Restaurants in Bedford

Moving further east, Thai Lagoon is a favourite Asian and Thai restaurant that also does a mean line in takeaway. Just a short walk from The Higgins, this is a clean, unfussy restaurant that serves up seriously tasty Thai classics, including a wide range of curries and noodle dishes.

Straddling Thai and Chinese flavours, The Elephant is a modern restaurant decked out in strong red and wooden decor that offers a page-turning menu with literally hundreds of options. Bargain hunters will love their well-priced three-course lunch menu, while they also do takeaway.

Another Far Eastern restaurant is Hokuhoku on Peel Street, an authentic Japanese restaurant that’s much, much more than a cool sushi joint. With traditional Japanese dishes, including katsu curry, yakisoba and teriyaki dishes on the menu, they mean business.

There are several high-quality Italian and Mediterranean restaurants in town. Amici is a traditional, authentic Italian joint with a warm atmosphere and some of the best crab linguine in the region. And, just over the road from the Quarry Theatre, it’s the perfect place to fill up before a performance.

The Higgins Pantry is an easy-going Italian that comes alive in the summer when you can dine al fresco in the courtyard. Located in the Castle Quay area, make sure to try at least a few of their Italian-style tapas plates to get a real taste of their cooking.

Offering excellent value for money and some seriously tasty platters, Mimo’s Meze Grill does the simple things well – like big plates of charcoal-roasted fish and meat, crispy flatbread and their decadent desserts (the crème brûlée is a firm favourite).

And finally, we come to Nazar Restaurant. Found on the High Street, this is a family-run restaurant that serves up proper, authentic Turkish cuisine. Make sure you start off on the right foot with their meze platters and Mangal kebabs, which are charcoal-grilled.