Tiptree Tea Room, Museum and Jam Shop Reviews Summary

Staff and Service

Pros:

• "Staff always polite and helpful."
• "The staff are very friendly and helpful and the food is excellent."
• "Service was prompt and with a ready smile."
• "Good service and good food in the Tea Room. Helpful staff."
• "Lovely friendly staff."
• "Staff were really friendly and it was a nice chilled atmosphere."
• "Very friendly and helpful staff. Asked if we could sample a jam, they could not do enough to oblige."

Cons:

• "We had to wait for ages and no one asked if everything was ok with our food."
• "Wouldn't go out of my way to return, which is a shame because I'd always wanted to visit but my first experience has really put me off."
• "Felt like I was a target, one of the members of staff bullied me to leave the premises."
• "A lot of the staff seemed to be wandering around quite aimlessly."
• "After we had eaten it took an age for our plates to be taken and desserts ordered."
• "We waited by the door there were plenty of staff behind the counter they could see us waiting but no acknowledgement."
• "The staff weren't as friendly as the tea room staff."

Food Quality

Pros:

• "The food in the tea room is so scrumptious and really moreish."
• "Everything prepared to order, and was very fresh. Jams and pickles amazing."
• "The jacket potato with baked beans and cheese was really good, exceptionally good actually."
• "Lovely place to visit tearoom is very nice great food. Great service."
• "Great place to visit. Very interesting history of the jam factory. Most informative. Lovely restaurant serves good food."
• "Really really nice afternoon high tea. Brilliant, well filled sandwiches, lovely tea, and fantastic fruit scones with all the correct accompaniments and some sweet treats to finish."
• "The cream tea is divine, the scones are perfect."

Cons:

• "The food was ok but nothing to write home about."
• "Overall we had a nice day but I wouldn’t return due to the poor food experience."
• "It's really disappointing...we were looking forward to going to this iconic tearoom, but teabag tea, teapot leaked everywhere, lukewarm coffee and had to wait ages to be served ....cakes extremely sweet."
• "The scones was dry, in a horrific shape, and the tea tasteless."
• "Had the classic tea and scones with jam and cream.... The scones were shocking literally were like muffins that i could not cut to butter or anything."
• "Sandwiches only had filling across the centre, none on the outer edge's, and served with crusts on."
• "Toast was served burnt."

Ambiance and Facilities

Pros:

• "A wonderful day with friends, we treated ourselves to the prosecco afternoon tea."
• "A really nice little place, good service and lovely food, the jam is lovely and a great afternoon trip out."
• "The shop is great as well selling all their own produce."
• "The little shop to the side is particularly nice, all the preserves you can count, gins, jams, spreads, neat snacks."
• "Well worth a visit when in Essex."
• "Interesting museum charting the history of the tiptree brand."
• "Nice selection of hot food, cakes and daily specials."

Cons:

• "Limited outside seating area as well which is a shame in the summer."
• "The venue looked like it's trying to retain its 60s charm. It doesn't. It looks lost in another Two Ronnies sit com."
• "It would have been nice that in such lovely surroundings the service and quality of the food could have matched."
• "Only thing stops it being five star is the little bit battered and ‘rustic’ furniture in the cafe."
• "It's a bit run down and was surprised how shabby it was."
• "Not dog friendly. There's a patio but it's fenced off and can only be accessed by going through the tea room, where dogs aren't allowed."
• "Not so keen on still queing outside for table. Even inside tent, it's still cold."

Value and Pricing

Pros:

• "All for under £25 per person, the clearing away could have been quicker, but thoroughly enjoyed our visit."
• "Bought the best strawberries I have ever tasted in their shop picked that morning on the estate."
• "Great quality and lots of food- excellent value."
• "The prices are incredibly reasonable and I purchased a few of their mini jars to try some of the other products."
• "Certainly whilst not cheap, it offered value for money."
• "The meals are also of high quality and very good value."
• "The food was great, though, and the prices were reasonable."

Cons:

• "I am definitely frustrated due to their lack of customer service and as we are talking about a company founded in 1885 it is unacceptable."
• "Would never visit again or recommend sadly."
• "A bit pricey and the coffee in the cappuccino is so minuscule it actually taste like hot water and milk."
• "I found it a bit too expensive and to more than 10% higher than supermarkets."
• "The food itself wasn’t really anything worth £14 each."
• "It's was so expensive at £15 a head, for one round one scone/clotted cream/jam and very sweet Fancies, oh and unlimited tea."
• "Was this worth the £47 we paid - definitely not."