Harleston Restaurant Guide

This “brilliant and deservedly popular” pub – a former guildhall dating from circa 1500 – serves an “interesting menu” from chef-patron Paul Yaxley that is “exceptional value for the quality and service provided (lunch is an absolute steal)”, along with its own beer, ‘Goose Juice’. “The front-of-house has become considerably slicker since the last review”. Top Menu Tip – “duck rillettes with pickled mushrooms, peanut and tamarind flapjack”.

“An excellent gastropub” on the edge of Norwich run for 10 years by chef-patron Daniel Smith, who also owns the Ingham Swan (the memorable name is left over from its 1990s incarnation as an African-themed pub). A couple of long-term fans had their best meals of the year here, but ratings were held in the middle ground by one or two double-edged reports (“well cooked and presented, but more bucks than bang for what is essentially gastropub fare…”; “excellent Sunday lunch, but it says something about this fine city that it was the highlight!”).

“A new chef has come to town – Harvey Thompson, late of Tuddenham Mill – and his food’s great” – so say promising early reports of this new rural bistro which opened towards the end of 2024. Too little feedback for a rating, but such as we have says the food is “excllent”: you can choose from a conventional menu and there’s also a selection of small plates. Top Menu Tip – “Venison and Bone Marrow Pie for two is stunning”.

“Great Italian food – in the middle of Suffolk!” (“there’s no better pasta in the UK”) comes as a surprise to visitors who don’t know the “famous owners” are TV’s ‘Hotel Inspector’ Ruth Watson, her husband Dave and chef Rob Walpole. “Service is always sweet and efficient” and “the prices seem very fair as well”. Top Menu Tip – “it’s one of the only places outside of London to do zucchini fritti perfectly!”

“Exceptional food and service with chefs coming out to announce the dishes and even serve wine sometimes” again helps inspire very high levels of satisfaction with this ex-Alimentum chef’s “attentive and charming” dining room in a country house hotel near Norwich (which carried off a Michelin star from the tyre co’s 2025 awards). There’s an eight-course tasting menu for £95 per person, and at lunch a six-course version for £75 per person. Top Menu Tip – “Loved the homemade bread so much that they gave me a loaf to take home with me!”

“Everything is absolutely delicious, from savoury to sweet” at this “highly recommended” bakery that has grown to 10 branches across Norfolk and Suffolk in just 12 years since launching in Southwold (now with a central bakery and cookery school in Darsham). “They clearly source good-quality ingredients and know what to do with them”, serving up “excellent cooked breakfasts”, “generous pastries, tasty stuffed croissants and good coffee”, supplemented by “changing specials” and “gluten-free options too”.