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.
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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Our next Canvas Club date is set!!
Enjoy a relaxed evening of painting, sharing delicious tapas, and sipping fizz, all guided by artist Sarah Day of Day Design.
Create your own vibrant lobster artwork with step-by-step guidance. No experience is needed, just bring your creativity! Your ticket includes a glass of fizz and a curated selection of tapas plates.
Don’t miss this unique experience, get ready to paint, chat, and unwind! For more details, check out our website. 🦞🥂
#RoughamEstate #SipandPaint #Rootscafe #thingstodoinbury
As we enter the first week of June, it’s officially time for alfresco dining!
So why not try our brunch special which is a taste of the Mediterranean but in the UK – flatbread with marinara sauce, burrata, fresh basil and sun‑dried tomatoes, finished with oregano.
For something seasonal and healthy, try our special salad of thyme and rosemary with roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic‑roasted asparagus, crumbled feta, pickled red onions and toasted pine nuts. It’s not one to miss.
#roughamestate #rootscafe #seasonaldishes #wheretoeatinbury
That’s another month gone!
And what a month it was, with lots of hustle and bustle – May saw the start of Rougham Estate in Bloom and the plenty of other activities that the sun was shining on.
Goodbye May, you’ve been fantastic.
#RoughamEstate #GoodbyeMay #blackthorpebarn
Rougham Estate in Bloom continues by turning our attention to one of the Estate’s quieter but most vital habitats: the ponds and the life within them.
Across the Estate, we have 34 ponds and wetland areas support a surprising variety of wildlife, from insects and larvae to amphibians and birds that rely on these spaces through the seasons. Often hidden just below the surface, this is a world of constant activity, playing an important role in the wider balance of the landscape.
These still waters are anything but still when you take a closer look. They connect into the wider ecosystem of the Estate, supporting biodiversity in ways that often go unnoticed but are essential to everything above ground.
Part of Rougham Estate in Bloom, celebrating the hidden connections that bring the Estate to life.
#RoughamInBloom #RoughamEstate #PondLife #Biodiversity #NatureInBalance
Following on from our other post about the insects on Rougham Estate, why not explore the Estate yourself?
You can zoom right down to the fine detail with a hands-on macro photography workshop designed for beginner to intermediate photographers looking to build confidence and refine their skills.
Led by Danny who took these amazing pictures, the session will focus on how to compose striking, wall-worthy images while learning the key camera settings and techniques needed to achieve pin-sharp results.
Working outdoors, you’ll be guided through practical tips on equipment setup, lighting and approach, with support throughout to help you get the most from your camera and subject matter.
Please note this course is not suitable for mobile phones, and attendees should bring their own camera equipment along with comfortable outdoor clothing and footwear.
More information and booking from our website – link in bio.
#macrophotography #RoughamEstateInBloom #eventsinburystedmunds
Rougham Estate in Bloom is as much about the smallest lives on the Estate as it is the sweeping landscape.
Minibeasts are everywhere here once you start to look closely, moving through wildflower fields, hedgerows, ponds and gardens, quietly doing the work that keeps everything in balance. From pollinating crops and flowers to supporting the wider food chain, they are a vital part of how the Estate functions through the seasons.
With wildflower strips, diverse planting and carefully-managed habitats across the Estate, Rougham provides the conditions for this insect life to thrive, often just out of sight but always at work.
It’s a reminder that some of the most important parts of the landscape are the ones you have to slow down to notice, and it’s all part of Rougham Estate in Bloom, celebrating the connections that hold the Estate together.
#RoughamEstateInBloom #minibeasts #insects #biodiversity
This week at Roots Café we’re serving two delicious specials, perfect for the sunny weather! ☀️
Salad special: baby spinach, creamy burrata, sundried tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, pasta, olives, tossed in a zesty pesto-lemon and garlic yoghurt dressing.
Brunch special: shakshouka with chorizo, finished with lemon, dill and tahini dressing and salsa verde, served with toasted sourdough.
Don’t miss out. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
#Rootscafe #RoughamEstate #foodspecials #wheretoeatinburystedmunds
Rougham Estate in Bloom continues into Week 2, where we turn our attention to one of the Estate’s quietest but most vital forces: the honey bee.
Dotted across the Estate are around 48 colonies of honeybees, working steadily through the seasons to support pollination across the wider landscape. Over the last 6–7 years, the number of hives has gradually grown, playing an increasingly important role in the health of wildflowers, crops and hedgerows across the Estate.
At this time of year, the first honey crop is typically taken after the oilseed rape has finished flowering in late spring, with bees also foraging on blossom from sycamore, blackthorn, horse chestnut, damson and hawthorn. A second, main crop follows in late summer, influenced by plants such as blackberry, sweet chestnut and the Estate’s own pollinator strips, rich with borage, phacelia and sunflowers.
The result is a honey that changes with the season and the weather, from light and set, perfect for toast, to deeper, more complex flavours that reflect a summer’s foraging across the Estate. No two years are ever quite the same, shaped entirely by nature’s conditions.
It’s a reminder that honey is never just one thing, but a reflection of the landscape itself, and the delicate balance of weather, plants and pollinators working together.
#roughaminbloom #roughamestate #honeybee
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