The Crown, Bildeston

The bucolic village setting, lush gardens and well-kept exterior bode well as you approach this lovely village inn. Once you enter, its charming spell remains unbroken, with a friendly team and bags of character. The décor blends the modern and the traditional with aplomb, whilst maintaining a proper pub feel – you'll likely find a group of regulars and their dogs by the fire. The menu changes depending on the produce available, but you can expect gently modernised pub dishes, with steaks a feature of the menu, from sirloin to chateaubriand for two.

This red-brick pub has stood here for over 500 years and nowadays looks as good as ever thanks to its beautiful, no-expense-spared restoration. The stylish restaurant is divided into several rooms – and fans of wooden beams and open fireplaces won’t be disappointed. The kitchen team excel in making their simple yet skilled dishes uncomplicatedly delicious, like the pea and mint soup or the terrific boulangère potatoes, whose perfect crisping and flavour exemplify the virtues of the place. Stay overnight in one of the bedrooms and explore the area.

This superbly characterful restaurant on the riverbank belongs to the charming Talbooth House hotel; if you’re staying the night, you can be chauffeured over. Inside it has a stylish, rustic-chic design; most tables afford a river view. Cooking has classic roots but is given subtle modern touches.

A characterful yellow inn with an appealing shabby-chic style, located in a picturesque spot in the heart of Constable Country. The highly seasonal menu offers generous Mediterranean-inspired dishes and the well-chosen wine list offers plenty by the glass. Bedrooms are cosy – two have a modern New England style.