A Coffee Lover’s Guide to Independent Cafes

A vegan friendly expresso and cocktail bar in Whiting Street, Baskerville's is the dream of owner Maxima Baskerville. The espresso and cocktail bar - which sells entirely plant-based foods - is open seven days a week, offering 'light bite' snacks.

The bar spans over two floors, with the basement home to a cocktail area!

From their enviable position overlooking Angel Hill and the walls of the Abbey Gardens, Really Rather Good on Abbeygate Street is a delight whether you’re seated inside or out.

Cream painted tables and chairs create a vintage chic feel while the extensive menu of Butterworth coffees includes all your favourite drinks, as well as wochas (white chocolate mochas) and affogatos (espressos with ice cream, ideal for sunny summer days). Stay for a delicious lunch, cake or snack made with locally sourced ingredients.

With artwork and tables from Dapper Aviation, which makes furniture from aircraft parts, No5 Angel Hill is truly unique.

Occupying a prime spot opposite Bury St Edmunds iconic Abbey Gate with a view of Angel Hill, the entrance to the Abbey Gardens and St Edmundsbury Cathedral it is the perfect place to eat and drink and people watch!

A family run cafe, Primal 8 not only serves great coffee but has an emphasis on health and wellbeing too!

Try their chai latte, made with infused real spice, or their Shroom coffee with organic dual extracted chaga Mushroom wild crafted from forests in Mongolia, known to enhance cognitive performance & improve brain health.

They serve a selection of sweet and savoury meals and snacks including CBD oil infused brownies (one of the best if not the best brownie in Bury St Edmunds), and breakfasts including their new Primal Pancakes - gluten free, low carb, grain free, and vegetarian friendly pancakes with a side of 100% free range, unprocessed, nitrate free bacon and a free range egg.

You can be sure of a warm welcome and a great cup of coffee at Baileys 2; past winners of the Suffolk Food and Drinks Award for Best Tea/Coffee Shop.

With their own signature blend, you can choose from cafetiere coffee or an extensive menu of espresso-based drinks.

You’ll also find homemade scones, cakes and a huge choice of made-to-order sandwiches, as well as a delicious breakfast, at this popular café which prides itself on sourcing ingredients as locally as possible.

On this quaint cobbled street, lined with fabulous independent shops, the Bay Tree Café occupies one of the oldest buildings on St John's Street.

As well as a wide range of traditional café treats, the menu includes a selection of modern bistro dishes, making this café a great choice for breakfast, lunch, snacks or just a revitalising cup of rainforest alliance coffee.

The whoosh of the espresso machine and the sound of happy chatter creates a vibrant atmosphere downstairs while the sofa, low ceiling and original beams upstairs provide a cosy refuge for those looking to relax. The upstairs space is also very popular with book clubs and groups running classes.

The Bay Tree serves coffee by Butterworth & Sons, Bury St Edmunds-based coffee roasters.

Close to the marketplace, Café Kottani is a great place for authentic Greek coffee or mountain tea as well as all your favourite Italian coffees.

The owners of this family-run business, who also own nearby Papaki's Deli, serve healthy appetising Greek and Mediterranean meals and snacks, as well as a selection of British classics. We recommend the spanakopita (a Mediterranean pie made with spinach, feta and nettles) as well as the impeccable baklava.

The Lounge & Garden is family-friendly café that offers a wide range of coffees, sandwiches and light bites in a laid-back environment in which you’ll feel free to linger.

Relax in a tub chair with a newspaper or take your coffee put into their pretty secret walled garden.

Midgar Coffee is an independent cafe serving good coffee, tasty toasties, scrumptious homebaked treats within a friendly, cosy and tranquil atmosphere.

Located on St John's Street, a road full of character with many independent shops just off the main shopping square of Bury St Edmunds, they serve specialty coffee, brewed teas, fresh juices, natural smoothies, homemade cakes, vegan and vegetarian toasties.

Located in Langton Place, Procopio's Pantry is a traditional tea room with a twist.

Swapping out jacket potatoes for loaded wedges and serving up sweet treats for breakfast, this tea room aims to be a relaxing spot where customers can enjoy good company and even better food.

If you’re near the Abbey Gardens you could also head over to Pilgrims Kitchen within the St Edmundsbury Cathedral, is another inviting option. Find a table or take a seat on a chapel chair to enjoy a steaming cup of Paddy & Scott’s coffee and a selection of excellent dishes and homemade cakes.

On sunny days, take your coffee into the wonderful garden, walled by the Abbey – or head over to Grounds Cafe - Abbey Gardens to refuel by the budgerigars and canaries in the aviaries.

Bury St Edmunds also has all your favourite national brands too including Costa, Caffe Nero, and Starbucks!

Visit our Food and Drink Directory for more yummy food and drink businesses in Bury St Edmunds and Beyond!