Guidebook for Gislingham
Local restaurants, pubs and cafes
Amandines Café Restaurant
Saint Nicholas StreetExcellent vegetarian food set in a beautiful courtyard.
The Leaping Hare restaurant. A UK Top 100 Restaurant 2018 (Squaremeal). Lovely restaurant with a gift shop in a beautiful setting. There are also animals to see on walks around the vineyards/gardens and an excellent farmers market on Saturday mornings.
54 locals recommend
Wyken Vineyards
Wyken RoadThe Leaping Hare restaurant. A UK Top 100 Restaurant 2018 (Squaremeal). Lovely restaurant with a gift shop in a beautiful setting. There are also animals to see on walks around the vineyards/gardens and an excellent farmers market on Saturday mornings.
The Old Kings Head
50 The StDelicious pizza and pasta. Also has a gin bar!
This 2 AA Rosette-holding restaurant is featured in both the Michelin and Harden's food guides. Excellent traditional-meets-modern European restaurant, in the charming village of Fressingfield in Suffolk.
29 locals recommend
Fox and Goose Fressingfield
Church StreetThis 2 AA Rosette-holding restaurant is featured in both the Michelin and Harden's food guides. Excellent traditional-meets-modern European restaurant, in the charming village of Fressingfield in Suffolk.
Moriarty's Café
The StreetLovely cafe with courtyard selling fabulous cakes. They also welcome cyclists.
The Deli At The Chilli Farm
Norwich RoadFabulous deli and a great cafe.
The Bull Auberge
Old Ipswich RoadExcellent French restaurant.
Great pub food at this lovely pub in Thelnetham. Lovely walks around Thelnetham Fen too.
The White Horse Thelnetham
Hopton RoadGreat pub food at this lovely pub in Thelnetham. Lovely walks around Thelnetham Fen too.
Excellent Thai food in Diss. Takeaways available but unfortunately don't offer delivery service.
Sing Tong Thai
5 St Nicholas StExcellent Thai food in Diss. Takeaways available but unfortunately don't offer delivery service.
Lovely pub, serving great food in the beautiful village of Botesdale. Play area for children and dog-friendly.
11 locals recommend
The Bell Inn
The StreetLovely pub, serving great food in the beautiful village of Botesdale. Play area for children and dog-friendly.
Lovely restaurant set in the beautiful Thornham Walks. Open Thursday-Sunday. Excellent Sunday roast. Toys available.
Thornham Coach House
Lovely restaurant set in the beautiful Thornham Walks. Open Thursday-Sunday. Excellent Sunday roast. Toys available.
Pretty thatched pub in the village of Thornham Magna close to Thornham Walks. Child and dog-friendly pub.
12 locals recommend
The Four Horseshoes Inn
Wickham RoadPretty thatched pub in the village of Thornham Magna close to Thornham Walks. Child and dog-friendly pub.
Lovely restaurant set in Alder Carr Farm (booking advisable). Excellent farm shop, a few gift shops, a nature trail and picnic area outside.
19 locals recommend
Alder Carr Farm
Lovely restaurant set in Alder Carr Farm (booking advisable). Excellent farm shop, a few gift shops, a nature trail and picnic area outside.
Great microbrewery set in beautiful countryside serving a wide range of craft beers and craft gin. Child and dog-friendly. Serve lovely pies and fresh bread at the indoor bakery. Sometimes have a barbecue, food stalls and live music. Best to call and ask if these are on.
9 locals recommend
Star Wing Brewery
Great microbrewery set in beautiful countryside serving a wide range of craft beers and craft gin. Child and dog-friendly. Serve lovely pies and fresh bread at the indoor bakery. Sometimes have a barbecue, food stalls and live music. Best to call and ask if these are on.
The Greyhound
The StreetGreat Wood Fired pizza. Dog friendly
Child and dog-friendly pub and hotel with good food. Serves breakfast and has a play area for children outside.
