Lighthouse in Suffolk Coastal

Wonderful experience from start to finish. Thank you very much to the staff who worked so hard and who helped with dairy and gluten free choices - So much on the menu can be adapted and nothing felt like too much trouble. The food was lovely and the service relaxed and unobtrusive. Will definitely return.

My wife and I booked a table at this highly reviewed restaurant. It was situated on the High Street but set apart from the main shopping area with its plethora of eateries. We had a very warm welcome on arrival - always a good sign. We decided to share a starter of smoked salmon roulade stuffed with prawns, cream cheese, lemon and dill. This was pleasant but rather on the small side for the price. For main course my wife had the fisherman’s pie and I had sea bream fillet served on sweet potato purée and spinach with padron peppers (one of the ‘specials of the day’). The sea bream was excellent - cooked to perfection and complimented by the sweet potato purée rather well. When we were asked how we enjoyed our meals my wife passed a comment about the pie, saying that it was flavoursome but she was disappointed by the lack of fish. We chose not to have desserts, finding nothing which appealed. When we got the bill, the fisherman’s pie had been removed - a very laudable gesture which we hadn’t requested. Based on previous reviews we were rather underwhelmed by our dining experience. The restaurant is very popular and clearly the staff take pride in its reputation. Fellow diners certainly seem to be enjoying their lunches and there was a very convivial buzz around the room.

Very nice people, pleasant atmosphere, lovely champagne! Food - a bit disappointing, to be honest. Fish soup lacked depth of flavour and the rouille / crouton had been placed on top for too long, so it had gone soggy. Sea bass ok, although one was not quite cooked at the edge. Sticky toffee pudding the star of the show!

Great food, very well presented and very flavoursome. Friendly and attentive staff. I had fish pie and my wife had liver and bacon. Two empty plates by the time we finished.

Excellent restaurant. Good food, service and a warm welcome.

The service is top notch, the staff is very attentive. The food is amazing. Location is super. Special menus come out every evening and their tastes are great. When you come here you will have the pleasure of dining at one of the best restaurants in Aldeburgh

Popped in on the off chance. Staff really friendly, and seated us straight away. Food and wine choices really good. I chose risotto from specials - it was delicious and my husband had beef stew - lovely. Service was really good and the manager spoke to us when we paid the bill - really nice 👍 On our next day out in aldeburgh we will definitely be back 🤩

Great restaurant, very accommodating

Very pleasant restaurant with good menu and wines

We have had dinner at the Lighthouse many times over the years and pleased to say... yet again... excellent. Even this late in the season, busy and a great atmosphere... it felt like a good mix of "locals" and visitors. The food was excellent... olives, tapinard, fresh bread, prawns... then a very nicely cooked pork loin. Mid range price for good, well presented food. And the service was also just right... attentive but not intrusive. A nice evening for our last day in Aldeborough (after a very stressful afternoon when I managed to throw my car keys in the recycling.....)

We enjoyed a lovely meal here . Great menu with a nice variation. Excellent friendly host who made us very welcome . We ate cod , haddock and sea trout , shared a starter and a pud , yum .

A buzzy and busy eatery serving first class food at reasonable prices. One might expect more down-market fare on a busy road in this charming seaside town but, Wow! We were knocked out by the standard of cooking, the ambience and service. Tuesday lunchtime saw a full house and not just tourists but many locals, how many restaurants can boast that?

Loved this place , staff , food and atmosphere where A + Definitely need to book Best Restaurant find on holiday

Just eaten there earlier this evening. Clearly we were forgotten about so our food was not ordered for best part of half an hour. After that service throughout was not in the least attentive. Had the impression that favoured locals received preferential service.

Food was exceptional and atmosphere was warm - service exceptional - definitely be back. Recommend the mackerel terrine.

Came here to celebrate my 60th birthday. All of us are vegan so we're keen to see the vegan menu Obviously very popular as it soon started to fill up once we got there (make sure you ring and book a table ) Varied selection of dishes on the separate vegan, vegetarian menu, all had starters which were good (warm bread, oil, balsamic vinegar, olives, tapanade ) For the mains two of the party had the chilli and rice which was lacking in depth and flavour, I had the mushroom risotto which seemed to be lacking in mushrooms, as we were told there would be slices of mushrooms. My wife had the tagine which she enjoyed, all had chunky chips to share which were excellent but wished there were more. Service was attentive as the restaurant was full. Large wine and drinks list. Dogs allowed in the restaurant. We took our dog and he got a free sausage which was a nice touch. Did not have puddings but there was a selection for vegans.We eat out a lot and are keen to support restaurants that provide a vegan menu, as we are all accomplished vegan cooks we felt that the service and ambience was good but the overall taste, quality and portion sizes were lacking. Also the overall meal was expensive.Good access for toilets and you can take your dog, please mention this when booking.

