Restaurant Review

The Swan at Long Melford

It is only two months since Rebecca and James Stott re-opened The Swan at Long Melford, but their efforts to transform the country pub into a sophisticated wine bar and restaurant have clearly paid off. On our visit one weekday evening last month, the restaurant was busy with couples, friends and families enjoying dinner or a few drinks, all talking excitedly about the new ‘discovery’ they had made. 

For Rebecca, who previously worked in the insurance industry, and James, who still works as a financial advisor, The Swan is their first venture into the restaurant trade. “We immediately saw the potential in this place and felt that the village needed something different, a slightly more modern wine bar and restaurant,” explains Rebecca. “We want The Swan to be somewhere that people can come to for an afternoon or an evening, to relax and enjoy the great food, drinks and buzzing atmosphere.”

Located on the main street running through Long Melford, The Swan has been re-decorated in a chic and contemporary style in keeping with the beautiful countryside surroundings. The walls inside are painted in neutral cream and pistachio to complement the old oak beams and wooden floorboards, and there are plenty of stylish, quirky accessories such as the stunning pink and cream sofa and 1950s theatre lamps. “I found some great accessories from a gorgeous shop in Sudbury called Sitting Pretty Interiors,” says Rebecca, who also chose furniture from Long Melford’s famous antique shops to complete the ‘vintage chic’ theme. 

On the night of our visit, The Swan was celebrating the launch of its new summer menu, created by head chef Ian Kropidlowski. Described as ‘a real find’ by owner James, Ian cooks modern, European food and aims to please everyone with his carefully chosen menus. “I always make sure that there is something on the menu for the more adventurous diners,” he explains, possibly referring to the chargrilled kangaroo rump that features on his new summer menu. “However, there are plenty of lighter, vegetarian dishes on the menu as well as traditional favourites such as Sirloin steak and chips.” Ian has worked in many prestigious restaurants in his 17 year career, including Antony Worral Thomson’s Wiz restaurant in London, and he has also worked as a chef in Switzerland. There, the food is influenced by French, German and Italian cuisines, and you will see plenty of international influences in Ian’s menus at The Swan. 

The ambience in the restaurant at The Swan is light, relaxed and sophisticated with acoustic, modern music playing (quietly) in the background. Guests can choose to sit at the front of the restaurant with views out onto the village or in the more spacious area at the back of the restaurant, which is suitable for slightly larger groups. There is also a beautiful al fresco dining area in the garden underneath the willow tree, and a pergola which can be reserved for private parties. Families are welcome at The Swan, and there is plenty of space outside for children to play in while the rest of the family relaxes in the sunshine. 

On the evening of our visit, we tried a selection of dishes from The Swan’s new summer menu. To start, I chose the wild mushroom and cherry vine tomato bruscetta with a wild mushroom foam, which was the perfect example of Ian’s passion for simple ingredients and exceptional flavours. My guest chose the beautifully presented smoked duck breast with celeriac rémoulade and pickled walnuts. For the main course, we tried the baked portobello mushrooms with spinach, stuffed courgette flowers and garlic butter, and the barbecued spatchcock poussin with a basil and smoked tomato dressing and spicy wedges; we were both extremely impressed by these dishes and would definitely return to try some of the other mains on the menu. For dessert, we chose the very stylishly presented strawberry Eton mess with summer berry sauce and the caramelised peach and vanilla crème brûlée. Perfect for summer, these desserts were sweet, fresh and light while also being fabulously indulgent. 

As we left The Swan, our photographer, Tom, summed up our evening in just four words: “I like it here.” The delicious food, beautiful decor and friendly staff at The Swan just make you want to stay for hours and relax in the sunshine, catch up with friends and make the most of the summer. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to go for after-work drinks, a special occasion or just a long lunch in the Suffolk countryside, this is the place.