While supporting local producers is something the Great British Food team will always love – it sits deep within our DNA, and has done so since the title was first founded – the number of chefs and restaurants (brilliantly) serving up dishes full of ingredients that have been locally sourced is undoubtedly growing, leaving some (including this writer) hungry for an additional level to this good work, namely produce grown on-site and foraged within surrounding hedgerows and fields.
Being based in Suffolk, The Crown at Bildeston has a cornucopia of incredible food producers at its disposal – expert farmers, destination farm shops (more on that later) and nationally-renowned producers are speckled across the county – but the team has gone one step further by utilising the produce of the nearby Nedging Hall Estate.
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Located just a couple of miles down a winding, picturesque country road, no wonder The Crown’s chef Greig Young – highly regarded as the man who brought it into a new, even more delicious era – was inspired to source as many ingredients as possible from this rich landscape. Its 5,000 acres of lush land located between bustling Ipswich and idyllic county town Bury St Edmunds are home to the venison that often graces The Crown’s menus, as well as seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs that bring the kitchen to life including pears, apples and plums, kale, rainbow chard, onions, leeks and springtime’s most revered bounty, asparagus and wild garlic.
Beer afficionados will be delighted to learn that local icon Mauldons Brewery sources its barley from the estate too, further cementing its role in the local foodie ecosystem.
For food lovers seeking a total switch off, Bildeston itself is exactly what the doctor ordered. A few verdant miles from the A12 via winding roads and cute cottages, it’s as simple and bucolic a village as one could want. Amenities are few, but with a base as brilliant as The Crown, what could you want for? We arrived into the spacious car park on a quiet, sunny afternoon after a brief mooch around the nearby market town of Clare – Smalltown Bread is a must-visit for coffee and pastries – and were warmly greeted before being shown to our room.
And what a room it was. This ancient building is at once comfortable, elegant and timeless, with stunning nods to its history throughout. Our bedroom hosted a huge characterful fireplace, luxurious velvet sofa and giant bed flanked by generous side tables and warming lamps – ideal for the stack of reading material I brought with me, keen as I was to make the most of the quiet by indulging in an all-too-rare reading session (todder parents unite!). A cup of tea from the in-room Nespresso machine and a homemade shortbread biscuit secured, I settled down into a heavenly hour of sipping and reading, while my guest dozed next to me. A sleepy Suffolk village, indeed.
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Energy restored, we ventured into the village to discover more about our surroundings – step outside and there are stunning walks at every turn – before returning for refreshment by the roaring fire. We were soon joined by truly excellent snacks to warm us up for our impending evening meal: venison ragu balls, astoundingly rich and indulgent and topped with clouds of pecorino, the venison from Nedging Estate, and huge creamy Gordal olives which partnered beautifully with our buttery white wine.
The meal itself was a triumph, and it was a pleasure to meet chef Greig in person – a warm hearted and generous host who was clearly passionate about The Crown’s latest chapter as well as the incredible ingredients sourced from the estate and elsewhere in Suffolk. We began with a blissfully soft, seed studded treacle bread served with crunchy sea salt-topped butter, an elegant scotch quail's egg served with a mouthwateringly flavourful aubergine pickle, and a mushroom arancini alongside garlic mayo to dip – at once crunchy, creamy, steaming hot and cooling.
Every now and then I come across a chef whose palate perfectly matches mine, and that is what I found in Greig. Every taste sense was lit up – savoury, sweet, tangy and rich, the main courses had it all. Simultaneously comforting and enlivening, both the duck breast served with rhubarb, beetroot and black pudding pastilla and the treacle cured pork with salsify and apple – Greig's personal favourite – were a revelation.
As ever, we went overboard with the sides, but they were so delicious we didn’t struggle to relish every last bite. Malt roasted parsnips were cosy and sweet-savoury, rosti chips with tartare sauce were crunchy and buttery, and the cauliflower cheese was a lesson in elevating simple dishes with its savoury topping made with roasted seeds, spices and herbs.
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Of course, we couldn’t leave without sampling dessert – especially when presented with some of the finest words one can find on a menu: ‘burnt Basque cheesecake, rhubarb’. Decadently rich with a satisfying tang, caramelised notes from the burnt top – maximised with the addition of white chocolate – and pinkly sharp rhubarb, it was a treat in the highest sense of the word. Meanwhile, my guest ordered the chocolate and pumpkin seed millefeuille served with espresso caramel and mascarpone ice cream – crispy and creamy, dark and indulgent, and the perfect foil to the rhubarb and cheesecake (naturally, I tucked into both).
A refreshing night’s sleep in the supremely comfortable bed, a long morning soak in the bath and an espresso in our room later, and we were ready for breakfast. The rhubarb theme gleefully continued – this time presented atop rich and thick yoghurt sprinkled with seed-speckled homemade granola – and was followed by eggs Benedict with deeply golden eggs and local ham. One of my most common gripes with ‘breakfast out’ is receiving a measly portion of hollandaise sauce with my Benedict, but I needn’t have worried as it arrived lavishly doused in buttery, steaming hot and vinegar-sharp sauce which was perfectly washed down with a pot of tea. Satisfyingly fuelled and with a fond farewell to the warm and generous team, we left for a slow day of exploring the nearby area – vowing to return as soon as we could, and enjoying the glow that only a fabulous meal and perfect hosts can bestow.
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First stop was Hollow Trees Farm, just a couple of minutes’ drive away. This generously appointed farm shop and cafe sells local specialities as well as a wide range of fine food favourites, from ambient to frozen – but their butchery and cheese counters are a must-visit. Everything you need – and more – for an at-home feast after all the indulgence of a stay at The Crown under one roof. If you’re visiting with children, be sure to check out their farm trail for a wholesome activity packed with fresh Suffolk air.
Just around the corner is Hadleigh, a quaint market town boasting reams of independent shops. Local ceramic artist Frankie’s shop on the high street is a must-visit, especially if you’re on the hunt for gifts for loved ones (or yourself), packed as it is with handcrafted delights and an expertly curated range of foodstuffs. We also loved The Little Ginger Bee Company, located at the other end of the high street, for its refill options – everything from tea to cleaning products – and local crafts.
Suffolk has undoubtedly earned its spot as one of the UK’s greatest foodie hotspots, and with The Crown, Bildeston as your delicious base where you can be guaranteed a gloriously authentic taste of the region and a supremely comfortable stay, you are perfectly placed to experience its delights.
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