Scutchers Bistro in Babergh

Scutchers is the only, and therefore the best, restaurant in Long Melford . The welcome and atmosphere are friendly. Food is freshly cooked, good, but expensive and portions very small. Clientele elderly.

We dine out frequently and are fortunate enough to go to some of the top restaurants in the UK. Scutchers is up there with the best ! Quality food well presented and excellent service. The Scallop starter was superb. Unfortunately the restaurant does lack a bit of atmosphere but that was probably because it was a quiet evening with not many covers taken . Highly recommended.

Superb quality food and service, we came here for a treat while on a weekend break. Would definitely recommend and will definitely go again.

We celebrated my husband's 82nd birthday with dinner with our family at this fabulous restaurant. We were a table of 11 and the food and service were absoutely spot on. We regard ourselves as very fortunate to have such an excellent restaurant in our area. It is by far one of the best restaurants we have ever dined at (including some with Michelin stars). Nick's cooking is superb and Diane and her staff really make people welcome. Fresh flowers on a beautifully laid table and a lovely warm setting. We couldn't have asked for more!

Faultless. It’s difficult to see how this restaurent could be improved as all aspects were beyond criticism.

This is a great restaurant. The food is super, the service exceptional, and all in all I can't really fault it. We have visited the times this year and each time we've had great service, good, and wine. Recommended.

A fantastic experience dining in Scutchers for my 60th birthday surprise dinner. The staff were friendly and helpful - the ambience was just right . The food was delicious and perfect size servings. Nothing was too much trouble. You could spread the butter instead of it being a solid lump on your bread and asking for only 2 lumps of ice in my Amaretto was just what I got and Also a complimentary ice cream on a Happy Birthday plate finished the evening spectacularly

It was our 23rd wedding anniversary and we were on a short break in Long Melford from our home in West Yorkshire. After reviewing Scutchers, we booked a table and weren’t disappointed. A relatively small but cosy restaurant with excellent service and attention to detail. My husband chose Asparagus with bacon and hollandaise to start. I had the crab, prawn and avocado cocktail. Both were light, fresh and a lovely start to our meal. For main course, my husband chose monkfish medallions with pesto tagliatelle. I chose whole Dover sole with French fries. My sole was perfectly cooked and I could even smell the butter it was cooked in before I started. Beautiful. We celebrated our anniversary with a glass of Kir Royale and a bottle of very decent house white. Finished off with double espresso’s. Perfect. We will be back.

We were there for dinner during a birthday weekend in Long Melford, and were totally delighted with the experience. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the service excellent and the food outstanding – especially the starters! We will certainly go again if we are in the area. Indeed, it might be worth a trip just to eat there!

Booked for a special birthday celebration dinner. Very disappointed with the food quality especially when you consider the prices reflect what should have been an up market dining experience. G&T's served in what you would expect water to be served in. For a restaurant of this standard surely Gin bowl glasses would be expected. Both had the confit duck to start, very dry and not 'falling off' the bone as you would expect. I had the Turbot which was very good with an excellent sauce. My wife had the Dover Sole, this was over cooked and very dry. She ate it with half of my sauce which helped. Served with chips, to be fair they were like under cooked, pale oven chips. Our local pub does better with salt and peppered twice cooked chips. Definitely not what should be expected in a fine dining establishment. Staff were very good though and on this night I was not up to complaining.Will not go again and certainly would not recommend. Interesting to see on the feedback that they never respond, lack of interest maybe ?

We met friends for lunch at Scutchers today it was our first visit and we will be back for sure . The food was top quality and the service was excellent . I had Scallops to start followed by Dover sole both were extremely good , well prepared and presented . For sweet I had Granny Sallys Christmas pudding which was a real treat (I purchased 4 of them to take home). A superb restaurant that I would highly recommend . At the end we had a very special surprise as we met the two resident Mini Schnauzers lovely chaps (Tilly and Sidney).

For the last 13 years, we meet up with our sister for birthdays, and any occasion that we find to drive to Suffolk to this restaurant. Never disappoints, wonderful food and service. The menu is difficult to select, as we like all the options! We find it good value for money, for such quality. A great selection of wines at a sensible price.

