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 rootscafe@roughamestate.com 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 rootscafe@roughamestate.com
Bookings are only confirmed when you hear back from us. See below. - Over the Christmas period, we are closed on 24th, 25th, 26th December.
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 rootscafe@roughamestate.com and please include a number we can call you on.
- Unfortunately we can’t take same-day bookings.
- No bookings at the weekend.
- 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 rootscafe@roughamestate.com 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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Are you an established artisan creating your own original pieces, not bought-in, not mass-produced? Then this invitation is for you!
We are seeking inspirational designer-makers with a deep respect for materials, process and craftsmanship, ready to exhibit within the beautiful setting of the Blackthorpe Barn at the Rougham Estate Arts & Crafts event this coming Christmas.
Our visitors come specifically to discover and buy beautifully-made work. They value authenticity, they appreciate the story behind each piece and they return year after year to meet the makers themselves.
If you are proud of what you create and ready to join an exceptional community of craftspeople, applications for 2026 are now open.
#CallForMakers #DesignerMaker #BritishCraft #Craftsmanship #ContemporaryCraft
We are already weeks into the rethatch and as you can see, the transformation into a golden barn is coming on nicely.
Plenty happened during week 3, with the @eadt24 press visiting to write a story about the rethatch.
Also, while inspecting the structure we sadly found some rot in the roof battens (on a small patch of the roof), which are the wooden strips that support the thatch. These are now being replaced to ensure the barn remains sturdy for years to come, though it will delay the project slightly.
In answer to some of the questions you have asked, the old thatch will go to compost and be reused on the Estate, most likely on the farm.
Regarding whether we will have a straw animal finial on the top, the current answer is no. As much as we love finial animals, the Estate feels this is not in keeping with the history and function of the barn.
#roughamestate #blackthorpebarn #rethatch
Why not join us at Rougham Estate for a Willow Weaving Workshop to make a giant flower?
With 2 workshops on 7th March, you can join @the__coddiwomplers for a hands-on creative workshop in our beautiful Meadow Room.
Guided by two experienced basket makers, you’ll learn traditional willow weaving skills and techniques while making an attractive piece for your home or garden.
The workshop focuses on weaving a willow flower using traditional basketry methods often employed when forming a basket base, making it an ideal introduction for anyone interested in basket weaving.
By the end of the session you’ll take home your large willow flower suitable for hanging on a wall or mounting on a stem for outdoor display.
The course is suitable for beginners and requires no prior experience.
The link is in the bio to book.
#workshops #artsandcrafts #roughamestate
We had a fab opportunity to host the local press for an educational tour of our rethatch recently.
They got to interview owner George Agnew and master thatcher Stuart from @dodsonbrosthatchers who was very impressive.
We took the chance to capture some of our own behind-the-scenes content and educational insights to share with you soon.
It was a cold morning, but we all walked away having learned something new!
Keep your eyes peeled for the feature in the East Anglian Daily Times. 👀
Get your taste buds ready for our new weekly special at Roots Café.
This dish has chicken, bacon, our homemade Caesar dressing, mini gem lettuce and beef tomato, all served in a toasted ciabatta.
It is available now but for this week only.
Whether you are local to Rougham or visiting the grounds for a walk, it makes for a perfect stop during your day.
Join us this week to try it for yourself before the menu rotates.
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafe #Suffolk #BritishFood #CafeSpecial
You may already know that all the coffee we serve here at Rougham Estate is supplied by the award-winning speciality coffee roasters @butterworths based locally in Bury St Edmunds.
Now we are pleased to say that Butterworth’s coffee is also used in all our coffee cakes too.
This one here is a delicious coffee and walnut cake (first pic) made by the fabulous @rudisbakin who makes many of our cakes.
We’re keen to support local businesses where possible.
Sunday is the perfect day for a trip out into the Suffolk countryside to have coffee and cake. You’ll find a range of sweet treats, cakes and scones here as well as a large selection of tasty drinks, hot, cold and alcoholic.
Come and enjoy!!
#supportlocal #suffolklife #suffolksfinest #burystedmunds #coffeeculture
Looking for something new this weekend?
How about trying the new Korean Buttermilk Fried Chicken dish on our Roots Café menu, with kimchi and spring onion salsa, a fried egg and gochujang BBQ sauce, all atop tasty focaccia. It’s a great breakfast to set you up for the day or as brunch, perhaps after a walk through the woods here – the snowdrops are wonderful right now.
Why not make a day of it with a browse through the Lifestyle and Garden Shop, full of delightful and desirable items to beautify your home and outdoor spaces.
Or, if you’re looking for something more refreshing, we’re pleased to have the Roaming Sauna with us all weekend. Bring your ‘cossie, a couple of towels and perhaps some friends, and enjoy the full hot and cold reset experience in the peace of the gorgeous Suffolk countryside (book directly with @the_roaming_sauna_ ).
Rougham Estate – the perfect place to relax and restore your energy at the weekend.
Roots Café open daily 9am – 4pm
Rougham Estate Shop open daily 10am – 4pm
2 minutes south of the A14, J45, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Plenty of free parking. All the details from our website.
#roughamestate #suffolkliving #suffolklife #suffolksfinest #daysoutsuffolk
Our new collection of nature-inspired Spring workshops are now open for booking.
The @the__coddiwomplers return for their popular Willow Weaving sessions, where you can make mini-baskets or sculptural flowers.
If you prefer working with light and colour,Danielle Hopkinson from @stained_glass_studio is back with her Fused Glass workshops to help you create striking garden art and sculptures.
These friendly, hands-on sessions are the perfect way to learn a new skill this season. Spaces are limited, so early booking is highly recommended.
Find out more and book your spot the link is in the bio.
#workshops #roughamestate #craftworkshops
Tag us @RoughamEstate
