The Peacock Inn – Chelsworth, Suffolk
Thankfully in addition to the lovely cuisine on offer, the Inn has a number of rooms you can stay in. I stayed in one of the newly renovated coach house rooms, and they are just what you need after a full belly of food and wine. Let the sound of the nearby River Brett serenade you to sleep, and the warm and comfortable rooms provide all the comfort you need.
Whilst not far from Ipswich and its mainline trains, it’s possibly more convenient to visit via car. There are busses apparently, but I suspect they only come by every first Tuesday of the month to help deliver livestock to market.
The local area is full of charm and a great place to explore for a weekend away. The picture postcard village of Lavenham is just around the corner and is a perfect place to potter and when I say potter, I mean Harry Potter as it’s full of filming locations! If you fancy making a weekend of it, I recommend a spa stay at The Swan for your 2nd night. There are some glorious countryside walks nearby and plenty of stately homes to explore.
If you happen to be very local, you’ll benefit from the exclusive discount for local folk. If you’re from further afield, you’ll still be greeted with a smile and great service.
I think it’s important to also mention how warm and welcoming this place is in comparison to some other establishments in the area. For some reason another local pub-come-restaurant is picking up lots of hype, but in reality, it’s a pretty disappointing experience for anyone who actually knows anything about food or what good service looks like. You’ll have to trust me on this, but having tried the tasting menu in both The Unruly Pig and The Peacock, I can highly recommend giving the Pig a miss. They say ‘you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig’ and that just about sums it up! Forget the hyperbole and set your sat nav to Chelsworth, you won’t be disappointed!
