Muddy Stilettos


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Abbey-Ruins-Bury-St-Edmunds-Phil-Morley-2.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-70905" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Abbey-Ruins-Bury-St-Edmunds-Phil-Morley-2.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Abbey-Ruins-Bury-St-Edmunds-Phil-Morley-2-600x400.jpeg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Abbey-Ruins-Bury-St-Edmunds-Phil-Morley-2-787x525.jpeg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Pleasing on the eye with its gorgeous pastel-coloured houses, historical ruins, medieval quarter and cathedral, Bury St Edmunds feels a bit of a secret often bypassed for Suffolk’s main attractions, the coast and countryside.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What a mistake to make because buzzy Bury, with its Michelin-star restaurant, independent shops and thriving arts scene, is deffo weekend break territory. Charles Dickens, who set part of&nbsp;<em>The Pickwick Papers</em>&nbsp;there, knew the score enjoying stays at the Angel Hotel and describing Bury St Edmunds as a “handsome town of thriving and cleanly experience”. So true, Charles, so true.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat-nbsp">EAT&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_1maisonbleue.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-70906" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_1maisonbleue.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_1maisonbleue-600x400.jpeg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_1maisonbleue-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Maison Bleue, Instagram gold</figcaption></figure>



<p>Everyone’s still raving about <a href="https://peaporridge.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pea Porridge</a> on Cannon Street after it retained its Michelin star again this year (it’s Suffolk’s first and only Michelin-starred restaurant btw!). Despite the hype, there are no airs and graces at this laidback restaurant converted from two cottages to three cosy dining rooms with rustic wood tables, exposed brick walls and an original baker’s oven at its heart. Head chef and owner Justin and his wife Jurga run the show and the fact they’re both crazy about food and wine shines through, think dishes like Felixstowe skate, brown shrimps, turlu turlu (a spiced, Turkish ratatouille FYI!), aigrette and caper leaves. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.maisonbleue.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Maison Bleue,</a> serves modern French fare in a fancy setting on Churchgate Street. We’re also loving <a href="http://nineteen-twentyone.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1921 Angel Hill</a> where the menu’s local produce through and through, so expect to be Instagramming delish dishes like Ardleigh asparagus or saddle of lamb from the Denham Estate all presented as edible works of art. </p>



<p><a href="https://theonebull.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The One Bull</a>&nbsp;is a posh pub with excellent food in Bury, where you can prop up the bar, lounge on the sofas or take a table at the restaurant: think informal, relaxed surroundings, but with high end dishes like smoked mackerel, pickled cucumber, wasabi mayo and lime on the menu.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Bury restaurant that everyone is talking about – <a href="https://larkrestaurant.co.uk/">Lark</a> – was opened last year by well-known Suffolk chef James Carn in, wait for it… a former bus shelter. The name of the restaurant comes from the nearby River Lark and the menu concept is all sharing style – lots of small plates using the finest local ingredients. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stay-nbsp">STAY&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-Angel-Hotel-Eaterie-96-med.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-70907" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-Angel-Hotel-Eaterie-96-med.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-Angel-Hotel-Eaterie-96-med-600x400.jpeg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-Angel-Hotel-Eaterie-96-med-787x525.jpeg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Angel Hotel, good enough for Charles Dickens</figcaption></figure>



<p>Standing the test of time (like, over a century) is the rather fabulous&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theangel.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Angel</a>. Charles Dickens stayed here in 1835, way before Tripadvisor had been invented, but he must have rated it as he returned twice as a journalist for the&nbsp;<em>Morning Chronicle&nbsp;</em>and to do a reading at the nearby Athenaeum<em>.&nbsp;</em>You can even book the room he slept in (215) now known as the Charles Dickens Suite and naturally you’ll need to knock back a Great Expectations cocktail or two – Suffolk dry gin, martini, Ardberg, lemon twist (not that they’re pushing a theme here or anything).&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/02/The-Ickworth-Hotel-3.jpg" alt="ickworth bury st Edmunds " class="wp-image-14940" /></figure>



<p>Just outside Bury, in Horringer, you’ll find The Ickworth – housed in the rather spectacular&nbsp;squandered ancestral home of the Hervey family (seriously read the history, it’s fascinating!). The hotel forms one wing of the sprawling Ickworth House, with its famous rotunda, and is surrounded by acres and acres of glorious parkland, so little ones can run free and soak up as much county air as they desire. It’s brilliant for families but has plenty of luxuries for adults too.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drink-nbsp">DRINK&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2022/09/the-wine-cellar-1.jpg" alt="wine wall" class="wp-image-28591" /></figure>



<p>The Wine Cellar on Buttermarket, is a smart and award-winning wine shop and bar where you can taste a selection of wines from the 100+ strong collection, lead by owner and wine aficionado Bradley. Make sure to line your stomach with delicious small plates and grazing boards from the food menu while you’re making your way through the collection though!</p>



