Top 10 Gastronomic Delights of The Suffolk Coast

The Firestation is a small but perfectly formed cafe and bar in the heart of Woodbridge serving delicious coffee, cocktails, snacks and, rather impressively, roasting their own coffee!

Meanwhile, down on the coast at Felixstowe, you can enjoy great views of this super-busy port from the View Point Café. This warm and friendly café with both indoor and outdoor seating serves all day breakfasts, snacks, fish and chips, 'dish of the day', cakes, ice cream, teas and coffees.

Offering Mediterranean style fayre, Café Bencotto's sophisticated yet informal interior complements the food freshly prepared in the open plan kitchen. And, for the early birds, they now have a mouth-watering breakfast menu.

The Alex Café Bar and Brasserie has a fabulous seafront setting just across from the promenade in Felixstowe where you can watch the world go by whilst enjoying great food and drink!

When visiting the towns of Leiston and Saxmundham, pay a visit to the Café at Darsham Nurseries. Sit in the light and airy dining room and tuck into a creative menu featuring range of vegetables, fruit and herbs directly outside and in the 'potager', or kitchen garden. Or you might like to sit amongst the vines and palms in the exotic surroundings of the Urban Jungle Cafe near Beccles!

The Ramsholt Arms is a popular riverside pub and great for alfresco dining being situated on the banks of the River Deben. The pub is also recommended in the Michelin guide and in July 2015 was voted one of the top 20 places to dine alfresco in the UK by the Sunday Times!

Enjoy the secluded courtyard or dine amongst the apple trees in the extensive gardens at The Ship at Dunwich. Tuck into their celebrated fish & chips – with locally caught fish – before indulging yourself with one of the delicious traditional English puddings.

After a day exploring the beautiful Suffolk countryside, stop off for a pub lunch or dinner at The Unruly Pig; serving award-winning food and boasting a delightful garden complete with terrace, outside tables with umbrellas and if it turns a bit chilly as the sun does down, patio heaters. 

And what better alfresco dining than having fish & chips on the beach? All along the Suffolk Coast you'll find great fish & chips whether you're in Lowestoft, Southwold, Dunwich, Aldeburgh or Felixstowe. Named as the best fish & chip shop in the UK, Aldeburgh Fish & Chip Shop is just a stone's throw from the sea, so find a spot on the seashore, rip open the paper and tuck into steaming hot cod and chips. 

Turn back the clock and enjoy afternoon tea in the quaint Southwold Boating Lake and Tearoom. At this quirky 1940s-style tearoom in Southwold, you’re always guaranteed a warm and friendly welcome.

Staying in Southwold, you could always pop into The Swan Hotel on the High Street for a spot of afternoon tea before taking a stroll down to the harbour or the beach.

With views across the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads, Ivy House Country Hotel boasts a large patio and barn, here you can find a seat and enjoy a pot of tea (or Prosecco if you're celebrating) along with freshly baked scones, finger sandwiches and cakes. Or head just a mile or two to the coast at Lowestoft and book a table at The Hatfield Hotel; sit out on the deck and soak up the sun (or opt for a table indoors if it's on the chilly side) and listen to the waves lap at the shore as you pour yourself a cuppa and dive into a cream slice or two!

And if you’re visiting Snape Maltings be sure to call into The Granary Tea Shop and Café 1885. Perfect for afternoon tea set in one of The Suffolk Coast's most stunning landscapes.

There’s something about pub grub that we all love – it could be the good quality, home cooked food, the 'gastro pub' experience or the convivial atmosphere of a country pub.

Froize is a freehouse like no other! Watch head chef David Grimwood cook and serve your meal from his hotplate in the centre of the restaurant and tuck into  range of dishes made with local produce including lamb shanks, braised steaks, chicken, duck, hare and venison, roast joints and pies including local venison, ale and mushroom, Red Poll beefsteak and pigeon and free-range chicken with new season asparagus - all topped with a golden shortcrust top. 

If you prefer surf rather than turf, then pay a visit to The Oyster Inn at Butley. Located next to Rendlesham Forest it's the perfect place to head for lunch or dinner after a day of cycling and exploring. On the menu you will find fish of the day, breaded whole tail scampi, smoked haddock, cheddar and spring onion fishcakes, asparagus, broad bean and roasted garlic risotto, breaded whitebait and half a pint of shell on prawns.

