The Secret Garden in Babergh

We popped in here for a late lunch. Had some delicious warm scones with clotted cream and homemade Jam. The food was lovely, service was very good and all the staff were really helpful and friendly. The restaurant itself had plenty of character and charm and we will certainly visit again.

We love the Secret Garden! It takes over an hour from where we live but we go frequently for lunch as we meet friends who live about the same distance away in another direction. It is a real joy to be there. The food is delicious, the atmosphere excellent, and the staff are not only engaging and friendly, but very good at their jobs - noticing when you need something, for example and never minding how long we take to choose something as we are so busy catching up with our friends. The owners are always in evidence and very hands on and it is such a happy place that we we leave with huge smiles on our faces. If we lived nearer we would be there even more often. Thank you Secret Garden!

We stopped here on our way back home to Essex from staying in Suffolk and The Secret Garden was such a lucky find as we didn't know Sudbury well. We were warmly welcomed and offered a table in the gorgeous garden. We were a little early for the lunch menu but that was not a problem at all. I had the vegetable focaccia which had such a generous range and helping of delicious roasted veggies, served with a crisp salad which was perfectly dressed. Their take on a classic croque Monsieur was also thoroughly enjoyed my husband and daughter. My son relished the goats cheese on sourdough. It was all just exceptionally tasty and beautifully presented. I will be back.

So, whilst looking for a family friendly lunch whilst visiting another attraction in Sudbury - came upon The Secret Garden - how lucky were we! We went for a three generation family lunch - which is previous time and the staff were so friendly, professional and attentive. The food was fantastic and the ambience just superb. We had bacon and brie foccacia and the tartiflette (not eaten by the same person!). The restaurant is a very easy walk from the Kingfisher Leisure Centre car park - where you get 3 hours free parking too. We will be re-visiting and are looking forward to trying more of the menu. Thank you for making our precious family time so much more amazing today.

Having read previous reviews of the Secret garden my wife and I were keen to have a meal there. The restaurant is in a 15th century building that has a great atmosphere. The staff were welcoming and knowledgeable. My wife had the pea hummus and I had the lobster gyoza . The pea hummus was freshly made and very tasty . I was slightly disappointed with the gyoza in that the delicate lobster taste was lost to stronger tasting ingredients. For main course my wife ad a tatiflette that was beautifully cooked and I had the honey roast ham , new potatoes and greens together with a delicately flavoured whole grain mustard mayonnaise that brought the dish together. For desert I had the chocolate volcano that just oozed delicious liquid chocolate over the plate. My wife had a passion fruit sorbet which she loved. All the dishes were home made in the kitchen by the French chef . A delightful meal , reasonably priced making the perfect evening. We will return if ever in the area again.

I won’t repeat my previous review, but a second visit with my family today endorses how friendly, tasty and marvellous this place is. Despite being fully booked, we were afforded a table for my hungry children and ever-hungry wife. The food was very tasty and the welcome was extraordinarily amazing, thank you Secret Garden Team.

Attended today for an impromptu lunch. Food was great and the delicious fresh bread was a lovely touch. Really nice coffee too. Most notable though was the outstanding service, the gentleman who greeted us was so warm, kind and considerate and really made our day. Thank you :) can see why they were almost fully booked on a weekday!

I took my 102 year old Mum for lunch. The food is always lovely - their home made bread exceptionally good! Staff are friendly and helpful. It's a really nice experience to eat here.

This is a brilliant restaurant for lunch. The lunchtime specials menu is very tempting. Every dish is homemade. Excellent customer service in a relaxed atmosphere. This is our once a month go to restaurant.

Lovely friendly staff, great food - a very enjoyable evening. The building was beautiful. Will be back!

We loved it here we alaays look for restaurants with a smaller menu. FOOD ALWAYS fresher and better .Staff very good and attentive. Thanks for a lovely evening

Having heard good reviews from friends, l booked the Secret Garden for my sister’s 40th birthday. I spoke to Kirsty on the phone prior to our visit to check it was ok to bring along a birthday cake (as a surprise) and she couldn’t have been more accommodating. We had a fabulous evening, the service and atmosphere were both warm and friendly. The menu had some delicious choices and non more so than the grilled monkfish tail with kale, curried cauliflower with a raisin, cashew and coconut sauce. We were made to feel very welcome and can’t wait to return. I’ve heard the freshly baked almond croissants are amazing!

