Food & Drink in Bedfordshire

There is no shortage of great places to eat and drink in Bedfordshire and with menus that span all styles and cuisines, you’ll be sure to find a bit of what you fancy.  

If this wasn’t enough, the diverse nature of Bedfordshire’s geography mean that you can enjoy both countryside views, with the amazing local produce that comes with it, and town centre convenience with wide ranging menus and lots of choice.

Bedfordshire is full of farms, dairies, vineyards, micro breweries and bakeries all working to produce fantastic ingredients to really bring you dinner to life. So, whether you’re staying in one of the premium hotels which offers fine dining as part of the service or trying your hand at self-catering while camping or staying in a holiday home, you can be sure of an eclectic choice of menus at a variety of establishments.

If you’re lucky enough to be in the region during one of the many food festivals and markets that take place through the year, make sure you take some time to browse the stalls and select a couple of snacks and samples from the street food vendors. You’ll need to bring a shopping bag and a big appetite with you!

As Bedfordshire is the birth place of afternoon tea, you absolutely have to stop somewhere and grab a cup or two. One great place to do this is at the grounds of Woburn Abbey, trust us on this one! If you’re looking for something a bit more substantial than tea, but you don’t want to compromise on the location and scenery, why not relax by the beautiful River Ouse at the renowned 18^th Century Bedford Swan Hotel and enjoy the local and seasonal ingredients on offer at their River Room Restaurant?

Other options for a great opportunity to sample some of the unforgettable menus available in the region is at The Mansion House at Luton Hoo where the spectacular Wernher Restaurant continues to forge an unrivalled reputation for creating exciting dishes with a modern twist. It really is a dining experience like no other.  

Bedfordshire's eponymous dish is the Bedfordshire Clanger, a light pastry with both savoury and sweet fillings, described as being a meal on its own, you can find it all over the county, but the very best are made and served by Gunn's Bakeries, who have branches in Biggleswade, Sandy and Bedford. Trying one of these at least once is an absolute must! There are a wide variety of fillings to choose from with meat and potatoes, vegetarian options and sometimes even more exotic flavours like curry being popular choices for the savoury end and everything from jam to stewed apples and even oranges in the sweet end.

While Bedfordshire has several incredible hotels to choose from, if you’re a fan of self-catering you’ll make other visitors jealous with the amount of choice open to you for your evening meal. Bedfordshire is home to a huge amount of takeaways and fast food places, including well known chains, offering the very best in world-wide cuisine, so whether you fancy pizza, fish and chips or a curry, you’ll find it all here.