☕🌊 Movement Monday: A Brisk Walk, A Sea Breeze, and a Proper Treat at The Dip, Felixstowe
Movement Monday rolls round again — that weekly ritual where we all pretend we’re outdoorsy types who love fresh air, rather than people who would happily stay indoors with a brew. Still, Old Felixstowe’s promenade does make the whole thing easier. Big skies, salty air, and the promise of something warm and caffeinated at the end of it.
Now, I should confess something. I have a perfectly functional beach hut. With a kettle. And coffee. And a chair that doesn’t judge me.
I could have made my own drink and sat there like a smug seaside hermit. But in the true spirit of Movement Monday realism, I walked the full 100ft to The Dip. A heroic effort, I’m sure you’ll agree. Practically an expedition. Someone alert the Ramblers Association.
I’ve been visiting The Dip ever since that fateful day my wife bought a beach hut on a whim — a decision that still divides opinion in the household every time East Suffolk Council send the bill. I mean, I have an allotment with the same size shed and actual land for about £80 a year. Meanwhile, the beach hut — also a shed, let’s be honest — comes with too many zeros after the £ and absolutely no land whatsoever. But it’s ours, apparently, and it does mean I’ve spent enough summers on this stretch of Felixstowe to call it home.
And it’s not just a summer thing. Back in November, on one of those pre‑Christmas wanders where you pretend you’re “getting fresh air” but really you’re justifying a hot drink, I stopped at The Dip and it was exactly what you want from a seaside kiosk that refuses to hibernate — warm, welcoming, and quietly dependable even when the sea is doing its best impression of a washing machine.
We stopped by again today, and The Dip reminded me why it’s one of the best little seaside kiosks on the Suffolk coast — right up there with Karon’s Kiosk on the main Felixstowe prom, which has been my unofficial summer residence for years. Before that, it was Suzie’s, where Suzie and John, and later Karon and Martin, quietly notched my son’s heights on the serving hatch as they grew from babies to teenagers — now well over 6ft. Between the coffee, the sea air, and the accidental family history carved into these kiosks, this bit of Felixstowe is stitched into our lives. So much so that one of my sons really ought to have a blue plaque on the house saying he was born here.
Today’s visit was classic Dip: a proper black coffee and a slice of coffee cake — the sort of pairing that makes you briefly consider abandoning all responsibilities and staring at the sea like a Victorian poet with a caffeine dependency. And with that view? Who wouldn’t.
The Dip is one of those rare places that gets the basics right without trying to reinvent the wheel. Fully accessible (pushchairs, wheelchairs, wandering relatives — all welcome), right next to public loos, and run by people who understand that good food and a good view don’t need gimmicks. Just competence, kindness, and a kettle that never stops.
What they’re serving
Hot drinks
Soft drinks
Sandwiches and paninis
Cakes — the important bit
Exactly what you want when you’ve walked far enough to feel virtuous but not far enough to refuse cake.
❄️ Winter Opening Hours
Mon: 10:00 – 3:00
Tues/Weds/Thurs: CLOSED
Fri: 10:00 – 3:00
Sat: 10:00 – 4:00
Sun: 10:00 – 4:00
So if you’re planning to get your steps in tomorrow, make sure your route includes a stop at The Dip. Support a cracking local business, warm your hands on a proper drink, and remind yourself that winter walks are infinitely better when there’s cake at the end.
