The Knowhere Guide

Eating and Drinking in Stowmarket, Suffolk*

Stowmarket, Suffolk Pubs, Cafes, Coffee Shops and Restaurants

Food

• Oriental Fountain great Chinese. Hong Kong takeaway in Wolsey Rd may do good food but in my experience their home-delivery service doesn't work. Ordered a meal last night at 7.30 and after a lot of phone calls, at 10.00pm they told me that if I wanted the meal i would be better if I could collect it! By then I'd drunk a couple of bottles of wine so obviously i didn't (Had beans on toast instead).
• Buy your food from Aldis - much cheaper than Tescos
• Beware the turkish mafia!! Still good at three in the morning tho!!!
• the legend of Finneys
• Wimpy is YUMMY. its cheap 2. and Bakers oven does realy good cakes. Capones is nice, and they also do a GORGEOUS fish finger baguette in Oak. xxx ( and sultan kebabs)
• Capones, Wimpy, Sultan Kebabs, The Oak .
• Turkish Cartel/Monopoly/Mafia whatever you want to call it has their fingers in many pies and other stuff I won't mention in the region of stowmarket. I think we need to have a Mc'd or BK sometime soon to save me driving to Ipswich everytime I want to have one and spoiling the environment with car fumes.
• The kebab and pizza place is a great place to go after a night out. Although it does get crowded and there are gobby people about.
• THE OLD COUNTING HOUSE IN HAUGHLEY IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD AND IT'S A FANTASTIC NIGHT OUT DINNING WITH FRIENDS, AND JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM STOW.
• biggest tbone steak ever in capones! buy 2 get one free on thurs nites.pukkaaaaa but took a while to cook it tho.
• tandori-v. gd that chinese shop that gt done coz the owner nicked a duck off the pond n cooked it. was good. gone off it a bit now.
• Wimpy is no longer run by hasan and is a much better place then before. the manager is really nice but he need to give his wimpy girls a pay rise
• Tai-sing is the best take-away for a real chinese curry, you may know it as Jimmy`s.
• Wimpy is about it mind you i wouldent touch any of it
• THIS IS NOW BEING UPDATED 2002. There is Wimpy, Chick King, Kebab shop, Pizza place, a few chinkys orential fountain is v.nice go there all the time, but my advice is not to go to bamboo house, they have been closed down once or twice, the places above that people only go there when there v.drunk so that says it all really! Cracknells is the best fish and chip shop ever, everytime i walk past it i go in and get some chips (not cos im a fat cow, but because they smell v.nice!)
• Bakers Oven is about it.
• Why has Stowmarket not got a 'MAINSTREAM' takeaway outlet that is not owned by a Turkish man? We want Mc'Ds, we want BK, we want KFC, we want Pizza hut!!!! NOW!
• Every take-away including a couple of chip shops is run by the Turkish fast food mafia.
• The oriental fountain is a great chinese restaurant and take away. Not as cheap as many of the other take aways in stowmarket, but boy do they taste good mmmmmm. On the other hand if your lashed out of your mind and need to stuff your face with junk food, there are many fast food take aways in stowmarket high street: sultan kebabes, southern fried chicken, tasty pizza and best take away. however if you don't want to be disapointed just go home and a sandwich and a cup of tea.
• The only resturant i can think of is the Tandoori/curry/thing place. Take aways, well there is a Whimpy!!!! The pizza shop has great pizzas and the take away next door, i havent been dissappointed!! The fish and chip shops in combs ford are not bad, the one near the magpie pub is best, but the one beside the newsagents, not so keen!!