<p><a href="https://www.baskervilles.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baskervilles</a>&nbsp;on Whiting Street in the town centre’s medieval grid is a vegan coffee shop with a secret cocktail bar below. Ok it’s not&nbsp;<em>that</em>&nbsp;secret, but is stays open until late Thurs-Sat, the menu’s chocka with enticing concoctions like Rathbone’s Fairy Garden – gin, Pimms, fresh strawberry jam, lime, Angostura bitters, topped with homemade pomegranate and hibiscus soda – and cocktails are served in a teapot on Sundays, because why the hell not?&nbsp;</p>



<p>Did you know Bury’s home to Britain’s smallest drinking hole&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thenutshellpub.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Nutshell Pub</a>? Probably not. The bar’s just 15ft by 7ft and apparently it’s been confirmed in the Guinness Book of Records that this really is the UK’s tiniest pub, so obvs you’ll need to pop in for a pic and to check out the mad decor which includes a mummified cat and foreign notes plastered on the ceiling.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can tour and tipple at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greeneking.co.uk/our-beers/brewery-tours-beer-cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greene King Brewery</a>, exploring the old buildings, finding out how the local brew’s made and then tucking into tastings at the fab Beer Cafe, including two chutneys, a marmalade and mustard all made from beer.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Gorgeous bottle shop&nbsp;<a href="https://vinogusto.co.uk/pages/our-shop" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vino Gusto</a>&nbsp;(run by the team behind One Bull) opened in 2022 in Hatter Street in the centre of town and it’s pretty special. More of a wine experience than a store, there’s the chance to chat vino with experts, get involved in tastings and sip a complimentary coffee while you browse the vast array of stock – definitely worth popping into when you’re in town.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="798" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Unknown-2-1000x798.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-70908" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Unknown-2-1000x798.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Unknown-2-600x479.jpeg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Unknown-2-658x525.jpeg 658w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Unknown-2.jpeg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Javelin&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>



<p>Bury St Edmunds has two sides when it comes to shopping – the <a href="https://arc-burystedmunds.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arc Shopping Centre</a> by the Cattle Market car park houses all the big chains (H&amp;M, Joules, Waterstones, Wagamama etc), but you’ll find some cracking independent shops lining the elegant Georgian streets near the Abbey. Hit up <a href="https://javelinonline.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Javelin</a> and <a href="https://www.shopatanna.com/pages/stores" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anna</a> for fashion and <a href="https://www.questhomeandgifts.co.uk/contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quest</a> for gifts. </p>



<p>The lively market takes place on the Buttermarket every Wednesday and Saturday (more than 80 stalls to browse), and there’s an annual <a href="https://www.visit-burystedmunds.co.uk/whats-on/bury-st-edmunds-food-drink-festival-2022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Food and Drink Festival</a> too. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture-nbsp">CULTURE&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_abbeycathedral.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-70909" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_abbeycathedral.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_abbeycathedral-600x400.jpeg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_abbeycathedral-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">St Edmondsbury Cathedral&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>



<p>You can’t miss <a href="https://stedscathedral.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St Edmundsbury Cathedral</a> as it dominates the entire town from its central spot, so you’re pretty much sightseeing while you’re shopping. </p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/bury-st-edmunds-abbey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Abbey of St Edmund</a> in the pretty Abbey Gardens was officially 1000 years old in 2020 (imagine the candles on that cake). One of the most important medieval monasteries in Europe, it’s a beautiful place to spend an hour or two and there are rumours that St Edmund’s remains are still there, possibly in an iron coffin in the monks’ cemetery beneath some former tennis courts. Expect a major Richard-III-found-in-a-Leicester-car-park type reveal at some point in the future.</p>



<p>Bury St Edmunds is home to the only surviving Regency playhouse in Britain, <a href="https://theatreroyal.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Theatre Royal</a> where you can see all the latest shows, in an amazing pre-Victorian setting. In contrast, <a href="https://www.theapex.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Apex</a> is an award-winning ultra modern event space, with everything from plays to live music, art exhibitions and yoga classes. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kids">KIDS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_ickworth.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-70910" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_ickworth.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_ickworth-600x400.jpeg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/rsz_ickworth-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Looking for bugs at Ickworth House</figcaption></figure>



<p>Drag them away from screens for a morning at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moyseshall.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moyse’s Hall Museum</a>, which transports kids back in time through artefacts and tales from the Bronze Age, Roman era and Medieval times. Though if you want something more contemporary there are events too.</p>



<p>St Edmundsbury Cathedral has launched a project to recreate the iconic landmark in Lego, take the fam to see the development and donate a brick or two while you’re there (it’s in the south west corner of the cathedral).&nbsp;</p>



<p>Nearby <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ickworth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ickworth House</a> is a great place for all ages, with massive grounds for picnics and lots of activities – explorer packs with binoculars, outdoor theatre, crafts and games (we’re keen on the cafes, gift and garden shops too).</p>



<p><strong>ON THE MOVE?&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p>Check out&nbsp;the brand new Insider&nbsp;Guides&nbsp;to cities and towns from&nbsp;the other Muddy Stilettos editors…</p>



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Insider guide to Bury St Edmunds

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