Always a good choice for Dinner with excellent service. Can't agree with previous review no one is ever "just a waitress" It sounds as though this reviewer was the snooty one. Never good to look down on other people.

Food OK, small menu though. Prices OK. But I don't expect right wing politics from staff ! I was dismayed with the snooty woman who after all is " just a waitress". Just not used to such obvious political persuasion when eating my chips.

We popped in on a boiling hot day, to find this quaint but air conditioned tea room busy, but with space and lots of staff to serve all. Very friendly, swift service, but most of all, well cooked food and delicious cakes.

My wife and I had a fantastic cream tea. The scones were fresh from the oven with home made jam. Absolutely delicious. Fantastic service and would highly recommend.

For various reasons we haven’t been in Sudbury for around fourteen years and were pleasantly surprised to see The Secret Garden was still open and thriving. Everyone from the Patron to the waiting staff were friendly and welcoming. The daytime menu has plenty to offer and everything really is freshly made even the bread and, based on our lunch, the quality has remained as high as it always was. We will certainly be back to try the dinner menu in the not too distant future.

Disappointed,the starter hummus bland and adorned with circle of oil. Main course warm gratinated goats cheese on toasted sourdough , Bread not toasted salad leaves swimming in oily dressing. Croque Monsieur very greasy and salad leaves swimming in oily dressing. Did not bother with dessert. Expensive mistake.

Not sure if they have changed chef but our dinner experience was VERY disappointing. On the plus side the ambience and service were great. Also the dessert (almond macaroon and ice cream) was excellent. However the starters and main were appalling. Three limp squid rings on a veritable mountain of beetroot mush and some other indistinguishable white sauce should have been warning enough. However, being a Birthday treat our choice of walking out at that stage was not really an option. The mains were no better. Tempura prawns seemed passable if not spectacular. The rump steak turned out to be a minute steak and "medium rare" was interpreted as "well done". It went back. The replacement had a hint of red and, as the others in the meal had finished their mains, it was accepted and eaten. However, it was massively over-seasoned and had the thickness and consistency of shoe leather. Not a pleasant experince. The other main was a cep soufflé on what appeared to be freezer-burnt peas. That was finished off by a bill of £60 a head (with the cheapest wine on the list) and a 15% gratuity that wasn't advised to me until I received the receipt after paying! We will never return and recommend anyone to think twice. There are so many good options in Sudbury.

I celebrated my 60th birthday with my husband and friends on Saturday afternoon at The Secret Garden. We had our own private room and we could not have been made more welcome. Stephane and his team were so accommodating and very friendly. Everything went perfectly and the food was delicious. We all had a very special time and I can't thank you all enough.

The two of us dined after a visit to Gainsborough House Gallery nearby. The meal, service and venue were all excellent. The menu wetted our appetite. The texture, taste and presentation of the first dish was wonderful. Thereafter, the quality of the following dishes excelled the previous one. The dishes we chose exceeded our expectations. The chicken liver fricassee with marmalade and honey was superb. So too was the celeriac on a vegetables and carrot base. This was followed by a marzipan sponge with home made pistachio ice cream and cherries marinated in liquor. What a wonderful find.

Stopped off for cake and wine with colleagues after a funeral and so glad I did, as the coffee and walnut was delicious and service was very quick. Lovely environment with a good atmosphere.

Visited end jan for sat lunch and had a lovely table at the back of the restaurant. The service was quite quick, food delicious. I have been before in summer too and sat outside in the warm courtyard. This time had a salad, very fresh...

Best place to eat in Sudbury. The food is always great, the service is always attentive. Nice atmosphere

I’m not one for usually eating out, menus too samey for me. In here I would happily eat anything and everything on the menu. Busy chefs, daily specials board, delicious food, friendly staff and they allow dogs too. What’s not to like.

Four of us went for a light lunch after having visited the newly-renovated Gainsborough Gallery nearby. It's quality cooking throughout with a French twist, very professional (yes, all the staff knew exactly what and how to do it - something very unusual nowadays). Relaxed, casual...