We had heard so many good things about Scutchers but had never visited. Our first lunch was on a Saturday lunchtime at the end of May. Fabulous food and such friendly staff. Scutchers makes diners feel welcome and special. We enjoyed it so much that we returned on 2nd June and it was equally impressive. Thank you. We shall return in 2023.

Fantastic meal at this brilliant restaurant. I called a few weeks in advance to book a table and let them know one of my party was gluten intolerant. They had marked the menu for her and advised and helped all through the night to ensure that my guest had the best experience. Food was quite frankly exceptional. Around 8 choices on each course, everything was very fresh and tasty. I had the escalope Holstein and this was superb. Staff were also brilliant. Knowledgable, helpful and attentive without being overbearing. Very highly recommended in my opinion.

Very warm and friendly welcome with excellent service. The food was fantastic, also has excellent choice of Gluten-free options available. Beautiful building very well kept, and spotlessly clean throughout. Will defiantly be visiting again in the future. Mr & Mrs Wilkin

Excellent setting, ambiance, service and food. We had a fabulous meal and the quality was outstanding all round. Food and service were impeccable as was the wine. Great pre dinner cocktails in the lounge bar too. Couldn’t fault it, lovely hostess who kindly offered to...

I visited Scutchers for the first time about four weeks ago and was very happy to return today. Very polished service. Excellent cooking. Good wine list. Scutchers has a quiet, confidential, cosy feel. A place for unhurried conversations with old friends. It does have the...

Gorgeous dinner, beautiful food full of delicious flavours. Friendly staff, efficient and effective and nothing was too much trouble. Good selection of wines and something for everyone's budget. Food was served piping hot which always pleases me. We were staying at The Black Lion at...

Being relatively new to the area (we arrived 9 months ago), my wife and I have been looking for an excellent restaurant in the locality that truly provides a "Fine Dining Experience". At last, we have found it with Scutchers. After a first visit for...

Today I visited Scutchers for the first time and was much impressed by the restaurant's ambience, food and service. Situated in the lovely Suffolk village of Long Melford Scutchers also makes an interesting destination. It is only a short walk from Long Melford's sensational church....

Lovely meal lovely staff lovely building lovely atmosphere. The prawns tempura were to die for. Thoroughly recommended

Outstanding food, service and atmosphere. Di and her team were incredibly welcoming and very friendly. A wonderful evening.

My husband, daughter and I had a fantastic dinner here on Thursday night. We sat by a blazing fire for pre dinner drinks. I loved that the dining tables are so well spaced that you are not near anyone else. The service was charming and...

Our first visit to Scutchers. We were very impressed. The service from Di and Sarah was excellent. The Menu was varied and every item we had was delightful. We enjoyed a fine Bourgogne, by the glass - how unusual ! In all, an wonderful lunch...

Scutchers opened last night especially for me to entertain 40 guests on the occasion of my 80th birthday. What a success it was! Nick cooked us a wonderful three course meal and Diane and her front of house team served us with the excellent proficiency...

I can see why this gets great reviews, its a very nice restaurant and an interesting building inside, with lovely food and a good wine selection, we just found it lacked a bit of soul / character inside, it might be because of the times?...

Went for lunch with two girlfriends and it was FANTASTIC, as usual. The service was great, food gorgeous! I struggle to understand some of the negative comments about Scutchers, maybe these people are used to a different style of restaurant!!

I echo the previous reviewer's comments concerning the recent negative reviews of Scutchers which I also do not understand. I rarely post reviews but I felt compelled to give an alternative opinion of this fabulous restaurant having enjoyed a truly memorable dinner to celebrate a...

I just don't understand the bad reviews here about Scutchers. We have been coming here on special occasions for over 20 years now and it has never let us down. We have eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the world on our travels...

We visited on 18th September, staff were lovely, food and ambience great a lovely birthday treat. The owner even offered to give us a lift back to our accommodation, never been offered a service like that before. Will definitely visit again.

