Suffolk &amp; Cambs


<p>This year’s race for gastropub glory has been hotter than a gourmet smash burger — and after much scoffing, quaffing and earnest nodding from the UK’s top food bods, the verdict is in. And, Suffolk does very well for itself, with The Unruly Pig storming in at a mighty number two.</p>



<p>Yes, it’s been nudged off the <a href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/spotlight/top-100-gastropubs-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">top spot</a> by Soho hotshot The Devonshire, but let’s be honest — second place nationally is nothing to sniff at. Curious to know which pubs near you scored big this year? Read on&#8230;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-unruly-pig-woodbridge-suffolk-no-2"><a href="https://theunrulypig.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Unruly Pig</a>, Woodbridge, Suffolk (No. 2)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/the-unruly-pig.jpg" alt="exterior of the unruly pig" class="wp-image-14916" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/the-unruly-pig.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/the-unruly-pig-150x113.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/the-unruly-pig-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/the-unruly-pig-667x500.jpg 667w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This Woodbridge favourite continues to fly the flag for Suffolk with serious swagger, thanks to a menu that marries seasonal British produce with confident Italian flair. We’re talking 40-day aged sirloin steak tagliata with parmesan chips, burnt onion and bone marrow sauce (steady now), or a deeply comforting cauliflower risotto laced with almond, taleggio and black garlic. There’s even a kids’ menu for small people who don’t yet appreciate a fancy smear of sauce.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="897" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/unruly-pig-food.jpg" alt="a dish at the unruly pig Woodbridge" class="wp-image-14917" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/unruly-pig-food.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/unruly-pig-food-150x135.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/unruly-pig-food-300x269.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/unruly-pig-food-557x500.jpg 557w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Worried it’ll rinse your wallet? Fear not. The Unruly Pig’s lunch menu starts at £21 for three courses — which, frankly, feels like daylight robbery (in the best possible way).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-gunton-arms-norwich-norfolk-no-16"><a href="https://www.theguntonarms.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Gunton Arms</a>, Norwich, Norfolk (No. 16)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-3-1000x667.png" alt="The Gunton Arms" class="wp-image-47138" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-3-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-3-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-3-400x267.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-3.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Set in a 1,000-acre deer park beside the grand old Gunton Hall, this is a pub that really leans in to its surroundings. Local, seasonal produce is the name of the game, with glorious slabs of meat cooked over the roaring Elk Room fire — under vast fossilised antlers, naturally. The art’s as bold as the food (yes, there’s a Lucian Freud in the loo). A Michelin Bib Gourmand and tailor-made for long, boozy feasts. If the <a href="https://norfolk.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/pubs-inns/best-cosy-pubs-norfolk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restaurant’s</a> full, nab a sofa by the fire, order bar snacks and accept that you’re staying longer than planned. Merlot strongly encouraged.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-hoop-stock-essex-no-55"><a href="https://www.thehoop.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Hoop</a>, Stock, Essex (No. 55)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-5-1000x667.png" alt="Food at The Hoop in Essex" class="wp-image-47141" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-5-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-5-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-5-400x267.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-5.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>You’ll spot The Hoop before you even reach the village green — its white, wood-fronted façade glowing like a pubby beacon just off Stock’s high street. Inside, this 15th-century freehouse is refreshingly old-school: no TVs, no fruit machines, just the happy hum of relaxed chatter drifting between the bar and the dining room. Food is driven by fresh, locally sourced produce, with daily-changing seasonal menus that might include an Atlantic prawn cocktail, Bolognese arancini or crisp chickpea fritters.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-4-1000x667.png" alt="The Hoop Pub in Essex" class="wp-image-47140" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-4-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-4-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-4-400x267.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-4.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Outside, there’s a large enclosed beer garden complete with an artisan pizza oven (firing up on Friday evenings in the warmer months), plus a ‘Mini Hoop’ play area for little ones — meaning grown-ups can linger just a bit longer. Booking advised.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dog-amp-pickle-ongar-essex"><a href="https://www.dogandpickle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dog &amp; Pickle</a>, Ongar, Essex</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-6-1000x667.png" alt="The Dog and Pickle" class="wp-image-47142" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-6-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-6-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-6-400x267.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-6.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Tucked away in the village of Moreton, The Dog &amp; Pickle punches well above its postcode with a confident, modern British menu and a clear love affair with seafood. Oysters are a headline act — served natural, baked Rockefeller or in crisp tempura — and it’s this kind of ambition that’s earned the gastropub a well-deserved two AA Rosettes. Polished cooking without the stiffness, and all the better for it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-burleigh-arms-cambridge"><a href="https://burleigharmscambridge.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Burleigh Arms</a>, Cambridge</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="600" height="400" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/gastro-suffolk-Jan.png" alt="Burleigh arms" class="wp-image-47170" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/gastro-suffolk-Jan.png 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/gastro-suffolk-Jan-400x267.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></figure>



<p>A historic gem in the heart of Cambridge, The Burleigh Arms is quietly becoming the table to bag. Under owner Tom Arnold’s watchful eye, this 1820s gastropub is doing something genuinely exciting, thanks largely to head chef Kareem Roberts and his bold blend of West Indian heritage and contemporary British cooking — a combination that’s earned him serious acclaim, including appearances on BBC’s <em>Great British Menu</em>.</p>



<p>And when dinner’s done? Tom’s talents extend behind the bar too, where properly crafted cocktails raise the game. Up three places from last year and booking up fast, this is one to reserve now.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-suffield-arms-thorpe-market-norfolk"><a href="https://www.suffieldarms.com/restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Suffield Arms</a>, Thorpe Market, Norfolk</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-7-1000x667.png" alt="The Suffield Arms" class="wp-image-47145" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-7-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-7-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-7-400x267.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2026/01/sauna-suffolk-7.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Just opposite the Norwich–Cromer line, The Suffield Arms has had a relaunch glow-up, courtesy of London art dealer Ivor Braka, following his success with the Gunton Arms. Upstairs, the plush saloon is perfect for cocktails in armchair-level comfort, while the Mediterranean restaurant and tapas bar at the back is bright, modern, and quietly buzzy — ideal for lingering over small plates and a glass (or three).</p>



<p>For the full list of the top 100 Gastropubs around the country, head <a href="https://www.top50gastropubs.com/list/1-50" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE&#8230;</h3>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/14-cosy-local-pubs-for-chilly-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10 cosy local pubs with a roaring fire for chilly days</a></li>



<li><a href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/in-search-of-suffolks-best-sunday-roasts-weve-found-them/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In search of Suffolk’s best Sunday roasts? We’ve found them!</a></li>



<li><a href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/pubs-inns/where-to-stay-in-east-anglia-pubs-inns-dog-family-friendly-stays/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">From city breaks to coastal escapes: THE primo pubs you should have on your staycay hit list</a></li>
</ul>


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