Watson and Walpole in Suffolk Coastal

Don’t want to do a self absorbed w@nky look at me I’m a food critic cos I’ve seen master chef review , so here goes . All the food we had was very good with amazing flavours and textures , as was the wine. The staff were friendly , knowledgeable and professional without being intrusive . The restaurant itself is comfortable and a nice place to be . Overall very impressed and have wanted to try it for some time. Ok it’s a bit pricey but it’s the kind of place you visit for a special occasion . Will visit again .

A table booked for four. The Pizzetta starter for three was very good as was the Burrata , albeit the plate was cold. ❄️ The main meals were disappointing, especially the Veal Milanese which was dry and tough . The pheasant was dry and flavourless. The ragout was okay, but nothing out of the ordinary. I guess the quality of ingredients sourced was a poor choice. ? I can never understand why the food is not tried / tasted before it leaves the kitchen?

We visited on a Friday lunch time and we both had the set menu so we could try dishes we probably wouldn't normally order. All very enjoyed and well cooked/ presented. Very good wine list which and nice to see carafe being offered. Excellent Tiramisu and Cannoli to finish. This was our second visit and will be back. Staff friendly and efficient.

On arrival for our pre booked table it was quiet but got busier throughout our meal. The decor and ambiance is nice but the food was ok , starters were nice but the mains were ok unfortunately. The wine was very good as was the excellent service .

perfect fixed price lunch menu food outstanding the chef knows his trade well done ,our server madi was also outstanding could not have been better.very good Italian food will recommend to family and friends

This is an excellent restaurant. Tucked away off the main square this Italian inspired restaurant provides an interesting choice of dishes to suit all, including vegetarian and vegan. The food was beautifully cooked, flavoursome and well-presented. The staff were friendly, helpful, quietly efficient, and observant ...... providing replacement water without being prompted. A most enjoyable experience and we will certainly return.

We knew that the food would be excellent, which indeed it was, but what sets this place ahead of other great restaurants is the attention to detail. A memorable visit, for all the right reasons. We'll be back!

Excellent service and lovely food , highly recommend Had a cocktail at the bar behind first , which was nice although I fancied a gin martini and they had no olives I had a lovely Bellini instead but would have been nice to have had the cocktail i wanted Went to the restaurant we were allowed to take our dogs in which was great and when serving our drinks they brought a bowl of water for the boys too without asking which was nice Food quality was excellent

This was definitely worth the 45 min drive. Perfect Italian cooking with great ingredients and not made to look overly fancy, just delicious. Reminded us of being on holiday. I could eat the prawns every day. Nicely decorated and very professional waiting staff.

We were fortunate enough to get a table for the post election five course Set menu dinner. The food was spectacularly good. Highlights included a delicious slice of beef sirloin and the most exquisite pasta for the preceding course. The restaurant was full; the atmosphere was great. What a fabulous restaurant.

We had a perfect anniversary dinner on Saturday evening. We thank Kate and all the team for looking after us so well; service is impeccable but not over fussy or intrusive and everyone is friendly. The food is outstanding and there is a great choice of wines which is reasonably priced. This was our first visit but definitely will not be our last.

Lovely Italian food and vibes. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, made the whole experience very enjoyable. Will definitely visit again when next in Framingham

Nous avons fait une heure et 20 minutes de route. Pour aller à ce restaurant, nous avons trouvé un parking de là. Nous allons aller au restaurant à pied qui n’était pas loin. L’accueil est très agréable. La salle du Restaurant aussi. nous avons pris chacun une entrée à main course et un dessert entrées étaient excellentes ainsi que les mêmes courses. Le seul problème qu’on a eu c’est dans les desserts mon épouse et ma fille avait commandé des glaces mais Laas ces glaces c’est trop soft, moi j’ai commandé un tiramisu qui était excellent, le service impeccable, les serveurs très gentil. Je recommande ce restaurant j’ai oublié de dire ce restaurant est spécialiste en cuisine italienne.🐸

Another brilliant dinner at Watson & Walpole with a group of friends - we have been several times over the past few years, and the food, service & atmosphere is consistently excellent. Ruth Watson does a fabulous job of running this restaurant, so thank you very much for your brilliant work which clearly pays off. We love Watson & Walpole - the best "proper" Italian food we have had in the UK & better than most of the so-called "decent" Italian restaurants in London. We just wish it was a bit closer to Norwich. See you again soon - thank you!

