Roots Café
Nestled within the Estate’s picturesque surroundings, this comfortable café brings Suffolk’s finest to your table with a menu of locally-sourced dishes and refreshments.
TODAY’S OPENING TIMES
- Roots Café 09:00 – 16:00
- Open daily, including bank holidays
Address
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
What3Words: ///newly.sofas.debating
ABOUT ROOTS CAFÉ
Welcome to our café, Roots, nestled in the heart of the Blackthorpe Barn complex on Rougham Estate.
With a storied history spanning decades, this location is a convenient out-of-town chill-out spot to meet up, a cosy gathering place for the community, now open throughout the year. For breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake, we hope Roots will become your go-to destination. Everyone is welcome: walkers, cyclists, families and dogs.
Open every day, including Bank Holidays.
Closed on 24th, 25th and 26th December.
Email [email protected] and please include a number we can call you on.
Reservations are only confirmed when you receive a confirmation call/email from us.
More information lower down this page.
Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the café with a paws-on-the-floor policy.
Please do keep your dog under control and ensure that your dog does not disturb other people’s enjoyment of the premises or block passageways.
Blackthorpe Barn is a step-free location with dedicated accessible parking near the entrance and two accessible toilets, one of which is in the cafe, and one in the courtyard.
Find out more and buy Rougham Estate gift vouchers by clicking here. (Opens in new tab)
How it Works
First Come, First Served
We operate on a first come, first served basis.
Reservations are taken for groups of 6 or more on weekdays only.
Children
Come and visit as a family; there is a section on the menu specifically for children. Highchairs are available as well as a baby-changing unit.
Take-Away Available
Teas, coffees and cakes are available to take with you – perfect when taking the dog for a walk. Order at the front counter.
Well-behaved Dogs Welcome
Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the café with a paws-on-the-floor policy; they will be welcomed with their own bowl of water.
- Please keep your dog under control and ensure that your dog does not disturb other people’s enjoyment of the premises or block passageways.
Dietary Requirements
Vegans and vegetarians are catered for and, whilst we do our utmost to accommodate dietary and allergy requirements, gluten, nuts and animal products are used in the kitchen.
We stock gluten-free bread and serve some gluten-free dishes. Dishes that have gluten-free options or vegan options are shown on the menu. Please ask if you have any queries when ordering.
- For details of allergens in each dish, please see the downloadable pdf menus below
Parking
There is plenty of free parking available, including accessible parking.
Openings and Bookings
The café is open every day including Bank Holidays.
- To book for a group of 6 or more on a weekday, email [email protected]
Bookings are only confirmed when you hear back from us. See below for more details. - Over the Christmas period, we are closed on 24th, 25th, 26th December.
Eggs used at Roots Cafe
The eggs we use at Roots Café are sourced from Rymer Farm, located less than 20 miles from the café. All of their hens are vaccinated against Salmonella and the eggs carry the British Lion mark, providing reassurance that they meet strict food safety and quality standards.
We are aware of the recent concerns surrounding Salmonella and eggs reported in the media. However, the concerns relate to imported eggs, which we do not use or serve at Roots Café. Our customers can therefore enjoy the eggs we serve at Roots Café with confidence, knowing that they are locally sourced and produced to high food safety standards.
Allergen Information
Please inform our waiting staff of any food allergies before ordering.
Our menu gives general guidance about ingredients which may affect those with food intolerance and allergies.
Please note, however, that our kitchen handles many types of food and drink each day and although we do our very best to avoid cross-contamination, we cannot guarantee this does not happen. Ultimately, the final choice about what to eat rests with you.
Reservations
Reservations at Roots are only taken for groups of 6 or more people on weekdays.
To reserve a table, email [email protected] and please include a number we can call you on.
- Unfortunately we can’t take same-day bookings.
- No bookings at the weekend or on Bank Holidays
- Please include a mobile number; reservations are only confirmed when you receive a call/email from us. Kindly allow 1-2 days for us to respond. Enquiries received over weekends or on bank holidays will be responded to on the next working day.
- For groups of 10 or more, we will ask you to pre-order to help the kitchen.
- Please arrive on time for your booking. For groups with pre-ordered food, it will be ready 15 minutes after your booking time.
- If you know that you no longer require your reservation or if your party is significantly different in size to what was booked, please let us know as soon possible.
