Sarah and team roll out seasonal food and hospitality at Stonham Barns Park
The just relaunched Café 24 at Stonham Barns Park – one of Suffolk’s premier leisure, retail and holiday destinations – has been shortlisted as a finalist for the East of England Business Awards to be staged at the Radisson Blue Hotel at London Stansted Airport on 12 October.
The newly enhanced foodie café has recently undergone a complete remodelling and relaunch with enhanced outdoor eating area.
Owner Sarah Shaw has achieved the life-long dream of her late Mother to own and run a café with the backing of husband Robert. The aim of Café 24 is to be big on quality seasonal food and exceptional service. And a place where people can meet up with friends, family and colleagues and spend time together socialising. Located at the entrance to Stonham Barns Park on the A1120, the café is named after its address – No 24 Stonham Barns Park. The relevance of number 24 is that it has personal attachment to Sarah’s life.
Said Sarah, ‘To be invited to the awards as a finalist is such an achievement and I am honoured – and a little overwhelmed – to be a part of this event. I will be taking my whole team with me to the presentation as this achievement would be for us all if we were lucky enough to win!’
‘The whole process of opening the business has been a roller coaster ride – in a good way. We have all had so much fun bringing good food and company to our customers, and we do want to continue to build on our success in the future. It’s what we all love doing so we will keep enhancing the offering to improve the experience for our lovely loyal customers!’
‘I put this café together as a tribute to my Mum who was my role model and inspiration. She was a home baking enthusiast and very much a people person. So, it’s a dream to be able to follow in her footsteps and do what she wanted to do.’
Together with the kitchen team – of Michael, James and Dawn – Sarah has put together a simple but tempting menu for the café which includes locally sourced ingredients. Visitors to the venue are able to Dine In, Dine Out on the new outdoor seating area and also benefit from a Takeaway service.
London-born Sarah, who moved from Essex to Stonham Aspal, continues, ‘Of course, we do coffee for coffee lovers, but we do so much more. This is also a restaurant with a top chef who delights in plating up delicious food and mixing up the menus. The meat is locally sourced, the vegetables and herbs too. We live in Suffolk where agriculture is all around us and so we produce food that reflects our countryside location. It’s all top-quality food served in a friendly, relaxed and informal setting.’
The number of staff varies throughout the year flexing from 5 to 12 during the height of the summer. Visitors come to Stonham Barns Park to enjoy the attractions including The Owl Sanctuary, The Stonham Discount Garden & Home Centre, The Golf Centre, The Antique Centre, Legends Sports Bar and The Retail Village. This keeps the café and restaurant busy with customers, but Sarah wants to encourage members of the Suffolk community to drop in too.
Café 24 serves freshly made cakes and savoury classics including everything from Mozzarella, Sun-Blushed Tomato, Pesto and Roasted Pepper Panini to Suffolk Smoked Ham, Egg and Chips, Delicious Lasagne and the everyone’s absolute weekly favourite – yummy Sunday roast!
For more information or to book a table call 01449 711257.