• The Oriental Fountain is a really nice chinese restaurant - it is definately well recommended. Funnily enough I have never been to the Royal Tandori (an Indian restaurant) but I am going there for the first time tonight - so I will have to keep you posted.
• Hey, I like the Bamboo House! There have always been (totally unsubstantiated) rumours about the place but I put those down to ignorant prejudices. I'll admit the quality varies but as a cat lover I'm happy to eat there.
• Bakers oven just got done up, very nice.
• Is it me or are all the fast food, resturants and chippies all owned by one bloke?
• Jimmys Cineese take away in Wolsey road is thew only one im gonna mention. He is simply the best. And Im not just saying that cos he gives us extra chipe ansd a free coke occassionally.Honest!
• Restaurants? In Stowmarket? Are there any!?! Unless you want fish and chips, a curry or chinese, don't bother looking! The only decent food in Stow is to be had when you totter out of Jokers on a Saturday night with the munchies. Pop into Chick King and say hi to Hassan, just watch out for his Potato Surprise!
• erm bakers oven again!!
• The Punch Bowl! Been taken over, and completely re-worked.... Best grub for miles around. It might be out of the way, but sooooooo worth it!
• I ate in a real nice place by the market.Two meals for the price of one on thursday night. Real good.
• Asda, when I first moved to Suffolk from London and I went into the supermarket I nearly died to laughing to see an aisle labelled "foreign foods" - it contained such exotica as spaghetti sauce.
• Kebeb shop, best kebab ive tasted................ever! yum!
• monopolised by that turkish bloke....he owns wimpy..chick king..pizza express..the kebab house.
• Suddenly, somehow, all owned by exactly the same people. the Pizzas from, erm, Tasty Pizza, are gorgeous, and the one next to the Oak does good veggie-burgers, but I don't trust it.
• Eating in Stowmarket? Apart from the Fish and Chip shops, don't risk it!
• Chick-king, Kebabs, Pizza's Fish and chips shops X4, Chinese, Indian, you name it we've got it.All good especially after a night at the club, I usually go to Chick King for chicken and chips.
• Chick King and Kebab shop to be avoided from 10.30pm on a Thur/Fri/Sat Night.JAM
• Normans chip shop is brilliant and the owner looks just like Alex Ferguson (or some say he may be Taggart!)
• The only Chip shop in town. The mighty Stow Fish Bar, GORGOUS, must try it.
• Stow Fish Bar- Recently took over and renovated great place great food, not invested with rats, or with maggots in the chips like othr chippies in the area(FISHERMANS BASKET)and not run by turks(CHIP INN)
• Check out chick king for excellent chicken buggas (and yes its spelt like that in my group of mates)
• Most take-away places in Stow have infestations: rats, dead cats, copious dandruff, squaddies that frequent them - only place worth going to is The Oriental Fountion - try the Duck.....lovely.
• Wimpy is evil - look at their "bender-burger" and "fishy fingers". It's simply got to be Dillons for all your Cheese+onion pastie needs. (and sangers) T.
• Rats in the Kebab shop and dead cats in the chinese next to Jokers - and that is fact.
• the wimpy is the place in stow where everyone goes or the kebab shop
• oh the lovely sultan kebab, southern fried chicken (famous for potato surprise) wimpy, numerous fish and chip shops ,pizza, 3 chinese, i indian
• "THE ORIENTAL FOUNTAIN", (STATION ROAD) IS QUITE NICE I SUPPOSE