Scutchers is outstanding in every way from service to food, it cannot be faulted. This was only our second visit but definitely will not be our last now that we have experienced this amazing restaurant. It is fine dining at its best where your needs...

Food, service and hospitality is always perfect, chef and front of house are incredible. The tempura prawns are delicious as is all the food on the menu. Fantastic choice of wines and the snug is relaxing as is the ambiance of the restaurant- easy the...

I visit this restaurant very regularly ( as do many others ) … & it is continuously excellent, which is why in these incredibly hard times for the Hospitality Industry, particularly for privately owner\run establishments such as Scutchers , that they are able to survive...

My husband and I have been lucky enough to enjoy this restaurant over the last 20+ years. Always great food and service, never ever disappoints. Even an hours travel each way can't deter us. Just wish it was a bit closer. We have had some...

As a precursor to this review I'd just like to say that the lovely ladies who served us were excellent and we have no complaints about the service. Unfortunately I can't say the same about the food. The prices here are without doubt fine dining...

My husband has already reviewed this restaurant and I would just add two things. Firstly if you want to go back in time 30 years or so this is your place. The food is just terribly old fashioned. The decor (beaded curtains, swags & tails)...

Our honest review, We have been to better restaurants for sure, we arrived early and was sat down thats fine, kept saying we have a booking for Lynn and John not Lucy, then said oh sorry its the writing. Good start, asked what drinks would...

We have been coming here for 30+ years and never ever had a bad meal. Service always attentive and very good. Today the lobster ravioli is to die for!

A £700 bill that haunts me to this day. Where do I begin? First off, I was asked “ice and a slice?”, to which I answered “ice no slice please”. You can imagine my horror when my drink rocked up to my table with NO...

A wonderful Friday night dinner at Scutchers. Very busy but you wouldn’t have noticed. Everything seemed to run smoothly, even though I’m sure the staff had to work extra hard. The friendly, but personal service was matched with some excellent food. The fish dishes as...

Had a great evening at this delightful restaurant. We are so lucky to have this on our doorstep. We had nibbles of whitebait; quails eggs ( they are pickled), the best garlic bread and olives followed by a smoked duck salad which was delicious. Most...

Decided to book a table having read the reviews as visiting the area. Definitely a good decision. Very nice ambience, tables socially distanced, friendly welcome and very good service all evening. Nicely varied menu, and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our starters and main...

We cannot believe that we have never visited Scutchers before and my goodness what have we been missing! This is an amazing restaurant especially for a special celebration without being at all pretentious. We were given wines to taste before ordering a carafe and menus...

Had dinner with friends last Friday, Restaurant was looking very fresh from lockdown, Menu was as always well balance with fish and meats. All our food was well cooked and presented perfectly.Have we missed this restaurant, we certainly have its back better than ever.

The ambience is wonderful with many exposed oak beams. The service was highly professional. They welcomed our dog and gave her home-made treats and a bowl of water. The cuisine was superb - in our opinion of the same standard as the River Cafe in...

Picked as top spot on trip adviser. Looked pricey but well pleased with the meal and at £120 including a tip I thought it was excellent value. A popular place, I was fortunate to get in as one cancellation and the pub where we are...

We had lunch at Scutchers last week and I came away thinking that was the best meal I had ever eaten. It certainly was up there and we realised how much we had missed having the opportunity to experience such amazing food and service. The...

Lovely meal at Scutchers. Booked a table for two in the morning for dinner the same night. Greeted warmly and our coats offered to be taken from us before being seated. Excellent covid precautions were being taken by the restaurant and we were made to...

It's a must if visiting the area food was very good and venue was excellent I had crispy beef as a starter and it was delicious followed by turbot. Staff very good and handled covid restriction very well indeed .

The restaurant is beautiful, with lovely staff and delicious food beautifully presented and a good wine list to accompany the meal covering a wide range of prices. We felt that 32 years was well and truly celebrated in style. Just wish they were a bit...

In line with the government instruction for all restaurants to close during the self preservation lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic, Scuthchers closed its doors to diners. However, Nick and Diane are carrying on with a take-away/ delivery service to clients in the village. My...

