Home » David Burr News » Local Interest » 12 cosy pubs in Suffolk and Essex to seek out this winter for comfort food, flavoursome ales and fine wines
12 cosy pubs in Suffolk and Essex to seek out this winter for comfort food, flavoursome ales and fine wines
If you are in search of comforting, homemade dishes, crackling fires, and a selection of authentic ales, we have you covered with a range of top-notch winter pubs that cater to everyone from food enthusiasts to hikers and dog-walkers.
Posted: December 11, 2023
The Three Blackbirds, Woodditton
In 2018 fire caused substantial damage to this Grade II listed building but it has been reborn with an impressive and sympathetic rebuild. Lovely bar and restaurant areas make it the most hospitable of winter retreats and dogs are very much welcomed here.
One to tempt: Slow cooked lamb shoulder shepherd’s pie with parmesan, fine beans.
A picturesque pub in a picturesque village with really good cask ales, extensive wine list and an imaginative menu which may leave you torn between many options.
One to tempt: Venison and Guinness casserole with mustard dumplings, mashed potatoes and vegetables of the day.
Set just off the village green (be sure to admire all the nearby houses in their pastel shades) this is pretty much the perfect village pub. Open fires, stone flooring near the bar merging into a carpeted dining area it’s comforting and comfortable with good size portions of fine pub food.
In keeping with this often chilly time of the year they do a pie and pint special deal on Wednesdays.
One to tempt: Pork belly, apple and black pudding croquette, celeriac, cavolo nero.
Good Food Guide and Michelin Red Book recommendations have upped the profile of this mid Suffolk pub. Praised for its roast dinners it also offers good value two and three course set menus Wednesdays-Saturday.
One to tempt: Date pudding, salted caramel, vanilla and pistachio.
A pub with bedrooms located in gently rolling countryside not far from Newmarket. A great place for a winter Sunday roast or sup a pint while gazing over the village green. Popular with the local racing fraternity.
One to tempt: Dingley Dell slow roast pork served with seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes.
Very stylish rambling pub in the heart of Constable country. Enjoy a refreshing glass of something at the bar, or better still take a seat for delicious food from a menu that caters for all tastes. A good base for walks and Colchester and Ipswich are within easy reach.
One to tempt: Bramley apple and winter berry crumble with custard.
The Thatchers has been serving food and beer since the mid-19th century, and specialises in traditional British gastro pub cuisine with worldwide influenced dishes.
Outside it commands one of the finest views in North Essex while inside there are two well stocked bars, wood burning stoves and a jumble of cosy and comfortable rooms. Expect a friendly, chatty atmosphere.
One to tempt: Steak and ale pie with mash, buttered greens and rich gravy.
The owners call this off-the-beaten-track destination a ‘proper pub’ and it is indeed nicely furbished, maintaining its rustic roots. You might say the prices (around £10 for starters and £16-£36 for mains) are a little closer to those asked at fine dining restaurants but the dishes are inventive and full of flavour – plus they brew their own beer.
One to tempt: Treacle marinated venison loin, lacto fermented blackberries, burnt butter mash, Shimeji mushroom, brassicas and venison Jus.
It’s the restaurant part of this 16th century pub that really has the ‘wow factor’ – an open plan area with smart, regimented seating and lots of glass and light to highlight the garden area beyond. That said, there are cosy corners if you simply want to go in for a pint.
One to tempt: Barbecue monkfish, chorizo and butterbean cassoulet, crispy shallots.
Rambling thatched pub with a stylish, homely interior. Its cobbled courtyard once acted as a meeting place for local cattle farmers. Dedham Vale is within easy reach, as is the castle town of Colchester. Expect traditional pub food and ales.
One to Tempt: British slow cooked steak and ale pie with a puff pastry lid, maple roast carrots, seasonal vegetables, rich gravy and chips or mash.
You’ll find this attractive roadside pub on a lovely drive between Lavenham and Hadleigh. As a 14th century half timbered Grade II listed property it might be the cosiest of this selection. Nearby a humpback bridge offers passage over the River Brett and all around are fine medieval buildings, water meadows and mature trees. Plenty of choice on an interesting menu.
One to tempt: Starter of wood pigeon pate, pancetta, brioche, kohlrabi remoulade and blackberry ketchup.