The Sweffling White Horse – the pub with no bar - serves handmade food using local, fantastic quality, full-flavoured free-range ingredients. Adding their extensive range of local brewed real ales and traditional village pub atmosphere and you have a great mix. Whilst The Sorrell Horse and The Swan at Alderton are both dog friendly, so are the ideal place to stop for a hearty pub lunch at the end of a dog walk.

Whether it's a hearty breakfast, a simple lunchtime snack, a relaxed meal with friends, indulgent dinner or traditional Sunday roast, you can be sure of a great meal at The Westleton Crown and at The Ufford Crown, near Woodbridge, you will be treated to delicious daily changing menu, plus it's family and very dog friendly and Michelin recommended.

Who can walk past a bakery and not steal a longing glance at the vast array of mouth-watering cakes, bread, sausage rolls, freshly made sandwiches?

The Cake Shop Bakery in the historic town of Woodbridge is an award-winning family run bakery producing fresh bread and creating beautiful cakes using the best ingredients available and designing cakes that are visually stunning and taste delicious.

Quite possibly the most instagrammed bakery in the UK, Pump Street Bakery & Cafe in the coastal village of Orford not only sells freshly baked breads and pastries (baked fresh every morning), but also mouth-watering bean to bar chocolate and to accompany your sweet treats, order a cappuccino, latte, espresso or tea 

Want to treat yourself? Or perhaps you’ve a special occasion to celebrate. The Suffolk Coast has great fine dining available. 

The Brudenell Seafood & Grill in pretty Aldeburgh has panoramic sea views from every table with a décor that is inspired by the vibrant colours that can be found on The Suffolk coast throughout the year. The menu features fresh local fish, seafood and free-range meats, all lovingly prepared by our head chef.

Staying in Aldeburgh, The White Lion Bar & Brasserie Bleue is inspired by a modern desire to return to simple, 'back to basics' food and impeccable service, offering freshly prepared dishes in contemporary surroundings.

There are few places better on The Suffolk Coast to enjoy the blue skies and sunshine than Orford, a small fishing village known for its bounty of excellent local food and peaceful atmosphere. And at the heart of the village is The Crown and Castle where executive chef, Ruth Watson, prepares great food.

The Crown at Woodbridge is a 2AA rosette restaurant and bar recommended in the Michelin guide serving the best of Suffolk produce with contemporary style and care, along with an impressive cocktail menu should you wish to make a night of it!

In Southwold you should pay a visit to The Crown Hotel. The food is famously good and the wine list is wonderful too. The Crown was awarded Suffolk Dining Pub of the Year for the 2nd year in a row by The Good Pub Guide 2014 and a TripAdvisor 2015 Certificate of Excellence. 

If you're staying in Southwold, be sure to book a table at the newly transformed Swan Hotel. The hotel's signature restaurant, The Still Room is open to residents and non-residents but booking is essential. The stylish restaurant feels like a private members club with its stunning copper bar and exciting menu which features poached sea trout with chicory, daikon, horseradish and heritage potatoes, cod with curried carrot, broccoli, minted yoghurt & puffed rice, lamb rump with pea, leak, tomato, anchovy, pinenut and dauphine potato and to finish marshmallow, honeycomb, rhubarb ice cream, coffee panacotta with amaretto gel and chocolate fondant with salted caramel and Aero. 

The Cookhouse Restaurant is a unique place to eat or have a drink whilst enjoying stunning views along the Orwell river. Part of the Suffolk Food Hall emporium underneath the Orwell Bridge, they serve great bistro style food using the best local produce and seasonal recipes; making it ideal for a delicious freshly prepared lunch, a treat for the kids, a celebratory dinner, Sunday brunch and more. 

For dinner with a view, visit the restaurant at Thorpeness Golf Club & Hotel which overlooks the iconic House in the Clouds and offers a more traditional dining experience with fresh local produce complimenting the daily changing menu. Or head to the Salthouse Eaterie on Ipswich Waterfront where the dishes are modern and will surprise you with a curious twist of something deliciously different.

Suffolk Food Hall at Wherstead, near Ipswich, is the place to find great local food. Started by Suffolk farmers who wanted to ensure friends had the best access to much of the fresh and original food produced locally; the Food Hall brings together the best local specialists and has a wide selection of artisan and luxury food and drink including a market hall, scratch baker, traditional butcher, fishmonger, delicatessen, chocolatier and greengrocer.

Once you've stocked up on local ingredients, head to The Food Hub Cookery School to learn how to use them! The state of the art catering kitchen is set on a working farm at Kenton Hall Estate; delivering seasonal and sustainable cookery courses. Whether you are an amateur cook or a food enthusiast let these courses inspire you. 

