The irony that she’s opening a meat-free café in a former butcher’s shop isn’t lost on Chestnut & Rose owner Sarah Pearsons. "It's certainly different," she says.
Sarah shies away from using the term ‘vegan’, knowing it can turn some people off. It is, she says, just delicious food. “I want people to treat it the same as any other café, where the food is homemade and yummy. It just happens to be plant-based!”.
A former Slimming World boss, Sarah and her family moved away from meat and dairy nearly four years ago, with Sarah launching Chestnut & Rose, making and selling vegan grazing platters from home and attending local markets to great success.
Next week (Tuesday, January 24) she brings her bricks and mortar vision to life, taking up premises on Kesgrave’s Penzance Road.
“When I started Chestnut & Rose I looked at premises in Martlesham Heath where I used to run my Slimming World group,” she says. “That was at the end of Covid, and I was starting to look at what I’d do in the next phase of my life.
“So my brain was already ticking over, thinking about a shop back then. I’ve been really enjoying markets and everything else I’ve been doing, but when I saw this shop come up...it couldn’t have been more perfect.
“It’s around the corner from my house. My kids go to school nearby. It was a case of the right place at the right time. People always say that. But it’s true!”
The former butchery had been there for decades, but shut suddenly, leaving a hole in the community run of stores which includes a Post Office, convenience shop, hairdressers and pharmacy.
Sarah jumped at the opportunity. “There was quite a bit of interest in it though. Places don’t come up often in Kesgrave.
“Luckily for me the landlord completely cleared it out. It was a blank canvas with white walls and a freshly concreted floor. It was just empty rooms. In a way it’s been really lovely, but trying to visualise what I wanted to do in a blank space was hard. We’re nearly there though. Bringing colour and life back in here.”
The café seats 30 inside, with space for outside dining in warmer weather. Sarah has splashed the interior with teals and oranges, adding bench seating and tables, as well as a C-shaped counter displaying the cakes of the day.
Breakfast will be quite different for Kesgrave, with Chestnut & Rose offering smoothie bowls, homemade potato waffles, creamy mushrooms or homemade beans on toast.
Moving onto lunch, and added extras include filled jacket potatoes and soup. “I’m also going to carry on offering graze boxes for collection from the shop. And we’ll have a ‘picky plate’ with olives, hummus, crudites and nibbles. To share...or not to share!”
Sarah’s become known for her brownies and Biscoff rocky road (“it’s the thing people always ask for”) which will make regular appearances, but she’s also being joined in the kitchen by another talented baker. “Her favourite thing is big cakes in different flavours. They’re really impressive-looking sandwich cakse so I’m excited to introduce those too,” says Sarah.
On the drinks menu she’s partnered with small, artisan companies such as Bury St Edmunds’ Crude for coffee, Sudbury/Bury St Edmunds-based Marimba for hot chocolate, and Twist Teas. “If people are going to come and spend their money on a cup of tea, it’s got to be a decent cup of tea,” she adds.
There are plans to introduce afternoon teas in the future, once she’s settled in, and Sarah hopes the café will be a bit of a breath of fresh air for the area.
“There’s a huge mix of people in Kesgrave. We’ve got a lot of retired people and then on the Grange Farm side more families and professionals. Lots of mums who hopefully will want to come in after the school run. For me, if I meet a friend, we have to drive out further away if we fancy tea and cake. There aren’t that many places close to us.
“I want it to be a real hub of the community.
“I’ve just put out all the tables and chairs. And the signage has gone up, which was a massive moment for me. It made it feel real, seeing the name above the door.
“The response here has already been lovely and I can’t wait to meet people when they come in. That’s one of the things that made me do this. As much as I enjoyed working from home, it was being at markets and events, face-to-face, having contact with others that I loved the most.”
Chestnut & Rose, at 32A Penzance Road, Kesgrave, will be open from 8.30am to 4.30pm Tuesday to Saturday.
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