Woodfarm Barges’ favourite Woodbridge restaurants
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as stimulating your tastebuds with some delicious local cuisine while on holiday – and Woodbridge in Suffolk has some great options.
Visit this small, quintessentially English town, which is situated on the doorstep of our Twee Gebroeders barge, or just a 20-minute drive away from our Onderneming barge at Snape Maltings. Here, you’ll not only find traditional shops and picturesque walks along the river, but also a number of excellent restaurants.
Some might find it surprising that such a small town in rural Suffolk has so much to offer in terms of eating out, but the truth is that Woodbridge has access to some of the best local producers that the county has to offer, as well as top chefs who know just what to do with the produce itself!
Here is a selection of Woodbridge restaurants that receive the Woodfarm seal of approval:
The Galley
For fine dining, The Galley comes highly recommended. Once a brewhouse during the time of the Napoleonic War, the historic charm of the building is evident throughout the restaurant. There’s even a nod to Woodbridge’s naval heritage in the form of an exposed beam of wood from a ship.
Owner Ugur Vata’s love of art brings a tasteful hint of eclecticism to the scene. Look out for a Picasso lithograph and Salvador Dalí plates on display, plus a collection of work by local artists. Even the menu cover was commissioned.
When it comes to food, The Galley’s ever-changing menu means you’ll be able to try a unique dish each time you visit. However, one thing you can be sure of is that the restaurant makes good use of local produce, including locally caught fish.
For special occasions and large groups, we recommend booking one of the private dining rooms for a more exclusive experience. The private dining room upstairs is bright and airy and seats up to 14 people, while the wine cellar downstairs seats up to 30.
Visit the website and their Instagram page.
The Table
Traditional brasserie restaurant The Table has served Woodbridge for over 50 years. Housed in a charming 16th-century building, this restaurant encourages a relaxed dining experience with non-pretentious, high-quality food.
In the summer, try and get a seat in the courtyard, with its pretty floral displays and English cottage aesthetic. You’ll want to spend all afternoon there!
The Table prides itself on its close relationships with local producers. You’ll find a menu full of fresh, local ingredients, which heavily influence the daily menu changes.
Try a curry at The Table; the team are working with local growers to source unusual Far Eastern vegetables to enhance the flavours of their curries. They’ve even developed their own range of award-winning curry pastes for you to use at home.
The Riverside
The Riverside isn’t just a cinema; its in-house restaurant is surprisingly brilliant (Surprising in that it’s part of a cinema!). It appears in Which’s Good Food Guide and is Michelin listed, while also being recommended by The Financial Times.
Inside you’ll find stylish decor and dimmed lighting, perfect for a romantic evening out. Without being too expensive, the daily written menus offer a plethora of incredible dishes, from lunch through to supper.
Enjoy local favourites such as Dingley Dell pork and Deben seabass alongside mouth watering foods from further afield like Devon crab. And after all that, why not watch a film?
Visit their website and their Instagram page.
The Turks Head
Located just outside Woodbridge in the small rural village of Hasketon, this self-dubbed ‘proper country pub’ is an easy drive or just under an hour’s walk away from the gangplank of Twee Gebroeders or a 25-minute drive from Onderneming.
Dogs are welcome in the bar and snug at The Turks Head, so if you’re popping in for a pint with your pup, this is the perfect pitstop! The pub is known for local ales and an extensive gin and wine list, so you’re in good hands.
The menu consists of hearty and high-quality dishes which, like other establishments on this list, includes a local touch. However, you’ll see that these ingredients aren’t just served as you’d expect them. For example, the Tandoori Sutton Hoo chicken mixes one of the county’s most delicious free-range chicken products with a taste of India. Exciting stuff!
The Grundisburgh Dog
As its name suggests, The Grundisburgh Dog is a dog-friendly pub, and your furry friend is welcome in the pub, restaurant and gardens. They’ve even won the award of UK Dog-Frendly Pub of the Year!
Located in the village of Grundisburgh, this splendid pub and restaurant is 12 minutes by car from Twee Gebroeders and a half hour’s drive from Onderneming.
The pub offers a vast range of craft and cask beers and ales, as well as a bespoke gin and tonic menu. If that wasn’t enough, the restaurant menu will have you salivating. Think slow-cooked pork belly, pan-fried gurnard and more; plus, they proudly cater for intolerances and special diets.
The Grundisburgh Dog has just won Pub of the Year in the Suffolk Food and Drink Awards, so make this a ‘must-do’ on your list!
Stay with Woodfarm Barges and experience the taste of Suffolk
We hope that you’ll choose to stay with us when you embark on your Suffolk food journey, as the location of our barges makes it very easy to access many of the best restaurants in the county’s portfolio. Take a look at our dog-friendly Onderneming and Twee Gebroeders barges now and don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to arrange a stay.