Pubs

• snooker club had its day now, was good but too many grumpy barmaids now
• Gardeners Arms and the Punchbowl in Battisford are both really good
• oak, verandah bar
• The Oak, the jukebox is linked to the internet and its got almost everything
• The Gardeners Arms in Moats Tye is my favourite. Barry always greets you with a warm smile! Food is brilliant but a tad dear. Aspall Cider is wicker.
• the royal oak,its a shit hole,really bad place to go
• the oak n the dukes are good pubs but they need 2 b bigga coz u cant move in there on fri or sat nites!
• The Oak is one of my favourites, good atmosphere, nice staff, Purple pool table :) but its pretty expensive for some drinks and pool is a quid! The Dukes Head has a good drink price list but the staff are undesirable. A lot of the rest are old and local peoples pubs so dont ask me.
• THE OAK ROCKS. the dukes head is smelly, and capones does a good coke and lime.
• I LOVEEEEEEEE THE OAK, ITS IS SOOO COOL WHAT WITH THE FRIENDLY STAFF, AND THE JUKE BOX. THE DUKES HEAD STINKS!!!
• oak is wicked
• The oak - Dingy, dark and a good place to go if you want to get your head kicked in for glancing at someone the wrong way. The dukes - This is where all those people who shop at JJB hang out. Chav city.
• 2005........Ok, Dukes if you drive a Escort, fiesta or a car that you have spent all your money on. But it is lively and generally a good crowd. Plus it has one or two very sexy female bar staff, J included. The Oak if you aren't too worried about dressing UP to go out and just want to have beer and a loud night. Capones if you like a quieter place in the evening but don't mind getting stared at. The Stag, Pickerel, Magpie or Unicorn if you want to be looked at like an alien and hear sayings like "get of my land" and "I just got wed to my sister". Thats a bit harse but you know what I mean. The Snooker club if you don't mind waiting for warm beer... Stood at the bar for ten minutes last time I was in waiting for a drink. Turned out the people playing on a machine were the manager and the bar staff.....lol... Don't go there much.....lol... Out of all of them I would recommend the Dukes and the Oak. Not the Stag or the Snooker club. But try them all.....
• The dukes head, lively pub, entertainment
• The dukes is best on a sunday as larger is a quid a pint! but every other day The Oak wins hands down oh and there mostly over 19
• the Verandah bar on a sunday is good for karaoke. 8ft screen good for footy matches as well.
• Only two i can think of, Oaks gone abit upmarket for me so dont forget your tie Dukes - nice place shame about some of the crowd
• The oak, newly refurbished, now attractive a definate FRESH FACED crowd. Shame used to be such a nice pub. Dukes has never really been my cup of tea, too much attitude. The stag is alright for a quite drink, and i certainly dont rate capones. Note:- I dont drink in the pubs in stow :)
• The new bloke who runs the magpie in combs ford is right up his own arse.
• stop press the Stag now has a brewery so the bearded cardigan pipe smoking sandal wearing of stowmarket now have somewhere to feel at home when not on the camtra bus! happy days les gifford is leaving the wellington he will be sadly missed by all the regulars at the Stag and the other pubs in town he has driven people to
• Stowmarket has various pubs, but only 2 matter to the youth population. The Oak has a fantastic atmosphere, particularly in the beer garden when its a nice afternoon or evening. However attempting to get in the door at 9pm on a saturday is a completly different story. My advice would be not to do it unless you are Mike Tyson strong! The Dukes on the other hand is much easier to get into, but sadly lacks the atmosphere, plus the crowd are much more fresh faced than those in the oak.
• Every pub in the town is a joke - mainly aggresive boys looking for a rumble or girls with the IQ of an ameoba drinking barcardi breezers. Christ I was back for xmas and remember looking down the high street at this faded dying town and thinking thank christ I got out.....
• There are loads of pubs to choose from in stowmarket, theres the wallnut tree pub on violet hill road, the stag on bury street, the little william in union street,the crown on crowm street, the pickerel in stowupland street, the welington just over the railway lines, capones by the church, the oak in the town centre, the duke heads by the regal, jokers bar (as above) the unicorn down lime tree place, and the gladstone and magpie in combs ford.
• My favourite pub is The Dukes Head, when all my friends are back from university we literally take up the whole pub. Although I don't get on with everyone in Stowmarket there are also alot of nice people there.
• WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO THE OAK! They've completely ruined it, ripped out the guts of it & left it souless & characterless. Okay, it wasn't exactly a classy place but it had character & I always felt comfortable. Now it's just tacky, somewhere between pub, bistro & wine bar & I DON'T LIKE IT!!
• Just say Dukes dont ask for ID much.
