Award-Winning Restaurants to Try in Bury St Edmunds

Pea Porridge restaurant in Bury St Edmunds is the first and only restaurant in Suffolk to be awarded one Michelin star award (awarded in 2021).

The restaurant in Cannon Street is an independently owned neighbourhood restaurant, located on a square, which was once a green, called “Pea Porridge Green".

Originally two cottages built in 1820 and later a bakery, the restaurant now comprises three charming and delightfully unpretentious dining rooms with rustic tables, exposed brick work and its unique feature - the original baker’s oven.

Head Chef and Owner Justin Sharp (head chef-proprietor) and his wife Jurga (front-of-house), serve dishes they themselves love to cook and eat, prioritising local, seasonal produce. Whatever is on the plate, their aim is for a combination of simplicity and flavour. “Nose-to-Tail” dishes are also regular staple on their Moorish-inspired menu, which changes almost every day.

To compliment your meal, choose a bottle from the extensive, handpicked wine menu. They work closely with suppliers who source rare, preferably natural and biodynamic wines.

Book your table at Pea Porridge's website.

One of Suffolk’s most revered chefs opened the doors to his first solo restaurant in Suffolk’s foodie capital in 2023 and has already won awards and glowing praise from one of the country's well-known food critics. Lark is the only restaurant in Suffolk to hold the Michelin Bib Gourmand, awarded in 2024.

Chef and owner James Carn, opened Lark in February 2023, which in its previous life was a florist. James comes from Suffolk’s only Michelin starred restaurant Pea Porridge, where he’d worked on and off for five years. Prior to that he was sous chef at Tuddenham Mill, with the talented chef having a keen following locally.

A glowing review by Food Critic Jay Rayner in The Observer’s Food section (he described Lark as ‘Clever, relaxed, and hugely enjoyable’) just six months after opening came just 10 days after Lark was listed in the Good Food Guide’s Top 100 local restaurants in the UK.

This cosy restaurant is located on Angel Hill overlooking the Abbey Gate, Lark seats just 23, making it an intimate dining experience.

Jay Rayner in The Guardian, describing Lark as "ambitious, clever, relaxed, and hugely enjoyable. But I’ll go for just one word, used correctly. Like that rabbit shank pie, it’s special."

Book a table now at Lark's website.

Experience Brittany born chef-patron Pascal Canevet’s unmistakable style, creativity, and balance of flavor with his innovative seasonal menus.

Maison Bleue in Churchgate Street has a proven track record of consistently achieving the highest accolades including The Craft Guild of Chefs: Restaurant Chef Award, Trip Advisors Best of the Best Award, Worldwide Luxury Restaurant Awards, Suffolk Restaurant of the Year Award, and gaining Trip Advisors Certificate of Excellence, Travellers Choice and five-star rating year on year.

In 2024, Maison Bleue was awarded the prestigious Harden's Ltd Certificate 2024 Diner Survey for Exceptional Quality Food and in 2023 was named among The Good Food Guide's top 15 "warmest" restaurants in the UK.

Karine Canevet was awarded the Michelin Great Britain & Ireland Sommelier Award in 2021, so its no surprise that the wine list at Maison Bleue is equally as impressive; boasting a selection of the restaurant's handpicked wines along with fine wines, sparking wines and Champagne.

Book your table now at Maison Bleue's website.

1921 is a fine dining restaurant set in a beautiful medieval building with a relaxed atmosphere in the heart of historic Bury St Edmunds.

With Zack Deakins as Chef Patron, the restaurant follows an unconventional approach with relaxed service and the food reigning supreme.

Start your meal with canapés and an aperitif in the lounge before moving into the restaurant and choosing from the exciting menu featuring some of the region's top produce. Why not try their 5 or 7 course tasting menu?

1921 on Angel Hill was awarded three AA rosettes for culinary excellence at the AA Hospitality Awards in 2023, named one of the top eateries in the country in Harden's Top 100 Best UK Restaurants 2020 and was winner of the 'Oustanding Customer Service Award' at the 2018 Suffolk Food & Drinks Awards and 'Best Restaurant' award at the 2017 Suffolk Food & Drink Awards.

Book your table now at the 1921 website.

The award-winning, elegant eaterie at The Angel has been awarded an AA rosette, and serves a menu of superb modern British cuisine.

The historic hotel in the centre of Bury St Edmunds features a stunning dining room which blends historical charm with modern interior design.

Expect a fiercely seasonal, modern British menu that is big on flavour with an emphasis on seasonality.

Visit our Food and Drink Directory for more yummy food and drink businesses in Bury St Edmunds and Beyond!