This amazing restaurant nails it consistently. The service is a joy. A serious investment in training the team is evident - smooth, flowing service with a friendly, professional team who are also knowledgable about what they’re serving. The food is also a joy. Well sourced local food which isn’t mucked about with. The carciofi fritti were incredible. So rare to see on a menu and even rarer for them to be cooked so perfectly. A lot of work goes into pulling this off and here they are done so well. The Milanese was seriously tasty - juicy chicken breast perfectly seasoned and not weighted down by the usual spaghetti but served with some perfectly cooked buttery asparagus. For dessert, the tiramisu is a lesson in how this should be done. As an Italian who has been brought up on authentic Italian food made with love, the food is evocative of what real Italian food should be like. Thanks for another amazing evening and thanks for continuing to do this so well with such outstanding value for money

We had a great evening meal here to mark our wedding anniversary. The food is very well executed: a dish of monkfish and octopus had a beautiful bed of samphire and in-house aioli dressing. We enjoyed a spectacular moment as a full, huge dish of tiramisu was brought to our table and we each had a scoop. Do have this if you can! Fresh, tasty, not a bit stodgy. Was it a perfect meal? No: our coffee was brought to us before our dessert, even though we had over half an hour left on our table slot. By the time I got to it my espresso was cold. I do wish restaurants wouldn't try to show they can't wait to get rid of you like this. With bare wood laminate floors, bare walls and low ceiling this restaurant is noisy. There is absolutely nothing to dampen sound and I had to concentrate on what my wife was saying (and my hearing is good - I'm a musician!).

What an absolute pleasure to find a restaurant outside of the Capital serving superb quality Italian food, it reminded me somewhat of Theo Randall's in Mayfair and La Dolce Vita in Shrewsbury Sorry to be so" Londoncentric " but trying to find a restaurant serving this quality of Italian food outside of London is always difficult. In fact I cant seem to find any quality Italian restaurants in East Anglia at all !

Absolutely superb standard of food. Certainly deserves the plaudits and not that far off being awarded a star I would have thought. The serving staff are attentive without being overbearing, did not drink any wine but the alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks we had were spot on. Can’t really fault the place, would thoroughly recommend and is worth visiting.

Superb! The most authentic Italian food I’ve tasted outside Italy! I’ve spent quite some time in Italy and have eaten Italian in London, this is better than any London restaurant I’ve eaten at.

Fantastic restaurant in a lovely village. Food and service were amazing, shared ravioli as starter , pizza ( stunning flavours ) and the ossobuco ( melt in your mouth ) will def be returning when next in the area. P.s our dogs were well looked after with water and treats ( lunch time books allow dogs )

We love this place so much that we reserved a table before we booked somewhere to stay. The food is always fantastic and the staff so friendly and attentive but not overbearing. This is one of the rare places I have a dessert. The tiramisu is to die for. The bar's a very welcome addition too. Will be back at some point in 2024. Have to have our six month fix!

Absolutely delicious. Consistently great value for money for such a menu. I had saffron risotto with clams. Simply perfect- layers of flavour , sweet clams- risotto just like an Italian would make. Matched with a far too easy to drink dry white. How lucky am I to have this as my local restaurant. Thanks team 👍

I can not express how wonderful both the bar and restaurant are at Watson and Walpole are. The staff are wonderful and so attentive. The food is fabulous and honestly some of the best vegan food I have had in Suffolk. The bar is such a welcome addition to Framlingham and the bar staff are always amazing. I would highly recommend to anyone in or visiting Framlingham!

My favourite place for veggie food in Suffolk- I love the vegetarian menu here, it’s amazing to have a choice of so many delicious dishes (vegans are equally well catered for)! Always have to indulge in the zucchini fritti, a Harry’s Bar Bellini and the tiramisu which is just the best! The authentically Italian menu changes regularly and makes the best of seasonal produce, so there is always something new to try too, which is a great excuse to return time and time again!

