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Housed within the busy Cardinal Retail Park, right opposite Cineworld Cinemas, Chimichanga Ipswich is the perfect retreat for an enjoyable Mexican meal after a tiring shopping expedition. With plenty of parking available, the restaurant is only a 4-minute drive from the Regent Theatre while Portman Road, the home of Ipswich Town Football Club, is even closer.

Chimichanga's extensive à la carte caters to a variety of palates. A wide range of delicious appetisers includes crab cakes, Buffalo chicken wings and empanadas, a traditional crispy pastry filled with a choice of chicken or chorizo sausage with cheese and served with sour cream. Other choices include piri piri prawns, Cajun chicken with chilli sauce and jalapeno bullets, a dish of deep fried jalapeno peppers with cream cheese and chilli sauce. Appetisers to share include chicken nachos or taquitos, crispy flour tortilla tubes with a range of fillings including cheese and black beans, chicken, cheese and salsa and chorizo and cheese.

Light bites include a range of tortilla wraps including a classic fajita wrap with a choice of char grilled fajita steak or chicken served with peppers and onions in a tortilla with Jack cheese. Vegetarians are catered for with the delicious courgette and Portobello mushroom wraps which comes with chipotle chilli sauce and jack cheese. There's also a number of tempting salad options such as blackened tuna salad with tuna steak coated in a special blend of Cajun spices, blacked on a hot skillet and served over a bed of mixed leaves with roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

For something more filling diners could opt for a tortilla burger, made from 100 per cent fully traceable prime Scottish beef wrapped in a flour tortilla with mayonnaise and served with changa chips.

The char grill section's succulent offerings include barbecue baby back ribs served with change chips and jalapeno coleslaw; sirloin mojo rojo, a centre cut sirloin steak marinated in chilli, garlic and coriander and served with beer battered onion rings and change chips, Santa Fe chicken with rice, black beans and guacamole or flame grilled piri piri chicken.

Sumptuous Mexican specialities naturally include chimichanga, a flour tortilla fried golden brown with Jack cheese and served with your choice of filling - either chunky beef chilli con carne, BBQ pulled pork or bean chilli - sautéed onions and peppers and garnished with sour cream, chives, guacamole and tortilla croutons, as well as a variety of burritos, enchiladas and tostadas. There are also chipotle meatballs, Mexican paella, chilli de la casa and south-western crab cakes. The grande quesadilla is a baked flour tortilla sandwich with your choice of filling and drizzled with sour cream and served with Mexican rice and chipotle chilli sauce.

The lunch menu offers a choice of two or three courses while a children's menu caters to the tastes of the little ones.
Round off the satisfying meal with scrumptious dessert of giant Mexican profiterole, chocolate fudge brownie or honeycomb smash cheesecake. Alternatively, end with a speciality coffee or liqueur. Chimichanga offers a variety of wines, beers, cocktails, margheritas, sangria and soft drinks to quench the thirst.

More information can be found on their Website.

Until comparatively recent times the word gunboat had colonial connotations that are fast fading into the dark shadows of Victorian imperialism. So with re-usage all the rage it may not come as a total surprise to find a superb relic of the maritime past, an imaginative and extremely well-presented floating survival, on the ancient waterfront of the historic port of Ipswich.

Many of the original features of this fine and much travelled vessel, launched in 1899 in Belgium, are retained and so skilfully has the work been done that it is not always easy to disregard the feeling that you might emerge from the absorption of your meal, only to find yourself rocking gently off Dogger Bank or the German Bight.

Everything is immaculate and shipshape, the brasswork gleams, the woodwork reflects the subtle lights from the boat-studded harbour scene outside and the cries of the seabirds remove any possible lingering doubts of authenticity.

This seamanlike precision translates very easily it seems into the all-important area of the galley where French brasserie food, which by no means ignores fish, is prepared with consistent care, taking full advantage of the readily available local excellence evident in all three venues of this lively and well-respected East Anglian group.

The menu is as traditional as the ship's ropework and could include starters of spicy Thai haddock fish cake with sweet chili, coriander sauce and poached egg, a salad of crayfish baby tomato with pepper, boiled egg and olive oil vinaigrette or fresh crab meat layered with avocado mousse and tomato jelly.

A breath from the past is invoked by the grilled venison steak with rich cranberry and red wine sauce. To follow, perhaps the roasted fillet of sea bass with mashed potato and Hollandaise will do very well.

