Clocked in ivy, The Angel Hotel sits proudly on Angel Hill overlooking the gates of the Abbey Gardens and St Edmundsbury Cathedral. A few months ago it closed its doors for the first time in 50 years to undergo an exciting refurbishment.
Once the preferred accommodation of the great Charles Dickens, and receiving a mention in his famous Pickwick Papers, The Angel boasts a brand new look and feel that has been designed to embrace its Georgian roots.
A warm welcome…
You just can’t miss the bright green façade of the building; the entrance is decorated with beautiful silk flowers and the large double doors open to reveal a grand new look.
Bury St Edmunds was my home for many years and I have always been a regular visitor to The Angel, so I was keen to seen all of the changes. I wasn’t disappointed.
There has been a complete design overhaul, by London Interior Design Company – Harrison and staff and visitors alike seem to love it. It reflects the hotel’s Georgian heritage while incorporating modern touches and luxuries.
My favourite new feature is the floating feathers that hang from the restaurant ceiling; it’s a real focal point. The colour palette is sumptuous and bold contrasted with bright patterned fabrics and colourful artwork.
For those who like a little more privacy there is even a cute little snug in the bar area! We took our seats in the restaurant and browsed the new anticipated menu.
Time to get tasting…
Head chef, Scott Taylor, is passionate about looking for local ingredients for inspirational new dishes. He aims to support Suffolk small holders and independent producers wherever possible. The menu is straightforward yet exciting.
To start, I ordered the Burrata with tomatoes, olive, basil, sourdough crumbs and aged balsamic. It was a more luxurious version of a Caprese Salad, the Burrata is much more creamy than Mozzarella, it simply melted in my mouth. Paired with the flavours from the olive and basil it was wonderfully balanced.
My husband selected the Crispy duck egg with asparagus, parmesan and truffle. This is the perfect season for asparagus, and teamed up with the runny duck egg and powerful hints from the truffle this little starter seemed to go down a treat.
The main event…
With my taste buds tickled, I was delighted to see some great vegetarian options on the menu, so I opted for the wild mushroom linguine with artichokes, parmesan and truffle. It was rich, filling and I had to keep my husband away from my dish – it smelt amazing.
He chose the IPA battered haddock with triple cooked chips, crushed peas and tartar sauce. This was fish and chips at its best. Crispy battered flaky fish combined with the triple cooked chips made the perfect companions on the plate. It was a massive portion, so good for those who like their monies worth!
There is a vast wine section to accompany the menu, however, sadly being seven months pregnant I couldn’t sample any on this occasion, however, my husband made it very clear that the wine was very good indeed!
The proof is in the pudding…
I have to confess I was starting to feel rather full by this point; however, it would have been rude to have not sampled the dessert menu. I chose the Raspberry shortcake with pistachio tuille, white chocolate crème patisserie, and raspberry sorbet.
Much to my surprise my husband sneaked a comment into the staff that I had recently celebrated my birthday, so my plate arrived with a lovely ‘Happy Birthday’ message, making the experience all the more personal.
My cheesecake-obsessed husband had the white chocolate and mango cheesecake caramelised white chocolate with mango sorbet, which went in all less than two minutes!
The verdict…
We had such an enjoyable evening at The Angel. The staff could not have been more attentive and the new look interior created a warm and joyful atmosphere to be in. I couldn’t fault the meal from start to finish and look forward to returning again very soon.
As well as the restaurant, guests can also head to the extended lounge area to enjoy an afternoon tea overlooking the beautiful Angel Hill, or taste one of the new signature Dickens inspired cocktails at the stylish bar.
The Angel Hotel has 77 luxurious rooms, which have been individually designed to suit different personalities and requirements.
Address: 3 Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1LT
Phone: 01284 714000
Website: theangel.co.uk