20 locals recommend
The White Horse Inn
Low StreetChild and dog-friendly pub and hotel with good food. Serves breakfast and has a play area for children outside.
The Burston Crown
Mill RoadGreat pub food and live music. Dog-friendly.
Great, local pub on Mellis Common. Friendly atmosphere with good food. Dog and child-friendly
The Railway Tavern
Mellis RoadGreat, local pub on Mellis Common. Friendly atmosphere with good food. Dog and child-friendly
Set in beautiful grounds with a sunken patio and pirate ship for the children. Lovely recently refurbished restaurant. The food is good but the setting is better. Lovely to sit for a drink, watch the sun go down and let the children play.
21 locals recommend
The Oaksmere
Rectory RoadSet in beautiful grounds with a sunken patio and pirate ship for the children. Lovely recently refurbished restaurant. The food is good but the setting is better. Lovely to sit for a drink, watch the sun go down and let the children play.
Parks & Nature
Lovely place for a walk around the Thornham Estate. A cafe and restaurant plus park for the children.
16 locals recommend
Thornham Walks
Gislingham RdLovely place for a walk around the Thornham Estate. A cafe and restaurant plus park for the children.
Ickworth House, Park and Gardens
Beautiful nature reserve run by The Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Excellent for walking and spotting wildlife. If you're lucky, you may even see the Great Raft Spider!
16 locals recommend
Redgrave and Lopham Fens
Low Common RoadBeautiful nature reserve run by The Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Excellent for walking and spotting wildlife. If you're lucky, you may even see the Great Raft Spider!
Knettishall Heath
Excellent play areas in the woods with a great cafe and BBQ's to hire.
Great bike trails through the forest. The car parking is expensive at around ten pounds for the day but it's worth it as loads of areas to play and the trails.
37 locals recommend
High Lodge
Excellent play areas in the woods with a great cafe and BBQ's to hire.
Great bike trails through the forest. The car parking is expensive at around ten pounds for the day but it's worth it as loads of areas to play and the trails.
Winterton-on-Sea
Lovely beach with sand dunes. Fabulous cafe too.
National Trust - Dunwich Heath and Beach
Minsmere RoadGreat walks around the estate
Needham Lake
Lovely lake to stroll around. Also a play area for the children.
Lovely walks around the nature reserve of Thelnetham Fen.
https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/thelnethamfen
Thelnetham
Lovely walks around the nature reserve of Thelnetham Fen.
https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/thelnethamfen
River Waveney
Great for canoeing
Canoe hire available from here to paddle the Bungay loop (around 3 hours)
7 locals recommend
Outney Meadow Caravan Park
Canoe hire available from here to paddle the Bungay loop (around 3 hours)
Towns and villages
Lovely beach where you can wonder and see the beach huts and walk along the harbour. There's lots of beautiful period properties to view in and around the town.
Catch the rowing boat over to Warberswick where there's brilliant crabbing for the children. Theres's lovely pubs serving great fish and chips and the locally brewed Adnams beer.
287 locals recommend
Southwold
Lovely beach where you can wonder and see the beach huts and walk along the harbour. There's lots of beautiful period properties to view in and around the town.
Catch the rowing boat over to Warberswick where there's brilliant crabbing for the children. Theres's lovely pubs serving great fish and chips and the locally brewed Adnams beer.
Eye is a small, pretty, historic town. It has a small castle and church and many old buildings to view as you walk around. There's a number of shops to look around too including a gift shop, antique shops, cafes and a pub serving great food. There's also a park and skate park behind the community centre.
Eye
Eye is a small, pretty, historic town. It has a small castle and church and many old buildings to view as you walk around. There's a number of shops to look around too including a gift shop, antique shops, cafes and a pub serving great food. There's also a park and skate park behind the community centre.
Lavenham
Picturesque village with lovely Tudor buildings.
