Crown, The

The Crown has a reputation for outstanding cuisine, with 2 AA red rosettes, excellent wines - winner of the wine pub of the year 2005, real ales and friendly, efficient staff. The inn dates back to the early 1500s and has been extended over the years, endeavouring to provide modern amenities without losing the inn's old world charm. The Crown is unusual in that it attracts young and old alike, probably because of its varying degrees of decor suiting different tastes, but all done in a relaxed, modern and country feel.

Richard Sunderland and his brigade of chefs (11 strong) insist that the cuisine is simple and that they use the best and freshest ingredients. Choices for lunch could include chicken, roasted garlic and sweetbread terrine, heritage tomato salsa and sourdough, a main course of char grilled rump steak with crispy onions, thick cut chips and fresh mixed salad and puddings such as strawberry sundae and black pepper shortbread.

Fish is chalked up on the blackboard daily, emphasising that everything is fresh, predominantly from the East Coast. Sunday lunch is treated with the same respect as in most East Anglian pubs and restaurants and steak tartare with fried quails egg anf game chips might set Granny back a bit but she'll recover when she gets into the roast rib of longhorn beef with homemade Yorkshire pudding, or the traditional roast beef.

Supper dishes could include potted kippers with pickled samphire and melba toast followed by roasted suckling pig, macaroni cheese, watercress, capers, Braeburn apple, radish and pea shoots, finally ending with the fresh cherry and summer berry turnover and clotted cream.

The Crown has over 30 wines by the glass, so you can have a different wine with each course. For those wanting a bottle of something rather special, the Crown certainly does not hurt the pocket, as in Pauillac de Chateau Latour 2002 - admittedly the third wine of that famous chateau.

Another unusual feature of the Crown is the wine shop, where one is able to browse through over 200 wines, for either drinking in or taking out. Knowledgeable staff are on hand to guide you through if you feel too mesmerised! If you feel this is purely for wine lovers you would be wrong, for many of the local real ale aficionados come far and wide to sample the immaculately kept beers. Wines can be ordered by the case and are normally delivered within a week, unless particularly rare, in which case allow longer.

There is outside seating for lovers of al fresco dining, as well as just lovers, offering splendid country views so that your eyes can also feast on probably one of the finest views in Suffolk. Menus change about every three weeks, and seasonal specialities can be anybody's guess, but take a tip and click on their Website for fuller details, particularly for accommodation. The Crown has 11 rooms quietly located to the rear of the property, overlooking open countryside. All rooms are individually decorated and very comfortably furnished. A full English breakfast is included in the price and served from 7.30am.