Food and Drink Around Aldeburgh
You really are spoilt for choice with places to eat and drink in and around Aldeburgh. From pubs to restaurants to specialist shops, there is something to satisfy everybody’s taste buds here in Suffolk.
Feasts of fish
Being next to the sea, as you’d expect, Aldeburgh has some fantastic specialist fish restaurants. The local restaurant Regatta is a lovely independent business serving seasonal dishes to all who visit. Similarly the Brudenell on the seafront has an award winning seafood restaurant with panoramic views out to sea. Of course if it is fish you want, you can’t visit Aldeburgh without a trip to the renowned Fish and Chip Shop. People queue all the way down the High Street for their dinners wrapped in paper to then enjoy in the open air on the seafront.
Sensations in Snape
The Plough and Sail at Snape Maltings, as well as being a popular seasonal food serving restaurant, has the original older part of the original pub where a locally brewed ale can be enjoyed after a long day exploring this beautiful area. Just up the road from the Maltings another local pub, The Golden Key, offers amongst other home cooked delicacies, vegetarian and gluten free options which is excellent news for those with special requirements. The Crown Inn, also in Snape, grow and rear their own produce in the Suffolk countryside which contributes to your knowledge of the superb food that you are eating in the pub; which, by the way, is the epitome of a 15th century smugglers’ inn.The first Saturday of the month sees the Farmers’ Market hosted at Snape Maltings. Over twenty local farmers and producers provide a vast selection of the freshest fruit, vegetables, meats and bakes and you can browse these delights and bring back your findings to enjoy in your self-catered holiday homes. If you love your food, then you must not miss the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival! It’s a celebration of the region’s thriving food and drink scene and takes place in the setting of the charming Snape Maltings, just as its Famers’ Market does. Over 90 producers come to the festival to sell their produce and it is a fantastic opportunity to try and buy what the region has to offer. Not only is it an event to buy food, but it is also an event at which to taste food and to hear local and celebrity chefs talk passionately about what they love.
Time for Tea
An afternoon relaxing in a tea shop, when the sun is shining through the window, when time stands still, is something everyone enjoys. An afternoon out of a busy schedule does you the world of good.The Cragg Sisters Tearooms in Aldeburgh is a tea lover’s paradise. Nothing can compare with a freshly baked scone on an afternoon with a refreshing cup of tea by the sea. With a vast array of loose leaf teas, the tea lover will be in their element. The East Coast Café in Aldeburgh is passionate about local produce so you can be certain that you will be tucking into the very best when you visit this local cafe. As with many eateries in this area, the Granary Tea Shop at Snape Maltings also freshly bake their goods with local ingredients. A rich, moist cake and a cup of freshly ground coffee on a morning after a risk walk around the grounds is wholly satisfying.
Pop to the Shops
A large selection of the products found at the aforementioned Farmers’ Market can also be found in the Friday Street Farm Shop not far from the Maltings itself. This fantastic shop sells an abundance of organic and artisan foods and if your stay with us in Suffolk unfortunately doesn’t coincide with the Farmers’ Market, then you can pay a visit to this shop and not be disappointed.A firm favourite in Aldeburgh is the award winning Slate, formerly known as Lawson’s Delicatessen. Daily, they have a selection of freshly prepared meals to take away such as salads, crepes or soups but if you’d prefer to prepare your own meals in your holiday home, fresh, seasonal, local ingredients are likewise available to purchase.Following the River Alde southwards, the fishing village of Orford has the delightful Pump Street Bakery. This family run business specialises in hand made artisan breads using traditional methods. A relatively short drive from Aldeburgh, you could visit this village, enjoy a cuppa and a pastry in the bakery’s cafe and take home a selection of delicious breads for your family’s dinner.
