Food afloat

Suffolk’s watery landscapes are as well known as its wealth of local food offerings, so a business that combines the two always had the potential to be a hit.
Add to the mix two beautiful rivers plus a family committed to customer service and you have the success story that is sister ships Lady Florence and Allen Gardiner – vessels that each offer fine dining in ever-changing surroundings.
Lady Florence is an ex-Admiralty motor fishing vessel that operates on the rivers Alde and Ore. One of over 1,000 built as supply boats during World War II she has the character and history of a fine wooden ship – you’ll even find a cosy coal fire in her comfortable saloon!
Setting off from Orford Quay from March until mid-October, Lady Florence cruises an area rich in both wildlife and history. Breakfast, lunch and supper cruises are available and many include a circumnavigation of the RSPB’s Havergate Island bird sanctuary, famous for its avocet.
Built in 1942 by the Miami Shipbuilding Corporation in Florida, Allen Gardiner is one of 20 identical boats used by the South African Air Force during World War II as air/sea rescue launches. Deployed in pairs around the South African coast, they were responsible for saving the lives of over 600 survivors from the 153 ships sunk by German U-boats and surface craft off that coast during the war. 
Today Allen Gardiner enjoys a rather more sedate life, offering breakfast, lunch, sunset and candlelit dinner cruises on the River Orwell.
Sailing all year round – including Christmas Day – from Fox’s Marina, the vessel passes beneath the impressive Orwell Bridge and along one of the prettiest rivers in eastern England, ultimately turning for home at the Port of Felixstowe where passengers will catch sight of the former HMS Ganges Naval Training School
at Shotley, and Harwich Pier.
Both boats are available for exclusive private charter, while individuals who book independently will share the experience with others – each vessel carries a maximum of 12 passengers. The price for a three-hour cruise is £23.50 per person, payable at the time of booking, and food and drink is an extra to be paid on board, with two courses from £19.95
and three courses from £22.95.
The family behind the River Cruise Restaurants business has roots in both Durban and Suffolk, so it’s no surprise that among the freshly-prepared dishes served aboard Lady Florence and Allen Gardiner, some have a South African slant.
A fully stocked bar is always available, and the small but comprehensive wine list also includes a fine selection of South African wines imported directly by the boats’ owners.
www.rivercruiserestaurants.co.uk