Good food, good ambience, just a pity that the portion sizes are rather small.

Have the fishpie, it's to die for 😂😂!!

Lovely lunch, the food was amazing and the service was very relaxed. Great food and no fuss in a good way 👍

Food was amazing but service too slow for a family ranging from 7 to 80. A minor miscommunication saw the kids waiting 45 minutes for their food. It's a popular restaurant because it serves great food but the service is a victim of it's success. Don't get me wrong, I'd definitely go back, they are a friendly bunch, but order some bread or olives to munch on while you wait. Also, the bill takes flipping ages to come. My advice, when you ask for the bill, you're done and just want to get home.

Really nice restaurant, we went for lunch and had some absolutely beautiful food. Perfectly cooked fish, and really nice wine. I was worried that the menu wouldn't be good for my kids, but they had some other options for kids that weren't on the menu.

We have been eating at the Lighthouse for 23 years and in my opinion it’s the best restaurant in the world. Sam is undoubtedly the ultimate host and always remembers who you are, what you’ve been up to and everything the family have done over the past x years! You have to laugh at the admittedly few negative reviews, which either reflect the individuals issues on the day or the occasional off day, something that happens! Get a life! Sam we love you!

Lovely meal at The Lighthouse last night. Food was fab. The fish pie was delicious and was packed with fish and prawns. My only feedback would be it would be nice if it came with some veg. The other half had the calves liver which was also very tasty. The liver came with mash and vegetables. Sam was a brilliant host with great wine recommendations. We finished with a cheese board and liqueur coffees. The bill was also very reasonable.

Exquisite meal, fantastic service.

We returned to the Lighthouse after a 10 year gap - and last time we were here it was excellent. However this trip was a big disappointment. The food was average. Duck with lentils was average to poor. Calves liver was better. But the mashed potatoes had lumps in and were a bit 'dried' on top, as they'd been sitting around. French fries were not a patch on the ones we got 10 years ago which were lovely and crispy. No one bothered to ask us how our food was. Not only that, we were unlucky in that we were seated in a small room with a large table of 10 or 12 people...who were noisy, so it was unbearable. We just had to get out as quickly as possible. Shame, but it is not a patch on the restaurant it was 10 years ago.

Consistently the best restaurant in Aldeburgh. Friendly service, wonderful food and a reasonably priced but excellent wine list.

Lovely place. Excellent food and service 👌

Visited 4 August as two couples. The restaurant was perfect for us and the trio of salmon, liver and gooseberry tart were all delicious. Everyone in the party really enjoyed their dinner and the accompanying drinks and service was spot on. I could not fault dinner and will most definitely return

Such a shame because this place used to be so lovely. Came here for the first time around 15 years ago and used to come once or twice a year. Came back today for the first time in a few years and very sad to find out it’s gone down hill. Had a cod fillet which was dry and bland, sea bass was tough and didn’t feel fresh and the portion of fish and chips used to be much bigger. Astounded at the portion sizes of the starters, we tried the salt and pepper squid, trio of salmon with celeriac roulade and bread, feta and red pepper tapenade - barely three bites for most dishes! Cost of living I guess. Wont be returning, even for sentimental reasons. Crème brûlée was as good as I remember though.

Warm Welcombe food good nice waitress friendly one night in Aldbrough on way through .

Just back from a meal at the Lighthouse and it was even better than we remembered. Booking was full online so we took our chances and were given a lovely table after a short wait. All the food was absolutely stunning, and it’s the small details that really stand out - the celeriac remoulade with the salmon trio and the tagliatelle that came with the chicken, for example. The sticky toffee pudding was just as good as we remembered. The atmosphere is so warm and comfortable - I love the yellow walls! The service was incredibly accommodating and friendly. Thank you!

I came from Saudi Arabia to the Lighthouse after trying so many fish and chips , but in The Lighthouse was really delicious and lovely , the staff were amazing and friendly - all the best for them 🇸🇦🇬🇧

Fantastic meal and brilliant, friendly staff

Amazing food, service and had a lovely time.

Very friendly staff, great wine choices and always fine cooking.

