Suffolk, Mediterranean Restaurant Guide

In the “foodie wonderland” that is Bury St Edmunds, an “intimate” and “curiously named” restaurant opened by Justin Sharp and FOH wife Jurga, and specialising in Moorish (should that be more-ish?) cuisine. There was the odd sceptic this year, for whom it “lacks the ‘wow’ factor that one might expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant” (Suffolk’s only star, in fact, which they’ve held onto for five years now), but they were vastly outweighed by fans, who proclaim the venue for “interesting and rather eclectic” food that “reaches out to all the senses” and “never fails to delight”. Top Menu Tip – “a venison moussaka, with venison loin and delica pumpkin. Amazing!”

“Great cooking… a welcoming, warming atmosphere… an ever-changing menu” – there’s plenty to love about this “gorgeous traditional coaching inn” set in prime Constable Country, and with a distinctive yellow façade. There was praise this year for the “well-priced” seafood, as well as the “delightful” service, and it’s “also worth a shout-out to the excellent range of local beers”. Owner Piers Baker, who has shepherded the venue for two decades, is also behind Church Street Tavern in Colchester and, as of 2022, The White Hart Inn on Mersea Island.

2024 Review: This attractive hotel in Constable Country is “a very pleasant place to eat”, owing to its terraced gardens and “good basic bistro food” (“plus it’s always open”, which doesn’t hurt). Service is not always a highpoint though, and can be “slow”.