The Crown & Castle

In a perfect spot for twitchers, lovers of walks on windswept pebbly beaches, and culture vultures drawn by Aldeburgh and its arty heritage, there has been a hostelry hard by the ruins of Orford Castle for eight centuries. Its current incarnation is a soothing bolt-hole, where good food is well cooked, and presented without undue fuss in the convivial Trinity restaurant. It is hardly surprising that a love of food lies at the heart of the operation when you learn that food writer, cookbook author and TV presenter Ruth Watson is a co-owner and executive chef. Menus deliver heaps of choice, with crowd-pleasing, modern focused dishes built on a backbone of local ingredients. Appealing ideas among starters might include sautéed lamb's kidneys on toast with creamy sage and onion sauce, or a sauté of snails with wild mushrooms, pea purée and garlic butter. Mains continue in the same vein - local pork tenderloin with gratin dauphinoise and sprouting broccoli, say, or Orford-landed sea bass with cockles and mussels, and creamy Cognac and shellfish sauce.