Visited this restaurant a couple of years ago and really enjoyed the food, especially as the vegan selection was so good - but unfortunately our visit last night wasn't so successful. While there is still a good range of options, each course was bland and lacking flavour - it's almost like the chef just threw it together and didn't taste it. Also had that issue vegan options do where they are just standard meals but they remove the cheese or meat, without replacing it with anything. Don't get me wrong it was perfectly edible, but no different to what you'd have at Zizzis or other chain restaurants. Nothing worse than that disappointing feeling after your first bite. Wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't for the London prices. Drove home feeling disappointed and stung by the cost.

We had a delicious dinner at Watson & Walpole to celebrate my partner’s birthday in January. Can definitely recommend the crab pasta and you must order the zucchini fries! We’ll be back again soon.

Fabulous dinner AGAIN at Watson and Walpole. I had the burrata with quince - didn’t even know I liked quince! But with the toasted hazelnuts and creamy burrata - it was the perfect combination. For mains I had the saffron and clam risotto which was devine. Zucchini of course as too good not to have. Tiramisu is the best I’ve ever had, time after time, and we’ve eaten in many a Michelin starred Italian restaurant. Can’t rate this place highly enough - lovely staff of course led by the lovely Maddy and who can resist Jeffrey! We’re regular monthly visitors and have never been disappointed - even if I think I can’t immediately see what I want to order, I try something new and I never regret my choice - which I can’t say for many other places we eat at sadly.

We had an excellent lunch at Watson and Walpole. The food was delicious and I had a wonderful wine recommendation from our waitress. Service was excellent and can’t wait to come back!

I was so glad to be invited at this Italian restaurant, which I had visited a few months ago and had enjoyed immensely their genuine Italian dishes that became a highlight of my visit in Suffolk. What I like and relish most is the genuine Italian food prepared that’s on the menu. Indeed again I had a superb lunch professionally served and supervised by Madeline and her staff who ensured we were well looked after, without overshadowing us. My thanks to them all including the chefs in the kitchen that meticulously prepare and change the menus according to the season.

Went for a birthday celebration and it was worth the wait, hype and distance (coming from Felixstowe). Everything was simply stunning. A jewel of Suffolk! And I can't wait to go back.

This was our second lunch at W&W and it was just as good as the first time. Excellent food served by friendly, efficient staff. There was a good choice of dishes at sensible prices. Well done and thank you.

Always looking for a new place to have lunch with friends each month and certainly hit the jackpot here. Lovely interior such very friendly effficient staff that interact with their customers. We all tried the Frissa dish which was a selection of little dishes such as battered courgette, gnocchi with crab sauce, burrata mortadella and others. They were all superb full of flavour and delicious Good selection of wines and as other reviews have said the tiramisu was to die for.

A very disappointing meal for a price that should have bought something respectable. Uninspired antipasti and the lamb looked and tasted like a school dinner. Only the tiramisu was edible. Half empty on a Friday night. Perhaps it was the chef's night off.

Took some foodie friends to W&W last night and it didn’t disappoint! All commented on the depth of flavour in each dish. This was especially pleasing for the vegetarians that often have to settle for underwhelming dishes when dining.

Unfortunately I don’t come to this beautiful part of England to enjoy the country side but above all to take a trip to Framlingham and have lunch at Watson & Walpole that to my view serve some of the most authentic Italian dishes in England....

Wonderful staff who made us feel very welcome and helped us with our menu choices. Such a calm atmosphere and relaxing evening. I had the veggie stuffed pasta main course and it was the best pasta dish I have ever had! Planning another trip to...

Another fabulous lunch was enjoyed by all The set lunches are so delicious as you get to try different dishes Always end with the fabulous tiramisu Thoroughly recommend

We absolutely love Watson & Walpole and in my opinion it’s still the best restaurant in East Anglian! Brilliant delicious food, nothing pretentious or pompous and (refreshingly!) not trying to gain a Michelin star! The staff are great - efficient, professional and friendly. The atmosphere...

