Best restaurants In Norwich Published 18 November 2024
Norwich's culinary landscape is as rich and varied as its cultural heritage, offering a delightful array of dining experiences that cater to diverse tastes. The best restaurants in Norwich exemplify this diversity, presenting an enticing mix of traditional British dishes and international flavours. From establishments that prioritise locally sourced, seasonal produce to those that infuse global culinary techniques, the city's dining scene is a testament to its dynamic and evolving nature. Whether you're in search of a refined gastronomic adventure or a relaxed meal in a cosy setting, the best restaurants in Norwich provide an array of options to satisfy every palate. This guide serves as an introductory resource to navigate and appreciate the exceptional culinary offerings that Norwich has to offer.
‘The downside,’ said one recent enthusiast, ‘is that our favourite restaurant is 200 miles away.’ Applause for Benedicts rings out far beyond Norwich, such is the delicious creativity of the six- or nine-co… Read more
‘The downside,’ said one recent enthusiast, ‘is that our favourite restaurant is 200 miles away.’ Applause for Benedicts rings out far beyond Norwich, such is the delicious creativity of the six- or nine-course menus, and the genuine happiness of the service delivered at Richard and Katja Bainbridge’s city-centre bistro. Personal memory and shared nostalgia ripple through dishes (fans of The Great British Menu will remember the 2015 triumph of 'Nanny Bush’s trifle') but there’s no wallowing in sentiment: the cooking is bright and contemporary, colourful and fun. Home-grown radishes, a stick of raw kohlrabi and endive scooped through smoked haddock butter set the scene, alongside a ‘prawn cocktail’ tartlet (with sharpness from freeze-dried raspberries instead of lemon) which is as if made by fairies, so friable is the pastry, so delicate the flavour. A rice cracker dotted with sparky keta, ditsy rings of shallot and apple gel comes with a sherry mousse – because Nanny Bush did like a glass of an evening, so the story goes. Warm brioche bounces glossily centre-stage, deserving its solo moment, especially when some of that mousse remains. Bouillabaisse nods to that often murky overflow of gurning fish heads, but here a smooth, savoury soup is poured tableside around a stylish pan-fried croûton topped with crabmeat, samphire and dots of rouille. It’s a prelude to duck, pink and butter-soft to cut, which comes with a fresh kohlrabi slaw, peach-sweetened sauce and a slice of pomme dauphine (an 'irresistible cross between a hash brown and a rösti’, drizzled with chive mayo and flecked with red amaranth). Palates are rejuvenated by ‘jelly and ice cream’, perfectly grown-up and un-sugary, before a flirty lemon posset (hiding pieces of nectarine) on a lime syrup-soaked puck of genoise sponge takes the final bow. Wine service is notable throughout – a crisp but weighty Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec from Gascony’s Domaine Laougué played harmoniously opposite the bouillabaisse.
At the bottom end of Timber Hill in the centre of Norwich, this gem of an Italian restaurant looks nothing like the trattorias of yesteryear, but is instead a smart long room done in gentle teal, hung with pastel-hued paintings an… Read more
At the bottom end of Timber Hill in the centre of Norwich, this gem of an Italian restaurant looks nothing like the trattorias of yesteryear, but is instead a smart long room done in gentle teal, hung with pastel-hued paintings and furnished with unclothed, well-spaced light wood tables. Oliver Boon's menus reflect his lifelong love affair with Italian foodways, and highlighted names on his classy CV include Gordon Ramsay and Michel Roux Jr. Expectations are high and you won't be disappointed, with thrills turning up in every corner of the menu. Indeed, it's worth fitting in a couple of the nibbles before setting about the antipasti – perhaps creamy-rich croquettes of 24-month Parmesan or sweet-crusted garlic brioche with whipped garlic butter. Beef carpaccio with Harry's Bar dressing will whisk you off to Venice in a trice, but hake Kyiv with 'nduja, baccalà and coppa is more of a mystery tour. 'We couldn't resist it,' a reporter confesses, 'and I'm glad we couldn't.' Pasta is beautifully rendered, whether for bottone of ricotta with courgette, basil, chilli and puffed quinoa or black bucatini with bottarga and a Calabrian version of XO. Main-course meats such as lamb shoulder or Blythburgh pork are always top-drawer, while the garnish for roast salmon, tomato and clam panzanella – tempura-battered soft-shell crab – is a truly inspired touch. Does 'dulce de leche tirami-choux' sound like a bit of a mash-up? Au contraire, insists our correspondent who describes it as 'jaw-droppingly delicious'. Otherwise, a combination of yoghurt panna cotta with a cannoli of blackberries, sorrel and pistachio exercises quite a lure in itself. Drinks include cocktails and a short but serviceable selection of Italian wines.