• The best pub stowmarket ever had was the queens head but unfortunatly due to the lack of over 18's it was closed now you have the exciting choice of the oak or the dukes or pubs fully of inbred old men!
• The oak is good for atmosphere and the live music is to recommended. Bit quiet now though since lovely laughing Ellie and Chris left. Dukes needs persiverance to get served if your female. The blokes have no trouble though. The barmaids seem to have an aversion to serving women and the not so pretty blokes.
• Try to avoid The Dukes unless of course you adore listening to boy / girl bands and other trite music. More importantly the service is dreadful ... you will wait for a silly amount of time to be to be served whilst the bar maids attend to their hair, make up etc. And don't expect a friendly welcome from the staff as Ron and his drones lack personality, above all a pub with no atmosphere!
• two MAIN pre-Jokers pubs... The [Royal] Oak and The Duke's [Head]. The Oak is much nicer, with bands every thursday and a mixture of clients. It seems less small minded, and its easy to get talking with strangers. I personally feel less comfortable in the Duke's, and the layout means that you can easily miss people, and spend time squeezing past lecherous men. You can comfortably wear a T shirt in The Oak, but might feel too casual in the Dukes...says it all really.
• well there are plenty of pubs in stow, probably the best part about it! and the best according to my sister is the oak in the town center
• Punch Bowl! Heavenly retreat! Far enough from Stow to be different, close enough for a cheap taxi home!
• Fresh faced crowd @ The Pickrel every Fri PM! lovely!
• Oak is the place to be, alternative and not full of 15 year olds, unlike the Dukes, which is crammed with 15 year olds drinking Bacardi Breezers.
• go to the oak , dukes head or capones..coz every where else attracts the alcho-pop squads or boring ye olde yocal types.
• The Onehouse Shepherd & Dog is the place to go!!!
• The Royal Oak is the better pub, I like Sunday Nites when they have there live bands, You can go in jeans and trainers and just relax, I say buy the Jug - Bargin!
• The Royal Oak and Jokers Bar
• Oak, Oak, Oak. Oak. No more Chris & Ellie (sob), but still beats the Ben Sherman Dukes by about a mile. And it has a ridiculously big tv.
• The magpie is friendly and a good starting point for up town. the oak is getting better.
• Royal Oak, Dukes are my fav's , they sell agood range of beers wines and spirits. The Oak has live bands at least once a week and the Dukes has Karaoke and disco's once a week.There are several other pub's in the town.
• The Dukes customers keeping getting Fresher faced and wear shorter skirts, so a must for the squaddies from Wattisham.JAM
• once there were 52, now just 11, 3 of which have live bands on regularly, Dukes still thinks that kareoke is popular, so go there or not on a sunday night.
• The Oak is the best place to be, the dukes head is full of the slappers that go to Jokers religiously every weekend. But we do go there sometimes just for a change and to see the slappers tarting around.
• Yes - certainly fresh faces in the garden at the Oak - I thought I was in a school canteen
• Oak is the best, friendly bar staff, but can become cramped on Thurs, Fri's and Sat's, and even Sunday's. Ignore what's been said about the Duke's, it is a Rat Hole. Jokers bar is a better option, 100 times better than its club next door. If like me, you enjoy Pub games, either the snooker club (riverside), or the rugby club is the place. Cheap beer, great people, all round laugh.
• Oak is good, Magpie is good for food and pool.
• The Dukes is for tarts and the oak is for all walks of life although it has got far too mainstreem recently CLOZ
• The Oak and The Dukes - both good in their own respects; although you will get punched for looking at anyone with a goatee. Good prices, can be quite a good atmosphere - unbelievably busy come the weekends. With no air con your lucky to survive 10 minutes without passing out due to the lack of oxygen - that or the people work at ICI/ATCO having been farting again.
• The Oak is cool, well when you are at school. Then everyone starts to drink in the Dukes, which is fine if you are a superbitch!
• THE OAK WITH IT'S BRAND NEW LOOK - VERY SWISH, If it's ever your Birthday, and you'd like to hear the soft sound of a Birthday tune from Elly - this is the place for you. THE DUKES HAS GONE A BIT GREEN FOR MY LIKING.
• there are a few pubs but the athmosphere isn't all that!
• The Stag Tavern used to be really good years ago when it was owned by Steve and Ann but she went a bit off the rails with a shot gun. Now all you get in there are 15 and 16 year old who have just taken up drinking and until recently thought that "K" was the dizzy blond one they knew at middle school.
• 14. the oak is the best
• "THE ROYAL OAK (IPSWICH ST)IS THE BEST FOR ANYONE REMOTELY STRAYING FROM THE NORM; HALF THE PEOPLE WHO GO THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME THINK IT IS A BIKER PUB, THE OTHER HALF THINK ITS A GAY PUB. MAKES FOR A VOLATILE ATMOSPHERE

