The Swan in Lavenham is a very historic and beautiful Hotel / Restaurant and it is where Claudia Shiffer stayed for her wedding. It is swish, picturesque and has an excellent reputation.

The Old Grove Farm has 4 local pubs,

1. The Edwardstone White Horse is our a 'local'. It is a CAMRA  pub and now has its own Micro Brewery producing its own beers, the pub is owned by the local cider maker so great for that aswell - the food is simple but good and getting beter all the time as the owners son has taken over. there are occasionally music nights and some really excellent Beer Festivals.

A 15th century Suffolk hall house and one of the country's oldest pubs, the Lindsey Rose has been the village of Lindsey's local for over 500 years.

4. The Swan at Little waldingfield which is half way round one of the walks straight from the old Grove Farm, is a pleasant village pub.

The Angel Does excellent food and is open for long Sunday Lunches 11 am - 10 pm !!   It is in a charming little village and at the end of one of my favorite walks which takes you in a circle along part of the old Pilgims way called St Edmunds Way.

The Crown - Stoke by Nayland got Best Pub of the year award for 'Pub with wine Cellar'.. has a slightly more modern Gastro menu and interior and is very freindly and busy with an excellent selection of beers and wines - this is where I usually end up with Zuzi when I owe here a decent meal out ! This is probably the easiest going best quality gastro pub around. And you can take you doggie !! Great becaues it is on 2 very good walks.

www.crowninn.net


01206 262 001

The Crown Bildeston is the new ' swish place' to go, very good food in a lovely old pub with a contempory elegant interior.

Gappmaiers in Long Melford, this is an authentic Austrian restaurant which I am hearing some very good reviews about, more info after I have checked it out.

* The Anchor - Nayland

This is a place which deserves our support. It grows 95% of ALL the food it serves: 4 legged, 2 legged, veggi, salad and herb !

Now I think that is something really special and worth supporting.

So I had to go there for a beer and a meal under the guise of ecotourism and market research - it is a hard job but some-one has to do it.

The Pub is on the edge of the picturesque riverside village on Stoke where the gorgeous 'Cobblers Cottage' is. It has a beer garden overlooking the river for my canoeists to berth at with an outside BBQ for hot days.

There are acres of herb and vegetable beds which visitors can wander around and a Smoke House where their meat and local fish and cheeses are smoked.

I had a lovely walk down the Pilgrims Way from Stoke-by-Nayland to The Anchor in Nayland - this is a very pretty walk great views over the Strour River Valley - and arrived suitably 'partched' and 'famished', an excellent light summer beer and a shared platter of smoked fish and cheeses later and I was sold on this place.

This is what the owners have to say:

"The Anchor Inn is in the picturesque village of Nayland, nestled on the banks of the River Stour – a perfect and tranquil setting for a fantastic culinary experience. 

The 15th Century pub is a haven for food lovers.  Carl Shillingford (formerly of The Waterside and Pierre Gagnaire in Paris , both 3 * Michelin restaurants) leads the kitchen team.  

Building on Carl’s experience as a chef in France, where fantastic ingredients from local markets shape the menu, we have taken the concept one step further and have created our own Heritage Farm and "kitchen garden" to provide delicious fresh food ingredients with fantastic flavour to inspire an outstanding menu.

Our menus change throughout the week and are shaped by culinary confidence, imagination and ingredients.  

Different styles of food are normally on offer from traditional and modern day simple classics to sophisticated cooking and original dishes from around the world.  From the Heritage Farm, the menu features dishes such as English Longhorn beef steak with horseradish cream; Gloucester Oldspot and Saddleback sirloin of pork with bramley apple; selections of rare breed lamb including roast leg with a thyme jus; and Norfolk black turkey stuffed with several different types of game and bread sauce.

 

We have a number of signature dishes that as firm favourites remain on our menu. These include homemade sausages of the day, fish and chips and The Anchor smoked platter, however these dishes themselves vary.  The sausages change throughout the week, typical flavours include beef and horseradish, venison and redcurrant, spicy lamb, pork tomato and mushrooms, pork and herb, pork mushroom and chestnut or ham and stilton. 

The Anchor smoked platter includes a selection of delicious produce from the smokehouse and includes a number of fish, meats and cheeses – a wonderful dish for those wishing to try something different".

 

The Anchor Inn, 26 Court Street,

Nayland, CO6 4JLTel:  

 01206 262313 


www.anchornayland.co.uk

At the pretty little harbour of Orford, which is at the end of the world as we know it, is The Butley Orford Oysteridge.

A lovely cross between a friendly  'Wheelers'* and family 'Greasy Spoon' cafe - very unique, popular and authentic. Great value for the freshest oysters. Lobsters, crab and fish you can get. They also have a smoke house and a shop. You will have to book popular (that is basically whenever they are open) times. tel: 01394 450 277

Now this is a place where people actually move house to be near ! It is just great for simply cooked fresh seafood, don't go looking for fancy sauces or vegatable dishes because a light salad and bread with butter will save you asking for the menu on this. check out my 'Sailing Trip' page to see some more information on this unique restaurant.

Enjoy !

As we are aboard, there is the famous 'Il Punto', which is docked at Neptune Quay, Ipswich Marina- about 25 mins from The Grove Cottages This is quite a grand little ship and a great setting for an excellent meal.

... 'Just minutes away from Ipswich town centre, Mariners Restaurant (Formerly Il Punto) is a renowned French Brasserie afloat, moored alongside Neptune Quay at Ipswich Marina.

Many of the original features of this fine and much travelled vessel, launched in 1899 in Belgium, are retained.
Everything is immaculate and shipshape — the brasswork gleams, the woodwork reflects the subtle lights from the boat-studded harbour scene outside and the calls of the seabirds remove any possible lingering doubts of authenticity'...

Tel:  01473 298 748 for bookings. www.ilpunto.co.uk

Rafi has written some well know cookery books on Curries and Indonesian food and this is a unique little shop.

rafi@spicebox.co.uk