The sea air may well have induced an even keener appetite than usual, in which case consider yielding to the firepower of a grilled Aberdeen sirloin steak with Roquefort sauce and French fries. And talking of planks a gang-plank-walking selection of puddings offers good brasserie style such as cappuccino cheesecake with coffee coulis or the almond and honey pannacotta with red fruit jelly and white chocolate mousse. However, cheese-eaters of any nationality may find even armed resistance fails in the presence of an overwhelming force of well-kept cheeses.

An attractive selection of house wines come by the glass, carafe or bottle and the mainly French list can hardly fail to satisfy the needs of the most demanding raider. Tableware and service are in keeping with the best traditions of the wardroom mess, bringing the final touches to a voyage of nostalgic excellence. They do lunches of breathtaking value and quality and on the upper deck the wine bar offers opportunities for relaxation and light snacks.

Extremely full details on Mariners, including a pictorial tour and menus, are available on their Website.

Hintlesham Hall, near Ipswich in the county of Suffolk and one of England's loveliest hotels, offers 21st century facilities in a 16th century Grade 1 listed mansion, nestling in 175 acres of rolling Suffolk countryside. The Hall's restaurant, serving modern international cuisine is recognised as one of the top 10% in the country.

Whilst the outer appearance of Hintlesham has changed over the centuries to the point where it is now settled firmly in the Georgian period, the interiors have largely clung to their atmospheric origins. This beautiful Elizabethan House had the stunning Georgian facade added in 1740. The largest of the three dining rooms, the Salon, has to be one of the most beautiful of its kind, and is well matched by the Parlour, a richly panelled room of enormous charisma.

It is within this setting, which effortlessly retains the atmosphere of a much-loved home, that Head Chef Alan Ford works his brand of magic with a cuisine that appears to combine all the principal attractions so appealing to those who dine out with intent.

Local ingredients are regularly deployed, none more so than the dazzling range of herbs, gathered daily from a vital part of the Robert Carrier inheritance in the tranquil grounds that surround Hintlesham. The cream of Jerusalem artichoke and watercress soup, with grain mustard glaze, becomes a whole new experience given that sort of provenance; a crab cake with ceviche of tuna and poached langoustines introduces a subtle blending of flavours, assisted by chilli and mirin syrup.

Amongst the main courses roast local partridge with beetroot and celeriac remoulade and bay reduction, gives a double edge of fresh produce with an individual approach. But for sheer simplicity combined with brilliance the grilled fillet of haddock served in a mussel and clam chowder is almost unsurpassable.

The originality of married flavours continues with a pear and blackberry pudding terrine, assisted by Chantilly cream. By this time guests will have understood that when the bill of fare offers 'interesting British and French cheeses' this is yet another classic piece of culinary modesty, not to be taken lightly.

There is a menu for every occasion at Hintlesham, but perhaps the one that is taken most seriously and most often is Sunday lunch, a really festive occasion in a laid back county like Suffolk. The meal is a three course event, with three choices at each course. Starters of Thai spiced monkfish with roasted vegetable salad and sun-blushed tomato dressing, or smoked chicken with shallot and sweet potato terrine and red onion jam compete with cream of broccoli soup and stilton croutes.

Inevitably the main event is roast sirloin of beef with Yorkshire pudding and red wine gravy, and for the dissenters a confit fillet of turbot, tiger prawn and broad bean cassoulet, or pan-fried breast of duck with peppercorn sauce. Puddings tend to make for a very stressful period as the relative merits of an apricot and vodka crème brûlée with tuille are weighed against those of an iced lemon parfait and fruits,or the summer berry pudding with Chantilly cream.

The wine list at Hintlesham Hall is characteristically direct. 'We list good wine to be enjoyed at all price levels, from the amazingly well-made . . . .to the mighty aristocrats from the best vineyards. . . . .' Service is discreet and un-hurried, and like everything else at Hintlesham betrays a genuine interest in, and concern for those who seek an association, however fleeting or protracted, with the top 10%.

For more information about dining or staying at one of the finest hotels in England, you could visit their Website.

With quality food, friendly staff, quick service and excellent value for money, Nando's is a great place to eat. Don't expect identikit, pre-fab restaurant interiors which are usually a staple of the larger chains; each restaurant is tailored to its local surroundings and customers, offering up a unique restaurant experience to go with the equally unique taste of legendary, Portuguese, Peri-Peri chicken.

