A weekend foodie tour

[fergal]

Hi all,

we've got some friends staying with us who'd like to do a mini-gastronomic weekend in August (friday evening to sunday), getting out of london for a few days.

We're looking for somewhere only about 4 hours max from london and where we can get some good seafood (for one meal at least)

what you guys recommend doing/going?

Kent - Whistable, The Sportsman etc.

Suffolk - company shed (near Colchester), Southwold etc.

Somerset? Dorset?

Or maybe somewhere else entirely? Any suggestions welcome.

thanks

Fergal

[Gavin Convery]

I'm biased but will say North Essex/Suffolk. This is what you could do:

- Company Shed at West Mersea

- Banquet 1482(?) in Stanway Wyevale Garden centre! I know but it is a fabulous chinese restaurant with superb dim sum

- Crown at Stoke by Nayland for superb wine list.

- Sun Inn at Dedham for egulleteer Bakerestates italian gastropub plus great winelist.

- Crown at Bildeston - UK upcoming chef of the year in the GFG

- Pop into the Adnams shop in Hadleigh on the way back to the A12.

- Jimmy's Farm near Ipswich for a steak sarnie and stock up on great meat.

- Woodbridge - the Waterside Cafe by the river is very nice for lunch

- Orford - Crown and Castle

- Walberswick - Ship Inn - nice gastropub

- Aldeburgh - Lighthouse or 192 or fish and chips

- Southwold - the Adnams pub, can't remember its name

Edited July 9, 2008 by Gavin Convery (log)

[SaladFingers]

According to the Good Food Guide, you could do worse than go to Berkshire.

Though if I am also to be biased, I'd say come to the Lake District! There's nothing better than walking for 10 hours during the day, surrounded by the most stunning scenery, working up a hunger, then eating amazing food.

[fergal]

Gavin,

that is a great list. I've been to suffolk a few times but there are still plenty of gems you've mentioned which need some experiencing.

thanks

Fergal

[fergal]

According to the Good Food Guide, you could do worse than go to Berkshire.

Though if I am also to be biased, I'd say come to the Lake District! There's nothing better than walking for 10 hours during the day, surrounded by the most stunning scenery, working up a hunger, then eating amazing food.

←

So where's good to check out in Berkshire? (apart from the 3 star places!)

fergal

[JudyB]

So where's good to check out in Berkshire? (apart from the 3 star places!)

fergal

Ignoring the places in Bray, I'm not quite sure where the Good Food Guide recommends, but the following should be worth a visit: l'Ortolan (but closed on Sunday); The Pot Kiln - booking recommended.

Another option might be The Vineyard, at Stockcross, although we haven't been there ourselves. I'm sure that there must be many other places at the good pub level.

[Time]

What about Edinburgh? It's not expensive to get to, it has a lot of nice places, it's a beautiful city, it would satisfy the seafood requirement easily..

As an inhabitant of Berkshire it doesn't seem as nice as the posters above suggest, maybe I'm biased though.

[SaladFingers]

Go to Paris, that's two hours away and I hear there are some lovely places there.