The places we'd actually point friends, family and guests towards, from Italian dinners in the centre of town to brunch in Thornton.
There are plenty of places to eat around Cleveleys, but these are the ones we'd actually point friends, family and guests towards.
From Italian dinners in the centre of town to brunch in Thornton and one of our favourite restaurants on the Fylde Coast, these are the places worth having on your list.
Cleveleys itself has a good mix of restaurants, cafés, bakeries, pubs and proper seaside fish and chips, while a few of the places we rate most highly are only a short distance away in neighbouring Thornton.
If you're planning the rest of your stay too, start with our Ultimate Guide to Cleveleys.
Here are our favourites.
Where to eat in Cleveleys: our quick picks
If you don't want to read the whole guide before choosing somewhere, this is the short version:
For Italian: Pulcinella
For something contemporary: Dolce Blush
For a special occasion: Twelve Restaurant
For food by the sea: The Venue
For brunch: Bowl & Beck
For fish and chips: Kay's Fish & Chips or Fish Loves Chips
For drinks afterwards: Backstage or Greedy Banker
Pulcinella – for an Italian dinner
Pulcinella is one of the places we'd recommend when you want a proper sit-down dinner without travelling far.
It's an established Italian restaurant on Bispham Road in Cleveleys, with a relaxed atmosphere and a menu built around regional Italian cooking.
Alongside pizza and familiar pasta dishes, you'll find seafood, meat dishes and handmade pasta.
It's smart enough to feel like you've properly gone out for dinner without becoming overly formal, which makes it a good option for couples, families and groups.
One to look out for is whatever handmade pasta is available when you visit. The menu changes, but pasta and seafood are two of the things particularly worth checking before deciding what to order.
Good for: Italian food, dinner, couples and groups.
Dolce Blush – for brunch, dinner and cocktails
Dolce Blush on Bispham Road has more of a contemporary restaurant and café-bar feel.
It's the sort of place that works across different parts of the day rather than being purely an evening restaurant, with food, cocktails and a more modern setting.
That makes it particularly useful when you want somewhere that can move naturally from dinner into drinks without changing venue.
Good for: Brunch, cocktails, dinner and a contemporary atmosphere.
Twelve Restaurant – for a special meal
A short drive into Thornton takes you to Twelve Restaurant at Marsh Mill Village, and this is one of our favourites when we want somewhere a little more special.
Twelve focuses on modern British cooking using seasonal produce, and the menu changes regularly rather than staying fixed throughout the year.
The restaurant has received recognition including a Michelin Bib Gourmand and AA Rosettes, but it still feels like a local restaurant rather than somewhere overly formal.
This is the place we'd be most likely to choose for a birthday, anniversary or simply a dinner where the food is the main event.
If the Banana Butty is on the dessert menu when you visit, it's worth a look. Twelve has produced different versions of the dish over the years and it has become one of the more distinctive things associated with the restaurant.
Twelve can get booked up, particularly at weekends, so this is one we'd reserve rather than leave until the day.
Good for: Special occasions, modern British cooking and a longer dinner.
The Venue – for food beside the sea
The Venue sits directly on North Promenade and is the obvious choice on this list when you want the coast to be part of the meal.
It's a restaurant and bar rather than simply a seasonal seafront café, with food throughout the day and Sunday lunch as part of its offering.
The location is really the appeal here.
You can combine lunch or dinner with a walk along the northern stretch of Cleveleys promenade and towards Rossall Beach without needing to move the car.
Dog-friendly tables can also be requested when booking, although it's worth checking the current policy for the date you're visiting.
Good for: Sea views, Sunday lunch, families and dog-friendly tables.
Bowl & Beck – for brunch
For brunch or a slower morning, Bowl & Beck in nearby Thornton is one we'd have on the list.
It's an independent café and bar serving breakfast, brunch and lunch during the day, with drinks later in the week.