Our first visit to Scutchers and well worth the journey through driving rain. Our starters of crispy fried beef was exquisite - tender beef and very light batter. This was followed by liver and bacon for my wife and fillet of turbot for me. Again...

Really great food for 2 out of 3 of us. The third was a fussy older person, who thought the mash lumpy. Which wasn't very well received, and the waiter was a little patronising to her. However 2 of us had the best meal for...

This is our favorite restaurant and has been for some time. On arrival we are always welcomed with a smile. The ambiance, service, food and wine list never fails to excite. The menu is always varied and on this visit I had the Halibut which...

We just love this restaurant everything about the place is first class . Food, staff, service and also a great wine list. Its a must try.you won’t be disappointed 😊

We travel 20 miles each way to this restaurant and each time the meal is wonderful...you really must try!

We celebrated my mother’s 80th birthday here and it was lovely. Nice big table, decorated with lovely little birthday confetti. The staff were very welcoming and friendly and the food was impeccable, couldn’t fault anything and will be coming back soon!

One if the best meals I have had and I have travelled to many countries. The lobster starter was haute cuisine I will definitely be returning Richard Hexton

Have visited Scutchers many times in the past ,but for no explainable reason , not recently ,our loss , four of us were booked in on a Saturday night , welcomed by a roaring log fire very pleasant staff served drinks ,we were given plenty...

Great food delivered in lovely surroundings by cheerful staff. We were not disappointed. The seafood ragout was full of flavour, and the venison cooked to perfection. The banana fritters with caramel sauce were out of this world.

We visited this restaurant a couple of weeks ago and again had a very impressive meal! It was difficult to decide which starter to choose but I went for the scallops which were cooked to perfection. My husband chose the lobster with tagliatelle which he thought was the best starter he had ever eaten! We had turbot as a main course which was again perfectly cooked and presented. In all a sublime meal and experience.

Visited for the first time to celebrate my Mother in Laws significant birthday and it was outstanding. The welcome on arrival was friendly and we were seated quickly and offered drinks menus. The table was spacious and set far enough away from others that we could talk freely without feeling that we were disturbing other diners. The menu had a great selection and the food that was served was excellent quality. The venison was superb and cooked expertly. It has taken me fifteen years to visit the restaurant it will not take me that long to go back. A true dining experience of the highest order.

Just gets better! The sirloin steak tagliata was devine... huge portion but managed to scoff it all followed by the chowder (again overly generous portion) was sublime. I’m looking forward to my next visit. Diane as ever, always the consummate pro! Love it here

I haven't been here for a while, and as it was my friends favourite restaurant I booked for her birthday. Food was really good and the service was too. I wondered why I had left it so long between visits ! Highly recommend it.

Great welcome - good service and really enjoyable food. We were pleasantly surprised to learn we were being looked after by the family owners. Thanks for an enjoyable evening.

You get what you pay for is true of this establishment, it’s expensive but the food quality is good. Pleasant ambiance ,polite service and excellent menu.

If you happen to be in the area when this restaurant is open it is well worth a visit. You are guaranteed a friendly welcome, the décor is delightful, the service excellent and most importantly the food well cooked & nicely presented. The menu offers the occasional flash of innovation too. For example, I chose a starter of haggis topped with foie gras accompanied by mushy peas. Never come across that combination before and very nice it was too!

Being long standing residents of Long Melford we visited last Saturday evening with friends as a party of eight for what was to be an evening filled with culinary delight complimented with great selection of wine plus fabulous service from both bar & waiting staff thus a special mention for Dimity & Di ....

Must go when in Melford!! The staff is fantastic. One key member Francesca was especially kind and warming. Fantastic service. Will defiantly be returning !!!

The crab terrine starter was excellent and the fresh ginger with the dish was delicious. Our Halibut and Dover sole was cooked to perfection. Also service was first class.

