The Bush Inn in Babergh

We pre booked the long table in the bar for 10 adults and three very young children on a Saturday lunch. We ordered from the grazing boards and the food was absolutely delicious. Sizzling garlic prawns; home cured Gravadlax, fresh home baked bread; olives; cold cured meats; pickled herrings; Ibetico ham…etc etc.. such an enormous selection of wonderful food. The pub was cozy and warm ( the log fire was blazing) and nothing was too much trouble. At the end we paid exactly what we expected ( we had pre booked) and everyone of our large group thought it was fantastic value. I cannot recommend this lovely pub enough.

Having been told by a number of people that this family-run pub and restaurant is well worth a visit, we booked for Sunday lunch. We checked sample menus online, saw a variety of dishes at reasonable prices, and also checked that there is something for vegetarians. We booked in advance (and also mentioned that one of our party was vegetarian). The overall result was a mixture of some excellent cooking, tempered with aspects that could be improved. The menu on this Sunday offered a choice of three each of starters, mains and desserts. Though it says on Facebook that the menu is "on the board" it was actually written only on the back of a piece of paper which the lady serving us read out, though I was able to glance across and see what was on offer, together with the prices. Often in small restaurants such as this with a changing menu this comes to the table on a small blackboard - that would certainly help customers (and the servers). For starters there was a choice of scallops, muntjac carpaccio or prosciutto and pear. Two of us had the prosciutto (£6.50), but as our vegetarian didn't find anything vegetarian, they opted for a bowl of olives and bread that was instead offered (£4.50). The prosciutto also came with a nice moist mozzarella - in Italy you would have been served some bread with it too (how can you otherwise mop up your plate?) but we weren't offered any so we borrowed it from our olive eater. For mains there was a choice of sea bass with ratatouille, sirloin steak or venison. Two of us chose the venison, especially as this comes from a well-regarded local butcher. For our vegetarian, our server did ask the chef, but apparently the only option was the ratatouille that would have accompanied the sea bass. It was too minimal as a main course - and, being a different 'take' on a traditional Provençal ratatouille, was more a stack of the constituent parts, but it looked pretty (£7.50). The venison, however, was beautifully cooked, accompanied by a really tasty, rich jus and fine green beans. Personally for £25.50 I'd have hoped for three slices of loin, rather than the two, but those two were delicious and their cooking couldn't be faulted. The quantity of roast potatoes too (six potatoes between three people) was a bit meagre, but they were well done - crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. Dessert was down to a choice of two as the crumble had sold out (it looked very good at a neighbouring table). There was fried banana and ice cream (£4.50), or tofu and chickpea chocolate cake (£7.50). This latter sounded intriguing: it was made with an intense, dark cocao, and the binding ingredients gave it a firm, ever so slightly gritty texture, but it really needed something else to tone and contrast it: a dollop of vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche, or just a splash of single cream would have made all the difference - on its own it was a little hard going. The other dessert was less remarkable: two halves of a banana gently caramelised with some vanilla ice cream. The wines were on the expensive side. On the board the 2021 Pinot Noir (it's a very local one, quite interesting, but looking and tasting a little young) was advertised at £8.50 per glass: when the bill came, it was charged at £9.50 per glass. We didn't want to cause a fuss, so paid the extra £2. However, only when getting home did we find that we'd been charged for six glasses of the (rather good) sparkling rosé (£7.50 per glass), when actually we only had four. I have no doubt at all that this was an honest mistake - someone keyed it in twice - and we should have spotted it at the time. So, whilst the main meat dish was really well cooked, other elements didn't altogether meet expectations.

A fantastic Sunday lunch in the sunshine. Everything was beautifully cooked and full of flavour finishing off with a lemon crème brûlée to die for. A charming pub with wonderful hosts-well worth a visit!

Wholesome good good flavoursome Tapas the best I’ve had in a long long time! Venison meatballs, Prawns, Scallops, salmon, the bread, the olives the chef clearly knows his stuff , great friendly service, dining area comfy and cosy great decor, great prices start from £3 a dish we as family loved it we will be back! This is a pub to watch as fantastic food and wine!

Live what they have done with The Bush! Great real ale selection, as well as local wine choice too. Food was great (slow coming, but no problem as wasn’t in a rush). Will be washing menu, can’t wait to go back 👍🏼

We had the pleasure of dinning tonight at this beautiful pub with friends of ours. The food was incredible and the service/hospitality was amazing. Best meal we have had our in years. Will definitely be returning. Thank you!