Excellent dinner with friends. Great atmosphere and food top drawer!

Exquisite food, fantastic staff

Fantastic food, excellent service and a great atmosphere,it was sooo good we had to return a few days later. Excellent a must go to venue. 👍👏

Was excited to bring my grandparents here. Booked for a late lunch. Warm beer, slow service, bland fish pie, soggy fish and chips. Disappointing. Reviews are glowing so not sure if it’s changed hands? For the price, really poor.

Sam took great care of us during our two visits to The Lighthouse, while we were on holiday in Suffolk. We booked a table a couple of months in advance, as the restaurant has quickly become a 'must-visit' for us in recent years. The food is wonderful and is equally matched by wonderful service. Sam made us feel truly welcome and made each of our visits very special. We very much look forward to visiting the The Lighthouse again!

Good food if you are trying to loose weight. Portion size is tiny. Even when you ask for plenty of rice, you get not more than a table spoon full.

So pleased we reserved a table at the Lighthouse. The meal was lovely, Fresh Asparagus to start and we both had fish and chips, one with fries and the other with chunkier chips. The fish was lovely, the batter very crisp. Followed by pannacotta with blueberries and flapjack, which was delicious. When we were presented with the bill it was a pleasant surprise, very reasonable. Thank you for a great start to our holiday.

A pleasant meal. Food was nice enough and staff friendly. A few gluten free options available just be aware the chips are not gluten free despite being told they were, as they are cooked in a shared fryer.

Absolutely delicious all round! Beautiful oysters, excellent Dover sole, Gruyère cheese straws and gammon and puy lentils, good wine selection. First class service and a really warm welcome. Excellent! 👌

Lovely restaurant, friendly and helpful staff, delicious food. Has a separate vegetarian and vegan menu too - just ask. Also a selection of non-alcholic spirits and beer.

This restaurant was recommended to us. We had to book because it is very popular. The staff were very friendly, and we never felt rushed. They give you plenty of time between courses. The food was top class - very freshly cooked, beautifully presented and tasted as good as it looked! We would recommend the crispy duck starter - full of Asian spices. Followed by the Calves liver, which was so delicate. There was so much to choose from, it was a hard decision! We had the desserts from the specials board - whiskey cream bread and butter pudding, and Madagascan vanilla panna cotta! The atmosphere is very relaxed, and nothing is too much trouble. Dishes can be adapted to suit individual tastes. We highly recommend this restaurant - but please book beforehand to avoid disappointment.

came here for dinner to celebrate my wife's b/day. i decided on this purely because of the reviews as opposed to Regatta and Sur-Mer. i prefer honest portions and great produce over most Michelin style food with an honest ambiance over pretentiousness. not saying the the other two are like this, just going on reviews. bit of a let down really, i had scallops with bacon and my wife asparagus. unfortunately, when they arrived they had bought the wrong dish for my wife, taking both away they returned five mins later with the right dish but had left mine either on the side or under a heat source. as it had salad in it this was a little spoiled. there was also a lot of bacon fat, that did not add to the dish. my main was pork tenderloin in mustard sauce. it was not pork tenderloin but a pork chop! the sauce was less mustard and more cream. my wife had Gnocchi, this looked to be straight out of a packet. they do have an extensive if not eclectic wine list but not so broad a choice with after dinner spirits. i fancied a brandy and noted the only half-decent option was Remy. having had waiters ask if i want ice with this before, i pre-empted by asking the waited if he would do me a favour and warm the glass with some hot water before putting the brandy in. it arrived cold! décor a little odd with items left over from various birthdays and other bits and bobs that just look like they have not cleared up properly and a rather annoying patron at the adjacent table with their dog. spread out a large dog mat on the floor, letting the dog wander about and constantly feeding it from the table. Nothing really wrong here. all good honest cooking, lots of local clientele with many regulars. just think it is overly well reviewed in terms of its offerings.

We so wished The Lighthouse was closer to where we lived! We had a lovely family meal for my birthday and could not fault a thing! Food, drinks, service and atmosphere were sublime. Can not wait to return......

If I could give it more stars I would. Absolute gem of a place. Friendly service. Fantastic food and drink. Top quality in every sense. Can’t wait to return.

First time visiting Aldeburgh and whilst all the independent restaurants (of which there are several) are lovely, this was by far the highlight of our weekend. Sam is the perfect host making everyone welcome from the moment you arrive. The food was outstandingly good. The atmosphere is relaxed and cosy. Only wish we lived nearer as we would be very regular customers!

