Cradle in Babergh

The lunch we had at Cradle was nearly sublime. Reassuringly one choice only re starter and main. The Carrot & Apple soup was rich and deeply good; the accompanying bread and pickled salad a wonderful treat. Then later, as utterly made to order, the main. So many ingredients harmonising and nourishing …Franky, best lunch in memory

We are so fortunate to have this amazing vegan cafe/restaurant in our small market town. From Coffee and pastries to amazing lunches and now the Friday supper club is back. you don’t have to be vegan to really enjoy a meal here. I have tried so many vegan cheeses and been unimpressed. but the cashew base cheese is amazing. The ‘blue’ cheese an absolute joy to taste.

Amazing food ,staff and atmosphere. Loved it. Fabulous selection of food and drink. Really good value too.

Absolutely delicious food, only popped in for a snack and ended up having two course. All handmade to a high standard. Very relaxed friendly atmosphere, could have sat there all day 😂

Tonight was the second supper club I’ve attended at Cradle & honestly, I can’t fault it. Every single dish was incredible & I love that they do a different signature cocktail at each supper club (tonight was a blood orange old fashioned). The staff are very friendly & the place had a great ambience - a fantastic way to spend a Friday night!

What a surprise!! Firstly I want to say I’m not a Vegan - I like my meat too much - so when friends suggested this place I was sceptical . I was expecting bland food full of beans but how wrong was I. The food was fool of flavour and texture. I was stuffed at the end and it was an amazing meal. The service is first class and it was a pleasure eating there. My culinary horizons were expanded. Please carry on doing this.

Expensive but the hand made bread is worth treating yourself now and then. Staff are absolutely lovely.

All the food here is fantastic! We go pretty often to get our croissant fix and honestly they are the best around (vegan or non vegan!!) served by lovely / friendly people!

A small, charming bakery and cafe - awesome bread and patisserie (croissants, pain au chocolat etc). A small set lunch choice with one starter, main and desert, everything looks great and tastes superb. Friendly and engaging service. Really worth a detour!

Just had a wonderful lunch here. Couldn’t fault it. The service is efficient and very friendly. We love the ethical side to this local business. Bought home a lovely loaf of sourdough baked on site, and a bottle of Cradle’s own brewed kombucha. Will definitely visit here again, hopefully on one of their evening dining events.

A wonderful vegan bakery & cafe that is consistently fantastic. I take all my visitors there, vegans and non-vegans all love it. The team work hard to produce top-notch lunches and have a wonderful food philosophy. Well worth a visit and it will not disappoint.

Fixed menu for lunch - soup, main and dessert. All looked delicious but chose the bubble and squeak, savoy cabbage, beet, jerusalem artichoke puree and celeriac crisps. Good portion size for lunch. Good coffee too. Friendly staff. Bought some pastries and croissants which have yet to be eaten but look delicious. Very limited dining space but well worth the wait.

Lovely coffee and pastries! This place is great even though I’m not vegan I think it tastes amazing!

So i am as far from being vegan as its possible to be, and would never normally frequent such a premises, however some friends bought us some pastries from here and they were incredible. I have no idea how they have done it without cows butter, but they are as good as the finest french boulangerie. We have since had them again and they were just as good. The plain crossiants are my favourite, and my partner adores the almond ones.

You might not be a Vegan but that doesn't matter because the food you are served is incredibly good and the price is very reasonable. What we also like is the wonderful atmosphere at the Cradle and the staff are amazing. The Cradle is a little gem make no mistake.

The food is exceptional, service very good, atmosphere spot on. I can’t recommend highly enough. I had my 60th Birthday Party here yesterday with 20 friends and everyone was impressed. Never mind if your not vegan this is a food experience not to be missed.

Been here a few times for lunch and absolutely love it. There’s limited choice on the menu which simplifies the faff of choosing what to order and minimalises waste. They promote local produce and eating healthy, honest meals, prepared from scratch. Staff are friendly and service is excellent. Their fresh bread and pastries are not to be missed either, great takeout if you’re full from lunch! So glad I found this place ❤️

My wife went to get a take-out coffee today and arrived just too late. She apologised to the waitress and was happy to go on her way but the waitress offered to serve her. While waiting, the chef passed by and my wife wished him all the best for the following day (we had been for a meal here last week and got talking to his prospective mother in law - the wedding is tomorrow). His reply was along the lines of "what's it got to do with you?". Taken aback and thinking maybe he had misunderstood her, she re-iterated to which he replied "it's none of your business". Needless to say my wife was left literally in tears by this wholly uncalled for response and the other staff looking at the floor. The food may be good but that sort of inhuman rudeness is unforgivable in anyone, let alone a restaraunteur. If he can't observe the simplest rules of politeness to customers then don't expect him to be in business very long. He's already lost our custom.

