Our story

At Cabbages & Kings and Duck & Teapot, every coffee, cake, or cheesy chip is part of something bigger. Both cafés serve Paddy & Scott’s coffee and are owned and run by The Mix Stowmarket, a youth work charity supporting young people aged 9–25.

​

Your visit doesn’t just fuel your day – it helps fuel life-changing work with local young people.

​

Cabbages & Kings – Stowmarket’s Creative Café

Cabbages & Kings first opened its doors several years ago inside The Mix building on Ipswich Street, opposite The Regal Cinema. From the beginning, it has been a welcoming space for the community to gather, relax, and enjoy great food and drink.

​

Recently relaunched with a fresh menu and Paddy & Scott’s coffee, the café continues to offer favourites for all ages – from all-day breakfasts, sandwiches, and salads to cheesy chips, homemade cakes, and fresh scones baked daily.

​

Visitors often find their way through corridors alive with creativity – exhibitions of young people’s work, community projects, and glimpses into what The Mix has to offer – before arriving at the heart of it all: a café with a warm and friendly atmosphere.

​

Cabbages & Kings also provides catering for meetings, celebrations, and events, extending its role as a place for both everyday comfort and special occasions.

​

Duck & Teapot – Coffee by the Lake

As Cabbages & Kings grew, The Mix saw the opportunity to create a second café – one that could bring the same welcoming spirit to Needham Lake. With strong support from the local community and Needham Market Town Council, Duck & Teapot opened its doors as a café and visitor centre for one of Suffolk’s most beautiful outdoor spaces.

​

Since then, it’s become a favourite destination for dog walkers, families, and visitors looking to enjoy both the scenery and a good coffee. Open every day (9am–7pm in summer, 9am–4pm in winter), the café is fully accessible, offers free parking, and welcomes well-behaved pets inside and out.

​

Like its sister café, Duck & Teapot serves a wide selection of freshly prepared food and drinks – sandwiches, smoothies, milkshakes, cakes, ice cream, and even dog-friendly treats like pupuccinos.

​

Why Our Cafés Exist

When The Mix first launched, much of its work was supported by grant funding. But to truly be sustainable – and to keep vital youth services running long-term – the charity needed to diversify its income.

​

That’s where Cabbages & Kings and Duck & Teapot come in. These cafés aren’t just places to eat and drink; they are part of a bigger social enterprise model. By generating their own income, they help reduce reliance on grants, achieve full cost recovery, and show the real social value of every coffee sold.

​

All profits are reinvested back into youth provision – from one-to-one mentoring and alternative education to life skills, employability training, and SEN youth work. The cafés also provide valuable volunteering and employment opportunities for young people, giving them hands-on experience in the workplace.

​

More than a Café

When you visit Cabbages & Kings or Duck & Teapot, you’re not just enjoying a coffee – you’re investing in the future of local young people.

​

​