**Please note – we were invited to the soft launch of Canto, and so received a 50% discount on our food and drinks on the night. All opinions, as always, are my own.**
Bury St Edmunds has welcomed an exciting new addition to its dining scene with the arrival of Canto, a wood-fired restaurant and cocktail bar that has taken over the site previously occupied by Verve. We were invited along to their soft launch evening ahead of opening to the public – and we were impressed.
Canto’s interior strikes a fine balance between style and comfort, with sumptuous furnishings, low-level lighting and an impressive wood-fired oven in full view of diners. The atmosphere feels intimate and relaxed, perfect for anything from date nights to catch-ups with friends. The touch-controlled lamp on every table is a thoughtful addition, allowing guests to adjust the lighting in their own dining space to suit their preference.
The cocktail menu immediately caught my eye, and I began the evening with a Matcha Colada (£13). This inventive twist on a classic pina colada sees the drink topped with a matcha foam, which might sound odd but worked surprisingly well. The sweetness of the cocktail was balanced nicely by the subtle bitterness of the matcha, creating a cocktail that I think may be my new favourite…
We were encouraged to order dishes to share, with the kitchen sending them out as and when they were ready. The menu is made up of small plates, flatbreads, pizzas and loaded fries, and the team recommends 3-4 small dishes plus a pizza per pair.
First out of the kitchen was the Canto Hummus (£7), and what an introduction it proved to be! The portion was enormous, featuring beautifully textured, delicately spiced hummus topped with crispy chickpeas for added crunch, accompanied by a generous helping of flatbread.
The halloumi bites (£6.50) were simple yet deliciously cooked, served with a wedge of lemon and a sweet chilli dipping sauce. Equally enjoyable were the gochujang chicken thighs (£8.50): a pair of wonderfully tender spiced chicken thighs with a cooling, lime-spiked yoghurt sauce.
One of the standout dishes of the evening was the mortadella & pistachio pizza (£17.50). Built on a béchamel base and topped with carefully arranged mortadella, stracciatella, parmesan, pistachio crumbs and hot honey, it definitely delivered on the flavour front. The base had the texture and smokiness that only a wood-fired oven can provide, and while there may be plenty of competition when it comes to pizzas in Bury St Edmunds, we were impressed.
We also sampled the pulled chicken loaded fries (£14). There was no faulting the chicken itself, which was slow-cooked, juicy and full of flavour. However, the dish as a whole felt a little dry and lacked the balance achieved by some of the other plates we tried.
At the insistence of the youngest member of our party, we finished the meal with a warm chocolate brownie (£5) to share, served with a choice of raspberry sorbet or vanilla ice cream (he chose the latter). This turned out to be a Biscoff brownie, topped with a biscuit and with a generous seam of melted Biscoff spread running through the middle. Rich, moist and indulgent, it was a decadent way to finish our meal.
For a soft launch, Canto already felt very polished with its stylish surroundings, thoughtful details, creative cocktails and delicious selection of sharing plates, as well as its friendly and knowledgeable team. While not every dish hit the same heights, we definitely think Canto will quickly become a popular choice for shared dining experiences.