5 places to go and eat at in 2024 including Bury St Edmunds restaurants, a pub near Southwold, a cafe close to Stowmarket and Thetford Garden Centre

Whether it’s a romantic night out with your partner, a joyous family celebration or a much-needed catch-up with friends, there are plenty of great places to eat in and around Suffolk.

From sticky chicken burgers and overnight slow roasted beef sandwiches to fine-dining and restaurant chains, here are five of the most exciting and interesting places we have reviewed that you will want to book in 2024.

Rustico

This authentic taste of Italy in Bury St Edmunds is an absolute must, I went in October and can’t wait to go back again.

The tomato bruschetta, Ossobuco alla Milanese (slow cooked beef shin with saffron risotto) and Tiramisu were all heaven and the 18th century building complete with aged timbers and wooden tables could trick you into thinking you were in rural Tuscany rather than Risbygate Street.

The Lakehouse Café in Onehouse

After hearing some many good things about this picturesque village location, near Stowmarket, our reporter Suzanne Day went for lunch and was not disappointed.

With one of the best coffees she has had in a while, the food hit the right spot too with choices including the sticky chicken burger, fries and Asian style slaw, halloumi fries and a fantastic looking Korean Barbeque beef gyro flatbread.

Star Inn at Wenhaston

I visited this highly interesting pub near Southwold back in February last year, and with its ever changing eclectic mix of menu offerings on its blackboards such as Keralan curry, Madagascan coconut chicken and Sino-Mauritian chicken and pork dumplings as well as its beautifully random decor, it is definitely one that gets my vote for a trip to this year.

Mowgli, Bury St Edmunds

When the restaurant chain from founder Nisha Katona opened a place in Bury St Edmunds in November, a team of our reporters took up the hard task of trying it out.

The Abbeygate street site offers up a wide range of choices including Angry Bird (chicken thighs marinated and roasted in tandoor spices, yoghurt, ginger and garlic, served with popped mustard Mowgli Slaw), Goan Fish Curry and Yoghurt Chat Bombs.

Lime Kiln Kitchen

And finally, this one may be just over the border in Norfolk but it was by far and away my most read food review (and story) of 2023 – when I went for lunch at Thetford Garden Centre.

It has a great great seasonal menu, which when I went included garlic mushroom and rosemary soup and overnight slow roasted beef sandwich with house fries, as well as its huge selection of cakes (don’t get me started on their chocolate brownie – wow).

Having won 'Independent Garden Centre Caterer of the Year' in 2023, this place is a winner in my book in any year.