Cafes and Coffee Shops

• Tall Orders does great coffee
• tall orders is lovely for coffees and cakes and paninis
• i LUUUVVVV thte holland + barratt coffee shop. OOHH, and the coffee shop owned by one of my neighbours. thats YUMMY. Although, we really should get a cafe nero, or a starbucks. lol
• I love Holland and Barrats to get coffee, and The Museum Of Anglian Life.
• Tuckers do the best full monty!!!! Yummy.
• There are a few cafes/coffee shops. Ranges from the standard greasy spoon (Adjacent to Lloyds TSB) to the slightly more modern one next to the red cross shop near the card centre.
• Not sure what the cafe is called but its tucked down a side street near the tsb bank. Yummy sausge and chips.
• bakers oven-tasty doughnute
• Why havent you tried the new & gorgeous coffee shop/ take-away in Bury Street.(Tall Orders)they do great jacket pots, sandwiches, toasties, panini's & good coffee.
• No one work at the coffee shop unless you want to be under slave labour for next to nothing pay. Also that Faye who runs it is a stuck up dog
• The cafe nr lloyds bank does a nice hot choclate, shame bout the staff really.
• Gary's Inbread tea and wank shop
• THIS IS NOW BEING UPDATED 2002. The cafe near Lloyds TSB does really really nice hot choclate with whipped cream on the top.
• You cant baet a large breakfast in the cafe by the church there wiked. they also have other food stuffs like sweet and sour dishes, sandwiches, soups and kids meals. And the staff in there aint bad either. (HELLO LADIES)
• Holland and Barret have good food at the top of their shop - nice and health and cater for vegetarians!! Or if u like greasy spoons, there is a cafe near the church, but i have never really been impressed with it, but it is cheap!! The pub in Combs Ford (The Magpie) is suppose to serve good bar meals, i hear its normally crowded every lunch time!!
• Theres the Bakers Oven which has recently been refurbished.Tasty food, sometimes very busy and good for eating on the run (sausage rolls)>
• There is not one decent cafe in this town, though the one near the church does nice chips.
• Bakers oven just got done up, very nice.
• At one point in all the ruff girls of stowmarket lives, they will have worked in the 'Coffee Shop' in the old Butter market.
• Wimpy is the best although Bakers oven does a reasonable cream cake or two. The cafe in church walk does delicious jacket potatoes with a variety of fillings. Worth a go on a cold winters day.Avoid Thursdays cos it's hard to find a seat together if theres more than two of you.
• bakers oven-very good service from my sister in there!
• There is a cafe up the side street, do wonders with there hot chocolate, well it cures my hangovers
• Above the health-food shop deserves another mention, as it's gorgeous.
• Holland and Barrett health food shop has a ver good coffee shop above it that no one seems to know about.
• There are 5 in and around town, Baker's Oven, Wimpy, The Coffee Shop, Pickwicks, Brambles.
• A Coffee Shop would be most welcome.JAM
• The cafe and bakers oven. But if you have transport gop to Needham market (3 miles down the road ) and just before the free carpark ( yes I said FREE ) in the center of town is a small cafe run by some exlandlords of a local pub. They have put the experience and presentation into the shop that make it a winner. Well priced and very tasty it is well worth a visit. Food ranges from scones to full dinners.
• The coffee shop is not a pick up joint Mr T if i remember correctly you seduced me after i drank a whole bottle of vodka! CLOZ
• Mmmm fried breakfast at the coffee house, and a great place to pick up girlfreinds, too. T.

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Last updated: 2008-08-26