Had a lovely afternoon lunch at the bush - really welcoming atmosphere and staff. Great food - especially liked the fact that it’s locally sourced.

Amazing amazing amazing! Went with friends from London, great service, wonderful rural atmosphere with a stylish twist and the supper superb, healthy cooking, generously and freshly prepared with focus on quality, ingredients, along with the wines, all locally sourced - the scallops were to die for!

We came for food and drinks and had a lovely time. The staff were very friendly and helpful and as vegans we were happy to see several vegan options on the menu, including vegan ice creams and not just sorbet like usual! The food itself was super tasty and the portions were perfect, all for a great price. Will definitely be coming again!

My husband and I took the kids here for dinner last week. We had the bouillabaisse and the kids had lamb tagine both of which were delicious. The pub hasn’t been open long so there were no menus etc but both the kids and us had a really lovely evening

Really tasty food with my wife and kids. Slightly awkward ambience for a short period caused by the customer at the next table (see previous review) deciding to be rude to the waitress unnecessarily, making her cry. When the proprietor removed him (and his seemingly embarrassed partner) the rest of the punters and ourselves had a lovely evening. Will return. Great to have a venue serving truly local sourced food and drinks, and to have this pub back up and running.

First I must say that this pub has recently reopened with new owners. I visited with my partner on Sat 15 April 23; one week after it had reopened. We had made a reservation thinking it may be busy but it was pretty quiet. There was one person at the bar and two other couples eating. We ordered drinks at the bar on arriving, a bit slow but not bad. We were shown to our table. After 10 mins a waitress arrived to take our order. We hadn’t received any menus so I asked for 'a couple of menus'. We were told that they did not have menus and that all the options were on the chalk board in the bar area. The waitress started to read out the options but this was too fast to understand. We asked the waitress for a few minutes so that we could look on the board and make our choice. The waitress left and we got up to check-out the board. While we were looking at the board, a lady came out of the kitchen area who I assume she was the owner. She was immediately very rude and aggressive to me saying that she didn’t appreciate me being rude to her staff. I was shocked as all I had done was ask for two menus and then said we would look at the board and choose. This lady informed me that the waitress was in the kitchen in tears. I asked what I had done to upset the waitress but she would not answer or give me any details of what I was supposed to have done. I offered my apologies if I had done or said anything to upset the waitress and asked her to speak with the waitress to find out. She refused. The other diners, who had witnessed this exchange were shocked. This lady was so rude that my partner and I decide to leave. I paid for our drinks then returned to our table to collect our coats when the lady said, very loudly, ‘that’s for the best’. I very calmly suggested to her that maybe she should have spoken with me to find out what had happened before being so aggressive and rude. I can only assume that I was mistaken for another person. My partner and I both left and will never return. I cannot speak for the food as we never eat there.

Traditional country pub serving great food at a great price. A friendly welcome with helpful staff. Recommend as a place to visit for lunch or dinner.

We visited The Bush Inn yesterday - a Sunday afternoon. The managed to squeeze us in at the last minute after an unsuccessful trip to another pub. And we are so glad we ended up here! The food was delicious (the ham with the ham egg and chips was incredible and local!), the veggie lasagne was amazing and the mixed grill perfect. Everything is home made and you could really tell. The custard cream cheesecake was to die for!! The daughter of the land lady made us feel really welcome and joined in with our conversations and jokes which made the whole experience. Everything about this visit was just great - wish it was in our local town! We'd be there all the time.

How lovely to be able to visit the Bush again. There is such a warm welcome at this Family run village inn. An outside seating area has been created but we sat inside, There is plenty of social distancing one way in/one way out and hand gel available. All the food is cooked by the lovely Landlady Dawn and there is something for everyone including fish and chips, liver and bacon, sausage and mash as well as vegetarian and gluten free options. Dawn makes the most amazing traditional desserts like syrup sponge, apple crumble and trifle. It is so good to see the Bush up and running again and we will return soon.

We came here not long after it had reopened following the lockdown. We also came on a Sunday so they didn't have their full range of food available. We have a number of dietary requirements, including being gluten and dairy free and they couldn't have been more accommodating. They found us some food we could have and it was delicious! The staff were really lovely. We got slightly lost on the way there and ended up arriving just before the kitchen closed, but they were very accommodating of us as we had rung ahead and allowed us to order anyway. We would thoroughly recommend!

