The Bell Inn in Suffolk Coastal

We went on scratch this evening as we are staying locally and this was the first night of a new menu, what can I say absolutely fabulous food and very reasonable. We had the belly pork and our son had the tomato and cheese tagliatelle of the children's menu and these were absolutely brilliant the combination of fresh vegetables and to die for mash thoroughly recommended in fab surroundings. Also worth a mention as our son is a wheelchair user and like most very old buildings can be difficult to negotiate I managed to negotiate the 2 steps but a ramp is available and lastly the staff are great and very attentive 5 out of 5 👏.

This is a fabulous local pub and restaurant with a delicious seasonal menu with plenty of vegan options that caters to all tastes and appetites. Always excellent food! Friendly, welcoming and attentive staff and a great range of drinks. A perfect place to celebrate every family occasion, enjoy a quiet drink or come for a live music night. Cosy in the Winter and with a large garden for Summer. An absolute favourite all year round.

Recently had a lovely evening meal at the Bell Inn with my wife and my mum. The food was excellent, and the staff were friendly and attentive. Will definitely eat there again. Highly recommended!

We were visiting the area for a large family celebration, which happened to coincide with Mother's day. Due to size of our party, 10 + 1 dog, and it being Mothering Sunday, we booked and were asked to pre-order our food, which was all good. There was a nice choice on the menu, and everyone in our party enjoyed their meals. Would highly recommend, particularly if you are travelling with a dog.

Went here for Sunday lunch today & was very impressed! Lovely pub in fab village location, staff were very welcoming & friendly & we were seated on a nice table in the pub restaurant which was really nice. The menu had a good selection of starters, mains & desserts. The food was very well presented, delicious & had good portion sizes. We really enjoyed our meal with friends here today & totally recommend it, we will be back for more soon!

One of our favourite local pubs for Sunday lunch. Food is always good and they normally provide a proper vegetarian nut roast on Sunday. Lovely cosy atmosphere and friendly service with a smile.

A fabulous afternoon that started with drinks in the bar and straight to our table on time for our booking which was great as 14 of us eating. We had the most fantastic afternoon the food was superb, everyone enjoyed what they had and all plates were empty which shows amazing food! Starters and deserts also great. Food hot and all served beautifully presented. Leroy, Kerry and the team are very welcoming Thankyou from us all and a Happy Christmas

Another fantastic meal at the Bell Inn Middleton, I had the sea bass and my wife had the fish and chips, we both had the waffles for dessert, this was our second meal here this week and as always it was great. The food is delicious and the staff are very attentive, Kerry and Sky are fantastic front of house and the chef is great. It is great value for money and would highly recommend it. Added to that the cask Adnams is lovely 😊

Its worth a detour if your not a local- if you are local you're be there - it is the centre of the village and authentic plus great food and team in control

Nice rural pub with good service and good food choices. Welcoming with plenty of room... imagine it is very busy in summer.

I dropped onto the Bell Inn today on my way back from a long bike ride. It’s a beautiful little pub, tucked away in a gorgeous Suffolk village. The local in the bar and the guy running the bar were both very friendly. I just had a couple of pints, peanuts and chunky chips, but they were the best chips I’ve had for years. I only wish I could have stayed for lunch. Maybe next time. I liked it so much I’m now looking to buy a house in Middleton.

Another fantastic Sunday roast at the Bell Inn, the staff are lovely and welcoming, roast pork belly was great, full of flavour with lots of vegetable accompaniments. Highly recommend this restaurant. We will be back on Friday for another great meal I’m sure, and to cap things off Adnams ale in casks.

Above average food for a pub Sunday roast, at a reasonable price. Charming, helpful staff. Good atmosphere, busy but guest arrived in staggered numbers meaning it was never over busy so service remained excellent throughout. Lovely ‘local’ pub where local people still choose to hang out for a pint. Note interesting animals in the field and barn, excellent play equipment for visiting children so caters to all sorts of interests. Liked the fact that the ladies toilets tried to cater to all ‘lady’ eventualities, that is attention to detail and appreciated. Would highly recommend.

