EDitorial ± 11-Aug-2026

Light Lunches: Debenham

I'm guessing that my parents must have owned Folk Song, a 1960 Parlophone single by the late great Bernard Cribbins. Predating Craig David by a solid forty years, BC runs through each day of the week with a mini meteorological report: Monday (rain), Tuesday (snow), Wednesday (hail), Thursday (cold), Friday (unstated), and Saturday (thunder). The line that's stuck with me all these years relates to Thursday which is described as "not a hot one".

Well, it was a hot one when I cycled to our former place of employment to meet Andy, looking sleek after a trim by Gianni who cuts everybody's hair: working or r*tired, your £20 is good here and comes with a chance to catch up on the site gossip. Hair aside, where we gonna go?

Grundisburgh is the answer, home to the Grundisburgh Dog Deli and previously the Old Drapery, and possibly now home to Pickled at the Pavilion. Except there was zero sign of PATP at the actual pavilion so on we carried. Must be something about August 'cos that's when we've done earlier multi-munch trips to Aldeburgh (2018), Felixstowe (2019), and Southwold (2024). To that list, let's add Debenham in 2026.

— River Green —

About twenty minutes from Grundisburgh, the village of Debenham isn't lacking in facilities with its Co-op, post office, newsagent, chippy, et cetera, and multiple cafes. Plenty of parking spots outside the River Green Cafe & Deli. Unfortunately none free at 12:30pm on a tropical Tuesday so out I get to secure a table while the driver drives on to the high street. Inside, to the left, dozens of deli delights -- Teapigs / Clipper / Bay Tree / Stokes / Drivers -- to the right, divers drinks (as per Longfields) -- Folkington's / Fentimans / Breckland -- and even some Suffolk Apple Juice, and ahead, most seats occupied.

Large menu includes plenty of breakfast options, sarnies, you name it. I got no further than the top of Terry Hall's specials board: the corn beef hash, please. Unlike the Suffolk Punch Trust, they have the hash. Served with a slab o' bread and tangy pickle, this is ideal grub for when it's nearly thirty degrees outside. Andy's posh cheese and toast looks good and is greatly enhanced by the Stokes relish: thanks, Mr Sheepshanks. We've got one of the exterior tables for two. To my immediate left, on the other side of the window, is a guy polishing off a fine looking fry-up.

Really wouldn't have been a problem to remain here for afters but that ain't the deal.

— Bruford's —

This way, I said, leading us between the houses, up to the church and out onto the high street. Past the secondhand book shop, Swan antiques, and estate agent. There's another cafe here, I said: oh, it's closed. Odd opening hours kept by the Deben Coffee House, apparently closing most days at 1pm. Not having done our homework, our cafe crawl had collapsed. Until Andy spotted a place over the road.

New to me, Bruford's opened in late 2024. We're too late for the breakfast menu (eg waffles, granola) up to 11am but OK for the lunch (eg ploughmans, fish board) to 2pm, except we're only here for the sweet treats. That ties in nicely with their "For Coffee & Cake" tag line.

As per River Green, inside is abuzz with trade so another outside seat for us. Oh-so-many cakes and bakes up for grabs. Feel like I slightly panicked with my choice of carrot cake yet it turned out to be up there with the best I've had. Very decent flat white too. Andy, the great experimenter, opted for a chocolate orange doughnut and was equally pleased with his choice.

Let's hope that as and when we return, there'll be some water under the bridge.

... and still missed Deben Coffee House.