This pubis a real gem. Nestled towards the end of the village the welcome you will receive from this historical pub really is second to none. Full of character with a fabulous open fire walking it feels like going back in time, when life was slightly less frenetic and there was time to chat and enjoy a bevvy and delicious home cooked food. The staff are SO friendly... and after a few visits you will not just feel like a local but be treated like one too. I can’t praise this pub enough. Come and experience it yourself, you won’t be disappointed. Cheers!

We visited as a group of friends for an evening dinner. We received a great friendly welcome, efficient friendly service; large plates of good food and value for money I had the sea bass from the specials board which came with lovely large servings of fresh carrots; broccoli; new potatoes and also peas. The sea bass light and flavoursome Two of our party had liver and bacon and one had venison pie. You can choose mash; chips; new potatoes to accompany your meal. They all chose cheesy mash ( here is the only less positive comment) though it apparently did not taste cheesy at all. We are not sure if ordinary mash was served as the lack of cheesiness did not fit all the rest of our experience. The mash was however fine The final choice was chicken stuffed with Stilton. This was accompanied by veg and new potatoes though again choices were vast salad; chips; mash etc Desserts were very tempting but we only tried the white chocolate tulle with whisky. This was a huge hit and those who ate it requested it be permanently on the menu We enjoyed the food so much we have booked to return for a Sunday lunch soon

Good, traditional Sunday lunch tasting just like home cooked food made with fresh flavours should. The Bush is a friendly, family run country pub that boast a cheerful, roaring fire, lots of characterful beams and a lovely garden. Meals are served in the bar or adjoining restaurant. There's a choice of three roasts on Sundays and a vegetarian option. What's more, if you're really lucky, landlady Dawn will also offer some of her wonderful, home cooked Steak & Stilton Pie. It's just like the pies I remember my grandmother making in years gone by. Stunning. We'll definitely be back...soon! .

Today I visited the most loveliest, friendly pub, with a lovely warm welcome. The food was outstanding, a good home cooked Christmas 3 course meal, couldn't have asked for more.A lovely roaring fire, perfect setting for a Sunday afternoon. Will definitely be back!

Went here whilst visiting family who live in the area. The food was fantastic! It's freshly cooked to order and very generous portion sizes. The staff are friendly and accommodating of any menu changes (starter as a main course). The chocolate brownie for dessert is the best ever!

Had a superb Sunday lunch at The Bush today. Everything is homemade and cooked to perfection. The menu is short - on Sunday they just offer a choice of roasts and a plough mans - and there are half a dozen traditional puds on offer. The roasts come with two types of potato, four vegetables and your own gravy boat. The syrup sponge came with lashings of custard and the cheesecake with a small jug of cream. The staff are lovely and service is swift. The pub has a lovely atmosphere, especially with the open fire lit. We will return and are happy to recommend.

I can honestly say I have never had food in this place that I haven't enjoyed. All home cooked, not your standard chain pub rubbish. And the staff are super friendly and welcoming.

Just amazing ! this is just such a friendly place with amazing food. Staff could not be more accommodating - we loved it and will definitely be back !

6 of us ate at the pub and from start to finish it was lovely. The staff were very welcoming and the pub is very family friendly. There is a lovely garden at the back with a small kids play area which delighted our children. The roast dinner was generous and very tasty, highly recommend the Baileys cheesecake. Will definitely return!!!

We visited the bush inn on a whim when passing and where pleasenty surprised, the food was delightful and they had a good range of options. I had the traditional sausage and mash and my friend had the vegetarian option which was just as lovely. Would highly recommend great atmosphere

Wow! Read a few reviews before I booked and it was great. Right from booking with Bobby through to fabulous customer service. Had a W/chair user with us and they provided a ramp for easy access - also a table near the disabled toilet - great. Huge portions for lunch and great value for money. Really enjoyed our time spent at The Bush Inn. Thank you.

A quintessential English pub restaurant - no prétentions, no gastro pub, just a straight forward great place to have lunch. We had two starters as maincourse portions: whitebait and fried Brie - generous portions, nicely presented and most importantly, very tasty. Would recommend.

Total class beautiful meals cooked by dawn and team must be one of the best places to eat in Suffolk all of the staff are very friendly and efficient from chris n sally can’t wait to go back

Just home from Sunday Lunch at The Bush. Excellent value, lovely roast beef with all the trimmings. Fabulous choice of puddings. Highly recommend. Lovely friendly atmosphere.

A really true atmosphere of rural England. Friendly staff, real ales and excellent traditional fare at very good prices. A slice of Suffolk to really enjoy!