Went with friends for a celebratory dinner. We’d wonderful food including turbot, Dover sole, duck and locally sourced lamb. All excellent with solid portions of each. Their starting point is clearly some excellent produce. Of course, we found room for starters including Scutchers’ signature tempura prawns and some beautiful scallops. Wines good and the list is heavy on New Worlds, all fairly reasonably priced. A decent sharing plate of cheese followed with coffee.

Thank you for an amazing meal! An excellent chef producing first rate, delicious food. I would highly recommend the pea soup, which I was encouraged to try on the basis that it was amazing. At first, I wondered just what you could do with pea soup to make it taste so amazing. Then I had a taste! We then had chicken and fish dishes - again, all freshly prepared and very delicious. Then wonderful desserts. I highly recommend the banana fritters with a clearly professionally freshly made toffee sauce.

We booked up for a birthday treat and to be completely honest felt a little underwhelmed. Compared to other restaurants in the area at around the same price the food was nice but very average. I always base a place on whether I could produce the same dishes myself and frankly the presentation was fairly bland . It’s just little things for example . So in 2019 we have now moved into the Gin and Tonic craze and such is that G&T; is best served on a lovely big fish bowl type glass with plenty of tonic and ice and the appropriate garnish to make it look incredible . Fever tree tonic is the only tonic to use too, instead we received no garnish , one cube of ice , Schweppes tonic and a short stubby glass . Just a little dated to be honest. Then moving onto the food , I had asparagus , hash brown and bacon . This was frankly greasy and pretty tasteless and certainly something I could easily have had a home and at £9.00 seems steep . The main I chose in essence was haddock and chips . So the haddock I have to say was fabulous , very fresh and the batter was light . But the chips were clearly frozen and I think probably I had a total of 12 very thin frozen chips . Coupled with a tablespoon of birds eye frozen peas . Most restaurants of this standard would have at least served home made hand cut chips with perhaps peas served in a small bowl . Again the price of this dish being far to high . So the desserts ! All of which on the menu were plain and uninspiring . So much so , I chose 3 scoops of ice cream at £8 ! My husband has profiteroles filled with raspberry ripple ice cream and chocolate sauce . Clearly out of a packet ! Really not what you would expect ! I must say the service was extremely good but sadly didn’t make up for this very average dining experience ! I really feel they need to pick their game up as many other places are serving much better food .

What a restaurant this is, friendly attentive staff, and fantastic food.

Can't rate it highly enough!! Lovely lady I always see there, brilliant food, lovely cosy restaurant and AMAZING fireplace with sofas for a drink if you go in the winter months!

We went yesterday for a roast Sunday lunch and we were certainly not disappointed. The roast beef was superb - you didn't even need your knife to cut it ! The place was buzzing but the staff were amazing! Sarah, one of the waitress', is so professional and did a wonderful job and every customer looked happy and satisfied. Well done to Dianne and Nick ! Your restaurant is simply the best !! See you soon !

We've been to Scutchers lots of times, as we live in the village. They normally open only Thurs, Fri, Sat. But they open Sunday lunchtime on selected dates – eg Mothering Sunday, Easter Sunday.

This is our third visit to Scutchers and the experience has been top notch on each occasion.

Our first time here as new comers to Suffolk. Had a great time - pleasant ambience, friendly service and varied and interesting menu. They catered for my gluten-free husband with great care.

We visited Scutchers for a weekday lunch and were advised when booking that they were busy. However although they were nearly full in the middle of the week this had no effect on the standard of service or the meal. I chose Tempura beef with an Asian salad and Japanese dressing as a starter. Having had a similar dish at a Michelin star restaurant in the past I was interested to compare. Well there was no comparison! The dish at Scutchers was beyond superb. A simple dish amazingly executed. The scallops were delicious with just the right amount of caramelisation. The turbot and lamb dishes were also excellent and everything was served in a relaxed and friendly manner. A lot of establishments could learn from the management of front of house. Excellent! Thank you.

First time I have returned to Scutchers after 16year absence due to bad meal. Why did I leave it so long? Welcome wonderful, menu small but perfectly formed however the quality was outstanding. I loved the food so did everyone else. It was amazing cooked to perfection. If you want fish and chips ..the monkfish in tempura batter is wonderful. The calves liver with creamy mash outstanding need I say more. The selection of desserts was special. This resturant deserves the fabulous reviews it gets dont wait 16 years....trust me!