In the same building as its misleadingly named sibling Gonzo’s Tea Room (actually a cocktail/burger/disco hangout), Brix & Bones is all about powerful, expert, generous open-fire cooking – the sort that also requir… Read more
In the same building as its misleadingly named sibling Gonzo’s Tea Room (actually a cocktail/burger/disco hangout), Brix & Bones is all about powerful, expert, generous open-fire cooking – the sort that also requires leathery aprons, muted lighting, cracking drinks and a pacey soundtrack. Ask for a seat at the bar, the better to immerse yourself in the whole spectacle while chatting to the ‘passionate’ and engaging young team.
Share a board of Cobble Lane charcuterie and maybe some Norfolk ‘crunch’ bread with treacle and acid butter. Brancaster mussels with ‘nduja, sea beet and fennel could follow, or you could go for one of the taco riffs (perhaps Korean pulled pork with pickled ginger and coriander). Superlative steaks and immense chops are licked with flame, slicked with the melted fat of 85-day aged Limousin beef, then seared, smoked, seasoned and spiced as befits each item, while fish might be whole plaice enlivened with guanciale beurre blanc and chives.
To finish, there’s abundant love for B&B's bone-marrow fudge doughnuts when they’re available, otherwise a sweet hit of chocolate fondant with honeycomb and pandan might do the trick. Wines are suitably bold – from the savoury, black fruit notes of a northern Rhône Syrah (Domaine Gérard) to the lush complexities of pure Sangiovese (Brunello di Montalcino Il Palazzone). Diners are welcome to take advantage of Gonzo’s rooftop garden bar if it’s open.
Handily placed for the theatre, this idiosyncratic set-up is billed as Norwich's first 'dessert bar'. Everything is made on the premises by pastry chef Jaime Garbutt (ex-Morston Hall et al) and his team, from the counter lade… Read more
Handily placed for the theatre, this idiosyncratic set-up is billed as Norwich's first 'dessert bar'. Everything is made on the premises by pastry chef Jaime Garbutt (ex-Morston Hall et al) and his team, from the counter laden with cakes and bakes to a fridge stacked with desserts to go. You’ll be tempted by delights such as the ‘Jaffa cake’ sponges with a glossy chocolate ganache swirl or the deliciously moist chocolate and Guinness cake with coffee buttercream icing – so eat in with a coffee or have a selection boxed up to take out. Open Thursday-Saturday only, but conveniently until 10pm – to satisfy that craving for something sweet.
Contemporary, family-run bistro in the heart of Norwich
'Perfect hospitality, a true find,' sums up the immense warmth readers feel towards this tiny bistro in the Norwich Lanes. Frenchman Thomas Aubrit and his wife Gemma have been welcoming diners through the doors of L’Hexagone… Read more
'Perfect hospitality, a true find,' sums up the immense warmth readers feel towards this tiny bistro in the Norwich Lanes. Frenchman Thomas Aubrit and his wife Gemma have been welcoming diners through the doors of L’Hexagone (it’s named after the shape of France) since 2020. He cooks the food he remembers eating as a child with heartfelt honesty, while she runs the place with instinctive charm, and with a small supporting cast they prove the old trope that the best things often come in the smallest packages. So tuck yourself into a downstairs seat in the intimate, dark-painted space – L’Hexagone thankfully swerves any French bistro clichés – or head upstairs where there’s more room but you miss out on Lanes people-watching. This is a place aimed squarely at feeding (very loyal) customers.
The menu is short, and lunch could be as simple and pocket-friendly as a generous croque monsieur (add an egg and an extra pound for a 'madame') or sourdough topped with goat's cheese, radish, pickled cucumber and red peppers. Alternatively, linger over a more substantial meal – perhaps smoked mackerel pâté with cornichons or asparagus with a fudgy-yolked egg and ripples of ham, followed by chicken casserole (tender meat and earthy new potatoes plus some welcome sharpness from capers and tomatoes). Simple, tasty stuff indeed. And yes, there is steak (bavette or entrecôte) with frites too.