It is always a pleasure to visit this lovely village pub. The welcome is warm and the food is a very good home cooked selection. A two course lunch is available during the week for £9.95 and on Sundays for £13.95. We found this excellent value together with a great selection of beers and wines. The pub was busy on the day we visited and it is fantastic to see it so well used by both locals and visitors. If you are in the area it is well worth a visit and we highly recommend the Bush.

A lovely quaint old pub serving great British home cooked food. The service is excellent and always friendly. I prefer to eat in the bar rather than the restaurant as there is a little more atmosphere.

Team Bush were outstanding. We arranged an evening celebration for my husband's 60th. Dawn,Clem, Kelly. Richard and Ben organised it all. Pub garden was set up beautifully with the addition of a firepit. Kelly made the most wonderful birthday cake. 50 friends and family joined us and everyone agrees the food and service was outstanding. We all had a fantastic evening and all Team Bush efforts made it a memorable evening for us all. An amazing evening. Thank you.

We are moving to the area and used this pub on 3 occasions whilst looking at property.

The Bush is a little 'off the beaten track', on a road down from the A134 to Sudbury. There is a sign on the turn-off, which is a help. It is an attractive village pub, comfortable inside and with a decent dog friendly garden. There are a couple of things for kids - swings etc. We ordered a light lunch for the six of us, which we enjoyed in the garden. Good homemade soup, excellent paninis, fish and chips, angus steak burgers etc, the service outside was very good , and the dogs were brought water - other pubs please note! Our pints of Wherry bitter were on good form and the white wine was approved of. The young man behind the bar was pleasant and helpful. We paid about £76 for us six including two children. We left feeling happy that it was a good visit to a well run pub.We will certainly return one evening to try the evening menu.

My wife and I decided to celebrate our 43rd Wedding Anniversary at "The Bush" and we are so glad we did. We were not looking for Cordon Bleu nor did we want "Ping" and freezer to table. We just needed good wholesome pub grub, cooked fresh, a menu with enough variety including vegetarian option. A welcoming atmosphere and seating that offered some seclusion. We also wanted to “scope” out the facilities as we wanted to consider taking a large party there for a Christmas meal.

There is always a lovely warm welcome from Dawn the Landlady/Chef and Ben who runs front of house. We enjoyed a very tasty Roast with lots of fresh vegetables, great Yorkshire puddings and superb gravy. The cost is £13.95 for two courses and all the desserts are home made by Dawn. The Bush is a friendly village Inn where all the customers new and old chat to each other; you will never feel like a stranger here. Dawn always pops out of the kitchen to talk to the customers going from table to table to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves. We certainly enjoyed ourselves and will be back again soon.

We came for lunch earlier this week and were very favourably impressed. The food was good, the portions generous (perhaps excessively so) and the service was friendly and efficient. There was a fire crackling in the fireplace - most welcome and a chilly day. We'd certainly come again and remember not to eat the day before!

Booked in for a meal with friends Saturday lunch time. This is a classic village pub, warm, welcoming and with a great menu. There was a good range of (well kept) beers on offer and a specials board to complement the extensive menu.

can't recommend this pub enough. Good is awsome. everyone here is lovely. If you're looking for a good night out i n a friendly place with good food you have to come here! So glad I came

What a wonderful find ! from the friendly greeting walking in through the front door to the cheery goodbyes the staff at the Bush Inn made our visit a joyful experience.

Fantastic food, wonderful setting. Very welcoming and a great choice. Very accommodating with dietary needs. We keep going back to more!

Great friendly staff.. nice beer on tap and good home style cooking.. good value for money - my wife and I really enjoyed our time at the Bush

My husband and I booked a meal for Wednesday the 30th August, we found the staff to be very helpful and friendly, my husband had the steak which was done to perfection and I had the liver and bacon with vegetables and mustard mash, it was delicious and plenty of it, my husband had chips and peas, homemade onion rings with tomato and mushrooms with his steak, the meals were rather large so no room for dessert.

Had lovely one food hot veggie option lovely lasagne table of 5all very happy def go again the perfect roast

What a lovely Inn in a beautiful village location run by charming hosts. We found the two course lunch menu...

Metimos en un bar de comidas ya que estábamos pasando por este pub tradicional y bastante viejo, y encontramos bastante parte de la escena local, ya que conversamos y nos conversamos con los lugareños. El menú parecía atractiva, junto con una tabla de ofertas más...

