A Taste of Tuddenham

Weekend brunches, al fresco dining and spectacular celebrations – Tuddenham Mill has summer dining sorted 

Next time you wake up on a sunny Saturday morning and wonder how to make the most of the short British summertime, remember these words: Tuddenham Mill. Just a short drive from Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge, this heavenly haven of great views and great food is just about the ideal place to spend a summer’s day in Suffolk.  The historic building, a 300-year-old watermill, has been carefully restored in a chic, contemporary style to represent the ultimate in laid-back luxury; at Tuddenham Mill, you get to experience all the charms of the countryside with all the style and convenience of the city. Take the hotel’s fifteen bedrooms for example: all kitted out with Loewe flatscreen TVs, Bose sound systems and Egyptian cotton bedlinen, they also offer stunning countryside views and that incredible feeling of ‘getting away from it all.’ Even for those of us who live nearby, a reason to spend the night in this dreamy hotel is not too difficult to find.  

Understandably, guests have high expectations of the restaurant at such a unique and impressive venue. “I want to make sure that the food lives up to the incredible location”,  says Tuddenham Mill’s new head chef Paul Foster, whose summer menu more than matches up to the hotel’s simple but spectacular style. “I like to take simple, seasonal ingredients and then cook them using a variety of different techniques,” he explains. If you look at this season’s main Mill Menu, you will see lists of ingredients, such as ‘organic salmon, mussel juice and passionfruit’, but you will have to wait until the food is served to find out how the food is prepared. Take the watermelon starter, for example: you are expecting ‘watermelon, Feta ponzu, sea vegetables and fried pumpkin seeds’, but what you don’t know is that the watermelon will be cooked in three different and surprising ways. It’s these little details that make Paul’s summer menu exciting  and memorable – another highlight is the dessert of sea buckthorn curd which is served with a scoop of refreshingly different basil ice cream. 

Alongside the main Mill Menu, Paul has also created a light meals menu which includes a variety of fresh cut sandwiches and summer salads as well as the Mill’s very popular sausage and red onion roll. These meals are ideal for a low-key lunch and can be enjoyed in the hotel bar or outside in the garden, which overlooks the Mill Pond. You can also visit Tuddenham Mill for a lazy breakfast or brunch – we challenge you to eat anything else for the rest of the day.  

If you’re looking for something extra special to try this summer, don’t miss Paul’s eight course taster menu, which includes a variety of tempting, seasonal dishes such as lemon sole with Tilbrook asparagus and wild garlic, or Goosnargh duck with grapefruit and cocoa nibs. It’s a real treat for any foodie enthusiast and is a fantastic way of celebrating a special occasion. 

For the past two years, our readers have voted Tuddenham Mill ‘first for dining out’ in our annual awards – pay a visit this summer and you’ll soon find out why. 

Tuddenham Mill, High Street, Tuddenham, Nr Newmarket, Suffolk 01638 713552

www.tuddenhammill.co.uk