• Completely vegetarian.
• Number of vegan dishes: approx. 7.
• Vegans will be better catered with notice.
• Restaurant.
• Good for kids.
• Food rating 4.9/5 (18 votes)
• Service rating 4.8/5 (18 votes)
• Atmosphere rating 4.8/5 (18 votes)
• Overall rating 4.9/5 (54 votes)

Whether you are veggie or not, the meals at this gastro pub are well worth a trip for. The atmosphere and decor are that of a cosy friendly family pub. The food is that of a classy restaurant with an expert chef.

The menu is constantly being developed and revised and includes plenty of vegan choice on the mains and starters, though often only one vegan dessert. Vegan items are not labeled, though it would be great if they were, especially since the friendly serving staff don't know, so Jan Wise, the owner and chef, has to come and tell you.

Photo: Sophie Jan has run restaurants and pubs for years. Her gamble to move to a completely vegetarian menu to attract people from far afield to the Red Lion has paid off, as you can tell by the reviews here.

It is thought to be the first exclusively vegetarian pub in the county. It is charmingly up-front about its veggie credentials, with many signs up about it, including one out the front door saying 'families, guide dogs and well-behaved carnivores welcome'.

The many starters include a perennially popular sweet potato soup, with additions on the specials board such as lemon-grass scented Thai dumplings with a sweet chilli sauce.

Photo: Sophie Main meals include a Mexican chimichanga and a Thai coconut curry. The Summer pudding is delicious, and can be accompanied by dairy-free ice cream on request. It would be lovely to see more vegan dessert options, as this would attract vegan and dairy-free guests from far afield even more enthusiastically.

Families are welcome and this pub has baby changing facilities and a large garden with a play area. Our kids were even offered a separate table to play at while waiting for our meals. The Red Lion has wheelchair access and facilities for the disabled.

Thanks to Robert Edwards for sharing the pub photo.

Reviews

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Lois 2010-03-17 09:59:48

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

A fantastic dining experiance, The service was first class as was the food. High quality menu and very reasonable in price. I would reccomend it to all.The staff were lovely, will tell all about the Red Lion and will be returning.

samira 2010-01-12 09:47:51

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

WOW completely amazing! the best place iv eaten so far (and thats saying something!) every single thing i have ordered has been made with so much love that i could taste it. they truly have created a great thing. thanks! :)

Jim-Bob 2010-01-05 14:13:03

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

Excellent choice of food – just didn't know what to pick!! My partner went for the Roast Vegetable Pie – delicious!! I had the Mushroom and Cheese Calzone – just stuffed full!! Puddings were very good as well.

Good beer too – my partner offered to drive home so I could sample a couple!!

Spike Knowles 2009-09-07 11:19:41

• Food 4/5
• Atmosphere 4/5
• Service 5/5

Choices for vegans on starters and main are very good and some veggie items can be adapted with notice.

As usual with such places the choice of puddings is very limited for vegans. Even though the summer pudding was nice, it's not exactly imaginative or difficult to make. More effort required please!

Tanith 2009-07-13 18:43:26

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

My husband is an extremely fussy vegetarian and so we rarely visit traditional English pubs as the vegetarian offerings are usually risotto or stuffed peppers. We were extremely pleased to discover the Veggie Red Lion. For the first time he had no trouble in finding both a starter and main course to eat!

The Dim Sum was highly praised and I would definitely recommend the African Sweet Potato Stew, but be warned, it's filling!

Despite arriving just 10 minutes before the kitchen closed we were served with a smile and never felt rushed.

Also very child friendly, a high chair was in place on arrival and there is a large garden with a play house and swings. The only downside is that the garden opens straight onto the car park, so although the play area is set at the opposite end, a watchful guardian does need to be present.

I would recommend a visit to the Red Lion for anyone in the area or passing by, we will definitely be returning!

James 2009-02-04 09:30:21

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

I loved the personal touch that came with every meal out of the red lion, it was all wholesome well prepared food that didn't come from a packet. I don't think I've ever seen such variety for vegetarians and vegans.