What a lovely pub! The food is indescribable! So good! The staff so friendly and helpful! I will travel again to eat and drink here it's like family. I can't recommend this place too much you have to experience it for yourself.

Very welcoming landlord and landlady who is also the chef.Food was very well cooked and presented and reasonably priced.It was the weekend of the Lions test match and I was desperate to see the game so they fixed me up with a visit to Sudbury rugby club on the Saturday morning which was very kind of them.

We all enjoyed a lovely meal. The place was lovely and clean and the food was excellent. We received a friendly greeting and the service was excellent

A friendly village pub with home-cooked food. Four of us enjoyed our meals recently. A slightly limited menu at reasonable prices. My 10oz rump steak (medium rare) was cooked to perfection, the vegetarian lasagne was delicious (unfortunately the beef lasagne was unavailable due to demand), and the scampi and chips (large portions) were enjoyed by two. Home made sweets were also very good. A lunchtime specials board is also available on Wednesdays and Thursdays, limited menu but very good value.

Went to dinner with friends. Lovely welcome from Emma behind the bar, Food was amazing and the location is so picturesque

So, in our continuing mission to find the best dog friendly pubs in Suffolk we found ourselves at The Bush in Shimpling. In a word it's BRILLIANT. The food is lovely; proper home made food, the liver and bacon was scrumptious, the sausage and mash (with a choice of 3 different mashed potatoes) was lovely and the fish and chips well above the normal pub food standard. Portions are enormous too! The staff are lovely, really welcoming and friendly. And Billy was made very welcome so he loved it. It's always great to find a dog friendly pub that welcomes dogs but doesn't suffer because of it. The only difference it made to us is that we ate in the bar area rather than the restaurant and that was great. The restaurant area looked really nice but the bar area was just as good with great tables and lots of space. So we'll definitely be back. Billy especially can't wait to go back for his next biscuit. Thank you to everyone there for a lovely lunch.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening at Shimpling Bush. We were given a warm welcome by Ben on arrival. One of us ate from the Menu and one from the Specials Board. In both cases the food was outstanding. The Gammon and trimmings was delicious and the Liver and Bacon was supplemented by fresh vegetables and a choice of buttered, cheese or onion mash. Dawn, the Chef and Proprietor, took time to visit our table and extend a welcome as well as making certain everything was to our liking. We could not have been better looked after and left feeling replete and resolving to visit again soon.

A party of 20 celebrated an 80th birthday party on April 30th 2017. The food was wonderful, generous portions and great service. This is a Five Star Pub for sure. The attention to detail was excellent. The owners come around to make sure your happy with everything. My party could not want for anything, and even though they had another large party dinning there too, we felt like we were the most important people in there.Thank you for making the day so special. 5 Star x

I am a fan of country pubs but they have to work hard to attract and keep my business. The Bush faces tough competition from its neighbouring villages and needs to do a lot more to raise its game. Let's start with the good points: draft beer from Woodfordes and Shepherd Neame and home cooking. But everything about this pub is bland: the ambience is poor with a menu typical of hundreds of road houses - garlic mushrooms, prawn cocktail. You can finish the list yourself. It's Dullsville. Plenty of it but very ordinary. And that's just what you cannot afford to be as a country pub - dull and ordinary. So rather than be negative, what could be done? I am not talking of spending huge sums of money. If you haven't got money, you have to think.First up is to improve the ambience with comfortable chairs, add old books and newspapers. Ditch the boring prints of game birds (yes, we know we're in the country) and think imaginatively - any old newspaper cuttings of local scandals or historical events). Do anything but not game birds, prints of which adorn hundreds of unimaginative pubs. Get rid of that 'sauce bottle on the table' look. Remove the apology for a Sunday roast dinner price increase that is blamed on the suppliers. Really! Is that simpering going to change my mind? If you serve liver and bacon, serve the vegetables separately to avoid that school dinner look. Same with the fish and chips (the fish was overcooked). Where's the mushy peas, the Tabasco? Don't confuse quantity for quality. Look at your competition - The Pough at nearby Rede. (Steal ideas from that excellent menu) Be more inventive in your kitchen.People revisit a country pub because it has a difference that makes a difference. They want quirkiness, imagination, flair, things that please the eye, ambience. They want interesting 'I really fancy that' food and increasingly menus that talk of the provenance of the produce. What they don't want is a pile of food that looks liie that school dinner. Or a menu that has been borrowed from a cafe.In the end, The Bush is average. You get good beer and a lot of ordinary 'could have eaten the same at home' food. And if that's your reason for driving miles out into the country, The Bush will meet your need. But in today's world it's not good enough. Some flair and a few hundred pounds spending might see the rating improve. If not, it could be downhill which would be a great pity.