A really lovely evening with great service and great food. I opted for the wood fired sardines starter which was chared to perfection in a subtle garlic butter. Succulent and full of flavour. My main was the octopus served on a bed of pea puree....

I have been here twice now and am seriously unimpressed. Hostess isn't welcoming. Menu looks good but my food didn't feel as if it had been freshly cooked and didn't really taste of anything. I ordered crab and artichoke pasta but struggled to find a...

A very pleasant lunch for four of us with a well-behaved dog. We chose the fixed price menu which had two variations, but quite similar. Excellent and friendly service and reasonable value for the quality of the meal. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and will return in...

Chanced on this restaurant while exploring Framlingham. Lovely modern room, helpful friendly staff and a super menu. We ate one of the two set menus which included two antipasti dishes burata with nectarine and chicken liver crostini, followed by two lovely primi pasta dishes Ricotta-stuffed...

Exceptional food. As good as any top London italian restuarant. A real gem tucked away in small Suffolk town.

Stunning The food was incredible, the sauce with the spaghetti lobster had so much depth and yet so light, I was in heaven. Top notch service too. Highly recommend anyone to try it

Great Italian restaurant, food is excellent, service friendly and efficient, great wine list. It is a very good restaurant and well worth a visit if you are in the area.

well if you have not been here you are missing out, this was by far the best Italian food I have ever eaten and its so good we are going back on Friday! and the beer was delicious. fantastic service as well I highly recommend...

3rd visit to W&W last week and this was the best ever ☺️ Had drinks beforehand in the new bar behind the restaurant which was terrific. Food and service in the restaurant really was outstanding, had the pasta with mussels and seaweed butter it was...

An exceptionally good Italian restaurant. Four of us went for lunch and we were all very impressed. We found it by chance when visiting Framlingham Castle and were very lucky to get a table, we got the last one. We all had different things and...

Six of us ate here last night (a Friday). This was our second visit and it is remarkably consistent in terms great and varied seasonal menu, friendly but professional service and classy but not stuffy ambience. The wine list is not massive but that can...

This was our first time visiting W&W and the food did not disappoint! Beautiful menu choice, fresh, seasonal and delicious! Decor was tasteful. Our only criticism was that the restaurant was cold. I had to keep my blazer on throughout - and I noticed a...

Excellent as always My family love the food here when they come to stay We do the lunchtime special menu which is excellent value Love the zucchini fries Maddie is always very friendly and professional

As I opened the door ,the young waiter smiled a warm and welcoming ‘ hello’ . He checked us in and showed us to our table in a gracious manner . The menu was very varied. Really plenty of choices, see sample menu on website...

Really delicious evening.. every dish a delight,.. which is difficult to maintain, but each dish was special and individual. We eat out a lot.. The cuisine here is as good as anything you’d find in central London.. and here it is, on our doorstep, lucky...

What a find, I have written about this restaurant before, it really is unbeatable as a genuine inspirational , and inventive restaurant.

Very very good. The food was amazing. The choice for March suited us, the staff were excellent, and the atmosphere was buzzing. Highly recommended. Best Suffolk meal I’ve had.

After a disappointing 1st visit and speaking to one of the owners Mr Wotson about our review, he invited us back at full compliments of the restaurant. This second visit was excellent on every level, the service was first class, the food was delicious and...

We’ve eaten in Watson & Walpole since it opened and our Friday evening dinner was one of many. This is always a lovely and interesting place to eat and drink and where the smart, smiling staff look after you very well. Standing out are the...

Last night, my wife and I enjoyed a quite outstanding meal at Watson & Walpole. The food was delicious, notably the monkfish with clams. The service was excellent as always. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant was full and the atmosphere was great. A first class restaurant.

We have had the pleasure of dining at Watson & Walpole several times & in our opinion it just keeps getting better and better. Our most recent visit reached new heights with the food comparable to top end London fayre but with prices that are...