Your peri-peri chicken, when the chips are down so to speak, is a fresh A grade chicken that has never seen the inside of a freezer, but having made the supreme sacrifice is butterfly-cut, marinated for 24 hours in a secret brew called - you've guessed - peri-peri, and is then cooked to your choice over an open flame.

There are, of course, many variations on this broad theme, numerous plays on words such as Nando's experi-perience, peri-peri good reasons why you should eat at a Nando's, and all one hopes is that for their sake chicken never goes out of fashion. New Nando's are opening all the time, peri-peri quickly in fact, the spicy bastes become hotter and more daring, and the full platter offers a whole chicken, large chips or spicy rice and Nando's salad or coleslaw.

Since chickens are vegetarian it seems logical you can order veggie or bean burgers and patties, and still feel the heat from the peppers. All in all, Nando's is hotly recommended for those occasions when you have a large following of permanently hungry children, or adults even, to keep happy - the only thing taken really seriously is the quality of those peri-peri good chickens.

Nando's is a place for bright people who love to laugh and love to eat, and is guaranteed to spice up your taste buds. Their fun approach to life means that when you visit Nando's you can fully relax without the airs and graces associated with more starchy dining out.

For the location of your nearest Nando's restaurant and a host of details about menus, parties and drinks, a click on their Website will reveal a Pandora's box of information.

Brewer's Fayre restaurants offer a warm welcome to those who want a reliably tasty meal in pleasant surroundings, with plenty of choice, minimal fuss and friendly service. With a reputation going back 25 years they should have a fair chance of doing that, but don't take our word for it. Give them a try and see if you agree that this is how good quality pub food should be served.

Whether it's snacks, grills, pub classics, fish, Sunday roasts or side dishes they think their way through the options, talk to their guests, and then come up with the goods. Not everybody wants a full meal so they've considered the needs of those who want to keep the gap filled and the children contented, perhaps on a journey or a day out.

Hot filled baguettes are always popular be it sausage and red onion or a classic chicken club sandwich. Jacket potatoes are good on their own but filled with mature cheddar cheese and beans they take on a new dimension.

More paced occasions demand a wide menu, perhaps with starters of breaded butterfly prawns, chicken goujons or breaded camembert bites. Grills are there for the hungry and whole rack of meaty BBQ pork ribs served with extra sauce, chips and coleslaw can be very welcome. The days of the mixed grill are back - or did they ever go away - a 4oz rump steak, two pork sausages, and a gammon steak topped with a fried egg served with all the trimmings will remind you if they did.

Salmon and prawn fishcakes are served with buttered new potatoes, tartare sauce and a lightly dressed salad. A combination of sea and land comes with a rump steak, whole grilled chicken breast and breaded breaded butterfly prawns, served with chips and a side salad or garden peas.

The rise of eating out in pubs has brought into our daily lives a whole legion of what might be termed 'pub classics'. Many of them have their roots in what used to be called 'good home cooking' and include such dishes as sausage, egg and chips, beef and ale pie, chicken and mushroom pie and for the very daring a beef lasagne. Well, all of them and many more are on the menu at Brewer's Fayre, supplemented by such new regulars as vegetable Goan chicken curry, pork chop, chilli con carne and grilled chicken and bacon salad.

It has often been said that chicken tikka masala is now the most popular dish in Britain. Some may not really want to believe that, much as they love curry, but travel, population movement and other factors have widened our scope and they are probably pretty keen on fish and chips in Timbuktu.

What is certain is that the great British Sunday roast is exclusive to these islands, though copied maybe elsewhere or in ex-pat outposts. No surprise therefore that it's on the Brewer's Fayre menu. A trade of three roasts with an opportunity to trade up to a mega roast for a modest sum. With it come two Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables and that important element - gravy.

A fine list of immensely tempting desserts may well bring the most ardent weight-watcher to their knees. A short but well thought out wine list offers all choices, except champagne, by the glass. Staying the night - check to see if there's a Premier Inn next door - chances are you'll be lucky.

A quick click on their Website is always worth while. The only thing that stays still permanently is the quality which is helped by a changing menu, and some very special offers.