My partner and I were passing through the area and were looking for somewhere to have lunch when we saw the sign for The Bush and decided to give it a try. It was a quiet weekday and they were minutes from closing the kitchen so we were extremely grateful that they were still cheerfully willing to serve food. We both opted for the Fully Loaded Burger (Angus burger with added cheese, bacon and onion rings) and I can honestly say that it was one of the best burgers either of us have ever had! I’d heartily recommend The Bush to anyone wanting a lovely pub meal.

We were made very welcome when we visited The Bush on two occasions last week. The first night we just had a drink but that was no problem and we were offered the table next to the open fire which was very nice a on a rainy March evening. We returned the following evening for a meal. The menu is traditional pub grub but there was also a specials board. My husband had venison sausages with mash and vegetables and I had Lasagne. It was nicely cooked and presented and reasonably priced. Dawn the chef came out of the kitchen to check we had enjoyed our meal which was appreciated.

I apologise for not reviewing The Bush sooner, (our visit was in December), but knee replacement (wife), and house moving (both of us), has kept us busy.Anyway, on to the important business of reviewing the Bush.Firstly we visited because we had friends from Buckinghamshire visiting to meet our new granddaughter, (our daughter is their Goddaughter), so a real pre-Christmas get together.Firstly I used to use the Bush as an away venue for cribbage matches, but I hadn't visited for a few years and I was stunned to find out the landlady was the daughter of a very good friend of mine that I played golf with a couple of decades earlier. She was running the pub with her daughters and granddaughters and they were so friendly. That as it may, this review is 'not' biased in any way.The reception was second to none, all of us were welcomed wholeheartedly, and that was before we got chatting and we realised who they were.The pub had been very well refurbished and looked modern and clean but had kept its old pub style. The food was very much of the pub grub variety, but was very well done in a typically wholesome English way. Comfort food that included Steaks, pies, mixed grills with mashed potato etc. Not fancy but food you actually want to eat.When we finally left, happy and full it was dusk over the Suffolk fields a few days before Christmas. Everything was cold and stark, but what a wonderful setting. A great lunch had been eaten in a very friendly environment and we couldn't have been happier!

The Bush is a wonderful pub, great atmosphere excellent food and staff are all friendly I visit my family in Bury from the USA and every time I come we always visit the Bush.This is a must if you want great food excellent value.

I was invited as a party of nine and two children (under 10 years old), to celebrate an elder sisters birthday. The venue was busy but not overly so, we could hear each other clearly and diners were not on top of each other. The menu was wide and varied with a few of the party having the full three course meal. The children's meal came out at the time of our starters as requested which was ideal. Food was outstanding and plentiful but not overly so. I can see why The Bush Inn is very popular and now I know it's there will be returning in not too distant future.

Although the food was excellent, well-cooked and well-presented, the atmosphere in the restaurant section of the pub was severely lacking! All we saw was the open door to the toilet (which we kept closing after people had used the room!) and we consider this door should have been screened off from the restaurant. There was nothing to look at, not even a candle on our table, or anything to make our 'special night' really special. We won't go there again.

Inexpensive pub grub, friendly service good beer. Traditional inside and out with tables in the bar and restaurant. Garden area in good weather.

...what more could you ask for. My first time in Shimpling - we visited on a Saturday evening for a special meal for two. After a drink in the bar (good selection of beers) we were quickly seated in a quiet corner of the restaurant. Service was really good, friendly and quick. The food was well presented, not fussy and very tasty. Even though the pub is not far from the main road, it felt like a little oasis of calm. Recommended.

A warm welcome awaits you at the Bush Inn and you will enjoy excellent food from a menu offering both traditional pub food and some more interesting choices.

We visited for my husband's birthday today. We'd never been before. We were so impressed by everything - the food was lovely and beautifully presented. The atmosphere and friendly staff made it a very enjoyable visit. Will definitely be back - the Sunday roasts sound amazing!

I went in for a birthday meal, turned up up to a table made with birthday banners etc. We were made very welcome by all the staff and orders for food where taken quickly and professionally, we all enjoyed our meals and would definitely recommend the bush pub to anyone else. Lovely food and drink in a clean welcoming establishment.

