News and Features

What's Hot in Weston-super-Mare?

It might seem a bit macabre to travel to Weston-super-Mare just to see the burned down pier, so why not take a look at our suggestions for making a day of it, incorporating surprisingly good food and the best of the Winter outdoors, with recommendations from guest writer Michãela Deasy-Smith

The Grand Pier at Weston super Mare has become unlikely tourist attraction since the devastating fire on 28th July.  It was the last of the great pleasure piers, first opened in 1904, with the pavilion completed in 1933 and hailed a huge success, with the advent of affordable railway travel opening up the idea of a seaside trip or even a short holiday to those who could not previously have travelled. 

With the tourists came another emerging trend – for fish and chips, thought to have originated from French (the chips) and Jewish (the deep fried fish) cuisines combining, with the first ever fish and chip shop opened in London in 1860 (and we thought fusion cuisine was contemporary!). 

Weston is still famous for it’s fish and chips today, and in our opinion no-one does it better than Papas.  I hadn’t eaten there for a while, so to make sure it still deserves its reputation I took the family. I arrived at peak time with my parents, in-laws and  children on one of the busiest days of the year, the beach bike race.  To add more pressure we were on a strict time limit to feed the girls before delivering them to The Playhouse to star in a ballet show (well OK, appear for 5 minutes as very cute pumpkins in Cinderella – but they were certainly our stars).  The friendly waitress moved tables to seat us together, amid an atmosphere that was buzzing with cheerful banter between the staff and customers, Adam Papas himself often popped out to say hello to regulars, one older lady told me “it’s like coming home to a big family”.  The food was as good as ever, both fish and chips cooked to perfection.  Behind the scenes the kitchen was spotless, well deserving of the 5 star ‘scores on the doors’ award they have recently been awarded.

But don’t be fooled by the clichés, Weston has more to offer than fish and chips

Weston-super-Mare has a growing clutch of foodie delights, some of the best just a short walk from the Grand Pier in Grove Village.  

For relaxed home cooked and fresh food we recommend The Alasia.  Tucked away in the historical area of Grove Village, The Alasia brings a new concept of gluten free dining to Weston. Co-owner and restaurant manager, Michãela Deasy-Smith says “Food is digested better if it’s eaten in a relaxed, unhurried environment.  We like to give our customers time to chat and really enjoy their food. We explain the ingredients and guests are encouraged to ask questions about our menu. They are welcome to pick and choose from any section of the menu, we even have a pudding club.”   

The Alasia menu features a range of cooking styles, all freshly and prepared daily. All suppliers are carefully chosen and The Alasia's uniqueness is preserved by choosing items that you cannot buy in the supermarket including their newly sourced Gluten Free Beer from St Peter's Brewery.  Pork, for example, is sourced from The Ladies Well Herd of…Gloucester Old Spots at nearby Hutton (click here for their story).  “Everything swine we find sublime”.

Michãela moved to England from Australia nine years ago, and while she hasn’t set out to recreate an Australian café in Weston, you can't help but feel that really welcoming style which Australians are well known for. Michãela is also Ceoliac and has a dairy allergy and cannot imagine owning and running a restaurant that wasn't Coeliac friendly.

The menu features a blend of English and European dishes as well as “bringing a little bit of Australia to Weston. We travelled a lot over the years and we have brought a little bit of everywhere we have been into our first restaurant”.

Specials when I visited included gourmet burgers; home made beef & Stilton, venison with cranberry & Brie and spicy bean burger with home made lime mayonnaise, all served Australian style on an open bun, with side salad and fries.  The Alasia specialises gluten free and dairy free food and also is very conscious about providing good choices for their vegetarian clients.

Michaela has Coeliac Disease and was diagnosed in 2004. Her intimate knowledge of this very special diet has proven very popular with clients who are also Coeliac, or following a gluten free and or dairy free diet. The Alasia mission statement says it all – “We are gluten free and dairy free wherever possible without compromising on taste”.

“As a coeliac I know how important it is for anyone with dietary restrictions to know exactly how their food is prepared and what goes into it” says Michãela, “we are always happy to chat to customers about a particular dish and can reassure them that we understand the importance of using separate cooking areas and utensils.” 

Some of the best recommendations come from the restaurateurs themselves, so as a former writer and broadcast journalist we asked Michãela to take us on her own foodie trail around Weston.

Click here to see Michaela’s Foodie Trail

For a special occasion try Duets

This hidden gem was recommended to us by Adam Papas.  Up on the hill above Weston, away from the bustle of the town, in Worlebury, Sean and Lyn O’Flaherty welcome you to the restaurant they have run for 21 years, where many of the customers are regulars they have got to know well over the years. 

Duets aim to create a relaxed, intimate atmosphere perfect for special occasions. Sean does all the cooking himself and uses local produce wherever possible, specialising in game and fish dishes. The Christmas menu features breast of Quantock pheasant, fillets of black bream, rack of Exmoor lamb, loin of Sherbourne estate venison and my own favourite, Lyme Bay scallops - what a difficult choice!

There is always a fish specials board, Sean speaks to his fish supplier to find out what is good at market on the day, before using his culinary skills to create a mix of simply prepared fish and more exotic combinations. 

What to see and do

For peace and reflection walk from West Street to Jill Dando’s garden in Grove Park.  Created by the BBC’s ground force, as ‘a sensory garden, full of vibrant colour, with the muted sounds of a foaming fountain, it is a fitting tribute to Weston’s most famous daughter.

If you prefer wind and waves we suggest the far end of the beach towards Uphill, it’s quieter, easier to park and at high tide you can often watch the intrepid kite surfers – one of Englands most modern (and injury prone!) sports.

For a really good walk, climb to the top of Brean Down, explore the fort and enjoy magnificent views in all directions across Somerset, Wales and Devon.  It’s a bit of an awkward drive from the town, but it’s worth it.  You can park on the beach if you like and the sand is hard enough to ride bikes on.  Running along behind my children on a Sunday morning is a safe, stress free and natural way to build up an appetite!

Do some shopping on the way home

Those that owe their living to the intricacies of supermarket merchandising and pricing, working for the big brands that are forever vying with their competitors to get more products on more supermarket shelves, hold Weston super Mare on high.  It is on of few small/medium sized towns which has all 4 major multiples – Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons – and it’s consumer demographics are considered a reflection of the UK as a whole.  Hence what is happening here is generally a good indicator of what is happening countrywide.  We urge you, however, to drive past these out-of-town developments to the M5 junction and instead of heading home, cross the motorway and stop at Puxton Park. 

Puxton Farm Shop is an ideal destination for gifts and special occasion shopping. The butchers, deli counter and fruit and veg sections are full of top quality fresh, local produce, with an emphasis on premium and unusual items.  This week wild rabbit, brussel sprouts on stalks and Somerset camembert caught my eye.  In the lead up to Christmas the butcher’s will stock a full range of turkeys, game and geese and the deli will offer speciality cheeses, including two of my favourites – the cheese dartboard and hotwheels.  Look out for some unusual versions of the traditional Christmas pudding, e.g. rum & double cream and apple, cider & calvados.  Customers can put together their own hampers, choosing form a range of basket sizes priced from £7 to £25, selecting any products from the shop.

Also on site is a huge children’s play barn and Meadows restaurant, offering freshly prepared local food.