The Airmen’s Mess Café
Set in the atmospheric original surroundings of the 1916 Royal Flying Corps airmen’s mess, this is a sociable space at the heart of Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome.
Food is prepared and served throughout the day, starting with the all-day breakfast. Do you want to start the day with a light bite like toast and marmalade? Or a hearty old-fashioned English breakfast that will set you up for the day? Either way, we have you covered - with plenty of other options, including vegetarian, as well.
Lunches range from sandwiches, paninis and jacket potatoes through to hot and cold specials like lasagne, curry and chilli - with winter Sundays made that much better with the addition of a top-quality roast dinner. The lunch menu is made fresh on site, with high-quality ingredients, sourced locally where possible, and some of the vegetables are even grown on site.
Whatever time of the day you arrive, it’s always time for cake! Look out for home-made delights like bread pudding, Eccles cakes and apple cakes that would have been familiar to the airmen back in 1916, along with favourites like Victoria sandwich and carrot cake from Tiptree Patisserie. Home-made fruit scones, served with Tiptree jam and clotted cream, tasty cheese scones with Tiptree chutney, and meaty sausage rolls are perfect any time! You can view the full menu here.
The Airmen’s Mess café is open the same hours as the Museum - Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am until last orders at 3pm, from early February to early December. It is also available for group visits at other times, with a variety of catering options.
Other than on our events days, when it is open only to ticket holders, The Airmen’s Mess café offers free entry and a warm welcome to all visitors. There are wheelchair ramps into the building and accessible toilets, along with highchairs and baby changing facilities - plus picnic tables outside for fine days. We accept card or cash, and you can join our hot drink loyalty scheme to get a free hot drink when you have collected nine stamps on your card. Hope to see you soon!
Ticket holder only days
Please note that during all our air events, living history events, Frontline and Remembrance Day, and selected other events during the year, The Airmen’s Mess café is restricted to ticket holders only.
In 2026, confirmed ticket holder only dates are 14 June, 27 June, 4 July, 5 July, 16 August, 12 September, 19 September, 26 September, 9 October and 8 November. More dates may be added, so please check the events diary before you travel.
" I’ve just returned from the Club outing to Stow Maries Airfield Great War Museum. It is said to be the largest intact WW1 airfield in Europe, with 60% of the original buildings remaining. Opened in 2017, it is still a work in progress with many of the buildings fenced off, but others offer displays of operational facilities, memorabilia and period aircraft, replica and original, some in flying condition or being restored. They also have the best café I’ve seen in an airfield museum. I have the greatest admiration for the team of volunteers who run this and similar facilities. One wonders what will happen if the skills required are allowed to die out." - Editor, East Anglian Practical Classics, June 2026.
