Explore the heart of Suffolk,
in your own way
Explore the heart of Suffolk, in your own way
Food and Drink
Food is a great way to experience a region and Suffolk is a culinary treat. With farm shops, markets, great restaurants, vineyards and field to fork dining experiences to choose from. Spend your days wandering between farm shops, markets with great walks and places to visit in between, and build up an appetite.
Alternatively, you might want to build your weekend around a bespoke dining experience or a vineyard tour and tasting. There’s lots of choice with beautiful locations, guest chefs and locally sourced ingredients, each venue has something unique. Have a look at Jord Projects, Shimpling Park Farm, Crooked House and Suffolk Wine Trail trail for starters, each offers Suffolk produce, a warm welcome and the very best of culinary delights.
What makes these things so special is the limited guest numbers, so make sure you pre-book to get the best from your visit.
Day 1 - Vineyards, Farm Shops and open country.
Morning
Hollow Trees Farm Shop - A great starting point for local produce, pastries, and a gentle wander.
Late Morning
Burnt House Vineyard - Enjoy your vineyard tour, tasting, and lunch in a peaceful rural setting.
OR
Head to The Wild Rabbit in Harkstead for lunch, good local produce in an excellent country pub. And if wild swimming is your thing, arrive early and take a dip before you eat.
Early Afternoon - East Bergholt
Fields Kitchen and Farmshop, a beautifully curated farm shop and deli with a focus on regenerative, local producers.
Browse, sample, and pick up something for later.
The birthplace of John Constable, the lovely village is well worth a walk and a visit to the church to see the Bell Cage, a temporary structure built in 1531 and still used today.
Mid Afternoon – Countryside Walk
Choose one:
Take a look at the Grazing Walks, find a village that takes your fancy and enjoy a walk, with a pub somewhere along the way perhaps?
River Brett walk - gentle, scenic, and close to both hotel options.
Chelsworth village walk - thatched cottages, medieval bridge, quiet lanes.
Evening – Check-in and Dinner
Choose between:
- Peacock Inn, Chelsworth (Michelin 2025)
- Bildeston Crown - Estate to fork principle, owned by Nedging Hall Estate
Alternatively enjoy your prebooked, bespoke dining experience at your venue of choice!
Day 2 - Farmers’ Markets, vineyards, a distillery and a good walk.
Morning
Depending on the day and your location:
- Ipswich Farmers’ Market (1st Sunday)
- Lavenham Farmers’ Market (4th Sunday)
- Sudbury Farmers Market (last Friday of the month)
- Suffolk Market Events (10)
Lunch
Graze your way around the Farmers Market, call in at a pub for lunch, or put together a picnic of local produce and find a quiet spot to enjoy it.
Afternoon – Vineyards or distilleries, take your pick
Visit the Suffolk Wine Trail, find a vineyard near you and book your tour and tasting.
OR
What about a small batch, gin distillery tour and tasting for a change, try Nethergate Brewery & Distillery
Alternatively...
Why not try a different kind of food experience
- Take a cookery course at the Food Hub Cookery School
- Refine your barbeque skills at Jacks Meat Shack
- Visit the Food Museum activity programme and pick a class
- Or work up an appetite for a Shotley Vineyard tour and tasting by booking an Eezybike for a little look around beforehand.
Getting around
Think about leaving the car at home and using public transport and let someone else do the driving for a change, visit Greater Anglia for train timetables and ticket information.
For all other forms of public transport, Suffolk on Board, brings together all the different options in one place.