We were very surprised to read the remarks of Cranberry 062. We visit the Bush very regularly and can assure them that one of the joys of the food is that it is all prepared in house and is the nearest that one could get to Real home cooking that we have ever found in a restaurant. We also like rare beef and you only have to ask and that is exactly what you will get! Do try the Bush again

Well we are sorry to say we won't be back. We thought reading these reviews we was missing something.We went for a Sunday Roast.Beef was ok but really well cooked but could eat, Yorkshire frozen, roast potatoes not sure how pubs do them, but they are not roasted in duck oil or dripping fat, they were proberbly out of a packet, seem to be dry not crispy, Veg ok swede, carrots cooked and plenty of everything. Land Lord was very nice and helpful polite although my booking was not on there when we wanted to confirm the time. So had roast literally 30mins in there and gone. We could not make out why soo busy maybe it's a good price not sure. Beef to me medium rare, roasts I cook in vegetable oil part boil 1st, shake, you could do honey glazed carrots batons cook in oven. Any way our true review!

This pub has exceptional food. All freshly cooked and delicious. The prices are very reasonable and the staff are most obliging. We were also taken back to the guest house by a staff member , so we could leave the car and have a drink. We had a really great evening.

Lunch last Saturday at The Bush restored my faith in what a good pub lunch should be, nice menu with some fish specials, two of us had pan fried skate wing which was fantastic, perfectly done with fresh vegetables, nice puds and Timothy Taylor Landlord to wash it down !!All in all excellent thanks !!

A busy well managed pub in a great little village a good regular clientel from afar, always friendly staffServing good real ales,and variation of biers and wines etc. and absolutely fantastic food at great prices, never dissipointed also wonderful beer garden, Very difficult to improve.

Good food at great prices -Special of the day £8.50 for plaice ,chips and peas and a choice of puddings such as cheesecakes. Friendly and efficient service. Well worth a visit. Nice quiet part of Suffolk off the beaten track.

We visited the Bush for the first time today for Sunday Lunch. A friend had recommended it. It was excellent in every way. My Wife had the Cromer crab and a lovely dessert and I had the roast beef which was excellent plus a dessert. We will be back very frequently.

Really enjoyed a lovely lunch, good quality meat and fresh vegetables, quick efficient service, loved it and will be black

A friend and I had dinner here one evening this week. We were given a very friendly welcome, were shown to a table and given menus and shown the "specials" board. We both had a very enjoyable meal and plenty of it. Good home cooked, home made food, nicely presented and served. Friendly, efficient staff, nothing was too much trouble. All in all a very pleasant and enjoyable evening in comfortable surroundings. We will definitely be going again.

Ate here for fourth time in four months on 23rd April 2016. Enjoyed a very good meal at very reasonable price, will return again in the near future.

We have had several meals in The Bush recently as we have been unable to cook due to having a new kitchen after just moving into the area. Dawn and her family run such a friendly pub and the atmosphere in there is always very homely and nothing is too much trouble to make your experience an enjoyable one. We have sampled most of the menu plus the specials board and haven’t been disappointed on a meal yet, The Sunday lunches are good value too but they get booked up fast so it’s a good idea to prebook before you go. Would totally recommend

Stopped here for Sunday lunch, and for just under £10 for a roast dinner and a dessert, it was quite nice. I personally would have preferred just a better quality roast for that price as I'm not a pudding person. That said, the chocolate brownie with ice cream was very tasty. The people are very welcoming and friendly. I'll definitely be visiting again.

Having been taken over by Dawn, Clem and their family they have made a real effort to make the pub a great place to have a drink and something to eat. We go down for a drink and it's always got a great atmosphere, locals and new visitors are all made welcome. Although I haven't eaten there (yet) my friends tell me it's good wholesome food and tasty. A nice relaxed atmosphere and a great place to have a drink.

Visited this pub March 2016 . We went on a bus trip with our over 60 club . The food which we had pre ordered was wonderful very tasty and beautiful served up . Everything was lovely and hot and the staff done an amazing job on there service . We have been here several times and always find the food and staff to be very helpful.

Visited here with family for Sunday lunch. We'd made a booking by phone a few weeks before but on arrival there was no record of this. However, despite the pub being pretty busy, the server apologised for the confusion and we were quickly seated at a lovely table near a window. There was 5 of us and we all had the roast beef which was delicious. Well cooked, honest home comfort food and a nice big portion. A good choice of deserts too. I chose the chocolate brownie which was served warm and I can honestly say it was the best brownie I have ever had (and I've tasted a lot!) Others in our group had citrus cheesecake and apple&ginger crumble, both of which went down a treat. Food and drinks are well priced, staff are friendly and there's a really nice vibe about this pub. We look forward to returning again soon.

