Suffolk: The high street you can still love

The changing face of many high streets has earned unwelcome attention across the UK. But in Suffolk our sense of ownership, innovation and distinctiveness, as well as pride, has helped us to maintain a unique, independent vibe every town or village should aspire to.

Without doubt, the shopping experiences in our county will only enhance your overall enjoyment on a holiday or mini-break to Suffolk, any time of the year. To help you decide where to visit, here's our convenient shopper’s guide to the best places to spend your hard-earned cash, as well as take a well-earned rest, gift-wrapped with love.

Based in a good-looking Georgian shop, Homespun on Market Hill is a unique fashion brand focusing on the quality of the fabrics and washable cashmere. The source: Mongolia, and created with Suffolk handiwork.

It’s quite rare to have three generations in one family apply the right set of skills and love for baking as much as The Cake Shop Bakery in Woodbridge does. Using traditional skills and enduring early starts, bread and cakes are made fresh on the premises daily and is something of a mainstay in the town. A few years back it won ITV’s ‘Britain’s Best Bakery'.

Vanil is ever-evolving, displaying an eclectic mix of colourful homewares, aesthetic pieces and functional objects. It's hard to ignore the eye-catching shop front. Buy unique gifts or furnish your home with a selection of Scandinavian inspired rugs, pictures, furniture and lighting.

Gifted craftmanship of violins for nearly 30 years at Woodbridge Violins 

Take a glamping escape at Secret Meadows, a short distance from the centre of Woodbridge 

The FireStation for great roasted blends

Located in a beautiful, rambling 16th Century building in the heart of the town, Javelin's multi award-winning store is an eclectic boutique store spread over 3,500 sq ft, offering a cultivated and unique selection of brands across womenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, jewellery and gifts.

Music guru Ross has worked in record shops his entire working life and is the creator of Vinyl Hunter: a record store and coffee shop serving locally foraged fayre. They offer an eclectic, handpicked stock of both vintage and newly-released records and have managed to create a community hub to share their love of music.

From puppets hand-felted in Nepal and luxurious British wool blankets, to Indonesian rattan baskets and vintage style lanterns; The Shop hand source eco-friendly A-Grade sheepskins, cowhides and other animal hides such as reindeer and goat. With a strong sense of ethics, they support indigenous tribes such as the Sami people who have been herding reindeer in Scandinavia for centuries.

Perfect for designer basics, Collen & Clare’s flagship boutique at the end of Southwold High Street is a little gem, selling a range of leading designer brands for both men and women.

Adnams is synonymous with Southwold on the Suffolk Coast, with familiar smells of malt speading throughout the seaside town. Head to their flagship shop, Cellar and Kitchen, at the end of the high street (away from the beach), where staff offer expert advice on the right beer, spirit or wine for you. If you’re here for a day or longer, a tour of the brewery or distillery (or both), is a must.

Lift: an independent home accessory and lifestyle store in Southwold that’s devoted to sourcing and creating well-designed, functional items for your home and for you. Everything is bold, bright and uplifting and often Danish or Japanese inspired. And, every 200th customer at Lift gets £5 to do something good; say take a friend for coffee or donate to charity.

Best coffee and artisan bakery at the Two Magpies Bakery

Stay at Kessingland Camping and Caravanning Club and camp beneath the stars or consider So Southwold for your self-catering cottage needs.

The Suffolk ‘Wool Towns’ in the heart of Suffolk is not only known for impressive medieval, timber-framed architecture, you’ll discover an abundance of independent gift shops, galleries, antique emporiums and delis, surrounded by picturesque countryside. Here we explore the picture-perfect market town of Clare.

For antique over-load, discover one of the largest antique warehouses in Suffolk, and possibly the region. Clare Antiques and Interiors offers four floors of objects, collectables and furniture from over 100 individual dealers from across the UK.

The charming nook of a bookshop Harris & Harris Books was finalist in the East England Region Independent Bookshop of the Year Award. It’s a booklovers dream, selling books old and new, as well as bookish gifts and a host of exciting events.

Promoting coveted artists and specialising in original, affordable works of art, Sea Pictures Gallery exhibits maritime inspired arts and crafts, with exhibitions changing every eight weeks. The gallery is housed in a charming Georgian building, in-keeping with this perfectly kept, charming market town.

Suffolk is full of delis, but the Number One Deli is popular with visitors and locals alike, situated smack bang in the centre of town. Coffee ground to order, it serves a range of local produce such as Suffolk Cheese, ham, eggs and freshly baked bread. It’s the perfect pit-stop pre- or post-mooch. A favourite, too, with cyclists exploring the Suffolk countryside. 

 The family-run Mea Boutique is a women’s fashion emporium based in Beccles (and another in Southwold), offering pure luxury: clothes, scarves, jewellery, handbags, shoes and giftwares.

Baileys Delicatessen is superbly supplied with deli favourites, right in the heart of Beccles, close to the Suffolk Coast and home to much of Suffolk’s produce. Local produce includes meats, cheeses, chocolate and coffee, and the food served upstairs looks delicious too.

If you’re looking for a bit of relaxation time, then the natural approach at Saxon Therapy is worth a spot of 'me time'. Alternative and medicinal needs are catered for in the shop, and there’s a range of in-house therapists to make you feel truly relaxed. Using local companies, their ethos extends to the environment.

Serving a true Neapolitan Pizza, OakFired at Royal Oak has been recognised by the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association, with a Gold Award for best UK pizzeria. 

...you may like to browse our fasinating blogs full of Suffolk stories, holiday inspiration and great days out.