Great little spot. Food was outstanding and the hospitality was first class. They even provided a free taxi service so we could have a drink and get back to out hotel. Will definitely return

A must visit local or visitors it’s a pub with restaurant food in a beautiful village and close of places to visit

Don’t get me wrong, the food was 5/5, it’s just there wasn’t enough of it. It was tasty. It was well presented too. It just wasn’t enough for a grown man with an average-sized appetite. We left un-sated and hungry again soon after. Plus the large wine differed greatly to other pubs ideas of what large is. Which was disappointing. In short, lovely food, but only enough if you’re slightly peckish.

We had our brother visiting from Australia so decided to give the Bell another try. Well we arrived for a booked table for Sunday dinner and no sooner had our bottoms landed on our seats the grumpy rude lady came out huffing and puffing asking what we wanted to eat and we’d not even seen the menu! She was so rude it was unbelievable and the man behind the bar that I’ve seen in the eels foot pub was just as rude and grumpy 😡 if you advertise your last booking for 5pm you shouldn’t be rushing your customers! Two of the meals were not hot and they sent them back. I ate mine lukewarm as I didn’t want any repercussions in the kitchen. We always give a pub we like three chances to redeem itself but The Middleton Bell has failed us so we have taken our custom elsewhere but we will never get that time back with our brother.

Middleton is a genuinely beautiful village (the main road sweeps by leaving the main village streets very quiet) and The Bell is a classic village pub at its centre, just yards from the green and the local church. We were booked for dinner at 7pm but were held up, arriving at 7.20 - no problem. It was a lovely sunny evening so we decided to eat outside - no problem. Adjoining the beer garden is an enclosure with sheep and the most entertaining pygmy goats. They are completely bonkers. Local brewery Adnams' Ghost Ship on tap was delicious. Oldies ordered the classic beer-battered fish and chips (x2) and our son had duck breast with fondant potatoes, fresh veg, orange sauce and red wine jus. Service (despite a large party arriving just after us) was rapid and friendly. All three platefuls were really delicious, our son giving a very rare high score of 9.3/10 for the duck. For desserts we had Belgian waffles, Eton Mess and Vanilla Cheesecake, all of which were top-notch. By now it was almost dark but the staff were perfectly happy to dish up outside. When we settled up it was very reasonable indeed. We are staying close by for a week so it will be a priority to try to get a booking later in the week. Give The Bell a try - you won't be sorry.

We popped in for an afternoon drink with the children, having seen they had animals on site. As parents, what we want in that situation is to be able to enjoy a drink in peace while the children enjoy a pub garden, and this place absolutely ticked that box. The goats, sheep and chickens were friendly and the landlord kindly let the children feed the animals, there were toys for them to play with in the pub garden including an excellent jungle gym which satisfied the needs of both our 1 and 3 year old, and friendly locals. Safe to say, we enjoyed a beer in the sun, and the children have come back happy, grubby and tired. We will be back! Thank you for having us today.

What a beautiful pub and garden area to sit in after a long week at work. Foods was outstanding and staff so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend a visit.

Fabulous food. We had Fish and Chips, the best I have eaten for a long time and Skate Wing with new potatoes and salad. Absolutely delicious. We will be back.

Went here for Sunday lunch and what a disappointment it was. We decided to go without a starter and ordered the roast beef. As the waitress came across the room I though the orders had got mixed up and she was bringing burgers. Once she put it on the table I could see it was our order but everything was piled on top of each other with the Yorkshire balanced on the top. Not a good start and it didn’t get better. One a managed to uncover the beef I could see it was bright pink all the way through, I am quite happy with a bit of pink in the middle but this was bare cooked at all. Certainly not the slow roast described on the menu, to make matters worse the whole meal was Luke warm on cold plates. The waitress stated “ it’s our policy not to serve the food to hot”. Well serve it to someone else I certainly won’t be back. Would not recommend.

Food and service excellent. Beautifully cooked fresh vegetables, very flavoursome duck and jus. Followed by lovely sticky toffee pudding. Fantastic surroundings with excellent beers. Punching well above its weight. Would recommend to all to try here 🤩

Lovely little pub with Amazing food and perfect service, very dog friendly. We will definitely be back soon

What a find. We definitely hit the jackpot tonight. Only ended up here as own campsite pub wouldn’t accommodate us but so happy we did. Very welcoming and dog friendly. We had burgers and ribs and they were absolutely delicious. Good size portions and good...