- No bookings are taken for bank holiday weekends, Easter weekend, Mother’s or Father’s Days and during the Christmas Festival (specific 2026 dates to be confirmed; mid-October to mid-December).
USING LOCALLY-SOURCED PRODUCE
The ambiance of Roots Café beautifully blends the rich history of Rougham Estate with a touch of modern, quirky elegance. Our eclectic decor echoes local stories, with pieces reflecting a unique chapter of the Estate’s tale.
But the attraction is not just visual; we bring Suffolk’s finest to your table with a menu of locally-sourced dishes and refreshments, showcasing the best seasonal ingredients as far as possible. Here’s a map of our lovely suppliers, with many products also available in the Roots Pantry Shop.
Food locality map
Roots Pantry Shop
A curated selection of locally-sourced food and drink, available to buy at the café, makes it easy for you to take the essence of Suffolk home with you.
From homemade preserves and honeys that capture the flavours of the region to handcrafted beers, locally-made cookies, doggie treats and much more, this little Pantry Shop provides a delicious touch of indulgence.
Discover our local honey
Gently made by bees gathering pollen from the lush meadows and vibrant blossoms of Rougham Estate, each jar encapsulates the harmony of the surrounding landscape.
Locally-brewed beer and distilled spirits
Buying local produce reduces the carbon-footprint and these award-winning beers, ales and spirits are made right here in Suffolk.
Chocolates and sweets
If you’re looking for a little indulgence to take with you, we have chocolates, sweets, cookies and much more.
Rougham Estate Gift Vouchers
Treat someone special to a memorable visit to Rougham Estate with a gift voucher that can be used in both Roots Café and the Rougham Estate Shop.
Whether it’s coffee and a tasty brunch at Roots Café, a unique find from the Lifestyle and Garden Shop, something beautiful for Christmas (mid-October to December, including Christmas trees) or a luxury treat from the Pantry Shop, your gift voucher is valid for 1 year from the time of purchase and can be used over multiple visits.
GALLERY
Comments
Where to find us
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Plenty of free parking on site.
Please keep to the 20mph speed limit.
Disabled access available
This is a rural location and paths can be muddy.
The car parks close when Roots Café closes and the entrance gates are locked after this time.
Blackthorpe Barn is situated just south of Junction 45 of the A14, three miles east of Bury St Edmunds, in the village of Rougham.
Look out for the entrance gates to a long tree-lined avenue at the White House junction.
The Barn is down the avenue, on the right.
Keep your eyes peeled
Throughout the café there are surprises to be found, from wooden crows in the rafters to doves on the dovecote (yes, you can take your tea in the dovecote) to old photographs of Rougham Estate and other wonderful and poignant items. Many are old and from the Estate and others have been handcrafted especially for Roots Café.
Can you guess which is which? Can you work out how certain items relate to the Estate? You might like to look at the history of the Estate to get some clues. Enjoy looking around and seeing what you can spot – it’s great for a game of I-spy! Why not tag us in your photos (@roughamestate) when you find them – we love to see your pictures.
Questions?
Yes, well-behaved dogs are welcome in Roots Café, with paws on the floor.
- Please keep your dog under control at all times and ensure that your dog does not disturb other people’s enjoyment of the premises or block any passageways.
Yes, wheelchairs are welcome in Roots Café as well as everywhere else at Blackthorpe Barn. There is plenty of accessible parking near the entrance, as well as accessible toilets.
Have a look at the Ground Plan to see their locations
The tables are generally assigned on a first come, first served basis; if we are busy there is a pager/buzzer system to let you know when a table becomes free.
If you are a group of 6 or more people, we can reserve a table for you on Monday to Friday.
Please email [email protected] to make your booking.
Your reservation is only confirmed once you receive a confirmation email. More information about reservations here.
Unfortunately we can’t take same-day bookings, bookings at the weekend or on bank holidays or during the Christmas Festival.
Yes, we accept both cards and cash at Roots.
Yes, we have the menus listed on this page.
We try to offer a range of dishes and foods that cover various dietary requirements including some dairy-free, gluten-free and nut-free items. Vegans and vegetarians are catered for, and, whilst we do our utmost to accommodate dietary and allergy requirements, gluten, nuts and animal products are used in the kitchen.
Please see our PDF menus for the allergen details of each dish.
If you have any allergies or dietary restrictions, please let us know before ordering so we can do our best to accommodate you.
