The Bildeston Crown

Whether you’re relaxing by the fire in the beamed bar or taking advantage of alfresco tables in the suntrap courtyard, this handsome 15th-century village inn offers the complete package. Much depends on the ‘passion and personality’ of manager Jackie Ha (formerly of the Unruly Pig in Bromeswell), who has cemented the Crown’s reputation as a ‘proper village pub with a big heart’. The kitchen garden at nearby Nedging Hall Estate (which owns the inn) supplies the kitchen with seasonal produce and local game, which executive chef Greig Young interprets in a refreshingly uncluttered way. From a pork and prune terrine with ‘mustard fruits’ or smoked haddock and mussels with curry velouté and cauliflower, his retooled pub classics eschew pretension in favour of big flavours (check out his modern take on the traditional ploughman’s involving beef tartare). Good value is at the heart of the menu, the three-course midweek set lunch is a popular deal, and Sunday roasts receive the thumbs-up. Staff are charming, the estate’s own Mauldons ale is on tap, and the wine list offers enterprising possibilities across the board.