We visited cradle for the first time for their burger night. It’s recommended to book ahead as there’s limited seating but we didn’t have a problem getting a table which was great. You’ve got to know what cradle’s ethos is about before eating here (or be prepared to try something new). For example, there was just one burger on the menu and one desert so no choice, however, this is done to reduce food waste (something they’re extremely passionate about), and I think the idea is that you go along for that lovely dish, have some delicious drinks etc and a fab night. It was a mushroom and walnut burger with the most amazing cashew Brie cheese, and a blueberry cheesecake and passionfruit tart for desert, which was nice but we did prefer the burger more (I think that vegan deserts sometimes take a while to get used to!) The white wine is also sooo good, and we even visited again the next week for lunch on a Saturday because we enjoyed it so much. This time we had one of their toasted breads and a tomato salad with the most amazing vegan cheese - their vegan cheese is amazing!!! Recommend either an evening night or a lunch date, and make sure to try their pastries, too. It’s great that Sudbury has a place like this, as even though I’m not vegan I’ve been to quite a few vegan restaurants and this is one of the best. It demonstrates how delicious vegan food can be (not bland) and promotes a sustainable, eco-friendly outlook that we should all be getting behind more. And. Of course. The. Cheese. Just go for the cheese. And raisin swirls.

Fab cafe with superb cakes and fresh juices but I was most impressed by their eco-friendly focus and bias towards organic and local produce. Nice vibe.

Really enjoyed our lunch here. This cafe is quite small so make sure you turn up before the lunch rush to secure a table. Lovely vegan food that involved some mystery as they have a specials board in the cafe. You can even get some bakery goods to take away. Great staff and overall a great visit. We will be back again soon.

We didn't realize that certain things were in the food because it wasn't on the menu and my girlfriend didn't like them. Asked for no crispy onion and they left it on and left loads of onion in the salad after I mentioned that she didn't like onion. The onions in the food not on the menu, or the mustard. Food was very vinegary but other wise nice. When I mentioned about the items not being on the menu I was told that I should have told them the things she didn't like before ordering and I said how can I know what items are in the food if not on the menu? Not going to assume that's the case. Service was otherwise friendly and it wasn't confrontational just felt it unprofessional.

Went for lunch back in December for the first time and was so impressed. We love everything about this place, the food is delicious, staff are always smiley and helpful, prices reasonable and the homemade Kombucha and pastries are so tastey!

Good food and atmosphere :) food was fresh and bursting with flavour. Staff were friendly and a good range of locally sourced food. Will visit again!

Excellent choice of delicious pastries when we popped in this morning and all sorts of lovely things to eat in or take away. We bought some of the bread baked on site to take home. Coffee gorgeous too and organic! Great ethics very popular and very friendly team.

Fantastic lunch today , great food and service amazing dessert with beetroot ! and the latte was to die for

I visited today for lunch and I can truly say i had the tastiest lunch I have had for a very long time.

Lovely staff and food and fresh sourdough bread to buy and takeaway. The only issue is that the menu is very limited. One Soup, one open top sandwich on sourdough bread, and one sweet. All the food was lovely but surely it could offer a few more things on the menu, even if it was utilising the Sourdough bread to make some Veggie sandwiches? Does serve wine/beer

We have visited cradle many times but haven't been for a couple of months - This vegan cafe/restaurant is truly superb, the atmosphere, the food, the ethos of the whole place is amazing - We love visiting today we chilled out for a bit with a turmeric latte and tea, when lunch food is served from 11.30 - The food is a work of art that is individually created to always be exceptional - The staff are friendly and welcoming to all it is also dog friendly, Absolutely worth a visit - Thank you cradle for what you do

I have been here twice. The soup was delicious and the main meal was also quite tasty. Unfortunately the second visit about a month later had the same menu. I would have preferred a wider choice as I had the same meal this second visit.

