Restaurant Closed
This restaurant is closed.
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Breaking news
Dear Customers & Friends
It is with great sadness my wife and I must announce the closure of The Great House as of Sunday 25th September 2022, at least for the time being. Staff shortages together with deteriorating health condition on my part, are the main reasons why this difficult decision has been taken by both of us.
This is happening at a time when we are experiencing the hotel and restaurant is at its busiest for a long time, with present bookings and months ahead looking very buoyant; at times, we have had to turn bookings away. We will be honouring as many bookings as we can until we close on 25th September 2022.
The Great House Restaurant’s food is due to receive a prestigious accolade, in September Chef Patron, Swann, will travel to London to receive a well-deserved award. This is a just reward achieved for the high culinary standard together with the excellent level of service provided. I have no doubt more awards would have followed in the future if we were able to remain open.
Chef Patron, Swann, has also been selected to represent The Great House at a nationwide professional culinary competition in early October, a mark of his undoubted experience and expertise.
We can’t express how difficult it is to say goodbye to The Great House, this is an extremely sad time from a professional point of view but also a personal one. To have to say goodbye to the team who we have worked with for many years is very hard, some are compatriots, others from different parts of the world. Having worked with them for four years or so it will leave a huge void in our life.
I want to thank all of the team for their support and excellent work they have given us. To everyone who has supported us in the past few years, we say thank you very much and hope that one day The Great House will reopen again with the taste of French cuisine enjoyed in this little corner of Suffolk, Lovely Lavenham.
Dr DA Tropeano OBE
Harden's says
Special midweek stay offer at The Great House Hotel: From £257 dinner, bed & breakfast for 2 people sharing a king-size room, staying 1 night, Tue-Thu. Email or call to secure a reservation (quoting 257).
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Celebrate in style” amid a partly fourteenth-century building flying the flag for “traditional silver service” at this acclaimed ancient inn, on the square of a gorgeous town. Reams of rapture for this “constant and consistent favourite, even after the change of ownership” from longtime incumbents the Crêpy family. “The newly established 'Experience' menu is very accomplished… I think their young chef (Swann Auffray) is hungry for a Michelin star” – and might get it, given how reporters were all “blown away” by his “exquisite French cooking” (and what remains “the best cheese trolley in the land!”).
Summary
After 32 years the Crêpy family were a tough act to follow at this “lovely” old (in parts 14th century) inn, on the square of a picturesque town: “a unique, quintessentially English building, whose other defining features are essentially French: this includes the staff, food, wine and especially the cheeseboard!”. “There’s very little to fault in its classic French cuisine”, and although the ratings awarded by its huge and dedicated fan club have slipped a fraction in the transition period, most reporters are optimistic: “since the Crêpys have retired the new owners have tried to keep the Great House just the same, and although it’s not 100% as good it’s getting there” is a sensible middle view. However you cut it, it’s “certainly one of the best East Anglian restaurants”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Great House Hotel & Restaurant, Lavenham?
Market Pl, Lavenham, CO10 9QZ
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £32.50 |  |
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| SundayLunch | £41.50 | |
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| Cost | Availability | Courses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu1 | 61.00 | Dinner only | 6 |
| Drinks |
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|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £26.50 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
| Extras |
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|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
Market Pl, Lavenham, CO10 9QZ
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 7 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 7 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 7 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 7 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm |
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