Visited after reading reviews bank holiday weekend told we stop serving food at 4 really on a sunny bank holiday Sunday so had a coke which was flat and left

The best Sunday roast we have had out for years and the puds were amazing too. Lovely, friendly waitress made us feel so welcome and made a real fuss of our dog. We will be back on our next visit to Suffolk.

Lovely pub with great staff and food. We had dinner two nights with apparently the new menu. Both night we had different selections and both nights I said I made the best choice. The sea bass was gorgeous the first night, the chicken amazing the...

We have eaten here many times and are never disappointed. The staff are very friendly and welcoming, the food always amazing. So if you are looking for great food and staff and value for money I can’t recommend The Bell enough. Thank you all for...

We have visited the Bell for birthday lunches and dinners and have consistently found the food to be exceptional, the welcome warm, and the service outstanding. A really excellent local pub, in a beautiful setting and a great team behind it. I would highly recommend.

As we walked in the door we were barked at by an aggressive dog. The restaurant was cold & empty surprising as the week leading up to Christmas. The meal was tiny, very poor & extremely expensive. Never go back

We stayed in a cottage in the village and every evening we would make it to this wonderful pub. The pub has lovely surroundings complete with a goat/sheep paddock that can be very interesting come feeding time. We had one dinner in the restaurant and...

We had booked a table for Sunday lunch to celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday - we were outside and had just started eating when a Land Rover drove through the car park and right into the serving area at the front of the pub, stopping a...

We highly recommend the Bell Inn in Middleton. It is is a lovely picturesque, thatched roof pub in the heart of a quiet little village. The sirloin roast was outstanding, and the summer pudding and sticky toffee pudding were both delicious. We will definitely be...

Just one of the best Sunday roasts we have ever had! The sirlion was incredible and my wife tells me the pork belly was the same! The staff were welcoming and attentive throughout what was a busy lunchtime period on one of the hottest days...

I don't like to be so brutal, but in today's times I have to let people know. We're going out for a family meal thinking a real treat , I even look the restaurant up on TripAdvisor.What a disappointment the starters, Prawns with Crayfish £12,00...

We had booked for a Saturday evening, a week before our visit. Pleasant staff and surroundings. We were shown to our table, but it was ten minutes before our drinks order taken. It was explained that the kitchen was busy, yet very few tables were...

Absolutely lovely meal. All 3 courses were delicious. Staff friendly and attentive. Best meal we’ve had in Suffolk. Just loved the whole evening, especially the mini goats in the garden. Highly recommend

You cannot beat a pub Sunday lunch and I cannot recommend the highly enough. Not only was the beef beautifully cooked but the presentation was much more than you normally see. The same could equally be said for the cheese board afterwards, all the cheeses...

Excellent Sunday Lunch… really friendly service, quality of food was great and good balance between traditional pub and contemporary restaurant… really enjoyed it! Thanks

Wonderful building with a special ambiance and the food was up to its normal excellent standard. The staff are always knowledgeable and friendly and the chef excelled himself on our dishes. The cellar is always well kept and the gravity service seems to improve the...

This was my second visit to this lovely pub. Booked at the last minute for a Sunday lunch and was very impressed by the skills of the chef. We had lamb which was succulent and tender but it was the accompanying veg etc that made...

Dined here one evening while on holiday in the local area. Fabulous food, excellent service, lovely atmosphere. Thanks to the Chef Anthony for an amazing meal and to Skye for being such a lovely waitress. We didn’t feel rushed and had a thoroughly enjoyable evening...

Table for four, lovely welcome from Kerry our waitress for our evening. Opted for the mutton stew with lamp chops, very pleasantly presented, was just enough to for fill my appetite, fellow diner who is a veggie went for the same as he just couldn't...

Fantastic place, food is all home cooked. And the service was excellent. Will definitely recommend to family and friends

We went with friends to eat at The Bell. We were so delighted with the quality of the food, the lovely service and friendly staff. We had the mutton, and it was sublime. Our friend who is almost vegetarian said 'if food always tasted this...

