Reviews Lavenham Great House Restaurant

I seem to be finding myself in Suffolk rather a lot at the moment. A mere hour and a half's drive out of London and the restaurant scene completely changes. Country lanes are adorned with quaint pubs serving up gastro style food and perfectly poured pints of ale, and the restaurants in the towns - well there can be some real gems. With some good researching of course, finding a good restaurant to eat in isn't hard. Part of that search led us to finding a gorgeous little town called Lavenham. About a twenty minutes drive from Bury St Edmunds, this village really takes you back in time, with its Medieval style cottages, all veering to a slant, old style bakery's selling cakes for a bargain twenty pence and a selection of restaurants to die for. After we greed on visiting Lavenham, it was then down to where would we eat? I had a fabulous meal not so long ago at Maison Bleue in Bury St Edmunds, so when I found out it had a sister restaurant in this little village called The Great House , I couldn't resist and insisted on going. The restaurant is housed in a building dating back to the 14/15th century but renovated in the 18th. Sitting next to the huge imposing fireplace in the dining room is certainly something to be seen. The other one notable thing about restaurants outside of London too, is the pricing. It's so much cheaper. Here for lunch you'll be paying £24.50 for a three course set lunch and wine starting around £4.95 for a large glass. One of the starters we choose off this menu was the fondue du fromage. A hearty bowl filled with a cheese fondue, soft poached egg, poached new potatoes and some crouton dippers served on the side. Sumptuous, decadent, moreish - I couldn't fault this dish in the slightest, everything was just perfect. Another starter was this beautifully plated piece of mackerel, glazed with a rice vinegar and ginger caramel, squares of horseradish tofu and some shredded radishes for heat and bite. Portion size on the whole was a little small, and

We came last night for the first time for dinner to the newly revamped Great House. The food was really good and well priced for the quality. We had 4 different meals, and all were excellent. Friendly and efficient service. We live just down the road, so it’s a great and welcome new addition to the village!

There for brunch. Good choice of dishes. Nice relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

We came here for their 7 course tasting/experience menu and we were not disappointed. The food was absolutely delicious, the atmosphere was relaxed and the service was very attentive. My parents have also been here with their friends on a few occasions when in the area and similarly had fantastic a la carte meals too. Definitely a perfect spot for a special evening.

The Great House was an excellent dining experience. One has to call it an experience, as it really was. Great reception. Well trained, lively and friendly staff. The ambience was calm, in various shades of grey, with the fresh flower table center pieces bringing a pop of colour. The food beautifully presented and delicious. Why only 4 stars? Choice of dishes on the menu. The menu consisted of Starter, Mains and Dessert , each of which only offered an either or choice from two dishes. Too limited. (On the day we dined, the main course choice was a fish or duck dish.)

Everyone went above and beyond ! Exceeded all our expectations. The tasting menu was outstanding, staff brilliant, and I had a cake made by the very talented pateserier, again they bought it out in style with a roman candle the works. I was in contact with Celine the whole time, and she was very professional, making sure it all went well on the night. Even when I mentioned gluten intolerance they still provided an exceptional alternative, even their bread was lovely. So a massive Thanks to you all We will be back soon !

Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for the birthday luncheon we had last Friday. The food was amazing and a big thank you to the staff who were so helpful and friendly. I would like to give a special mention to the pastry chef who made a fantastic 'birthday cake' which was delicious, he had obviously spent a lot of time creating it, greatly appreciated, he is a great asset to the business.

We came to the Great House for the 5 course Experience menu at lunch and we were not disappointed. Each course was delicious and very well thought out with new and fresh flavours that we had never tasted before. Our servers were very attentive and had a lot of knowledge about the food they were serving. Thank you for making our lunch so special, we would definitely recommend to anyone making a trip to Lavenham/Sudbury.

Though we did not stay in the hotel accommodation, we ate in the restaurant on Mother’s Day this year. I found the staff very friendly, extremely polite. Nothing was to much trouble for them. As for the food, it blew me away. It was undoubtedly the best meal I have ever eaten, presented impeccably and cooked to a very high standard. I would without a doubt eat there again.

Really wonderful food and wine. The menu was varied with delicious combinations. It was so nice to see a large selection of wines to try as half bottles. This gives you the opportunity to enjoy different wines over the course of the meal rather than having to opt for one type of wine at the outset which may only work well with some of the dishes you choose. The cheese board was amazing and would put most restaurants to shame. The staff have been extremely helpful and professional. A wonderful experience we will look to repeat!