The food was pretty good but not outstanding. Too much emphasis on presentation. Service wasn't up to standard, wasn't exactly busy but was it took over 10minutes to get a drink. And after our meal had to ask twice for the bill

During a day with friends, driving through the best parts of Suffolk, this is the place to call for lunch. From the moment of welcome, to the comfortable seats around a crackling fire, to the spacious eating area with large tables (what a joy to have so much space to eat) comfortable chairs and such delicious food to choose from an extensive menu. Perfection sounds too much, but not here. Everything is just right.

Great ambience, great food and very welcoming staff! Would highly recommend Scutchers, one of the best steaks I have ever tasted and we even got offered a lift back to our hotel! Will be returning very soon, many thanks!

My family and I have been going to scutchers for years. The food is incredible whether you love fish or meat. Even if you want something simple yet delicious. The atmosphere is friendly and homely. You will not find a better restaurant in the area Guaranteed! Defiantly worth trying.

The usual good solid cooking and good service.A little more variety on the Menu would be welcome. It is good to have the same old favourites but I would like to see more movement in the choices offered.

The service was one of the best we have received anywhere. Charming staff with really great food and reasonably priced wine to wash it all down with. We chose to eat fish, good choice, fresh and tasty using the best fish not the cheaper varieties.

My husband booked this for my birthday and it was a highly enjoyable evening.

Went for Saturday lunch with friends, and cannot fault anything. The service was excellent & the food fabulous! Have eaten dinner here many times before, and it never disappoints, and neither does lunch!

Been here twice in the space of a fortnight, the food is excellent, the service is was excellent and unobtrusive leaving you to enjoy your meal and the company. Brilliant

Had our staff Xmas do here , excellent food and service , great atmosphere , so much attention to detail . Nick and Di fabulous as always and wonderful staff who couldn’t do enough for us . Can’t wait to come back again .

First class restaurant, first class food & first class service! What a great place to entertain our valued staff. Fantastic, brilliant superb afternoon. Thank you for your attention to detail and a mouth watering experience ! Exceptional 11 out of 10! See you very soon.

Amazing meal for our anniversary. Perfectly sized portions and even a chocolate message to wish us happy anniversary on our pudding plates! Highly recommended.

Whenever I am in the area I try to time it for when Stitchers is open for lunch. It is always a pleasure to go there and the food and service is just wonderful. This time I had the calf's kidneys which were gorgeous. It is NOT cheap but you really do get what you pay for. My only criticism is a subjective one. It was very subdued and I felt I hardly dared giggle!

My wife and I have eaten at Scutchers several times and have always been delighted but my last visit was different. It was on a Tuesday night when the restaurant is not usually open but Nick and Diane had opened it especially for our investment club to hold their quarterly meeting and dinner. We were about thirty people and had the restaurant to ourselves and although our secretary agreed a set menu, Nick was able to meet requests for alternative dietary requirements. As usual the service was slick and friendly and I recommend it to any society or organisation wishing to meet in excellent surroundings for a private function.

We have visited Scutchers regularly over many years and always enjoy the fabulous food and excellent service. We were celebrating with family and, as always, had a most enjoyable evening.

We visit Scutchers on a regular basis. We eat out extensively throughout England and France and Scutchers remains our favourite restaurant. The welcome is always warm & friendly. The beautiful beamed dining area is spotlessly clean with nice table linen, the service is excellent and the menu choices varied and interesting as well as being extremely delicious.

We went for dinner with a group of friends. We had a most enjoyable evening, with excellent service. The food was very good, but was it value for money? The jury is still out. We will return, tough.

Visited this Restaurant for the first time and was annoyed that we never came here before. The food is excellent and extremely tasty. The service is impeccable, and the coffee is the best I have tasted in the UK. We will definitely be coming back.

Had a main course of Dover Sole which cost £32 which was served with frozen chips! What a disappointment.