When for family meal food was great the service was exceptional would recommend to go there the pub has a lovely outdoor area which is perfect for the children to play

Saw there was a new chef and the photos/feedback on social media looked good so we booked for my Birthday last Sunday for lunch. Can honestly say this was the best pub roast dinner we’ve eaten. In fact we don’t normally opt for a roast...

Food is excellent with a proper nut roast alternative for us veggies. Very friendly staff, comfy surroundings and value for money.

Not been to The Bell for about 3 years, on our last walking holiday in the area, and since the new Landlord has taken over. Not a lot has changed! Asked for the Wine List to be told "we have White, Red or Rose". No...

Everything about the Bell Inn n Suffolk is amazing. The owner Julian is one of the best owners I have come across, he knew our drinks within moments of being in the bar. Even our boxer dog was made to feel at home and part...

Following a week of visiting suffolk eateries our last dinner was at the Bell and thankfully it was the best Pub dinner we had had. Firstly the menu didnt have a burger on it , secondly it is changed every day and is seasonal, hurray!...

Superb beer and Sunday roast. Smashing large garden with some animals in a paddock. Dog friendly. Adams straight from the barrel and the beef roast was really high quality and some much better than other Sunday roasts in the area.. Staff friendly. A great find

During our week in Middleton my wife and I dined in the pub restaurant twice. The pub is traditional and well kept with a friendly atmosphere. The restaurant is delightful, the food and service are first class. Recommended!

Consistently tasty food, smooth coffee, well kept bitter and well trained helpful, efficient staff. Delightful garden to enjoy and clean loos bliss!

Visited this lovely country pub in June. The ambience was lovely, the staff were very friendly and efficient and, more importantly, the food was excellent. We have found many pubs have been serving a reduced menu due to covid restrictions but their menu had a...

Welcoming. Great food - recommended - a really nice quaint country pub. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal with great service. Would go again

Introduced friends to this hostelry on our annual visit to Suffolk. They were amazed to find such an establishment in a small village. The beer and food were excellent, the covid precautions as government instructions and the staff, as ever, friendly and attentive. Already looking...

Really nice pub tucked away in a lovely small village. The menu was very limited when we went for lunch but the food was of good quality. Service was very slow but we allowed for it as we know the challenges that Covid bring to...

First time visit while on holiday and albeit this is one lovely pub with friendly staff , I am sorry to say the food offer was limited , No fish & chips , burger or pie of the day which the most of the pubs...

awful…waited an hour for food and it was very quiet. I had the waitresses long grey hair on my food on arrival. Rubbish service very slow! It’s like no one has a clue what’s going on! No one knows the difference between their &&&@ and...

Went to the Blue Bell at a time when it wasn’t busy. Sat outside but no one came to take an order. After 10 mins we went inside, sat at one of the three tables in the bar and again, waited and waited to be...

A family group of 5 adults went here today after seeing good reviews, the pub is friendly, old & very pleasant inside. The menu was limited but I could've easily eaten everything that was on it, 2 courses for £16.50 or 3 courses for £20.00....

One of the best pub meals we have ever had at a very competitive price. The fixed price menu was exceptional and the service could not be better

Having not visited for a while, we felt that the food, the way we were looked after from the minute we walked through the door, was excellent . If you haven’t been to The Bell then you have missed out.

Had the best roast pork dinner, so much flavour; fast service and very friendly; great beer and good value for money, already booked in again this week. Good Covid measures in place and felt very safe.

Leroy and the team were great. We booked the day of arriving for dinner. A typical Adnams pub with good beer and the food was the standard restricted fare due mainly to COVID. That said the starters were great and enjoyed by all four of...

Had Sunday lunch and a mid-week lunch here. On both occasions the food was well cooked, tasty, plentiful and served hot. Service was efficient and friendly. We were not rushed and able to take our time. Care was taken to ensure all Covid-19 requirements were met.

We visited this evening for a party of 6. The food was really lovely with a good variation on the menu to choose from. Attentive service without being intrusive. Lovely local atmosphere.

A small menu, 6 starters, 8 mains and 4 puddings. Two of our group had dietary requirements but a way was found around those. The chef came out to ask a question and also came out to say goodbye as we were leaving. One way in and out. If you are just calling for a drink then crisps and nuts and snacks are in a large drawer in front of the bar. Service was efficient.The pub is in a lovely, quiet setting and has a thatched roof. We had an interesting journey down the back lanes from Kelsale to find this pub. If you live outside the local area then ensure you know your route.