Had a very enjoyable fish and chips dinner.

Party of 5 for a little school reunion. Wine list is amazing, food was on point and the atmosphere was brilliant. Sam, the owner was an expert host. We'll do it again sometime 👍

Lovely restaurant, really welcoming for adults and dogs, food was fabulous.

Really good food, comfortable, friendly and unpretentious. Love it!

All the previous reviews name checking the fantastic and friendly service and wonderful food were all totally accurate. We thought we'd treat ourselves to lunch here to celebrate our anniversary. Our food was beautiful, I had a couple of oysters which tasted wonderfully fresh and meaty. We shared starters of hummus and taramasalata and the courgette soup both were delicious. Our mains of vegan mince and puy lentil chilli and pork loin fillet with boulangese potatoes were both superb and thoroughly enjoyed. We shared a tiramisu to finish things off perfectly. Both service and food were without fault, we're looking forward to going back again.

We went for a family birthday lunch, and were made to feel very special. Wonderful service from start to finish, and stunning food and wine. Thank you!

Another fantastic lunch experience - thank you! As ever the food was tasty and beautifully presented, complimented by the professional & friendly service. We always enjoy the specials as well as the set menu.

Front of house made us feel welcome and we experienced a wonderful meal on Friday night. Thanks for making our stay brilliant

Lovely meal.. a little expensive

Great menu, great food, great service :) Wonderfully accommodating of dog and buggy! Thanks.

Excellent food with a wide menu. Attentive staff.

On entering your restaurant, it was very clear just how friendly you were, this being our first visit! And will most certainly not be our last. Staff, absolutely fantastic, chatty, a very good sense of humour, we love that! Apart from the size of my wife's handbag! Sam suggested I take her shopping! Lol! Anyway, the food was absolutely amazing, thank you. Loved the warm feeling throughout out lunch. A squid starter, a crayfish and prawn salad. Mains, fish, and chips with drinks! If I could give you 10 stars, I would without a doubt. Also the house gin is quality 👌 See you in two weeks Kindest, Clayton and Clare.

Excellent food and service, highly recommended.

Popular but pricey. Great service. Pork loin steaks only average but veg superb!

Fab food and service. Sadly we live so far away, but every time we get to stay in Aldeburgh we make sure we eat here.

Yet another wonderful experience at the Lighthouse. Thankyou to the host with most Sam (is that your real name?😜) We absolutely love coming here, we come from London and i always make sure we have a booking before we arrive as it is consistently great, amazing welcome, food etc and i hate the thought of leaving without a visit! You are all phenomenal and that is why you are such a great success. You are greatly appreciated. Linda & John 💚

The moment we stepped into The Lighthouse we got a genuinely lovely warm welcome from Sam. The food was delicious (I had Sea Bass), the staff efficient and the whole atmosphere was excellent. There were obviously some regulars that Sam knew but this was our first time visiting and yet he was just as welcoming to us. It really made for a lovely evening. We will definitely return. Thank you.

We love this restaurant and travel from West Mersea to have a lovely meal.

This was my first time here and will definitely go again. Everything was perfect, great place to go and eat plus they allow dogs in as well. Many thanks x

Great value restaurant with a French inspired menu.

Excellent food and service. Love to go back there.

This restaurant deserves more than 5 stars. Simply superb food served with an enthusiastic gusto not met before in a seaside village. I was not only grateful for the food and service but also the knowledge of wine not seen outside of Michelin restaurant. I will be back

Had a wonderful meal here. The staff were excellent and so welcoming.

Fantastic time at The Lighthouse last week. Great food and service. We particularly enjoyed the stories behind the wines and olive oil. Hope to be back soon.

My family and I came here for my birthday. It was an excellent time with the service being exceptional. All the servers were extremely friendly and helpful. The food was fantastic, although the curried parsnip soup whilst delicious was perhaps on the under-spiced side. The steak was perfectly cooked to my liking and had a delicious deep flavour. The chocolate bread and butter pudding topped off the meal wonderfully. We did visit on a Thursday and so it was fairly empty as we sat upstairs but the decor of local art was delightful. I shall certainly be visiting again. Thank you for such a memorable experience.