Framlingham
Aldeburgh
Woodbridge
Long Melford
Beccles
Bury St Edmunds
Bungay
Snape Maltings
Supermarkets, village shops and farm shops
Well stocked village shop with meat from a local butcher and fresh bread (5 minute walk)
Londis | Gislingham Village Store
High StreetWell stocked village shop with meat from a local butcher and fresh bread (5 minute walk)
Co-op Food & Grocery Store, Rickinghall, Diss
The StreetMedium sized Co-op (11 minutes drive away)
East of England Co-Op Foodstore, Eye
6 Broad StMedium sized Co-op ( 14 minutes drive away)
Aldi
37-38 Mere StLarge supermarket (21 minutes drive away)
Morrisons
Large supermarket in Diss (21 minutes drive away)
Sunnyside Farm shop
Great little local farm shop.
'One of the top 10 Farmers' markets in the country (The Times). Excellent farmers market on a Saturday morning.
54 locals recommend
Wyken Vineyards
Wyken Road'One of the top 10 Farmers' markets in the country (The Times). Excellent farmers market on a Saturday morning.
Entertainment & Activities with children
Banham Zoo
Kenninghall RoadLovely zoo with a ropes course and play areas.
Beccles Lido
PuddingmoorOutdoor swimming pool by the River Waveney (Open May-September)
A great day at the farm!. Fab play area, den building, outdoor theatre, restaurants, and gift shops.
56 locals recommend
Jimmy's Farm
Pannington Hall LaneA great day at the farm!. Fab play area, den building, outdoor theatre, restaurants, and gift shops.
Award winning forest with outdoor adventure, treehouses, zip wires, jungle bridges, storytelling, boat trips and marsh walks
16 locals recommend
Bewilderwood station
Award winning forest with outdoor adventure, treehouses, zip wires, jungle bridges, storytelling, boat trips and marsh walks
Delightful independent cinema showing all the best films. Comfortable seating with bar, and restaurant.
27 locals recommend
Abbeygate Picturehouse
4 Hatter StDelightful independent cinema showing all the best films. Comfortable seating with bar, and restaurant.
Kentwell Hall
Lovely moated Manor house with great themed days.
A great day out with the children. Fab play area and splash park.
96 locals recommend
Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure
A great day out with the children. Fab play area and splash park.
An excellent day out in the forest. Lots of fab bike trails, walks, climbing frames, musical instructions and Go Ape Zip Wire all set within the forest.
37 locals recommend
High Lodge
An excellent day out in the forest. Lots of fab bike trails, walks, climbing frames, musical instructions and Go Ape Zip Wire all set within the forest.
Framlingham Castle
Church StreetLovely garden and steam trains. Softplay and cafe in the garden centre.
48 locals recommend
Bressingham Steam & Gardens
Low RoadLovely garden and steam trains. Softplay and cafe in the garden centre.
Thornham Walks
Gislingham RdEaston Farm Park
Hollow Trees Farm
A1141Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm
Mill LaneNational Trust - Sutton Hoo
West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village
Icklingham RoadNorwich Castle
24 Castle MdwBugs Play Cafe
Flixton RoadLovely soft play cafe with inside and outside areas
Monsters Ltd
12 Hopper WayLarge soft play with a cafe in Diss
Arts & Culture
The Corn Hall
10 St Nicholas StLovely recently refurbished theatre in Diss.
Norwich Theatre Royal
Theatre StreetNational Trust - Melford Hall
Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. Beautiful, restored Regency Theatre.
22 locals recommend
Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds
Westgate StreetTheatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. Beautiful, restored Regency Theatre.
Abbeygate Picturehouse
4 Hatter StNorwich Playhouse
42 - 58 St Georges StIckworth House, Park and Gardens
New Wolsey Theatre
Civic Dr Civic DriveCities
The beautiful, friendly city of Norwich is 45 minutes away. Great shopping, independent pubs and cafes, the lanes as well as the well known high street shops.
250 locals recommend
Norwich
The beautiful, friendly city of Norwich is 45 minutes away. Great shopping, independent pubs and cafes, the lanes as well as the well known high street shops.
Cambridge