Ate here three times this week. Cannot fault the food or service, both were fabulous. The menu is small but i like this, it is more genuine. Great care is taken to seat people and serve you safely but still has a lovely atmosphere.

Very good meal. Between us we had the ham hock terrine and the tomato & mozzarella salad starters, and the vegetable lasagna and Calf’s liver mains. Really impressed by the cooking of the liver and the flavour of the sauce. Went very well with the Shiraz, although my pick of the wines on offer was the white Burgundy (Mâcon-Villages). Very nice setting too, lovely pub with plenty of outdoor space for some pre-meal drinks, and a terrain de petanque as well.

Excellent staff and excellent food. Great location and fantastic garden. Attention to service could be slightly better. Will be back.

Dinner with wife, late August 2020. Superb menu, plenty of variety, superbly cooked. We very much enjoyed starters: prawn/crayfish and salmon Caesar salad........ mains of half lobster and Middle East lamb burger..... deserts of passion fruit cheesecake and choc/raspberry brownie. Good service. The food in particular was exceptional.

I came here for a drink and food, was served by a lovely young chap. All staff were very helpful, and could see that they were sticking to their COVID guidelines, would recommend and will be coming again

The food and drink were reasonably priced and fairly well executed. Although Covid procedures in place the system is pretty terrible. We ordered at the bar and were told to wait for our food in the next room. I did ask if we could be shouted when the food was ready as we would happily collect and it wasn’t busy however this wasn’t available. I stood in the room for 20 minutes while my wife enjoyed her drink in the garden until finally I was handed food to carry to the table.

Booked based on the online menu and previous reviews. Had to sit outside in a very dirty marquee which we weren’t advised on booking. Menu was completely different to the one advertised on line. Ordered the risotto which consisted of minimal rice smothered in some kind of sauce and very tough chicken. Totally inedible- not helped by the fact we had waited over an hour. Realise they are probably struggling to open the restaurant due to social distancing but don’t book expecting the menu you see on line

Visited for lunch yesterday. Absolutely awful -signs shouting at you everywhere 'wait here 'don't order here'-'walk this way'-all very confusing and the attitude of the staff -surly and offering no help other than to sarcastically point at a sign. Truly dreadful ,avoid like the plague which the staff clearly think covid 19 is.

We booked this venue for a group to have a light lunch after the church service opposite. The food was delicious - just right, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming and also very accommodating to lots of small children running around. Thank you

Great service, lovely pint of Guinness and crisp fresh pint of cider. Sandwich and omelette. A little hidden gem and will definitely be back to try the restaurant Fully recommend Great job

Roast is fairly pricey at £15 however of a high standard. Definately cooked by a pro ! Puddings equally great. Chocolate brownie to die for and very impressive vannilla compot. Nice service, warm, cosy and friendly. Roast could do with a flash in microwave to make dead hot. But apart from that all perfect.

A charming pub in a lovely village. On a cold New Years Eve, the pub was warm and inviting. All the tables were booked but it didn’t feel overcrowded. Service was prompt and friendly. The menu choice was good and I missed out a starter for the mushroom and blue cheese lasagne. It was delicious and my husband was similarly complimentary about the halibut. The puddings choice was lovely and we both had the pavlova. It was a really good meal at very reasonable cost. It was a treat of an evening.

We visited this weekend with family having had numerous recommendations from friends. Well I have it exceeded all our expectations!This is the prettiest quintessentially English village pub, it has a welcoming local feel. The pub which was beautifully decorated for Christmas with a gorgeous tree, perfect for a festive get together. We all had roast of a kind, my partners beef was juicy and tender and my turkey was succulent and extremely tasty. Accompaniments were cooked to perfection...crispy potatoes, proper Yorkshires and fine selection of vegetables. I didn't have a lot of room for pud, though I think my husband wished I had after tucking into his extremely moreish chocolate brownie....Delicious! Service was efficient and friendly. Will definitely be back...a hidden gem!

We popped in one evening during the week and it was very quiet but warm and welcoming nonetheless. Good range of beer, the barman let us try a couple before ordering and the few who were in that night were chatty and friendly. Didn't eat there but it seems a well run local pub.

