is also a Marks & Spencer (25 minutes, postcode: TD15 2AS) and Asda (25 minutes, TD15 2DS).

Tesco, Morrisons and Asda also deliver to the Island. If you order from them, make sure to check tide times for your order slot.

Tesco orders: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/

Morrisons orders: https://groceries.morrisons.com/

Asda orders: https://groceries.asda.com/

Supermarkets on Sundays and bank holidays: if you are staying on the island and need a supermarket run outside of the limited opening hours on Sundays, you can venture into Scotland where opening hours are much longer. Equally, on bank holidays such as Easter Sunday when everything is closed in England, Scotland’s supermarkets often keep normal opening times.

The two large supermarkets on the other side of the border are Asda in Dunbar and Sanisbury’s in Kelso, each about 50 minutes drive from Holy Island.

Mobile butcher

The butcher’s van from R. Carter & Son visits every Thursday. Place your order on Wednesdays on 01668 214344.

LOOKING TO STAY ON HOLY ISLAND?

Come stay with us at Belvue Guesthouse. All our rooms are en suite and designed to the highest standard with hotel-quality linen, fluffy towels, luxury toiletries, fast wifi and free parking. Find out more and book online here.