Upstairs at the Mill

The story

Upstairs at the Mill in Mildenhall: Michelin-Recommended Modern Cuisine

Upstairs at the Mill, Mildenhall

In the heart of the Suffolk countryside, a converted watermill with a thousand-year history is home to one of the region’s most compelling dining experiences. Upstairs at the Mill, the fine-dining restaurant within Tuddenham Mill, has earned a Michelin Recommendation for 2026, and for good reason.

Chef Patron Lee Bye, who grew up in the Fenland countryside, leads the kitchen with a deep respect for local produce. His menus are shaped by the seasons, drawing on the abundance of East Anglia. The result is modern cuisine that feels grounded and precise.

The six-course tasting menu, priced at £145, is the centrepiece. It begins with a Carlingford oyster ‘Rockefeller’ and a shortrib and Guinness croqueta, followed by smoked tuna carpaccio with Wye Valley asparagus and almond. A Llŷn Peninsula king scallop with seaweed jam arrives next, then Norfolk Black lamb with imam bayildi and spider kale. Desserts include a chamomile tea parfait with sea buckthorn and medjool dates, and a milk chocolate marquise with ODYSEA olive oil and dulce de leche. Wine pairings are available at £65.

A vegetarian tasting menu is also offered, with six courses for £75, featuring dishes such as Cheltenham beetroot carpaccio with smoked almond muhammara, and hen of the wood mushroom with smoked yogurt and fregola.

The setting is a carefully restored 18th-century mill, where original features like exposed beams and the cast-iron water wheel sit alongside contemporary design. The atmosphere is relaxed but refined, with a quiet elegance that the team describe as “never pretentious.” It’s a place where the food speaks for itself, and the surroundings only enhance the experience.