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
- No reservations taken between 19th October and Christmas.
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.
Rest of the year, from January to mid-October:
Reservations only for groups of 6 or more on weekdays
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.
- Unfortunately we do not take any bookings during the Christmas Festival from 19th October to mid-December.
- Over the Christmas period, we are closed on 24th, 25th, 26th December.
- Bookings can be made from around 20th December onwards again.
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
Unfortunately we are not able to take any bookings during the Christmas Festival from 19th October to mid-December.
During the rest of the year, 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 (19 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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One week today the magic of Christmas arrives at Blackthorpe Barn, here at Rougham Estate. ✨
You’ll be able to step into the story of Christmas as the beautiful old barn comes alive with festive displays, sparkling decorations and inspiration for the season ahead.
Behind the scenes, the elves are doing the finishing touches ready for you to explore and discover those special pieces that make Christmas feel like magic.
The countdown is on!
We can’t wait to welcome you back!
#RoughamEstate #ChristmasAtRougham #ChristmasShop #BlackthorpeBarn SuffolkChristmas
With Weekend 2 of the pumpkins finished, it’s time to think about next weekend’s fun already, and it will be a step-up again 🎃🎉🕺
Yesterday we had @thephonks playing some cool tunes on the Saturday afternoon.
Next Saturday (17th) the brilliant @Megan_Rae_Music will be playing live from 2-4pm.
It’s still free entry, no booking needed. If you want some great autumn festival vibes, come along, enjoy the entertainment while feasting on fabulous food.
Then, why not stay on for Pumpkins by Torchlight and the first of the two famous Rougham Pumpkins Silent Discos this year. From 6pm-9pm the patch will be open for you to search for your pumpkin in the dark. Free entry and no booking needed, but if you want headsets for the silent discos, you need to book these soon (tickets selling fast). Book on our website.
There will be a waiting list for headsets on the night, if you don’t manage to book in advance, and 3 different channels of music playing, with one specifically child-friendly.
If you prefer not to be bothered by music when looking for pumpkins by torchlight, don’t worry – you’ll be surprised at how silent the silent disco really is.
Don’t forget to dress warmly, dress up if you want, pull on your wellies and bring your torches.
Pumpkins by Torchlight is happening on the 17th and 24th October. We can’t wait to see everyone boogying around and having a good time.
These are the food trucks with us next weekend, 17/18 Oct:
Roots&Co – bagels, baps, crumble, cakes, drinks including a bar
@whatthe_peck – Suffolk-reared fried chicken
@BadBoiBurritos – toasted burritos
@Pigs_In – all your pork favourites
@Tikka_Tonic – New Delhi style street food
@TheCreperieShack – sweet & savoury crepes
@ItsOtisBreading – sourdough toasties
@GeeGeeBakes – cheesecakes, milkshakes & coffees
@KiernansCoffee – coffees, drinks & snacks at the Pitch in the Patch
@FullThrottleCoffeeCo – coffees
@GreysCoffee_ – coffees and cakes (Sunday 18th only)
We’ve had a great weekend this weekend – thank you to everyone who visited. 🙌
And we can’t wait to really get this festival going next weekend! 🎃🕺🎉
#roughamestate #roughampumpkins #suffolkevents #burystedmunds
Weekend 2 of Rougham Pumpkins is already here and it’s a good one! Pick your pumpkins from the patch, right where they’ve been growing.
And there’s so much more! Space to run and play games, climb bale pyramids, pedal tractors, sand pits, football goals (bring your own ball)
📣Live music this Saturday afternoon 10th (not 11th as on the slide 🙈) from the fabulous @thephonks (unmute to hear them) 2pm-4pm
Face painting by @faceitfaceart
Enjoy something delicious from these amazing food trucks this weekend:
Roots&Co – bagels, baps, crumble, cakes, drinks including a bar
@whatthe_peck – Suffolk-reared fried chicken
@BadBoiBurritos – toasted burritos
@Pigs_In – all your pork favourites
@Tikka_Tonic – New Delhi style street food
@TheCreperieShack – sweet & savoury crepes (Saturday 10th only)
@GeeGeeBakes – cheesecakes, milkshakes & coffees
@KiernansCoffee – coffees, drinks & snacks by the swing and pyramid at the Pitch in the Patch
@FullThrottleCoffeeCo – coffees (Saturday 10th only)
@greyscoffee_ – coffees and cakes (Sunday 11th only)
Bring your own picnic if you like.