When we walked in , I wasn’t sure it was my kind of place , oh how wrong I was . The staff are very friendly and the food is some of the nicest I have had . The cray fish salad with it’s delicious...

It was my first visit to Sudbury, I had my mother in a wheelchair and after pushing her up and down the high street twice looking for a restaurant that did something a bit more than burger and chips I stumbled upon the secret garden,...

We were greeted by Lauren, perused the lunch menu and was shown to our table. Two large glasses of Rose and a selection of freshly baked bread soon arrived. We had the set priced 3 course lunch (which regularly changes) each course a delight and...

What a beautiful restaurant, we were seated inside but I would of been happy out in the lovely small contained garden also. The menu wasn’t massive but it was simple, well balanced and everything was advertised as home made. Our food was absolutely beautiful we...

We have recently moved to Sudbury so are doing the rounds of local eateries. We were really surprised and impressed. While the place itself is traditionally British - beams galore with furnishings to match - the food has a French leaning, believe it is French...

This Tartiflette to me had the exact taste of Provencalherbs here in Sudbury. All the food is made and cooked on the premises by the French Owners, they even bake their own loaves of bread. For those who do not know this dish, it is...

This place never fails when it comes to lunch. The menu changes every time I visit and I throughly enjoy every meal.

This was my first visit, booked lunch for my friend’s birthday and it was so lovely, the staff were very friendly and made us feel very welcome. Good choice from menu and specials board and food was delicious. Will definitely return.

Paid in cash after gratuity had already been added but no change was forth coming. I used to look forward to coming to the restaurant but now this has left a BAD taste

The Secret Garden is just a perfect restaurant…. We had a lunch midweek, totally impressed so returned the same weekend for the al a carte menu. Beautifully cooked meals, delicious wines, and the nicest staff. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

We were staying in Lavenham and was recommended this restaurant due to power failure in Lavenham it was such a beautiful meal and the restaurant was beautifully furnished It was a delight to have such a perfect meal and the hosts were delightful We will...

My friend and I decided to take a trip to Sudbury for lunch when we came upon this stunning place. The atmosphere was great and the service was outstanding. We both the cheese platter and the meat platter and could not fault it. We loved...

My husband and I were recommended to try here by friends we have been three times now, each time the food was delicious, brilliant service and good value

A delight to visit. Friendly and professional staff. We enjoyed the set lunch which was delicious and excellent value. Beautifully cooked and presented. Hope to visit again soon.

Beautiful quirky old building, very clean, nice choice of cakes, teas and coffee and helpful staff. Would be lovely in winter with the fire blazing,

Beautiful setting with a warm courtyard out the back which was even warm enough to sit in in October. Very accommodating of 2 toddlers despite having the feel of a more adults only restaurant. The food was so tasty... French inspired and so authentic. Had...

Went for lunch after visiting Sudbury for the first time in years. we sat outside under the awning ,as the sun was shining .The menu was simple plus a few specials, we choose from the 3 courses for £21 and what a bargain. The choices...

WELL, this was a our third visit and once again the Garden exceeded expectations. This time it was for breakfast - of homemade croissant filled with wonderful cheese and suffolk cured ham - utterly blissful. Other than in France or Italy I have not had...

I am sure that there are other excellent eateries in Sudbury, but we have never managed to get past this gem. We visit Suffolk annually and since we found this restaurant, it is at the top of our list for lunch. Although the cafe, which...

We both had three courses from the daily lunch menu. Blue cheese, walnut and chicory salad followed by wild boar sausages, mash and fine green beans with onion gravy and a mango desert with coconut sorbet and macaron. Lovely bottle of red chosen by Stephane....

On way home from a awful couple of days in Aldeburgh bit grumpy stopped in Sudbury for a quick bite. First place we walked past was The Secret Garden what a absolute treat and completely changed our trip. Beautiful premises and fantastic fresh French Bistro...

Just got back from another visit to The Secret Garden Love it here - best service in the area by miles. The food is lovely. The staff are polite, attentive and really friendly. Would highly recommend

We had a delicious dinner here, as we have previously and I would highly recommend the food and wine tasting evenings. I thoroughly enjoyed my evening with dear, close friends until the waitress, whi was knowledgeable, friendly and lovely shared that she had found me...

