By Katie Thompson
For many of us, there’s one non-negotiable in our day-to-day lives – an absolute certainty that, no matter where we are or what we’re doing, remains at the top of our list of priorities. But what is that unchanging aspect, that essential so high up on a pedestal? Our food and drink, of course.
Norwich is the perfect destination to indulge in tastes new, familiar and fantastic. We’ve got gastronomic delights galore, brewed, foraged, farmed, and finessed right here. Tuck in!
At any budget, no one orders food they don’t like, right? It’s imperative to enjoy it – especially on trips away. And if you’ve landed on Norwich for your spring getaway (check out our Stay page for the best accommodation) and enjoy your food as much as us, you’re in luck because this is our guide on the best food and drink Norwich has to offer. We’re blessed with a huge range of good grub and beautiful beverages in the City of Stories- from an ancient market made for modern munching (a melting pot of worldwide flavours, where New York-style sarnies meet Spanish albondigas, bao buns steam seconds from their swirly cinnamon cousins, and you can wash it all down with a cuppa (or a couple of pints)) to prize-winning chippies (hello, Grosvenor Fish Bar) and scones surrounded by Georgian splendour (afternoon tea at The Assembly House, anyone?).
Here’s our recommendations for your consideration- a toast to Norwich. Please, take a seat.
Benedicts: Norwich’s ultimate fine dining experience
We’re starting off strong. For Norwich’s ultimate fine dining experience, you’ll want to head to the Michelin Guide featured Benedicts, found on the aptly named St Benedicts Street. This isn’t just a restaurant either – it’s an experience, an unforgettable food adventure, one you’re invited to join. It’s even more of a must-try if you’ve not been to a fine dining restaurant before.
Everything about Benedicts oozes class. From the exterior’s black and white tones, which ironically make it stand out even more, to the simplistic yet beautiful interior design, you’ll become giddy at the thought of what’s about to come out of the kitchen as you settle in at your table. And it won’t disappoint.
With an ever-changing seasonal menu, made with the finest local ingredients of our fine county, we can’t promise any certain dish will be on when you visit – it’s a surprise, but in the best way possible. Try their sensational tasting menu (ranging from approximately £60-£80 per person) for an eclectic mix of flavour profiles, and if you’re a wine lover, be sure to order it with their expertly paired wine flight for even more perfect synergies.
Find out more on the Benedicts website.
Brix and Bones is an intimate culinary adventure
Tucked away in the Gonzo’s Tea Room on London Street, if you weren’t in the know, you could easily miss the fact Brix & Bones are there serving up absolutely stunning dishes to their intimate 32-seater restaurant. Plus, they’ve got one particular trick up their sleeve to make themselves that much more unique from the rest of the restaurants of Norwich, and it comes from their custom-built open kitchen… Alright, we’ll tell you.
At Brix & Bones, their mission is to take diners back to a time when cooking wasn’t just food, it was an artform, so they use a charcoal and wood-burning grill to revert fire to a primal medium. Trust us, you can tell the difference. Sample their range of diverse and bold flavours, inspired by the world-travels of their team, using ingredients from local, small businesses from Norfolk and across the UK, and you’ll come out happier than ever.
Plus, if you can’t make it for dinner, they’ve recently started doing lunch on Saturdays (12pm – 3pm), with 2 courses and a side costing £29 per person, and 3 courses and a side costing £36 per person. With dishes like whole mackerel with giardiniera and dill or rare breed aged bavette with Korean chimichurri on the menu, it’s great value. Oh, and their mixologists are unbelievably skilled at perfectly pairing anything you tuck into with a cocktail or tipple of wine – listen to their suggestions, you won’t regret it!
Find out more and book your visit to Brix & Bones here.
Try delicious worldwide cuisine at Yalm
A relaxed atmosphere, nine individual kitchens serving delicious cuisine from around the world, and no booking required. That’s the story at Yalm – a happy (or delicious!) tale you’ll be telling again and again. You can find Yalm spread across two floors in the beautifully historic Royal Arcade, with bars and kitchens galore ready to settle any appetite.
Someone fancies pizza, and another wants ramen? Or half the group want to try something new, and the other half want to stick to home comforts? That’s not a problem at Yalm. Simply find a table, scan the QR code, then get ordering from as many of these kitchens as you want!
Yalm also host a huge calendar of events throughout the year for just about every interest. There are craft clubs, board game nights, DJ sets and live music including jazz on Sundays, quizzes, tap takeovers, and their ‘Inside Out’ events, where Yalm go al fresco with extra food, drink, and music outdoors!
Find out more, including every kitchen’s menu and Yalm’s upcoming events, here.
For tasty tapas choose Makers House
There are few things better than sharing great food with loved ones. We all know someone who has a bite of what’s in front of them before sharply parading their dish around the table, followed by the words, “you have to try this”. Equally, if you don’t know someone like that, it’s probably you – and that’s a good thing! After all, sharing is caring. And there’s plenty of care to go around at the delightful Makers House on the corner of St Benedicts Street, dubbed the best tapas in Norwich. So good, in fact, that everyone will soon become the serial sharer of the table!