So nice to see this free house back in business. Fully restored & looking all the better for it. Not a place to go for fine dining but a lovely country pub run by a friendly family team who have the knack of making you welcome. Dawn the landlady & chef has had plenty of practice to know how to send her customers away well filled & happy, she,s had eighteen years experience. Her pies are real pies, non of your portion of stew with a puff pastry topping. Nicely balanced menu to satisfy all tastes, all worth trying. We,ve also enjoyed Sunday lunch here, kept simple, choice of roast beef, pork, chicken & a vegetarian option, all good. The icing on the cake was that the price even included pudding, it,s got to be one of the best deals around..

very friendly and welcoming venue with quality meals at a reasonable price Nothing too much trouble for the staff

The Bush is a lovely cosy old inn with natural beams and a blazing fire in the hearth. The staff are friendly and the food amazing. Two of our party had Roast Beef, two had Roast Pork. All had Yorkshire pudding, huge jug of gravy, mashed swede, parsnips, carrots and peas, plus mashed potato and roast potato. After this we had one bread pudding, two Bailey's Cheecake and a Cherry Crumble. At 9.99 per person, real value for money, especially as it was Valentines Day!! Try and keep us away.

Stopped by Saturday lunchtime for a snack with friends. Very impressed by the friendliness of all the staff and land lady. The specials looked very appetising and made us plan to come back to enjoy the full menu. Lunch was very nice. The 4 of us all ate something different and there wasn't a scrap left on any plate!We did come back a few weeks late for the 'Game for games' night. Such good fun! There was 6 in our group, 2 who didn't like game but this wasn't a problem and they were told they could mix off the normal menu. I had wild boar pate followed by venison pie by and cheese and biscuits. Absolutely delicious! The land lady is the chef. She talked us through all our dishes and the fact that her husband had shot the pigeons the previous day, brilliant. We played black jack with the other customers and had a fantastic evening. A bonus is the real ales, which made my husband very happy. We would all thoroughly recommend a visit and we will definatly be returning. We wish them all the best for the future.

Excellent service and food in this family run village pub. The restaurant was busy and we were a large group, however service was good, food was hot - clean plates all round. Highly recommended.

This village pub was recommended to us by the hosts of a nearby accommodation. The fire was on and we enjoyed a meal in a friendly atmosphere. Service was excellent and most important with a warm smile! We will definitely visit again.

We decided to come here for food on a Saturday night after it being highly recommended by many friends. The atmosphere was lovely, welcoming & friendly! The food was fantastic & very reasonably priced! Will definitely be returning soon! We can't wait!

Met up with friends here for a Sunday lunch. We also had an 8 month old and 2 year old in tow, no problem at all.Fantastic service, the staff couldn't have been more helpful. Food was really tasty, wonderful roast with the trimmings, beautiful roast potatoes and home made pudding.Excellent value too. We will most definitely return here. A little hidden treasure in Suffolk. Thank you

We were staying nearby in self catering accommodation in Shimpling and decided to have a meal here. The restaurant was almost fully booked, but as we wanted to eat early we were lucky enough to be found a table in the bar, by a great, log fire. It appears that the pub has only just re-opened after being closed for some time, but it is already proving popular with local people and visitors. We felt welcomed right from entering the pub. The meals offered are of good, wholesome food, many under £10. We would certainly return next time we are in the area.

Great Pint, quiet and in the country, ideal for a quiet chat and family fun. I stopped by for a quick half after work....just lovely.

Stayed for a few nights, very comfortable clean room and beds. Staff were friendly and the food was great. Nice log fire in the bar, helps to create a homely atmosphere. Would highly recommend , and will be coming back very soon !

The Village Pub where a bird in the hand certainly isn't worth two in the Bush. Free range hens and rare breed pigs at the back of the building provide the sausages and eggs on the varied menu. There are gluten free rolls available as well. We had the plaice and chips off the midweek special board along with home made apple crumble and cheesecake add a coffee and a soft drink and the bill came to £17. Located a mile off the A134 between Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury the 400 year old building is a quiet oasis from the stresses of modern living. Popular with the locals on the day we visited there was a horse tied up outside enjoying the grass whilst the rider had a drink inside. There is a beer garden and will be definitely be visiting again probably on a Sunday when a roast with vegetarian option and home made pudding is on the menu. We have been told that booking is advisable at the weekend and that's one adage we will be taking notice of.