We’re more than happy to answer any questions about our ingredients.
Yes, we have highchairs at Roots and children have their own menu items too.
You can find a baby-changing unit in café toilets.
Yes we do! Gift vouchers are available to buy from £25 upwards and can be used in Roots Café and the Rougham Estate Shop, including the Christmas Shop, Roots Pantry Shop and towards buying Rougham Estate Christmas trees.
Gift vouchers last for 1 year from the date of purchase and can be used over multiple visits. They make great gifts, with a wide range of items to spend them on.
You can find out more and buy Rougham Estate gift vouchers by clicking here (opens in new tab).
These lovely pictures are of Rougham Estate in days gone by and wonderfully, some of the people pictured have even been to visit Roots since it opened. Rougham Estate has a very interesting history which you can read about on the Timeline page.
But of course!
The Potting Shed, Maintenance Shed and Dovecote are a real treat to sit in and enjoy your lunch or a spot of coffee and cake. It’s almost like taking a little holiday – you feel like you have been transported somewhere else.
Many of the items in or on the sheds have something to do with the history of Rougham Estate, such as the WWII plane over the dovecote which links directly to the bombing of Rougham Hall in 1940. You can read more about this in the history timeline.
While you’re here…
… why not enjoy one of the lovely walks around Rougham Estate? We have over 20 kilometres of public rights of way and an additional 5.5 kilometres of permissive rights of way granted by the Estate for further enjoyment, as well as some of our favourite routes mapped out for you. You can always start your walk with a coffee and end with a cake!
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For these glorious late summer days you can find some fabulous brunch specials at Roots Café this week.
Choose from the venison burger or the salad:
Rougham Estate venison burger with brie, smoked aioli and salad in a ciabatta bun served with coleslaw and fries.
Maple-roasted pumpkin, flame-grilled sumac, red pepper, radichio leaves, rocket, feta and pumpkin seeds topped with a spiced plum and orange dressing.
Don’t miss them – they’re only available this week.
Good food, good location, good weather… and the full menu is available every day.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you!
#roughamestate #burystedmunds #rootscaferougham #suffolkfoodie
Last chance to book your place on our Wild Weave Workshop…
If you’ve been thinking about trying something new, this could be the perfect opportunity to spend a day working with natural materials and learning a new skill.
Join textile artist Caroline Hyde-Brown at Blackthorpe Barn and create your own unique piece of wild art using woven grasses and freshly grown flowers. You’ll work with a mini hand-held loom and take your finished creation home with you.
It’s suitable for complete beginners as well as those who already enjoy crafting.
When:
Saturday 26 September
10am–4pm
£70 per person
The Meadow Room, Blackthorpe Barn
Places are limited, so if you’ve been meaning to book, now’s the time!
You can find out more on the link in our bio #WildWeave #WildWeaveWorkshop
ArtWorks @artworkseast is entering its second weekend, and then there’s just one more week to visit.
If you haven’t been yet, now is the time. Over 300 original works by 28 established East Anglian artists are on show at Blackthorpe Barn, including paintings, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media and more. All of it available to buy and all of it made by artists who know their craft.
Come and browse at your own pace, meet the artists in person, watch them at work and find something that speaks to you. You can find the list of which artists are demonstrating each day on the @artworkseast website.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or simply someone who loves great art, there’s plenty here to discover and inspire you.
Open daily until Sunday 27th September
10am – 4pm
Blackthorpe Barn on Rougham Estate – SatNav IP30 9HZ
Free entry and free parking
Roots Café next door and the Rougham Estate Lifestyle Shop
Walks around the Estate (see the Rougham Estate website for details)
See you soon!
#EastAnglianArtists #SuffolkArt #BuryStEdmunds #OriginalArt #RoughamEstate
Throwback Thursday to the beginning of one of the biggest projects we’ve undertaken at Blackthorpe Barn.
Back in February, the scaffolding and hoarding started going up as we began the full rethatching of this incredible 16th-century building.
It was quite a sight to see the work get underway, with around 12 highly skilled thatchers spending around 40 days carefully renewing the roof using traditional techniques.
Blackthorpe Barn has been part of Rougham Estate for more than 500 years and remains a real icon of the Estate. Today, it continues to be at the heart of what we do, currently hosting the Artworks East exhibition and in November, transforming into one of our biggest Christmas events, with our much loved Christmas Shop and Arts & Crafts Fair.