The oldest artisan ham producer in the UK, Emmett's Stores was established in 1820 and still resides and operates from its original premises. Famous for its Suffolk black ham, which was a favourite with many including The Queen Mother, Delia Smith and Rick Stein, you can also stock up on bacon, pickles, preserves and chutneys.

And for a true-taste of The Suffolk Coast, pop to Pinneys fill your basket with oysters caught from Butley Creek in Orford, plus a range of fish and shellfish smoked in the traditional smokehouse. 

Here on the Suffolk Coast, we are completely spoilt with a huge selection of local food and drink producers, selling jams, honey, Suffolk-cured ham, strawberries, asparagus, breads, cheeses and ales... you name it, we make it! And it’s all available at our local farmers markets:

• Beccles Farmers Market - 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month 9am – 1pm, Beccles Heliport, Ellough, B1127.
• Halesworth Market - 2nd Saturday of each month 9am – 1pm, The Old Print Works, Throughfare, Halesworth, IP19 8AP.
• Snape Maltings Farmers Market - 1st Saturday of each month 9.30 – 1pm, Snape Maltings, near Saxmundham, IP17 1SR.
• Woodbridge Farmers Market - 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month 9am – 1pm, Woodbridge Community Centre, IP12 4AU.
• Felixstowe Craft and Food Fair - last Saturday of each month from 10am, Manning’s Amusement Park, Sea Road, Felixstowe, IP11 2DN.
• Orford Country Market - every Saturday 9.30am – 12.30pm, The Town Hall, Market Hill, Orford, IP12 2NZ.
• Southwold Farmers Market - Fridays 9am – 1pm, The Courtyard, Adnams Cellar and Kitchen Shop, Victoria Street, Southwold
• Easton Farmers Market - 4th Saturday of each month 9am – 1pm, Easton Farm Park, Woodbridge. 
• Saxmundham Farmers Market - every Friday 9am – 12.30pm, Market Hall, Saxmundham, 29 High Street, IP17 1A.

As you’d expect from a county like Suffolk, we have some wonderful local food producers.

Munchy Seeds is a family run business and has been the highest profile brand in the UK's roasted, flavoured and coated seeds market for 16 years. All seeds are suitable for Vegetarians and coeliacs, they are all free from gluten, wheat and yeast and have no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives. Just naturally delicious and available in handy snack packs or tempting tubs in 8 tasty varieties.

Giddens & Thompson Greengrocers, located in the historic market town of Bungay, are purveyors of high-quality fruit and vegetables, providing a wide selection of seasonal, fresh and locally sourced produce, and for eggs, breads, pies and locally grown fruit and veg, stop at the Farm Cafe + Shop at Marlesford.

Featured on the menu of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, a round or two of Baron Bigod Cheese made at Fen Farm Dairy just outside Bungay should definitely be heading home with you (along with raw milk and cream bought from the farm's vending machine), and to accompany your cheese, a bottle or two of Flint Vineyard's award-winning Bacchus, which was named East-Anglia Wine of the Year 2017. 

No trip to Suffolk would be complete without taking home a crate or barrel of Adnams finest! Adnams shops offer a top class tasting experience and showcase their innovative range of quality beer, wonderful wines, handcrafted spirits and gifty bits and bobs.

And for something just that little bit different… we have that covered too!

Cruise the calm waters of the River Orwell with Allen Gardiner River Cruise Restaurant. This 63-foot former air/ sea rescue launch built in 1942, has ample space on deck and in the wheelhouse and a comfortable dining saloon.

Staying on the water, the Lady Florence River Cruise Restaurant provides a unique and exciting dining experience offering brunch and a la carte lunch or dinner cruises from Orford Quay, Orford.

If you're looking for somewhere that caters for all tastes, the popup restaurant VeGee Deli at MarkG Seafood Restaurant (served Tuesday to Saturday from 12pm - 2pm) is sure to tick all the boxes; with exciting menu items such as field mushroom and tarragon pate, veg & nut roast hash, falafel burger handmade flatbread pizza and mezze boards. At all other times you can enjoy freshly caught fish and seafood dishes plus Sunday lunch in the main restaurant.

Over the water now for the Boardwalk Restaurant on Southwold Pier. Whatever time of day, the views across the sea and around the idyllic coastal bay of Southwold are stunning from here. Hear the waves lapping beneath your feet as you tuck into a fabulous feast at lunchtime or dinner, there’s always fresh fish on the menu and a delightful range of platters to pick from.