Went here in the break between christmas and new year with 8 adults and 5 kids under 6. Restaurant was really accommodation, lovely service, delicious food and great vibes

Great food, and friendly fun service

First Class Christmas meal for my team. Absolutely superb, the whole event was faultless, thank you 🙏✨🌟💫🙌🎄🥂❤️

Absolutely delicious food. Amazing staff, all really friendly. Couldn't ask for more :)

Cracking meal here. Great to have a high quality restaurant that's also dog friendly. All of the food was great but the afogato was the cherry on top.

The lunch menu is good value, the food is delicious and the staff are helpful & friendly. 5/12/23: this time we are à la carte. The food is still as good as ever, the staff still as helpful and friendly.

Cannot fault this restaurant. Has a real buzz about it and certainly delivers on food. Excellent varied menu with specials. Very good quality produce, imaginatively presented and excellent value for money. Great selection of wines and all at reasonable prices. Staff really welcoming and friendly without being intrusive. A really nice atmosphere throughout.

We were recommended to eat at The Lighthouse on a two day break in Aldeburgh. Such a friendly restaurant with fantastic food. Sam , the owner, is out front, leading the service team throughout the evening.

Both the food and the service were excellent. I would recommend eating here to anyone that was interested, and I am really fussy!!

A delightful evening with Sam and his team at the Lighthouse restaurant this evening. Great food good service a lovely evening. Recommended

Delicious fish pie, but everything on the menu looked equally yummy. Spoiled for choice!

Excellent food. Friendly , fun waitress and efficient waitress. Good atmosphere…..what more could you ask for? Would recommend for great value quality food.

What a delightful place. On a family oriented trip of eight people. Magnificent liver dish for me was the highlight. Plenty of menu choices for others in a very varied and imaginative menu. Also have a fabulous wine list. Service was excellent in all respects. A joy.

What a lovely little restaurant, I came with my parents for my Dad's birthday, we'd found this place purely by chance, so hadnt made any booking. They were very accommodating and fitted us in... I had the fish pie omg was the best fish pie I'd ever tasted 😋 the staff were so friendly and one them had clearly over heard me mention my Dad and his birthday as she headed over, at the end of our meal, with a candle in a chocolate singing Happy Birthday!! It was very unexpected but such a lovely touch.. oh also, very reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend

Excellent food and service but a worrying fixation on the Rotherham v Ipswich match by the owner 😀 Seriously, treat yourself it is top quality.

Had an excellent meal here. The food was delicious and the service attentive and friendly.

Whilst on our annual holiday to Aldeburgh it’s an absolute must for us to dine here, at least once, usually a dinner and a lunch. This year with a number of reasons for us to celebrate, we didn’t need an excuse. Sam and his amazing front of house team always make us so welcome and the food is just incredible every time. We only wished we lived closer.

Brilliant evening at The Lighthouse, amazing food and service with a smile. Credit to the brilliant chefs and front of house!

This must be one of the nicest restaurants in Aldeburgh and it was certainly one of the busiest and buzziest on a November Friday evening. Service was attentive and relaxed and the food was reliable and well prepared. Very good value for money we thought. Recommended but do book in advance.

A truly lovely restaurant. The food and service were both fantastic. Thank you

Had a great meal here whilst on a short break in Aldeburgh. Very friendly staff & excellent food. Win, win

We have been going to The Lighthouse for many years now and have never failed to be impressed. Sam, the owner and 'mine host' is wonderful. Friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Serviced atmosphere are great. as to the food - it is really good, very fresh high quality ingredients, decent portion sizes and fair prices. - What more do you want! This time we had Fish Soup followed by the Chicken, Chorizo and Leek 'Pie' with new potatoes and peas. It was great. Will we go again - YES! - in fact we are already booked for Xmas eve and early new year!

This is a wonderful restaurant with great atmosphere and amazing food and service, Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious - fish soup, scallops, chicken pie, partridge, crème brûlée,…. and the service was warm and welcoming. Thank you for a fabulous lunch 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

5 years after my last review, it's still our favourite restaurant in Aldeburgh. The food is amazing and they still have the best sticky toffee pudding in the world, ever! The staff are lovely and welcoming, don't miss the opportunity if you're in Aldeburgh.

We were recommended the Lighthouse as somewhere for a meal out and it did not disappoint! The staff were very friendly and helpful to start with, and they have a great selection of drinks. Definitely recommend the Brew 25 Pale Ale they have on tap there! The food was absolutely amazing. Great choice aswell. We went for the scallops and also calamari for starters, with sea bass and cod for mains. Cooked to perfection and so tasty. Will definitely recommend to others and can't wait to visit again! Thank you!