Had no idea what to expect, but was blown away. Great small menu, everything tastes exquisite. I had the soup, which was beautifully presented with great homemade sourdough bread, my husband and my mum had the tartine, which was an amazing tasty combo of foods, we also had coffee (really good) the Gallete des Rois and turmeric latte.

Finally, happily got to visit Cradle, and experience first hand their exceptional vegan cuisine. Had a lovely seasonal soup followed by a tartine featuring a medley of surprising, taste bud teasing zingy flavours, and an extraordinary cashew cheese (Have had very negative vegan cheese experience in the past) - Oh, but this one I could easily eat everyday - Made even more delicious by their own sourdough as a tartine base, and accompanied by a very drinkable glass of dry white wine. I finished with one of their own deliciously satisfying cinnamon rolls, and a very nice coffee - Two others in our party had a lemon cheesecake, which I got to taste - Just WOW!

We often pop in here for lunch which is always delicious. On this occasions we had the butternut squash and ginger soup with lovely home made bread. Do my favourite soya milk too! Gorgeous place!

Amazing flat white, best cinnamon roll ever, lovely chilled vibe in there with Paul Simon playing and soft chatter amongst the other patrons. Lovely service. I’ll be back for sure.

Well thought out complimenting flavours and visually a delight. Amazing ethos and place, you will just want to keep going back! My compliments to the chefs.

My wife and I travelled from Ipswich to try out this vegan restaurant in Sudbury. We already have a great vegetarian restaurant/cafe in Ipswich (The Museum St Café) however wanted to try somewhere different.

I read their philosophy on the web site and found every aspect of Cradle lived up to what they say. Delicious, well sourced and well presented food, Very friendly service. They deserve every success.

What an amazing place, I love this restaurant, food superb. The cheesecake was incredible, far better than any I've tasted made with cheese. Was so good I booked to return on a Sat evening for the tasting menu. If you are vegan/veggie or meet eater I'm sure you will love this restaurant.

Made a trip from Colchester Wednesday for lunch only to find you were closed despite sign on door stating open Wednesdays.

I was in Sudbury for a wedding - my boyfriend is vegan so rather than rely on the hotel breakfast, we decided to venture out and visit this place on a recommendation. We had the chocolate and custard twist each, my boyfriend ordered a croissant and I had the carrot and lentil roll.

didn't eat here although the pastries and other offerings looked delicious but bought 2 loaves of bread which were amazing and still fresh although not crispy on day 2! I am not vegan or even veggie but I will be shopping here regularly from now on!

Have now visited both for lunch and dinner and loved both visits. Particularly imoressed by the ethics of the place but the food is very good aswell. Great to know that you can absolutely trust what you are eating. They even grind their own flour! Very friendly, helpful staff. Excellent evening menu ( you HAVE to book in advance) including yummy appetisers and a lovely palate cleanser plus 3 courses at a very reasonable rate. Only slight quibble would be that I have had (different) ice-creams twice now and they didn't really taste of anything.

First time for me today and I was so impressed. Wonderful food and so much thought has gone into the ethos of this place. I left laded with bread and pastries. As a vegan this place is a real find. I honestly think the chef deserves a michelin star!! But don't be put off going if you are not vegan because if you love good food then you won't be disappointed.

Very interesting and nice, clean cafe. It's vegan , but I was prepared to try it, it turned out t be a good decision.

6 of my family visited for the set meal on a Saturday night and we were all so very impressed. There is a set menu that included appetiser, starters, mains, palate cleanser, dessert and treats (although if you have dietary requirements let them know). All the courses were stunning, tasty and made with fabulously fresh ingredients. The portion sizes were just right and meant that we could eat all the courses. It was very good value with the set menu and soft drink and coffee coming in around £22 per head. I've had equivalent for 3 x the price!. The staff were friendly and the service was very good. The tables are cafe style, and the vibe is trendy (especially for Sudbury;)

Myself and my partner visited Cradle a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday and stumbled across Cradle and decided to give it a try.

My girlfriend and I went to cradle, as a present to her from this Christmas as they do vouchers.

Lovely fresh coffee, and I'm told the tea was equally good, plus lovely refreshing Beech water to accompany tasty Leek & Potato Soup served with freshly baked sourdough bread,and Leek tart with an interestingly different salad (sadly my poor memory can't come up with the name of the main ingredient). Accompanied by the most friendly of service.

