Galley Restaurant at Ipswich, The

The Galley is one of those happy, carefree places that gives a whole new definition to the expression 'eating out', and allowing for the dry East Anglian climate you are as likely to end up eating beneath a market umbrella (to shield the sun, of course) as inside the bewitchingly ancient building itself. Either way Ugur Vata, the talkative Turk who runs this worthy house will see to it that you run no risk of going away unhappy or anything less than replete and contented. The rest is up to you.

Local produce is a prime support of cuisine here, starting with Tuttenham Hall asparagus, through to Ipswich almond pudding, a delightful indulgence made from a centuries-old recipe. For a starter try the Sicilian style prawn and red onion gateau with medi salsa before, or Middle Eastern soup with bulgur wheat moving on to Highland rack of lamb with a local organic oyster mushroom sauce. Quite what the secret ingredient is in the sexy sticky toffee pudding with its accompanying vanilla ice cream I know not, but you may feel you should give it a try.

At The Galley they import many of their wines direct, including some attractive Chilean numbers, and if you like the wine with your meal that much they will sell you the rest of the case, which leads me on to mention their speciality food store where ciabatta, baguettes and wraps, with a fine array of fillings are on sale to those in a hurry or looking ahead.