Cafe on the Water in Chelmsford

A busy, friendly cafe with a nice menu and such a lovely decked outside seating area...so peaceful. Child friendly and also disabled access too.

Always a lovely trip here the porridge is worth the travel by far the best porridge I've ever tasted always lovely and calm lovely to look over the water and watch the ducks.

A lovely place for something to eat and a coffee (they have mini bottles of Prosecco and wine if you want to treat yourself)They don't have a huge selection of food choices but what we had was OK.I always try to give staff the benefit of the doubt but I find the staff here pre-occupied with trying to manage what they do when I have come here. The odd time I have visited they have never come across customer friendly, they are quite aloof in their ways of serving which leads to me feeling I have been to better places. The setting is lovely with the reservoir all around the cafe. I will visit again but I am in no rush.

Absolutely beautiful place,lovely coffee,beautiful people working in this place,so kind friendly and just lovely,

Appalling service. We as a family group arrived and sat at table at 3pm reading the menu deciding on what to order. Whilst in the que to place our order at 3.14pm with about five other families a waitress came over to the que and said in a very unprofessional way ‘we not serving food anymore’. I said the menu states food orders must be made by 3.30pm and it is 3.14pm so why can’t we order food? She said ‘the chef said he’s not cooking anymore and it’s nearly 3.30pm anyway’. I said it is not 3.30pm yet and there is a few groups waiting in line to order food? She walked off. Our family and four other groups/families in the line walked out shocked at the poor service. As a local business owner myself I hope the owner reads this and knows that the staff are turning customers away before the 3.30pm cut off point because the staff can not be bothered to cook or serve anymore. We will certainly not be returning to this poor excuse of a food establishment.

I think this cafe is lovely, we come here a lot. The previous review is not strictly true as we were sitting nearby and heard the conversation between the waitress and customer and the time was 3.25 because it made me look at my watch and is exaggerated. These people work really hard every time we visit and we enjoy whatever food we purchase.

Arrived at 330pm cafe advertised closes at 4pm no hot food from 330pm only limited choice of cake and crisps. Staff could not offer any veggie or vegan option even though half hour to closing time. Not accommodating and really didn’t care. Such a shame as I always remember this place as smashing, won’t be going back.

Great cafe, friendly staff, excellent food, nice coffee. Beautiful views whilst having our lunch. We love to walk from the visitor Center to here, have lunch & walk back. Good exercise in pleasant surroundings. Some old cars to look at in the car park today.

What a lovely place. Great cafe with good food and service from friendly staff. The view from the cafe could not be better. Definitely recommend and will be going back.

Lovely little cafe with a good selection of both hot and cold snacks. Well deserved after a walk through the woods