I had the fennel soup and my partner the tartine. Both were exceptional. Great coffee too, to the point we tried to buy some ground coffee to take home (alas they don’t sell it.... yet). Highly recommended if you are looking for somewhere for a quick lunch in Sudbury.

Tried Cradle in North street today on my wife's recommendation. Had a cup of the best coffee since coming back from Rome. Pastries also very fresh and tasty. Also bought a couple of 'energy bites' and a loaf of spelt bread. All the produce was fantastic quality. Coffee was very reasonably priced and an interesting range of drinks were on offer. Pastries were not cheap but were on a par price wise with the local/national competition and the quality was superior. Artisan bread again was not cheap but again is a similar price to that sold on the local market and obviously freshly baked.

I am not a committed vegan but had heard of this Café/Bakery so called for a quick lunch.

This is a excellent Cafe , Bakery that on a Saturday night serves the best vegan food in a contemporary setting.

As a committed meat eater this was first and hopefully not last visit to The Cradle.

Since visiting the cafe for the first time last year - we have now become weekend regulars, The food is amazing literally exquisitely displayed on your plate, tastes beautiful the chef is a genius takeaway pastries and Sourdough are fantastic as well - Offers fantastic coffees from Oat Milk - also more unusual options Turmeric Latte (my favourite) longevity latte and Kombucha - I cannot praise this cafe enough on how friendly welcoming it is - it is a must visit for any vegetarian or vegan, the drive is worth it 5***** all the way

Fabulous vegan recipes, all freshly baked. The turmeric latte is particularly good. The cakes are delicious and there is an excellent choice of coffees

Delicious flavoursome food. Hard for a non vegan like me to believe it is all plant based. I've bought, taken away and enjoyed the bread and pastries previously but the eat-in food is just as special. Great place to meet up with friends and enjoy a turmeric late or fruit juice of the day but this visit we had a meal too-and hope to return soon.

My wife and I wanted to visit Cradle but it was always booked solid- a good sign! We eventually received a slot in February and turned up at 7pm when it opens on Saturdays. We knew the owners‘ mother and we received a warm greeting. The seating is 4-5 double seater tables and a 16 seater in the middle- a good way to meet others. The Cradle system is that one set meal consisting of three courses is served to all customers- thankfully every course was delicious, and of course vegetarian. There was a great soup made from spinach, served with tasty homemade bread, followed by pasta stuffed with vegetables- all full of flavour and worth spending time savouring. The dessert was a gorgeous lemon sorbet, followed by a bright yellow foamy chai latte made with herbs.

Great food, great drinks, great people.

A friend recommended Cradle as I am a keen part-time vegan and very interested in vegan cookery and the skills required to make vegan food taste good enough for all palets. So I made the long trip to Sudbury today specifically to see if at long last there is a vegan destination outside of London worth travelling to. I can categorially say that there is! What a relief, I am so pleased to have found this magical place where the owners are obviously so passionate about their food, its provenance and its nutritional properties. The menu is small but perfectly formed; I had a leek tart on savoy cabbage and it was just sublime; the juice of the day was something green and lovely - pure health in a glass and the turmeric latte simply delicious. Who else juices organic turmeric root to use in a drink?! These people are serious and I respect their approach hugely. There are also pastries and breads on offer, all freshly baked with love and skill. I would highly recommend Cradle to anyone who loves good food, vegan or not, it is a gem of a place and I just wish there was a sub-branch nearer to my home town, I would happily eat there every day.

Know & love this place for its bakery & pastries but went to their Saturday evening. Good set menu vegan cooking,though that it is vegan really does not matter when it's cooked & served by people that really understand their ethos plus have the talent to gently show others. Good on you guys,thanks for a relaxed informal evening,quality.

I've sampled many of Cradle's charms from buying their wonderful sourdough bread to savouring their set menu dinner to celebrate a dear friend's significant birthday, with take away squash and lentil roll (much more delicious than it sounds!), lunch indoors - the menu changes daily and always fresh and creative - and turmeric latte and almond pastry in between. This place is a wonderful addition to Sudbury's food offer and because of its vegetarian/vegan ethos will attract people from further afield.

