Elveden Courtyard Shops & Restaurant - Thetford

Adam S.

Updated following a second visit...

Having called in here before and had a good experience (originally gave them four stars), our subsequent visit was very disappointing. We phoned to book a table in advance which was confirmed.

However, when we arrived, an 'admin error' meant there was no record of our booking. We were given the option to wait behind everyone else already waiting. Very unsatisfactory and reflective of the terrible booking method they have here. Left my original review below.

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Called in here on the way back from Centre Parks and was lucky to get a table for lunch without having booked.

The food was good, service was quick and the staff very friendly. As others have commented, it's not cheap but we thought it was worth the money.

There is lots of seating outside for when it is warm / dry enough.

Lots of parking here too. The shop had an interesting selection of gifts and the farm shop looked good too.

Antony W.

Nice place to visit, waiting to be seated in the cafe area at least 2 staff members saw me waiting to be seated but looked the other way and ignored me - I know what a deliberate act of ignoring looks like!

Cake and coffee for 2 was extremely pricey, cakes were 50-50; one portion eas extremely small and the other was very dry.

The staff member that did actually seat us was lovely and helpful. We usually visit once or twice a year as we pass by, maybe the next visit will be different.

R J.

Not very well signposted from the main road, so do follow your sat nav.
It takes you down a small lane and this is at the end.
You'll find a square courtyard that consists of a cafe, a farm shop, some homeware and some toilets.
Dogs are allowed into the middle of the courtyard, not into the shops except through the door to the centre.
You can eat inside or outside.
The cake was very generic and tasted rather artificial.
Prices were reasonable but the shops were high end.

A few walks available nearby.
Nice to stop at if you're passing.
Parking outside is free in a gravel car park.

Ben C.

We popped in to the Dog and stone on a Sunday for food. We were pleasantly greeted by staff as we walked in. We ordered food it came out in good time, hot and was delicious. Restaurant is very dog friendly and have plenty of doggy snacks for your mutt.

Ian W.

Dry nearly changed plans due to some reviews. Very pleased we didn’t. The 7 of us had a great snack and drinks.
It’s a great venue either before or after CP

Stephen A.

DEFINITELY needs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - yes 7!
Not just the fabulous shop and the excellent restaurant; they got a condiment bottle from their shop, which didn't contain the intolerance ingredient.
Only problem : 220 miles from home...
+
But they remembered my needs 2 months on!

Denise C.

No idea why this place is so busy🤔 Overpriced cheap quality food. I ordered an Artisan Sourdough Roll with Mature Grated Cheddar, Tomato Chipotle Jam and Wild Rocket @ £1l. Sounds nice right, seemed pricey but given the lovely produce on sale in the farm shop I thought it would be good quality, couldn’t have been more wrong. Cheap white roll, definitely not sourdough, and a very small portion of tasteless cheese, again not mature as stated, accompanied by some decent potato crisps and side salad smothered in balsamic glaze. My friend ordered a Vegan Sauté Potato Gnocchi, Crispy Kale, Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds, Crumbled Blue Cheese @ £14.50. Again sounded nice. She got a very small portion of potato gnocchi with butternut squash, an odd pumpkin seed, about 3 flecks of crispy kale and no cheese, vegan or otherwise. Although edible, we were hungry, neither of these meals were good quality or value for money as you would expect from such an artisan restaurant. Despite providing the waitress with some constructive feedback when she cleared the plates, she did ask, no response came back from either the kitchen or management. Won’t be returning! Just wish I had thought to take some pics! Wouldn’t want anyone else to get duped by the misleading menu.

Becca L.

I have been visiting here for many, many years and for first time I was very disappointed. Always visited with a dog and usually sit outside in the courtyard but this time we were quite rudely directed to the dog cafe which was lovely inside decor wise but very echoey (with incoming excitement from dogs not ideal!) Food was not worth the price at all - bacon roll which was mostly fat and scrambled eggs with salmon, ok but the toast was dry and stale tasting (no butter) and not worth nearly £30 - coffee was the only plus. Service was poor and not welcoming and on saying the food was quite frankly rubbish the response was nothing - I will miss it next the time and visit the Elveden Inn across the road - complete opposite!