Watson & Walpole is my favourite go to restaurant for delicious and innovative Italian food. Menu changes regularly so there’s always something new to try. New inexpensive prix fixe. My friend, a real foodie, with a house in London and Italy, always insists on going...

Watson and Walpole has become our go to place for any occasion. The menu changes seamlessly between seasons and hits the mark every time. This is a grown up Dining Restaurant with authentic, wonderful hand made Pasta, breads, sauces, Desserts etc. The wood oven dishes...

We have enjoyed several excellent meals at W&W since opening and agree wholeheartedly with the 5 star reviews here. Most are more than happy to have such a high quality restaurant in Suffolk. The chef and owners know what they’re doing , and it shows....

This was our second time visiting . We were seated in the middle of the restaurant which was full . Every table taken afew families with children ,who were well behaved . We found it a great atmosphere, a little noisy, but we could still...

We visited this restaurant for my birthday but sadly was disappointed. On the positives service was good & attentive, food was tasty but we did feel rushed, portions were small & over priced too. My main was Luke warm & my husbands starter of the...

Over priced, over rated, and VERY noisy. Nothing to absorb the sound, and almost impossible to have a conversation. Not a well defined menu. The brown shrimp starter came with the shells on which made them very dry, and certainly didn't pair with the dry...

This was the latest of our visits since Watson and Walpole first opened in Framlingham. As usual the staff were very friendly and welcoming. They talk knowledgeably about their food and wine. They always place customer satisfaction at the top of their priorities. The starters...

What can I say? We have visited Watson & Walpole so many times now. Definitely, one of our favourites. One of the nicest meals, we have had here. We always love your food, service and ambience. It really is a friendly neighbourhood Italian. The celeriac...

I had not read the reviews, I did not know who the chef was or who it was owned by so I was surprised after my meal to read more about the place and the reviews after our experience. Firstly the service I would say...

Excellent vegetarian meal at this smart restaurant. It was nice to have such a wide range of dishes to choose from, all three I had were delicious. The service was excellent throughout.

Such a shame that this wonderful Italian Restaurant is about an hours drive away, I just wish it was closer, but then it may not be such a treat to visit! A simple non glitzy room, serving the best and most amazing genuine Italian food,...

Returned to this lovely restaurant to try the 'set' lunch and added a few extra dishes to try... everything was absolutely delicious and the small pizza was truly memorable. Great staff... very friendly plus an extensive, reasonably priced wine list. We'll done to this great...

Food was really good as others have said but the service was variable. Mixture of condescending and rude and friendly/polite but standoff ish. I personally wouldn't return as we just didn't feel comfortable there which is a shame as the chef obviously knows their stuff.

We came here on the recommendation of friends and we are so glad we did. The freshly cooked Italian food, separated into anti pasta, prima & secondi courses with dolce if you had room, was a delight from start to finish. The olive bread was...

Outstanding Service and food to die for . This must be the best restaurant in Suffolk by far . The menu is the best real Italian outside London. The chef is really devoted to producing the most innovative and tasty food. The staff and the...

We have given this restaurant an 'average' rating, despite some good service and competent food. We found the quality of customer service was variable: some very attentive but some cold and clinical. The place tries to be an up-market London establishment, but here we were...

I would have given the experience 5 stars, but it was let down slightly by the fact that the menu was primarily in Italian, with some terms translated at the foot of the page. This made it quite hard to work out what some of...

Booked a table here at the last minute as had been let down by another restaurant cancelling our booking. BEST THING TO HAVE HAPPENED! Fantastic service and food. Maddie and her team were so attentive but not intrusive, knowledgeable about the menu and wines. We...

I had a friend coming to stay for a week so wanted to take her to few of the best restaurants I had visited recently. I had been here for the first time and was so impressed I had to return, once again it was...

My husband and I visit here often and absolutely love it ! Amazing food and amazing service. It’s great to be given recommendations on what to try as this pushes you to try new things and we are never disappointed. We are both vegetarian and...

We got a warm welcome to this nicely presented restaurant. The menus were handed out and we started to peruse the tasty sounding dishes. Before we could assimilate it, a waiter came over and started describing all the dishes in detail and told us what...