Housed in a historic building in the heart of Ipswich, Zizzi Ipswich delivers authentic Italian cuisine in a warm ambience. Spread over two floors, the restaurant boasts a host of period features including a striking spiral staircase and a private function room for parties. Popular attractions such as Cineworld Cinemas, Butter Market Shopping Centre and Eastgate Shopping Centre are just a short walk away.

Zizzi is also close to Cineworld Cinemas and New Wolsey Theatre and is an ideal spot to grab a quick bite before or after a movie or show.
 
The bustling open kitchen at Zizzi turns out freshly prepared, tasty fare. The extensive à la carte offers distinct sections of antipasti, salads, pizza and calzone, pasta, risottos and mains of seasonally changing meat and fish dishes with a variety of tempting desserts to finish.
 
Zizzi's special antipasti platter has mixed Italian meats with buffalo milk mozzarella, marinated sun-dried tomatoes, mixed olives and red onion focaccia bread. There's also choice of arancini, crispy risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella and peas and served with a tomato chilli sauce as well as gnocchi gorgonzola, potato dumplings in a creamy gorgonzola and spinach sauce seasoned with nutmeg and black pepper, setting the tone for a hearty meal.

For a delicious pasta or risotto choose between penne vodka, king prawns, chilli, peas and Grana Padano in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce; ravioli di capra, goat's cheese and spinach ravioli served with tomato sauce and topped with pesto and pine nuts; zucca e pancetta, pumpkin, pancetta, spinach, sage and Grana Padano topped with mascarpone and rigatoni con pollo e funghi, chicken in a tomato, onion, rosemary and mushroom sauce. Gluten-free pasta is also available on request.

If you prefer a pizza, then you could try Zizzi's speciality pizza rustica, which couples extra thin and crispy bases with a range of toppings such as bufala, buffalo mozzarella with sunblush tomatoes, basil, rocket and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or mare e monti, one half topped with tiger prawn, courgette and mozzarella and the other with spicy sausage, tomato sauce and chilli, all finished off with a rocket and crème fraîche. The carne piccante calzone has marinated chicken, meatballs, Bolognese sauce, mushrooms, chillies, tomato and mozzarella while the clarissa version, has aubergine, and red pepper caponata, olives, goats' cheese, rocket, pine nuts, tomato and mozzarella. Zizzi's calzon'pizzas, half calzone and half pizza, add an interesting twist to the meal.

Sumptuous mains include agnello con peperonata, roasted lamb shank served with basil, roasted vegetables and a little pot of potatoes with tomato, red onion and Grana Padano; duck arrosto, slow roasted whole duck leg in a balsamic, olive and pancetta reduction served with Tuscan potatoes and green beans; and sea bass al vino, sea bass pan fried with wine, garlic and baby plum tomatoes and served with herby potatoes.

The scrumptious dessert list offers torta cioccolata with its thick hazelnut chocolate base topped with rich chocolate torte and served with vanilla mascarpone; homemade tiramisu; creamy vanilla pannacotta with fruit compote and torta Zizzi, an almond-based plum and fig tart topped with pistachios and icing sugar and served with gelato.

The wine list is dominated by a range of Italian wines from regions such as Veneto, Lazio, Sicily, Tuscany and Lombardy. Also on offer is an assortment of beers, and spirits as well as a range of soft and hot drinks.

More information can be found on their Website.

The Beefeater Grill range of restaurants, owned by the well established firm of Whitbread has transformed over time into what is now predominantly a cooking platform for chargrill. The restaurants are warm, modern and stylish, with low lighting and contemporary artwork. A comfortable, cosy, mainly booth layout offers guests their own space with no feeling of being hurried at any point. Staff are friendly and helpful if need be - what a difference that can make to a good evening out.

Be it the wide open spaces of Argentina, the intimate setting of a French restaurant, or a busy grill in London's West End, there's no denying the popularity of chargrill. As the production of quality beef, chicken, fish and lamb has grown, prices have come down by comparison, and the simple and traditional art of minimally cooking dishes by chargrill, sealing in the flavours and tastes by intense heat has caught the public imagination.

All the steaks at Beefeater Grill are matured for a minimum of 28 days before being seasoned. Whether it be juicy rib eye, the classic sirloin, that emblem of the Sunday lunch, a tender fillet, or a delicious 7oz rump, all grilled to your own specification, you're never far away from perfection. Even beefburgers have shaken off their dubious image and the highly popular Beefeater burgers are made from 100% beef.