Jane 2009-01-02 17:11:21

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

We count ourselves lucky to be a short drive from such a varied and imaginative source of vegetarian food. Service is always friendly and efficient and atmosphere is good. Looking forward to sampling the 2009 menu.

Craig 2008-11-25 16:05:45

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

Wonderful experience. Quite possibly the best meal we have had out for several years… Fantastic service and atmosphere too… Highly recommended and will definitely return in the near future.

Sandra Hunt 2008-11-10 21:18:46

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

Brilliant, it was great to have so much choice when going out for a meal rather than vegetable lasagne. It's a must on the list to try.

Colin Jenkins 2008-11-06 21:34:03

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

I have been to this pub about 5 times now and it is the Bees Knees. I have had veggie meals elsewhere in the past and the food has been awful. Also no animal has suffered at the Red Lion. I am taking my mum there next week for her birthday and i know she will want to go again. Well done Jan and your team and all the very best for the future.

Nigel 2008-11-04 16:09:19

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

We chose to travel up from Maidstone in Kent to celebrate my 50th birthday, as I was born in Suffolk. Part of the treat was to try out a veggie pub restaurant close to Lavenham where we were staying. WOW! what a treat indeed; the food was just the absolute best. Imaginative, delicious and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was lovely, with a cosy feel and a very nice lighting combination of table candles and low brightness electric lamps. Coupled with friendly and cheerful service; altogether EXCELLENT.

Linda Wonnacott 2008-10-20 12:48:52

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

I am Vegan so was overjoyed to find a CHOICE ! The food looked so beautiful, I took a picture of it to show friends. It tasted as good as it looked. Also in my price range. What a find.

Anne & family 2008-10-16 11:06:01

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

Travelled from Essex today to lunch at the Red Lion and it was well worth the drive. Excellent imaginative food, nicely presented and good service. Two of our party of four are vegan and there was a choice of 3 mains which is usually unheard of! It just shows what can be done.......Have booked to go back for my birthday meal :)

Lynn Edwards 2008-10-03 13:46:41

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

Wow--we were blown away by the choice! Really tasty food, lots of interesting options (no boring veg lasagne!), and nice ambiance. We will be going there again.

Yvonne 2008-08-27 13:51:50

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 5/5
• Service 5/5

What a discovery! Was verging on being a veggie until I found this place – now completely veggie as I have found so many new ways with veg – Great cooks here.

annette madgwick 2008-08-06 11:58:37

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 4/5
• Service 4/5

My son and I enjoyed a very tasty and beautifully prepared lunch on a very hot Sunday afternoon and thought the staff helpful, offering us the option of either indoor or outdoor dining. The pub is very well presented though more of a restaurant than a casual watering hole. I had the goats cheese tartlets and butternut squash pasta which was creamy and very filling. My son enjoyed the figs followed by the sweet potato stew. Well done it was truely delicious. Thankyou

Alex 2008-06-24 09:17:58

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 4/5
• Service 5/5

Fantastic choice, excellently presented and clearly properly home-made (rather than home-heated-up!!!). Porcini risotto cakes were perfectly cooked with runny cheese in the centre. Tempura vegetables had a lovely light batter unlike so many other pub tempura. There was a good choice for my vegan wife too. IPA on tap seemed to be well kept. Lovely service – somehow the one person serving drinks and food managed to keep up with a restaurant that was well over half full! We'll be back whenever we can.

Charmaine Simpson 2008-05-09 10:45:39

• Food 5/5
• Atmosphere 4/5
• Service 3/5

The best vegetarian food I have ever had. The menu was so varied I had a job to choose and the dessert menu was equally as good. Will definitely pay a return visit soon.

Sylvana Zammit 2008-03-06 22:48:31

I went to eat at The Red Lion when I was on holiday in Ipswich last November. I am not vegetarian (actually they're not my favourite either) but I wouldn't trade the food I ate at the Red Lion with anything else. It was really the best ever..especially the butternut squash lasagna. In fact during my 4 days in Ipswich I went there twice. Keep it up!

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