Unruly Pig Reaches National Gastropub Finals

Less than two years after The Unruly Pig in Woodbridge was all but destroyed by a catastrophic fire (resulting in over six months closure) it has now been shortlisted for ” Front of House Team of the Year ” by the prestigious Estrella Damm U.K. Top 50 Gastropub Awards.

The business had only been open twelve weeks when tragedy struck, nearly decimating the restaurant dreams of owner Brendan Padfield, who had previously had long career as a solicitor. Yet, ever since reopening after the fire, The Unruly Pig has gone on to win a string of awards and national accolades and is cutting a swathe through the Suffolk foodie scene.

First, it managed to get into The Good Food Guide within a matter of weeks (when other pubs or restaurants have been trying to be listed for years) and was then named as ” Best Suffolk Pub 2016/17 ” by the National Pub and Bar Awards.

Since then it has gone from strength to strength, receiving the highest rating in East Suffolk in the 2018 Good Food Guide.  It is also recommended by Michelin, Harden and the AA and Good Pub Guides as well as a host of gourmet publications such as ‘Delicious’ and ‘Olive’ magazines. It’s been included in the Financial Times, who named The Unruly Pig as a UK Top 5 Pub for Walkers. And most recently, it was also named by luxury lifestyle magazine ‘Luxe’ as ‘Gastropub of the Year 2017 ‘ as well as ‘Most Discerning Pub Wine List 2017’.

Owner, Brendan Padfield, says: “It’s been such a roller coaster since we re-opened, but I now feel so proud of what Head Chef, Dave Wall and the whole Unruly team have achieved. I just sit back and the kitchen and front of house teams do all the hard yards!

“Until now I was most proud of  being named as the only Estrella Damm UK Top 50 Gastropub in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire in the 2017 national awards but this week I am thrilled to discover that The Unruly Pig has been shortlisted for ‘Front of House Team of the Year’ in the 2018 Estrella Damm UK Top 50 Gastropub Awards. The front of house team is led by Restaurant Manager Amy Challis who is wonderful, warm and welcoming.”

The Unruly Pig is one of only three national shortlisted finalists. The Gastropub Awards are being held at an awards ceremony in York on 29 January 2018.  Brendan adds: “Whatever the outcome on the day, it is a privilege and honour to have even reached the final-the team ‘s hard work means they go from strength to strength. They have made an old man oh so very happy!”