We had heard via the local grapevine of the excellence of the food here. People were not wrong. An imaginative menu, with some complex combinations and techniques came up trumps. I had sweetbreads, ( the thymus gland, not other organs as the myths would have) A tricky ingredient to prepare as they can be rubbery. Not at The Bell. Followed by Mussels,superbly cooked, best I have had for years. The only disappointment was the Frites, which didn't match the standard of everything else. High praise for the calves liver, and raves for the chocolate brownie. Well done the Bell, we'll be back AND they are open on Mondays.

Called in for a light lunch on the way to leiston, what a treat! We Both had sandwiches which were absolutely lovely and very good value for money! Service was first class and although we have our own pub locally we will be returning! 😁

This was a wedding anniversary treat for us. When we arrived only one other table in use in the dining room, so we were served our excellent roast beef fairly quickly. Sat looking at empty plates for too long while waitress bussied herself attending to new arrivals, barman came to our rescue and cleared our plates. Ordered fruit crumble with almond topping. Almost three quarters of an hour later later, and after reminding waitress of my sweet, decided enough was enough and asked for my bill. Complained to barman miraculously my sweet was served instantly. Very dissapointing, there was not a crumb of crumble, it was just some stewed fruit with a hand full of almonds on top. Potentially an excellent little pub, our experience was ruined by extremely poor service.

I hadn't been here for twenty years, luckily nothings changed still excellent food and a warm welcome.

We had two dinners here and every dish was delicious. A very kind and welcoming manager and chef. I’m sure it’s lovely in the daytime too; we were only there in the evening. Looks like they encourage and support local activities and a village community, very good luck to them. We’ll be back. (And hope the chef will share his recipe for the Asian crispy beef!)

booked in for evening meal as staying in village for short break.Very pleasant village and pretty inviting pub.Excellent food and service (and very dog friendly)making for an enjoyable evening.Would recommend

We were told that we couldn't book and would have to take a chance ,asked if there were empty tables as we were not far away .Was told dog seating area was empty . So drove round from the Crown at Westleton (no service and had waited 10 mins for it) Parking was good ,service at the bar excellent ,seating excellent.Food BRILLIANT . Although a bit limited on choice but what we selected we loved . I had open fish pie and Jan had Sea Bream .Puddings also limited . I guess summer months you don't get the good old Apple crumbles and the like , but I thought a Banoffee pie would be on the menu .

Our evening meal, whist on holiday with with my wife recently, was absolutely delicious.. Varied choice on the menu - The drinks/food service was brilliant and very friendly, served by the landlady. Lovely setting in the Village, can highly recommend. Thank You

Our Lunch started off perfectly, after getting our drinks and then being seated we decided to just go for the main meals and then have desserts. We expected to wait a while as the food had to be cooked, always a good sign.

We have not been to The Bell for at least 35 years ! It was a favourite of ours and we wondered if it was still going. Searching on the internet we were pleased to see it was. We wondered if the welcome would be good and decided to give it a go as it was our 53rd wedding anniversary and we have happy memories of previous visits.

Was on a weekend stay in the area, if your looking for a meal more than average pub food this is the place to go, the meal we had was extremely well cooked and presented and the staff friendly and helpful, we hadn’t booked a table but they were helpful and managed to accommodate us within 15mins on a Saturday evening, definitely worth a visit

Stumbled across this lovely pub by chance. Beautiful appear easy and setting with a boules league match in progress when we visited. Dog friendly. Good varied menu. Roast meal very good but star meal was halloumi with pomegranates and figs. Puddings just right; not overwhelming. Service friendly and competent and good prices. Will definitely be returning.

Visited today and the food was delicious. I had the Gnocchi and my wife had the chicken. A bit of a wait but well worth it, I would definitely recommend this pub.

Nice Sunday roast in a country pub. Duck pate was nice, could have done with more bread ;)

We only went for a pint or two - and went again! Lovely pub inside and out with a landlord that cares about the quality of his beer. Highly recommended

Superb food well above average for a pub in a very friendly atmosphere and perfect surroundings. Second visit for.me and I will be returning. An excellent menu and everything I ve tried has been fabulous