Quaint and charming my first visit was not a disappointment. Excellent service and my tartiflette was delicious - I will definitely be back to try more on the menu. If the weather is nice their outside terrace is wonderful but be sure to book.

We had a brilliant meal here Saturday night. Great atmosphere, delicious food and really lovely people. Highly reccomend!

It was a late booking & due to the decent weather, we opted for a table in the walled garden which was a lovely setting. The service was prompt but unrushed. All of the staff were very friendly & professional. The food choice and quality...

Stopped in for a light lunch and it was superb. Good service and the surroundings are amazing with a lovely old terrace. Its not the cheapest but I really enjoyed my lunch and I would recommend it.

We had been looking forward to going here as recommended by a friend pre covid. Finally managed to get there with friends this week - sadly it was far below our expectations. Starters took an hour to arrive and main was similarly slow- sadly inedible...

Had a late breakfast here in the lovely courtyard garden. Danish pastries baked on the premises were divine and best I have ever had! Staff were very friendly and attentive. Lunches looked delicious so we will be back!

When so much has been shut down for so long how well do restaurants recover? The Secret Garden has done well, good food, good service, good atmosphere and the feeling that all the staff are trying hard and doing well.

This is the 3rd time me and my boyfriend have been here. Easily best service in Sudbury, the staff are really welcoming, polite, helpful and friendly. Oh and the food is delicious!

An excellent lunch at the Secret Garden. I was really impressed with the friendly and helpful service, and they dealt with my nut allergy with minimum fuss and with complete professionalism. The food was delicious, the environment felt clean and safe, and I couldn’t fault...

The reconfiguring of Buzzards Hall has given the restaurant a more relaxed feel and it felt almost normal to be eating out again. The food was delicious and the customer service was excellent. My husband particularly enjoyed his swordfish. If you just want coffee and...

Had stopped off here last year for an excellent bowl of soup. This time, on a hot day in a shady garden, we enjoyed two different and delicious salads. My duck, walnut and raspberry was a generous plate of great flavours, beautifully dressed while my...

The reviews encouraged us to book lunch here on our first visit to Sudbury. Our expectations were exceeded. We ate in the lovely shaded garden, the food was excellent and generous. The service was friendly and efficient. Remarkably good value too. I wish we lived...

On a first ever visit to Sudbury this restaurant proved the perfect venue for lunch. The garden is extremely attractively planted and s lovely, safe spot to eat. The food was very high quality: a French-style mushroom tart/pie and a delicious isle flotante desert. Top...

Last week we joined their Wine tasting Zoom. This time it was Online Wine tasting and Chocolate pairing. A wonderful experience, we learnt a great deal! Our bottles of wine and chocolate were delivered to our door, also our evening meal, and secret Bottle of...

Without doubt the best restaurant in Sudbury. Great service from the staff and daily specials . Currently running a breakfast club and weekly takeaway dish in lockdown order from website collect on Saturday mornings.

Limited menu with little to no options, only small dishes. Dirty cutlery on tables, and table service slow.

It was my birthday treat but we got sat in a chilly corner and waited half an hour for our first drink. We couldn’t have our first choice on the menu for main or sweet but what we did have was delicious. The restaurant was...

Had lunch at this restaurant. Food was very good, house wine a little overpriced. Service was very polite.

It has been just over 4 years since I last reviewed this excellent restaurant. The new premises are beautiful.Popped in for Lunch with friends.The lunch menu represents excellent value for money.The food and service were faultless.Well done !We have booked again for next week!

Wonderful place great food good value excellent service. My mother is in a wheelchair and the staff was so helpful. If you visit Sudbury it's the place not to miss

We have been regular diners for many years both at lunchtime and evenings and just love the ambience and atmosphere of 'Buzzards Hall' which is complimented by having such great staff.. Stefane's knowledge of wines to compliment your meal is exemplary, Alain and his Chef's cook fabulous home made food, they serve excellent coffee and tea (spoilt for choice!) with homemade pastries, cakes and daily seasonal specials. I can certainly recommend the cheese and herb scones!In the evenings you have a choice of delicious French cuisine, the menu is changed regularly to embrace the seasonal vegetables and meat. All of their food is homemade including their jams and bread and they try to support local producers where possible. we love this place.. We have never been disappointed even though we are regulars, Sarah, Stefane, Alain and the staff make you feel so welcome and special, the food is always so lovely and it just makes us want to go back again and again - if you haven't been to this restaurant I really hope you try it..I might just add that in this difficult time of Covid - we were worried about eating out and being in a closed environment - Stefane and Alain abide strictly by the rules - staff wear face coverings and they ask that until you are seated you wear a mask when passing other people - they take your details so that you can be contacted should the need arise. They are taking ours and their safety very seriously which installs a sense of having a safe place to go when you want to go out to eat.. we are so pleased Stefane and Alain managed to ride the storm and are back we missed you ...

