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Aldeburgh Food & Drink
A taste of Suffolk. A taste of the sea. A taste for life. Aldeburgh’s got it all – on a plate, in the shopping bag, or on the takeaway menu. What’s more Suffolk’s weekend showcase of the finest locally produced food and drink – The Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival – takes place at nearby Snape Maltings every September.
Refreshing & Feeding Folk for Generations
From pints to pot-ready lobster, saltmarsh samphire, asparagus and soft fruit to flavoursome gins – Aldeburgh’s got all the right local ingredients to make this historic market town the must-visit Suffolk Coast destination for foodies and families alike. You’ll find characterful pubs with pavement terraces, beer gardens or outside seating areas with beach views.
For a real taste of history, step in to Aldeburgh’s once market-side Mill Inn or the low-ceilinged, former fishermen’s haunt, The Cross Keys. And don’t miss nearby Aldringham’s old smugglers’ inn, ‘The Parrot’ (& Punch Bowl).
So much more than just the freshest fish and chips ever!
Say hello to some of the best fine dining experiences on the Suffolk Coast. Take your pick of snacks, treats and afternoon teas too, all served up in relaxed and of course tasteful settings.
Deliciously indulgent, responsibly produced, lovingly shared – that’s the eating and drinking experience in Aldeburgh.
Freshest Catch
Caught by local fishermen
Fishermen hauling their boats up the beach to sort, gut and prepare their catch before your very eyes, outdoors, in the sunshine, by their huts on the shingle… Folk tucked away in the dark, hut-side smokehouse, working their magic to turn their fish to golden brown… It’s a rare sight along the English coast these days, but in Aldeburgh it’s just the way it is – and has always been.
Flounder, haddock, cod, rock eel, skate, crabs, lobster – what will get your tastebuds tingling? Buy direct from the hut and let the expert local fishmen guide you and share their top preparation and cooking tips.
Freshest Produce
Grown in local soils
Hearty root veg, delicate soft fruits, tender asparagus… when it comes to fresh fruit and veg, Aldeburgh is as down to earth as you want it to be! The soils of the Suffolk Sandlings (clue’s in the name!) once gave this local veg patch the name ‘Carrot Country’. These days, a quick pop to the farm shop or browse of the veg baskets outside Aldeburgh’s family butchers or delis, soon reveals a far wider selection of colourful local lovelies.
Just a little further inland, field crops like wheat and barley are big around here too..At nearby Snape, Newson Garrett’s mighty maltings shipped malted barley to London breweries. These days, Adnams (of Southwold) is the local word for beer.
Freshest Flavours
Distilled locally with love
It might say ‘ London Dry Gin’ on the label, but you really couldn’t get more Aldeburgh. Fishers Gin is a relatively new arrival, but it’s distilled right on the beachfront, close to the elegant yachts which sail the Alde. Using botanicals and local-to home coastal plants such as samphire from the saltings, it’s quite the spirit of the place!
Tastings and tours are a must to meet Watson, the still character behind the magic.
Find out moreCelebrated in Style
Aldeburgh Festival of Food & Drink
Snape Maltings hosts Suffolk’s annual extravaganza of all things locally crafted tasty treats. Aldeburgh has not only lent it its name, but the place goes to town alongside the September weekend event, with local restaurants putting on an even-more-than-usual show of East Suffolk food greats.
Smoked seafood, prime pork cuts, oysters from Orford Creek, award-winning wines and ales, totally scrummy veg or even perfectly cooked chips made from local spuds… Can’t wait to try some (or all !)? Best book your tickets and your Aldeburgh stay now!
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SPOTLIGHT ON ALDEBURGH FISH & SEAFOOD
“Aldeburgh has a distinctly creative air, with public art, a top music venue, truly unusual places to stay — and the freshest seafood Suffolk can throw at you.” – The Sunday Times
Aldeburgh Beach Smokehouses
Follow your nose. Sit back and sample. Snack away on some of the most melt-in-the-mouth smoked fish and seafood you have ever tasted, right by where the smoke hut action is, as well as that boat which caught the little swimmers in the first place.
Fish, Freshly Prepared for You
A cut above the rest
Watch, listen and learn -knife skills, top tips for food preparation, recipes and so much more. Aldeburgh’s food producers just love to share, and its fishermen are no exception.
The seagulls feasting on the scraps is fun to watch too!
Shop for Fresh Fish & Seafood
“Anything fresher is still swimming!”
Aldeburgh may no longer have an official weekly market as we know markets today it, but the beach by Market Cross Place and Moot Hall is still a fish-market practically every day!
Select your fish or seafood supper direct from the fishermen, in and around their traditional black huts.
Discover Aldeburgh – feeding the 5000 (++) throughout the year, keeping the traditions alive.
Shop… Explore… Enjoy
Fresh food shopping at its finest – that’s Aldeburgh!
Fancy a spot of fishing or taking to the water yourself?
Sailing on the River Alde and fishing from the mudflats are popular pastimes at Slaughden, at the south of historic Aldeburgh. Line fishing from the beach is enjoyed by some locals and visitors alike in that area too. Permissions and restrictions may apply.