🎃NEW FIELD! The pumpkins are in a new field this year, south of J45, A14 on Elderstub Lane. SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Driving directions in a previous reel, maps and directions on our website
🎃Free entry, free parking, no booking needed
🎃Open 9am-5pm each weekend in October and then daily from 24th to 31st. Open until 9pm on Saturdays 17th and 24th
🎃Find the golden pumpkin and win 1 barrow of pumpkins
🎃Pumpkins by Torchlight and Silent Disco on 17th and 24th October 6pm-9pm. Last headset tickets still available
🎃SEN-hours ticketed-entry only on 27th and 29th October 9am-10am
🎃Well-behaved dogs welcome on a short lead in the picnic area and in a small area of the patch
All the details from our website.
We can’t wait to welcome you to the Pumpkin Festival!!
See you at the patch 🧡
#roughamestate #burystedmunds #suffolkevents #pickyourownpumpkin
Autumn brings plenty of seasonal ingredients that are perfect for preserving, pickling and fermenting.
Chef Rowen Halstead returns with his popular for a hands-on fermentation workshop at Rougham Estate on Saturday 31 October, where you’ll learn new techniques and create two seasonal ferments to take home: spiced pumpkin sauerkraut and orchard fruit kombucha chutney.
If you’ve joined us for one of our previous fermentation workshops, you’ll be pleased to know this is a new workshop with new techniques. Each session uses different seasonal ingredients and explores new recipes and techniques, so there’s always something new to discover.
It’s suitable for beginners and those with a little more experience, with plenty of practical guidance along the way.
Find out more and book your place on the Rougham Estate website.
#RoughamEstate #FermentationWorkshop #Fermentation
A little autumn atmosphere over our fields…
A special scene of mist rising over a field of freshly drilled Winter Barley, with the soft autumn light, we felt was worth a share!
While the countryside is settling into autumn, the farming year is already looking ahead, with the next crops getting established across the Estate.
#RoughamEstate #AutumnAtRougham #WinterBarley
What if your dreams are trying to tell you something?
On Saturday 7th November, join psychotherapist Gilly Crow for Wake Up to Your Dreams, an interactive talk exploring why our dreams can be so intriguing and what they might tell us about ourselves.
Gilly has spent more than 35 years working as a psychotherapist in the Suffolk countryside, with dreams at the heart of much of her work. Her approach is not about trying to find a neat meaning for every dream, but about exploring what our dreams might reveal and why they can be meaningful.
Whether you have recurring dreams, are curious about your unconscious or simply wonder why we dream at all, this promises to be a fascinating morning.
Saturday 7 November
9.15am–12pm
£15 per person
Tea, coffee and mince pies will be provided, and Gilly’s book will also be available to buy on the day.
Booking is essential.
Find out more via the link in our bio.
#RoughamEstate #WakeUpToYourDreams #GillyCrow
There’s definitely an autumn feel to this week’s specials at Roots Café.
Brunch special: Rougham Estate apple and strawberry crumble with a coconut granola topping and crème anglaise.
Or our soup of the week: Cream of Rougham pumpkin soup, served with garlic croutons and dukkah spice, alongside friendly loaf bread.
Pop in after a walk around the Estate and warm up with something delicious.
Roots Café is open daily from 9am–4pm.
#BlackthorpeBarn AutumnAtRougham
Not sure how to find Rougham Pumpkins, because we’re not in the same field as last year? We’ve got you covered!
Finding the Rougham Pumpkin Patch is easier than you think, just follow this reel and you’ll know exactly where you’re going before you even leave the house.
We’re about 3 miles east of Bury St Edmunds, just south of Junction 45 on the A14, in Elderstub Lane.
(This is the same junction as last year, but south of the A14 instead of north.)
SatNav: IP30 9HX
What3words: others.flaunting.anchorman
Open 9am – 5pm at the weekends in October and daily 24-31 October.
Free entry, free parking, no booking needed.
Thousands upon thousands of pumpkins.
Games, bale pyramids, sand pits and more.
A fabulous festival selection of street food trucks.
Evening openings and SEN hours.
One golden pumpkin to be found in the field each day, winning the finder a free barrow-load of pumpkins.
All the info from our website, link in profile.
See you at the patch! 🎃🧡
#RoughamEstate #RoughamPumpkins #PickYourOwnPumpkins #SuffolkAutumn #BuryStEdmunds
Tag us @RoughamEstate