There’s a range of tasty dishes to choose from at Makers House, but the main attraction is, as we mentioned earlier, the tapas. With vegetarian small plates like patatas bravas, padron peppers, and burrata bruschetta, or meat & seafood small plates like shrimp tacos, Iberica ham croquetas, and grilled octopus to name a few, you’re in for a wonderful culinary adventure. Carefully curated boards like their charcuterie and Norfolk cheese plate are also available, and certainly a good alternative. But if you or anyone else is absolutely set on not sharing, steak frites, surf & turf, or a homemade Cajun chicken burger are available to tuck into as well, it’s all just as good!
Oh, we can’t forget their cocktails either. With every syrup made in-house and only premium spirits used, their drinks menu is highly acclaimed among visitors, take your pick or ask for a recommendation – you can’t go wrong!
Find out more about Makers House here!
Namaste Village is the ideal destination for meat-free diners
Just about everything from Namaste Village is seriously impressive. Not only are they one of Norfolk’s finest authentic Indian restaurants, but they’re family-run, and have their own charity too! Plus, they’re housed inside a former church, which makes for a stunning venue to settle down to a meal. They’re also exclusively 100% meat-free, but you can rest assured it won’t be missed in the slightest, even for the biggest carnivores among us.
Guided by the true meaning of their name, Namaste, they believe that life is the same within all of us, giving them the simple food philosophy, ‘never serve food which you would not like to be served.’ As a result, the dishes coming out of the kitchen always look, smell, and taste absolutely divine. While there, take a good look at the menu and try something new, something that speaks to you. You won’t regret it in the slightest. We’d recommend an appetiser of the pani puri, with its light, refreshing crunch and spiced aroma, it’s the perfect way to begin your meal.
While you’re dining at Namaste Village, you’ve also got the chance to do your good deed for the day by supporting their charity, Dosa on the Wall. With just a £5 donation, Dosa on the Wall will match your contribution to make one FREE meal for someone who is in need of a meal but isn’t in a position to buy one. Simply let your server know when ordering.
Find out more and book your visit to Namaste Village on their website.
A hidden gem in historic Norwich: WinePress at the Maids Head Hotel
Drink in a thousand years of history right in the heart of Norwich’s medieval heritage.
Set in a historic courtyard inside what is reputedly the oldest hotel in the country, WinePress is a beautiful, 2 AA Rosette fine dining establishment offering everything from carefully constructed tasting menus to a lovely á la carte menu, and even a casual dining menu for lunch. It’s a real hidden gem hiding in plain sight here in the City of Stories, as it can easily be found neighbouring Tombland!
As WinePress serve nothing but the finest dishes, they offer ever-changing seasonal menus which reflect the best local produce available at the time, personally designed by their Head Chef. You can’t go wrong choosing between any of their menus, but we’d really recommend taking a look at their 6-course tasting menu and optional wine flight while you’re there – it’s always very tempting! Then, get lost in everything from the aromas to the complementing taste of each course with their paired tipple, all while surrounded by a truly gorgeous setting.
For those not local to the City of Stories, you’ll also need somewhere to stay. Make it nice and easy for yourself by heading straight upstairs with a room at the Maids Head Hotel (from £130 per night). You’ll be following in the footsteps of some historic figures who have stayed here themselves over the years, including Queen Elizabeth I, Horatio Nelson, and Catherine of Aragon. Plus, it means you can sip on an extra cocktail or two in WinePress without worrying about how you’ll get back to your room…
Book your table at WinePress and book your stay at the Maids Head here!
The Last pairs fine dining with local ingredients and a well-curated wine list!
We’re a city where old meets now, and where better to demonstrate this than The Last Wine Bar & Restaurant?
If you want to treat yourself to a relaxed fine dining experience in a location steeped in local history, then look no further. The Last is set in an old shoe factory in Norwich’s Creative Quarter- for those of us with good general knowledge, you might have noticed it’s named for the molds shoes are made on! But don’t be fooled by this heritage building because this bar and restaurant is a buzzing destination for high quality local ingredients, indulgent seasonal menus and, of course, a well-curated wine list.
On a Sunday, it’s got to be one of The Last’s famous roasts- well, who wouldn’t want Hevingham pork loin piled high with all the trimmings, accompanied by creamy Baron Bigod cauliflower cheese? Of course, you’ve got to leave room for pudding! Our choice is without a doubt the smooth chocolate torte with salted hazelnuts and crème fraiche.
And vegetarians and vegans aren’t forgotten either! The Last’s Menu du Jour and A La Carte will have you torn between goat’s cheese agnolotti and Goodery tomato risotto with aubergine caviar while their intimate Afternoon Tea is piled high with the likes of freshly baked scones, a whipped curd and sweetcorn vol au vent, and even ‘the best madeleines outside of Paris’. You won’t want it to end!
Even better, end your visit sipping cocktails in their Jazz Cellar. From a long and refreshing Hugo Spritz to a short and punchy Pineapple Daquiri, like their food menu, their cocktails change with the seasons, so they’re always guaranteed to be a luxurious blend of premium flavours. These are the perfect tipples to top off your evening!
Find out more on The Last’s website.