Come evening, the repertoire might stretch a little to include, say, herby, garlicky prawn skewers or roast cod with a classic butter sauce. The crème brûlée has its very own fan club, not surprisingly given the snap of the caramelised topping and the velvetiness of the set cream, but also check out the vanilla panna cotta because the beautifully sharp raspberry purée is a delicious bonus. The all-French wine list is as compact and well-priced as the menu, with plenty in the mid-£20 range.
* Roger Hickman has announced that he is closing his restaurant for good after service on 30 March 2025.*
There is an unruffled serenity about Roger Hickman’s restaurant that hits the mark winter or summer, lunch or dinner.… Read more
* Roger Hickman has announced that he is closing his restaurant for good after service on 30 March 2025.*
There is an unruffled serenity about Roger Hickman’s restaurant that hits the mark winter or summer, lunch or dinner. Its white-clothed elegance is low-key, the food is deliciously unfussy, and knowledgeable service is the sort you wish every establishment could deliver. It’s a place at ease with itself. A little bowl of gazpacho sets the pace for a summertime lunch; it’s perky, palate-awakening and freckled with olive crumb. Asparagus could follow, poached, roasted and moussed, with Parmesan and pickled mushrooms for that umami win. Elsewhere, venison is cooked low and slow, with pickled ginger and pickled cauliflower balancing the rich sweetness of the meat, and more of the veg roasted and puréed for nutty savouriness; a crumble of dukkah adds companionable Middle Eastern flavours. By contrast, chicken breast is as tender as its accompanying croquette of confit leg meat is crisp, with several iterations of celeriac adding texture and layers of earthy flavour. Fishy preferences might lead you to summery Cromer crab with quail's egg and samphire, while a dish of giant couscous packed with sunny flavours of red pepper, courgette, tomato and olive will satisfy non meat-eaters. Finish with a spirited raspberry sorbet served alongside a properly delicious raspberry frangipane tart, or try the delicate vanilla parfait with lime crumb. The wine list (from £30) opens with a Chilean Pinot Noir before scooping out gems including a rosé from Provence's storied Domaine Tempier, and powerful classics from Bordeaux’s Left Bank, California’s Napa Valley, and acclaimed winemaker Kevin Judd’s Greywacke vineyards in New Zealand.
Shiki may be in the heart of historic Norwich, but with its simple un-cushioned benches, bare tables, bamboo blinds and laid-back vibe it could be an izakaya in downtown Kanazawa. Order your Kirin beer or smooth Urakasumi sake, an… Read more
Shiki may be in the heart of historic Norwich, but with its simple un-cushioned benches, bare tables, bamboo blinds and laid-back vibe it could be an izakaya in downtown Kanazawa. Order your Kirin beer or smooth Urakasumi sake, and snack on edamame beans and Japanese pickles while you wait for your dishes to arrive (not long, service is prompt). You might choose familiar donburi bowls (maybe rice with grilled eel and kabayaki sauce alongside miso soup and pickles), noodles (soba or udon) with seafood or beef, the ever-popular chicken katsu curry and salmon teriyaki, or even a generous bento box. Pork, sliced, pan-fried and served with ginger and softened onions kicked off an exploration of chef Shun’s otsumami (small plates) line-up, swiftly followed by fried aubergine (its skin glossed with stickily sweet red miso), then delicately savoury chicken yakitori. The pork gyoza have a local following all of their own, it seems. Rich unagi (eel) is grilled and laid over subtly vinegared rice pressed into an oblong to become a star of the nigiri selection, though meltingly soft otoro, the prized fatty tuna from the belly of the fish, is hard on the eel’s heels. So too are tender octopus, butterflied amaebi (sweet shrimp), and tuna-like hamachi. Pickled ginger, soy and wasabi punch layers of flavour into each mouthful, and nori wraps add some umami deliciousness. Desserts aren’t really a thing here – more likely is a shot of Japanese single malt – although palate-cleansing mooli hosomaki makes a fresh finale.
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