We have twice visited The Secret Garden now that the cafe has moved to Buzzards Hall next door. Very covid-safe and with tables spaced accordingly. We have eaten inside and outside, both very pleasant. The two and three course menus offered at lunch are the same as before the move and of very good quality. Just go, you won't be disappointed.

This was the first time I had eaten at the new Secret Garden at Buzzards Hall, having spent many happy hours at the old Secret Garden Cafe two doors along. Since leaving the Cafe, Stephane, Alain and team have made big changes to Buzzards Hall, turning it from what used to be a slightly stuffy-looking, traditional restaurant into a much more relaxed and contemporary one, and bringing with them all the warmth and charm of the old Secret Garden Cafe. The food is easily as good as -- if not better than -- the Cafe, and the Secret Garden itself - a large, airy terrace, shaded by two huge awnings -- is really delightful.Highly recommended!

We had a super evening tonight the food was amazing as was the service and surroundings cannot recommend highly enough will be back soon

Lovely garden area for outside seating and food was excellent as was the service. Ginger and Mango soufflé was outstanding best ginger dessert I have had in long time/ever. Well worth a visit and will certainly go back in the future when normality returns

Friday 10th first evening opening from the disaster of Covid. Super great to have them back great meal, great service and great atmosphere considering the problems. Had good time and felt million dollars to be there.

Thankyou to Secret Garden for your excellent mothers day lunch. We really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend your takeaway service. Good luck for the future

Brilliant cafe next to restaurant. Friendly staff who couldn’t do more for us. Yummy almond croissant and fabulous coffee with the best pot of loose leaf Earl Grey tea I’ve tasted in a long while. Dog friendly too. Perfect as an introduction to Sudbury.

Went to The Secret Garden for breakfast on a Saturday. Be warned, it does get busy, but it’s not hard to see why, as it’s the perfect place to go for a light but well-cooked breakfast. The Secret Garden specialises in French food so (not surprisingly!) don’t expect big English breakfasts but something like poached eggs and smoked salmon or there’s a large selection of homemade pastries, scones and cakes etc which are wonderful with their coffee! We also had the smoked grilled herring with a poached egg which was sooo delicious and just what we needed - I have come for lunch in the past too and this is just as nice, again smaller but lovingly made dishes - do recommend!

A very handy little restaurant (do book) not formal but with excellent food and good weekday deals. Both meat and veggie dishes highly recommended. The specials do tend to sell out but there is often an alternative which is just as good. This is an old building, like most of Sudbury, but is not trying to be over quaint. I first thought it was a bit "ladies who lunch" but it is not, frequently used by local people as a meeting place, laptops not unknown...

Dinned on a Saturday evening with friends. Excellent menu, cheese for final course best I have had for a long time. Started and main perfect. Staff were great very friendly and welcoming. Service faultless. I will be dining here a lot more.Cost was for my expectations surprisingly lower than I expected.

Just returned home from a perfect birthday lunch with my 6 friends at The Secret Garden. The food was delicious, interesting and well presented. Our waitress was delightfully funny, efficient and VERY patient with us as we dithered in making our choices from the menu. The shabby chic ambience added to an all round excellent experience. It has to be simply the best “Ladies that Lunch” venue in Sudbury.

Weekend away with friends we decided to eat here on our first night.The meal overall was nice and we all enjoyed it but on the small side and with much less salt please .The young waiter was very sarcastic to the point of being rude,perhaps a little training on how to deal with customers would be advisable.Just don’t ask how fresh the fish is !!!

