Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Where to Eat
The Britons Arms
BRITISH This wonderful coffeehouse and restaurant is in
a medieval thatched building that's the only surviving béguinage in England from the
Middle Ages. A béguinage was a religious refuge for women (it's never been a pub),
and it is now a friendly daytime spot run by two sisters producing home-cooked
hearty meals, puddings, and cakes. There's an open fire in winter and small terraced
garden with views over the rooftops of historic Elm Hill.
9 Elm Hill.
&
01603/623367.
Main courses £10-£14. AE, MC, V. Tues-Fri 9:30am-5pm.
Roger Hickman's Restaurant
BRITISH This talented chef presents market-
fresh and imaginative cuisine in a stylish dining room with top-notch service. Starters
include venison with beets or roast scallops with crispy pork belly. Choose from main
courses such as braised beef cheek or roasted globe artichoke.
79 Upper St. Giles St.
&
01603/633522.
www.rogerhickmansrestaurant.com. Reservations recom-
mended. Fixed-price lunch £16 for 2 courses, £19 for 3 courses; fixed-price dinner £30 for 2 courses, £38
for 3 courses. AE, MC, V. Tues-Sat noon-2:30pm and 7-10pm.
St. Benedict's Restaurant
ENGLISH/FRENCH There's a warm welcome,
along with well-prepared food, at this modern brasserie with a simple setting. The
chef, Nigel Raffles, shops for some of the freshest market produce available. Expect
menus that include crisp lamb parcels with Moroccan carrot salad, and roast but-
ternut squash with Romano pepper and fragrant rice.
9 St. Benedict's St.
&
01603/765377.
www.stbenedictsrestaurant.co.uk. Reservations recommended.
Fixed-price lunch £6.95-£12; fixed-price dinner £19 for 2 courses, £24-£32 for 3 courses. AE, DC, MC, V.
Tues-Sat noon-2pm and 7-10pm.
Entertainment & Nightlife
You'll find touring companies performing drama, opera, and ballet at
Theatre Royal,
Theatre Street (
&
01603/630000;
www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk), with senior
and student discounts available for selected performances. The box office is open
Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 6pm, closing at 8pm on performance days.
The
Norwich Playhouse,
42-58 St. George's St. (
&
01603/598598;
www.
norwichplayhouse.org.uk), has well-known names from music, comedy, and touring
drama. The box office is open Monday to Saturday 9:30am until 6pm.
Maddermarket Theatre,
1 St. John's Alley (
&
01603/620917;
www.maddermarket.
co.uk), is a half-timbered playhouse and home to the amateur Norwich Players, who
specialize in classical and contemporary drama. The box office is open Monday to Satur-
day 10am to 5pm, to 7:30pm on performance days.
Norwich Puppet Theatre,
St. James, Whitefriars (
&
01603/629921;
www.
puppettheatre.co.uk), offers original puppet shows in the converted medieval church
of St. James, while the
Norwich Arts Centre,
51 St. Benedict's St. (
&
01603/
660352;
www.norwichartscentre.co.uk), is a versatile entertainment complex in
another converted church (St. Swithins), which showcases up-and-coming bands and
hosts ballet, comedy, poetry, and exhibitions.
The oldest pub in Norwich is the
Adam & Eve,
17 Bishopgate (
&
01603/667423;
www.adamandevenorwich.co.uk), an alehouse since at least 1249 when it was owned
by monks. It's a small, cozy pub but there is outside seating and a small selection of
well-kept real ale. Alternatively, try the
Fat Cat
, 49 West End St.
(
&
01603/624364;
www.fatcatpub.co.uk). It's been
The Good Pub Guide
's “Beer Pub
of the Year” four times and has a wide range of real ales including its own Fat Cat beer.
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