So while the thatching may be a traditional craft, the Barn certainly has plenty of life left in it now.
Here’s a little look back at where the rethatching journey began.
#RoughamEstate #BlackthorpeBarn #Rethatching
Today is exactly 100 days until Christmas!
Although here at Rougham Estate, Christmas arrives a little sooner…
Our Christmas Shop opens on Monday 19 October, bringing plenty of festive treats, beautiful decorations and special finds to help make your home feel magical this Christmas.
And before the doors open to everyone, we’ll be hosting an exclusive afternoon shopping event on Friday 16 October for a limited number of Rougham Estate newsletter subscribers. It’s a chance to explore the Christmas Shop and buy before anyone else.
Want to be among the first to see what’s coming? Make sure you’re subscribed (on the bottom of our website pages) to hear the latest news and be in with a chance of joining us.
Christmas might be 100 days away, but the countdown at Rougham Estate has already begun!
#RoughamEstate #ChristmasAtRougham #ChristmasShop #100DaysToChristmas
The recent rain has certainly been welcomed by the cattle on the Estate!
After a long, dry summer, the grass is getting a much needed boost and is starting to green up again, giving the cattle plenty to enjoy.
It’s always good to see the Estate responding to a change in the weather and nature getting back to doing what it does best.
#RoughamEstate #EstateLife #SuffolkFarming
Still clinging on to summer? We’ve got a special for you.
Our salad of the week is a fresh green bean salad with pecans, feta, spinach, red onion, sumac and micro coriander, all finished with a honey mustard dressing.
Or perhaps you’re already feeling a little more autumnal?
Our brunch special is a little more comforting, with crispy potatoes coated in caramelised onion jam, topped with fried halloumi, a poached egg, chilli flakes and parsley.
Whichever season you’re in, we’ve got something for you at Roots Café this week.
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafe #WeeklySpecials
Rougham Pumpkins opens again in 3 weeks! Yes, it’s that time again. 🎃🎉
The pumpkins are already looking great and the gates will be swinging open on Saturday 3rd Oct.
Save the date to come and wander amongst 100,000s of pumpkins, squashes and gourds in over 15 varieties.
You’ll find a whole autumn festival with the big bale pyramids, sandpits, pedal tractors, football goals, space to run and play and face painting by @faceitfaceart
These fabulous food trucks will be here every weekend:
🌮🌯🥞☕️🍰🥘🍦🥂🍗
Roots&Co – coffee, cakes, snacks, drinks (soft & alcoholic)
@whatthe_peck – Suffolk-reared fried chicken
@badboiburritos – toasted burritos
@Pigs_In – all your pork favourites
@GeeGeeBakes – coffee, cheesecakes, milkshakes
@KiernansCoffee – coffees, drinks & snacks at the Pitch in the Patch
@FullThrottleCoffeeCo – coffees & snacks
On selected days:
@Tikka_Tonic – New Delhi style street food
@TheCreperieShack – sweet & savoury crepes
@itsotisbreading – sourdough toasties & salads
@greyscoffee_ – coffees & homemade bakes
Bring your own picnic if you like.
🔦 Pumpkins by Torchlight & Silent Disco
On two spooky Saturday evenings, 17th & 24th October, 6pm–9pm, bring your torches, wear your wellies and enjoy the pumpkin patch after dark with a silent disco.
Disco headsets need to be booked – tickets coming soon.
🧡 SEN-Friendly Sessions
9am-10am on Tues 27th & Thurs 29th October, entry to the patch will be ticketed to give a quieter time for those who benefit from a calmer, more relaxed visit.
Free tickets to be booked in advance – tickets coming soon.
📅 Open on the following dates in October
9am–5pm
Sat 3 – Sun 4
Sat 10 – Sun 11
Sat 17 – Sun 18
Daily Sat 24 – Sat 31 (10am-5pm on 27th & 29th)
‼️The pumpkins are in the NEW Sunflower and Pumpkin Field, south of J45, A14, Elderstub Lane, SatNav: IP30 9HX
📣 We’re looking for seasonal staff aged over 18. Apply through the advert on Indeed.
🐕 Dogs welcome in the picnic area and the small doggy patch, but not in the main patch.
All the details from our website – link in bio.
#roughamestate #burystedmunds #pickyourownpumpkin
Tag us @RoughamEstate