The popular sirloin with giant prawns offers a treat to those for whom an alliance between sea and pasture is a natural attraction, whilst a 16oz steak platter links rump, fillet, sirloin and rib eye into one mouth-watering dish served with chips, battered onion rings, grilled tomato, a flat mushroom and peppercorn and brandy sauce.

Many of us love rib meat, and the rack of ribs at a Beefeater Grill has a meaty rack smoky flavour; maple ribs of pork with a choice of three sauces, mojito, smoked caramel and apple glaze, or Bourbon and black BBQ. And if all else fails and you are totally baffled by the wealth of choices, ask to have a word with the Steakmaster who will help find what is right for you, together with the best cooking method. These guys leave nothing to chance.

On a menu that is a delight to read, let alone choose a meal from, expect to find smaller dishes such as traditional prawn cocktail, whitebait, chicken liver pâté and baked Camembert, or juicy lamb koftas served with yoghurt and mint dip. There's something about a good steak meal that always leaves a gap for a little temptation to sweeten up the scene and from amongst twelve options look for Belgian chocolate cheesecake, treacle sponge pudding or a caramel apple crumble pie.

Throughout the day a wide range of more general dishes are yours for the ordering, sandwiches, jackets, classic favourites like fish and chips, pasta, salads, and sharing dishes of nachos, potato shells and a Beefeater Grill combo. Next door to many of the restaurants are Premier Inns, so staying the night whatever the circumstances need not be a problem.

And what about wine? Endorsed by Matthew Jukes, wine writer in the Daily Mail and bon viveur in his own right, a wine list that marches with the menu completes an impressive and compelling invitation to enjoy whatever takes your fancy at the nearest Beefeater Grill.

Click on their Website for menu updates and special offers.

Overlooking the River Deben is The Waterfront Cafe in Woodbridge, a lovely restaurant which is located in the 300 year old Granary, adjacent to the famous Tide Mill. The calm and relaxed atmosphere prevalent there is just right for a quiet lunch with friends and the simple, rustic surroundings add to the charm. It's easy to sit down and watch the world go by as you sip on champagne and rest your eyes on the river, but of course, their food is noteworthy too, with plenty of seasonal touches that are executed excellently.

The menu is uncomplicated and reflects what is available in the market and by way of the sea, so you can expect lobsters, crabs, oysters, wild salmon and sea trout, along with sea bass, skate and sole. The owners also prefer to use greens from their own organic gardens which lends that extra freshness. There's also a good selection of fine wines, champagnes and local juices that complement the meals expertly.

Located in Capel St Mary near Ipswich, Lawsianos aims to bring an Italian fine dining experience to a wider audience by ensuring that diners don't feel rushed but relax over a meal. Situated within a 500 year old listed building, the wooden floors, oak beams and open fire places do their bit to create a convivial ambience.

Smoked salmon on a bed of mixed lettuce, drizzled with dill mayonnaise and garnished with Parmigiano Regiano shavings is a good way to start, or a pasta course, perhaps, of tagliatelle with an infusion of three chopped salamis in a red wine and tomato sauce. The chefs make everything fresh from pizzas, meatballs, casseroles, meatloaf, sauces, to amaretto semifreddo. They even marinate their own olives and chillies. Robust main courses include Italian herb and garlic crusted pork loin slices or sirloin steak with a cracked black pepper and brandy cream sauce. Choose between a hot apple pie and lemon cheesecake to finish.

Ipswich is steeped in history, yet full of life. The chance to stroll along its historic waterfront and streets, a vibrant mix of heritage, arts and theatre has inspired creative geniuses such as painter Thomas Gainsborough and novelist Charles Dickens. Saints Tapas Café, ideally located in the heart of the town on Peter Street serves authentic Mediterranean food.

Lunch at Saints' is the busiest time of the day as they serve a mix of sandwiches, salads, tapas and an àla carte menu in a light airy atmosphere. The fresh daily made soup is popular, especially in the winter as is the goats' cheese salad in the summer.

During warmer months there is al fresco dining on the wide pavement surrounded by historic buildings. In the evening the lights go down and the atmosphere becomes more relaxed and intimate.

The wine is exclusively European with Cruz Campo beer on tap, wonderful for complementing the cuisine.