Cateys 2024: Menu of the Year: Lark, Bury St Edmunds

Fellow chefs have been thoroughly impressed by James Carn’s contemporary cool restaurant Lark in the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. Paul Foster of Salt in Stratford-upon-Avon praised Carn for his “mature and confident cooking”, while Chetan Sharma of Bibi in London’s Mayfair raved about his “unfussy but inventive” dishes. 

 

A year and a half since its launch, the restaurant from the Bury-born chef has developed a cult following for its golden-pastried muntjac shank pie layered with wild mushroom and black pudding duxelles. Jay Rayner from The Observer waxed lyrical about Lark’s signature pie in July 2023, which  Carn said “sent things mental”, at the restaurant. During a busy week, the 20-seat diner was easily churning more than 280 covers across four days, with a family even travelling from Bahrain just to try Carn’s food.

 

The rest of the menu, which revolves around a selection of small and less-small plates, offers just as much. During The Caterer’s visit last year, Carn served hot fougasse with a shower of Parmesan or anchovies, crumbed sardines with beetroot and horseradish, sopressini cacio e pepe with generous shavings of truffle, and summertime cuttlefish-ink farfalle with cuttlefish ragu and sea herbs.

 

While it has been praised for its friendly and approachable style, Lark is founded on technical flair and meticulous attention to detail. This comes as no surprise, considering Carn’s background in the industry, cooking from the age of 16 at restaurants including Tuddenham Mill near Newmarket, the Angel hotel, just a stone’s throw from Lark, and at Bury’s Michelin-starred Pea Porridge under chef-owner and friend Justin Sharp, who continues to inspire everything Carn does. 

 

Industry peers were also quick to notice the restaurant is truly representative of local Suffolk produce, with venison from Lavenham Butchers and hogget and lamb from shepherdess Kits Russell, whose flock grazes land on the edge of Bury. Even the wine comes from Bury’s indie wine shop, Vino Gusto.

 

Lark is a family affair, run by Carn and his wife Sophia, who left her job teaching business studies to manage the restaurant alongside raising the couple’s four boys. The pair have demonstrated the best that hospitality has to offer, with ingenuity, authenticity and warmth. No doubt Carn’s cooking will continue to raise Bury St Edmunds as a culinary destination for industry veterans and newbies alike.

 

What the judges said

 

“Distinguished creativity and attention to detail shine through on this menu and I’m sure Bury St Edmunds is happy to have such a great, approachable restaurant on their doorstep.” Sally Abé

 

“Lark boasts a menu that makes me want to get into the car and drive all the way to Bury St Edmunds to eat there. Many of the dishes champion local produce and the menu is balanced and inviting. A great story of how hard work with passion and perseverance results in success.” Giovanna Grossi

 

“Another tough year of judging with some outstanding restaurants. Carn’s menu at Lark just tipped it with a close focus on Suffolk-based produce and unfussy but inventive cooking.” Chetan Sharma

 

The shortlist

 

Adelina Yard Bristol

 

Lark Bury Saint Edmunds

 

Kolae London

 

Osma Manchester

 

Sargasso Margate

 

The judges

 

Sally Abé The Pem

 

Paul Foster Salt

 

Giovanna Grossi Giovanna Grossi Hospitality

 

April Jackson Wood & Water

 

David Moore Pied à Terre

 

Chetan Sharma Bibi London