This was a pleasant find on a Saturday afternoon. Crab salad for starters and a Seabass mains was very tasty and reasonably priced. Great old English decor although a crack in the window let in quite a draught. Unfortunately the waiter was rather serious

An excellent 3 courses lunch at the Secret Garden.Lots of interesting choices on the set lunch followed by a specially prepared Tart Tatin for Brian's birthday. Great wines to accompany the courses, all rounded off with coffee and delicious home made marsh mallow and fruit jellies.Wonderful service, as ever.

Nice, atmospheric restaurant slightly of the beaten track in Sudbury. The lunch was really tasty and well presented. Good service and reasonably priced. They also have the cafe next door if you just want coffee and cake.

The £19.95 two course lunch was frugal and hardly value for money at any level. The rib eye steak was fatty and minimalist, the home fries (5) were pleasant but hardly substantial and the sliced carrots although plentiful were hardly a culinary masterpiece. The pear and ginger dessert by comparison was superb with a rich Creme Anglaise.Service was good although the restaurant was empty one would expect it to be. On balance at £65 with wine for 2 we probably wouldn’t return, there are choices locally which offer a better dining experience and value..

Couldn’t have been more perfect beautiful food exceptional service made our wedding day so wonderful definitely recommend

Four of us went to celebrate my birthday.I had the crab pancake starter which was good. Main course I had the sea bass which was delicious and perfectly cooked. My wife had venison which was also very good. For dessert 2 of us had the raspberry souffle. This souffle was absolutely superb and rounded off an excellent meal. The wine list is extensive and fairly reasonably priced. I would highly recommend this restaurant for that special meal or event.

I have eaten here before and found it excellent. A visit this week for lunch with friends showed that they have not rested on their laurels but simply got even better at what they do best.

This is a great find. The menu choice covered fish, meat and vegan, all homemade to a high standard. Service was impeccable, but friendly too. We managed to turn up and get a table for lunch, but there is a three week wait for a table on Saturdays. Wine choice extensive and nice linen napkins.

We had a very nice lunch, I had the tartiflette which was beautiful and a coffee with a splash of brandy in it. We sat out the back as the front of the café was busy and noisy and the back could do with a lick of paint and some love - its a lovely back room looking out onto a lovely courtyard garden but does need a bit of attention. The tables could do with a white table cloth (as tables quite cheap looking - sorry). Service was excellent, was quick and efficient and friendly. We would come again.

Great meal Good value Attentive service and lovely cosy setting. Would recommend and will go back soon.

Lovely venue, consistently good food, friendly professional staff. Wine tasting events are informative and fun.

Taken here by friends who visit regularly. Wow! what a surprise to find such authentic French cooking literally on our doorstep. Great service and ambience and wonderful value 3 course set lunch. I had chicken livers with mushrooms on toast with a dash of balsamic, the grilled sea bass fillet on wilted spinach with beurre blanc and a stunning raspberry soufflé with a glass of my favourite Muscat de St Jean de Minervois - delicious. Will visit again soon. Thank you!

We both had the set menu of 3 courses and a cheeseboard. All the food was delicious and the raspberry souffle was the highlight of the meal. We very much enjoyed the cheeseboard of English and French cheeses. The wine was very good - we tried and were impressed by the homemade aperitif!

Although we popped in at a busy time, the staff were welcoming and accommodated us outside in the charming courtyard. We were quickly seen to and our food soon followed. Croc Monsieur was £9 but worth it, and the special goats cheese in filo was certainly special. Our day trip to Sudbury was all the better for this tasty stop-off.

Well they say in the world of critic that nothing is perfect well I think they are wrong because a little party we had was as near as dang it.

WE were looking at a house nearby and finished just before 3 on a glorious Sunny day. WE went through to their lovely garden seating area and realised they stopped serving lunch at 2.30. When we asked about what wa available one of the charming staff checked and said the kitchen were happy to make us lunch. SO WELCOMING AND the food was great. A delight , I look forward to returning .

We had a very warm welcome. The service was excellent and the food delicious. We opted for the three course meal which was a bargain to say the least. The restaurant would be a regular haunt if we lived in the area. We highly recommend the restaurant for dinner if you are staying in Sudbury. It is probably a good idea to book a table in advance. Thank you.

Came with friends to enjoy an informal lunch....we all wiped our plates clean! Warm focaccia, topped with mixed Mediterranean veg and cheese, followed by almond raspberry tart....delicious!