We visited EmZo Christmas shop and café, in Bacton near Stowmarket, with ‘impressive festive displays’
Described by customers as a ‘little treasure trove’ and ‘gem of a place’ we visited a Suffolk café and gift shop to find out what all the festive fuss was about.
From gonks to gingerbread lattes, EmZo in the village of Bacton, near Stowmarket, is one of those hidden gems you either know about or you don’t.
Arriving at the Christmas hotspot at 11am on a chilly November, Saturday there were plenty of shoppers heading inside the unassuming building.
As we stepped into the front door, it was like stepping into a Christmas grotto – so much effort had gone into decorating the shop for the festive season.
Me, my husband and son headed for the café, ready to sample some items from the festive menu, before it got too busy.
All the staff were really friendly throughout our visit and took the time to chat to my little boy, who was eagerly lapping up, his slightly early taste, of Christmas 2023.
Portion sizes at EmZo are really generous when it comes to both drinks and food. I opted for the ultimate Christmas cliché – a Gingerbread Latte which was huge and very creamy I complimented this with a fruit scone which was both crumbly and delicious.
The boys were equally happy with their massive slice of victoria sandwich and Santa biscuit – washing them down with a sizeable pot of tea and kids hot chocolate.
In total the bill came to £18.50 which I would say is pretty reasonable compared to national coffee chains, which certainly don’t have as much cosy character.
As we left a queue was starting to form and customers were given little pagers to alert them to when a table was available.
Another quirky feature at EmZo is that you get to shop using a basket, commonly used by Little Red Riding Hood – making the shop seen even cosier.
My favourite display within the shop was made up of beautiful toad stalls and woodland creatures – with no tackiness in sight.
As well as unique decorations and ornaments there are also plenty of candles, jewellery and other gifts on sale, alongside lights and gift wrap.
The amazing displays make walking around EmZo a proper treat and it most definitely got my little boy into the Christmas spirit.
In my opinion all the decorations and gifts are priced well, including lovely festive items you can buy for under £1.
As a bit of a self-confessed Scrooge I am not sure if I can say if EmZo is the most Christmassy shop in Suffolk however it certainly has some of the most impressive displays.
EmZo is open Monday – Saturday from 8am – 5pm they also have special, late night openings, until 8pm, on Tuesdays in the run up to Christmas.
If you know of a house or street in Suffolk that goes all out for the festive season, let us know by emailing: suffolk@iliffepublishing.co.uk.