The menu leans towards the kind of food you actually want on a leisurely morning rather than a basic café breakfast.
One to try is the Bowl & Beck Bagel if it's still on the menu, with sausage, bacon, fried egg and onion-and-chilli jam.
If you're on the sweeter side of breakfast, keep an eye out for their French toast too.
Good for: Breakfast, brunch, coffee and slower mornings.
Where to get fish and chips in Cleveleys
Being beside the sea and not having fish and chips at least once would feel slightly wrong.
There are several choices around Cleveleys rather than one definitive answer.
Kay's Fish & Chips on Rough Lea Road is one of the established options close to the town centre.
Fish Loves Chips on Victoria Road West is another easy choice if you're already wandering through town.
Our preferred way to do fish and chips in Cleveleys is fairly simple: get them to take away and head towards the promenade if the weather behaves.
Just don't become too emotionally attached to any particular chip when the seagulls are around.
Where to go for a drink afterwards
Dinner doesn't necessarily have to be the end of the evening.
Backstage Cleveleys on Victoria Road West is one of the livelier options in town and regularly has live music.
It works well if you want somewhere with a bit more going on rather than simply another quiet drink.
Greedy Banker around Cleveleys Square occupies the former HSBC building and is another good option if you want to stay in town afterwards.
Both mean you can have dinner and drinks in Cleveleys without automatically heading into Blackpool.
Eating out with a dog in Cleveleys
Cleveleys is a very dog-friendly seaside town, so there are more options than you might initially expect.
The Venue is one of the clearest restaurant choices because dog-friendly tables can be requested when booking.
Other cafés, pubs and bars around the town also welcome dogs, particularly where outside seating is available.
Policies can change, though, so if taking your dog inside is essential we'd always check with the venue before setting off.
For beaches, walks and more places that welcome dogs, see our full dog-friendly guide to Cleveleys and the Fylde Coast.
Our perfect food day in Cleveleys
Morning
Start with brunch at Bowl & Beck before heading towards the coast.
Lunch
Keep it classic with fish and chips and, if the weather behaves, take them down towards the promenade.
Afternoon
Walk it off along the seafront, then stop somewhere for coffee or a drink on the way back.
Evening
Book Pulcinella for Italian food, or head to Twelve if you're making an occasion of it.
One last drink?
Finish at Backstage or Greedy Banker back in Cleveleys.
Do you need to book restaurants in Cleveleys?
For cafés, casual daytime food and fish and chips, generally not.
For an evening meal, we'd recommend booking, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights, bank-holiday weekends and during busy summer periods.
Twelve is definitely one to plan ahead for, while established evening restaurants such as Pulcinella are also worth reserving if you have a particular time in mind.
The same applies if you're travelling as a larger group. Finding a table for six or eight at short notice is naturally harder than finding somewhere for two.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some good restaurants in Cleveleys?
Pulcinella is a strong choice for Italian food, while Dolce Blush offers a more contemporary restaurant and cocktail-bar setting. The Venue is useful if you'd prefer to eat beside the coast, while Twelve in nearby Thornton is one of our favourites for a special meal.
Where can you eat with a sea view in Cleveleys?
The Venue sits directly on North Promenade overlooking the coast, making it one of the clearest choices if the setting matters as much as the meal.
Where can you get fish and chips in Cleveleys?
Kay's Fish & Chips and Fish Loves Chips are both close to Cleveleys town centre. Takeaway works particularly well because the promenade and beach are only a short walk from the main shopping streets.
Where is good for brunch near Cleveleys?
Bowl & Beck in nearby Thornton is one of our recommendations for brunch, breakfast and coffee, while Cleveleys itself also has plenty of cafés throughout the town centre.
Are there dog-friendly restaurants in Cleveleys?
Yes. The Venue allows dog-friendly tables to be requested when booking, and a number of cafés and bars around Cleveleys also welcome dogs. Individual policies can change, so check with the venue if indoor access with your dog is important.