Last night, we visited The Cradle with nine friends for a much-anticipated set menu dinner. Everything was so amazing from the shot glass soup appetiser to the delicious dessert. I almost want to keep this a secret because it was that good - and unbelievable good value at £20 pp with BYO. Can't wait to go again!

I took my slightly unwilling teens here and they were converted. The food was so tasty and the interior simple and contemporary with thick wood tables and bench. I'd get there early as they are very busy and were full at 12 when we were there. The pastries are probably the high point although my soup was delicious and bread excellent too. The eco work that goes in is admirable too - I am told they use no plastics and going their own flour. Despite this the prices were low and the service good. I'll be back!

This is a wonderful cafe with delicious food. I can't recommend it enough for vegans and vegetarians and even meat eaters will love the choice! Just what Sudbury needed.

4 of us went for lunch, none of us vegans, and all of us thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the meal. The food was fresh, tasty and well put together, our only downside was we would have liked slightly bigger portions. The sourdough bread was light and spongy and amongst the best we've ever had. The flat white made with oat milk was sheer perfection - I'd return to Sudbury for that alone!

I happened upon this hidden gem purely by chance and glad that I did. The interior is open plan and yet "cosy". The coffee & pastries are great. One of the best in Sudbury. Glad to see a good alternative to the mainstream coffee chains in Sudbury.

AMAZING!!!! What more can I say - Truly beautiful food, Friendly staff, Animal Friendly - Cannot wait to return - Highly recommended - STUNNING

We went to Cradle while visiting Sudbury, and I can honestly say that the food rivals anything that the vast Metropolis has. My non vegan partner said the pastries were more delicious than regular ones and said that she would happily serve the delicous, delicate tiny cheeses at a dinner party. The staff were extremely helpful and my 9 year old vegan daughter couldn't believe that the pastries were vegan... her first ever and thoroughly enjoyed!

I've been here a few times for takeaway pastries and food and eaten in as well. The food is seasonal, fresh and beautifully presented. Well worth a trip.

Staff are refreshing their food is amazing and the place is smart. Value for money. Wonderful place for lunch or a lovely coffee or cool refreshment.

Officially the best bread I have ever tasted. My non-vegan family also stated it was the best salads they have ever tasted. We all left feeling very full and satisfied.

We've started buying our bread here, because it's sourdough made from locally-grown organic flour. Visitors, though, will be interested in their lunches. Lovely salads, and savoury pastries. I was hesitant at first because I remember vegan food in the 1970s that was really dire. Cradle's, though, is lovely. You won't miss meat or meat products, because everything is so flavourful.

My daughter persuaded me to drive a 60 mile return journey to experience this great place, serving entirely plant based food - nothing from animals. The trip was well worth it. Brilliant food, beautifully presented in an attractive setting. Lots of customers in the comfortable cafe and sold out on pastries and bread while we were there. Well worth a visit. whether or not you are on a plant based diet. The food needs no justification other than that it is delicious!

not only the vegan food Ive ever eaten but also the best food in general that ive ever tasted in my life.cant believe this place is in Sudbury. So much flavor for such a good price, nice communal area in there to sit, brilliant staff and chefs, take away bread and pastries, and the menu is changed a lot. can not fault this place! Highly recommend.

Had lunch here today and it was everything i hoped. Innovative menu, every thing was made in front of your eyes with an open kitchen to view the preparation and cleanliness. I saw beetroot tortellini being made along with the tartine.

This place is on another level! Everything about it from the menu to drinks is just divine. Can't believe it's in Sudbury.. Feels like it should be in London.

Just amazing vegan food, packed with flavor, I thought I had walked into a cafe in Shoreditch, not Sudbury. The bread is incredible and the staff are lovely. I frankly will be finding every excuse in the book to go back as soon as possible. Hurrah!

The owners are lovely, the food is fabulous, the beetroot main was full of so many flavours, they are child friendly and dog friendly. I am so glad that I drove there just to go there with my children and friends. Fantastic venue, lovely people and very reasonable. Get there early to snap up the fantastic pastries.

I had to pinch myself the day I read that Sudbury had two new vegan eateries. To me, Sudbury is 1970s England preserved in aspic. And an aspic, at that, made from pigs. A town of 20,000 supporting two butchers, as well as countless supermarkets. I'm now going to have to change my viewpoint.