In early 2025, Lime Kiln Kitchen at Thetford Garden Centre was named the Best Garden Centre Restaurant by the Garden Centre Association. With their Halloween activities and Christmas shop in full swing, we decided a garden centre day out was in order, checking the restaurant out while we were there…
We headed straight for the Lime Kiln Restaurant – and we’re glad we did. It’s seemingly a very popular spot, and we had to give our names and take a buzzer, which would vibrate when a table was ready for us.
Never mind, it gave us time to explore some of what Thetford Garden Centre – which is certainly sizeable – had to offer before we ate!
In the end, it took about 25 minutes for that vibration to happen. We were HUNGRY – the seven-year-old, especially.
Little did we know that we’d still be waiting a very long time to actually eat.
It wasn’t that it took long to give our order – that part of the process was pretty quick. The kitchen at the Thetford Garden Centre restaurant must have been SLAMMED, though, because, between sitting at our table and receiving our food, we waited about an hour.
There was plenty to look at while we waited, mind. This place is beautifully, tastefully decorated, and doesn’t feel like a garden centre cafe at all.
We’d been eyeing up the delicious-looking cakes on the counter, too, but had to pass in the end as there was no way we could keep the child seated any longer.
The menu at Lime Kiln Kitchen as as you’d probably expect from a garden centre: sandwiches, toasties, salads, things on toast. There are soups and quiches, ice creams and cakes, and a selection of hot and cold choices for kids, too.
We did think the babyccino pricing seemed a little steep at £2.19, but it turned out to be a decent-sized cup of steamed milk, topped with a generous dusting of chocolate and plenty of marshmallows. The boy was pretty happy with his choice!
He was equally happy with his children’s picnic (£7.49): half a sandwich (ham hock, cheese, tuna or egg mayo on a choice of bread); carrot and cucumber sticks with a cream cheese dip; a banana or apple; plus a homemade cookie.
He declared the tuna sandwich to be “really good” and cleared his plate (cookie first, of course), apart from the banana, which we saved for later.
With torrential rain beating down on the metal roof above us, it was definitely toastie weather. I genuinely couldn’t fault the pulled ham hock, mature Cheddar and chutney sourdough toastie, served with a crispy onion-topped side salad and a bowl of fries for £11.99.
The salad was basic but beautifully dressed, the fries were cooked perfectly…and that toastie? Insanely good. The ham hock was packed with flavour and flaked beautifully with each mouthfully, the Cheddar was generous, the chutney pulled the whole thing together. It was a work of art.
Obviously, the waiting time marred our first experience at the Lime Kiln Kitchen somewhat – it would have been helpful if the team had warned us. It was our first visit to Thetford Garden Centre and we now know to arrive early if we want to indulge in lunch! Fortunately, the quality of the food was worth waiting for – and next time, we’ll definitely be trying some of those cakes…