After booking a short break to stay in Suffolk, I researched somewhere nice to go for dinner within a short distance from our hotel in Woodbridge. I came across Watson & Walpole and after reading reviews & seeing the wonderful food photos on Instagram, I...

Overall, this should have been a very good meal. The staff were great, for me just the right side of too attentive, the restaurant looks lovely, tasty wine and my starter/primo was delicious. But… avoid the vegetarian caponata unless you love REALLY salty food. I...

Our first visit to W&W for a Saturday evening dinner and we weren't disappointed. The food presentation and taste were perfect with a good selection of dishes. The front of house staff were friendly and attentive and did the job professionally, looking as though they...

My wife and I have visited this restaurant three times this summer. Every time the service has been outstanding, the food exceptional and the atmosphere convivial. Importantly, the pricing of food and drinks is very reasonable. Walpole and Walpole is a restaurant of the very...

Literally couldn’t fault it. Small but amazing menu with stunning food. Very good drinks choice and wide range of wine. Attentive staff. We want to return ASAP!

I came here with my partner last weekend and we had the most incredible experience. The atmosphere is somehow luxurious enough for a celebratory meal but relaxed enough to feel comfortable and at home. Throughout the evening we had the ricotta ravioli, octopus starter, chicken...

My husband & I visited the restaurant today for lunch & thought it was fantastic. From the welcome we received as we walked through the door to the brilliant menu with self help guide to Italian, from the quality of the dishes to the service...

Having just returned from a holiday in Italy this was an amazing experience. Lots of lovely staff who were helpful dealing with my food intolerance. Food was delicious... my husband had never had such a large pork chop!!!! Fantastic wine list... looking forward to returning......

A relaxed Italian restaurant with beautiful but understated decor and really amazing food. Great fresh ingredients superbly cooked and presented. I had burrata with a course broadbean purée and pea shoots. I almost had food envy as my friend had pasta with crab which tasted...

Wonderful restaurant. There were so many things on the menu I could have chosen but the lobster salad was superb and excellent zucchini fritti. The service was spot on and dog-friendly at lunchtime which was a real plus. A gem of a place.

Just wonderful. We visited just after they opened and were determined to go back. We went for dinner for my birthday last week and it was lovely. Professional and welcoming staff.They made it a very relaxed atmosphere. We had the Vitelli tonnato and the Salt...

Fantastic lunch for two with our dog Food excellent - service first class So fresh and tasty with exquisite taste - highly recommend here

A proper Italian restaurant serving authentic Italian food, nice Italian wines with a great atmosphere, in lovely Framlingham. The service was delightful and everyone really seemed to be part of a 'family' team. What a wonderful surprise in East Anglia.

We have just returned from another delicious meal here, it just seems to get better and better. The menu changes each month and they are not afraid to try new ideas and combinations. We eat out frequently, locally and in London and it would be...

Our first time but definitely not our last. The service was friendly, helpful and non-intrusive. The food was amazing. The star of the show was the beef short rib, which we were told was new to the menu. I think this was the best beef...

I visited W&W in April for lunch with a colleague and will definitely be back. The service and food was excellent. We were undecided and asked the manager (Maddie I think!) What to have and what wine paired and she was excellent at giving us...

We have follow the Watson and Walpole team through their different restaurants in Suffolk for a number of years. Never disappointed with the food and lunch today was great - if quite a long wait between courses and for a beer. But in a quality...

I enjoyed the food although the wait to be served as well as well as the wait between the first two courses was far too long. The tiramisu was fabulous as was my lemon soul , but I did think the jersey royals were a...

Having spent many years visiting Tuscany we love our Italian food and few restaurants in the UK have come close to recreating the simplicity and beauty of this palate for us. However, we are very pleased to say that W&W is not only a stunning...

This restaurant could have been plucked directly from Mayfair and planted in this beautiful Suffolk market town. We visited for Saturday lunch and highly recommend it. Between us, we indulged in dishes of Ossobucco (Veal Shank), Lamb with Tuscan roast Potatoes and Monk Fish with...