The Knowhere Guide

Eating and Drinking in Colchester, Essex*

Colchester, Essex Pubs, Cafes, Coffee Shops and Restaurants

Food

• Plenty of chip shops/Indian/Chinese, 3 McDonaldses, take your pick!
• the gurkka place at the bottom of queen str, excellent all round , shame about the lovely end of town that it's in .
• the red onion the best food ever, taste's like somebody really cares about what there cooking.
• BURGUR KING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Colchester just has too many food outlets to list - it's pretty cosmopolitan when it comes to food. I have to mention Pete's Treats though. I'd starve without this shop. They sell dented tins, items past their sell-by date but otherwise perfectly edible. Highlight of my week is exploring that shop and you can honestly feed yourself for less than £5 a week! Great if you're a student, or in my case just plain tight. It should be listed as site of local importance at the very least.
• "Ask" is new on North Hill......nice decor and food, good outside eating area out back too, if it's ever warm enough. Don't sit by the front door on a cold night.
• Mayflower Chinese Takeaway up on Greenstead Estate (if you dare) does great big yummy portions. It's on Hawthorn Drive/Avenue or whatever it's called, opposite Charles Lucas school.
• Toto's Italian restaurant near the Castle does a very mean Carbonara. Also very good general range of Italian dishes.
• Happy Betty's Pizzas, on the Grinstead Estate. Probably the best pizzas I've ever had!
• Good selection of theme and independent restaurants - best theme - Cafe Rouge best independent - Warehouse, Ruan Thai, North Hill Exchange (all a bit pricey but well worth it)
• I know it's out of town, but the Swan Inn at Chappel does the best fish related menu for miles, but don't ask for anything large unless you've not eaten for weeks- 'kin Huge portions!
• The George Hotel & The Exchange for a lovely meal, China Chef & Mr Wings for good Chinese & To-To's for cheap & tasy pasta
• Great food at The Warehouse, off Southway. Expensive, but always getting good reviews in Sunday Papers.
• The best eating places that I found were the chinese down the bottom of East Hill, but *not* the Lucky Choice, which is nearby. They should call that one 'bad choice'. The Indian on the opposite side of the road isn't bad either.
• The Forresters Arms behind the castle does an excellent range of meals and snacks.
• Montys Indian Restaurant does the Best Panir Shashlick this side of Bombay.
• Hicks chip shop in the High Street.
• Doorsteps sandwich bar near Hythe railway station.

Pubs

• can't belive there has been no mention of BAR 33 on crouch str. yet , small friendly bar opp. the cinema.Top freshly cooked food ,no packet rubbish !! Then changes into a pre-club bar at weekends, great dj's , no hassle , no kids and best of all no idiot doormen at all.atmostphere with beer ,lovely !!
• The Cups and The Colne Lodge in the early 80's
• thenew improved castle excellent atmosphere and they welcome familys. Check out the horrer film inspired decor .Foods good to.
• my pub of choice is the playhouse- a young (but not too young) crowd, NO MUSIC, nice alcove thingies for privacy and great stuff to marvel at when drunk: ie the cut-out patrons in the upper circle.
• Hmmm.Pubs. Well' no shortage. Hate Abbott Ale though. Popular with the locals I know, but that's only because they haven't experienced anything else I guess. Big variety of pubs though. Avoid the Wagon & Horses and The Bull - unless you like sharing a room with a bunch of squaddies that haven't been out in ages.
• Playhouse: horrible place, but the booze there is cheap. Hole in the Wall: too squashed, but good company. The Cups: I went in here once in my tender youth, and all the bondage/black PVC/chain-mail knickers gave me The Fear bigtime. When I visited Colchester last, however, it was looking more wholesome. Marquis: squalling Little People.
• The Hogshead on Crouch St., lively, good beer, real ales, live music some nights. The Odd One Out, Mersea Rd. Relaxed, friendly landlord and clientele, best real ale pub in town. The Foresters Arms, Castle Rd. Student/ Guardian reader type pub but nice atmosphere, good pint and the food's not bad either (if a bit on the poncy side)
• Go to the wig and pen, great drink, without blind doorman,
• Avoid the FAshiion CAfe. Sleazy staff...young people. Awful. Cafe Brahms is even worse, can the manager wear more gold jewellery?.
• Again, you jest...the army is in town, personally I've found them no problem in any pubs...P.S. don't argue with any polite asian looking fellas.....they're Gurkhas. Don't go in the "Playhouse" if you ever want to get served, I suggest "Yates", it's also a good vantage point if you catch my drift.
• The Hospital Arms (near MVC on the road that goes towards Lexden and opposite the hospital) has excellent beer and a young, cool crowd in the evenings.
• Clarence at top of Sheregate Steps = friendly, cheap pool. Swan at Copford for lush food. Drive out Lexden Road way to Sainsbury's Tollgate roundabout, follow signs for Copford and it's on the left, past Kings Nightclub (is that dive still open?)
• The BEST pub in Colchester/Shrubend is without a doubt The Huntsmans Tavern, Shrubend Road, best chef in town Wee Jim!!!! Drew+Alison
• The Fox and Fiddler on the corner of Headgate is a great little pub.....as yet undiscovered by the screaming hordes on a saturday night......lovely barstaff, good jukebox, relaxed atmosphere.
• Greenlands-Vodka Bar in St. John's St. Does the most amazing Cocktail called the Greenland Special. Guaranteed to blur your mind.
• tap & spile One of the best pubs ever
• ROBERTOS WINE BAR CROUCH STREET NEVER TROUBLE CRACKING NIGHT FRIDAY BUZZING WEEKENDS
• Most pubs in the town centre are OK except for Waggon and Horses, Castle and Marquis (full of 16-19 year olds - although not nessesarily a bad thing as it is easy to pull in there)
• Students- stay on campus- it's cheap and all the tasty birds are there. Squaddies- stay in the hippodrome and Waggon, 'cause the MP's know to look there. Townies- go jump in the river, 'cause the water tastes better than the beer served in the Cups.
• Agree with the Odd One Out. Also try the Little Crown at the bottom of Eld Lane. Roberto's(Crouch Street) and Smith's(Up the side of Halfords) wine bars are worth a visit with friendly bar staff. Beer in the 'Lamb' in High Street always ok-No good if you don't like large screen TV's. Stockwell Arms in West Stockwell Street welcoming(even like cyclists)and the beer is good.
• (Bar) Spoofers has the youngest and trendiest crowd with the best music, although can be a bit young and packed, however still preferable to the "Pubs"
• Sunny Saturday afternoon in need of a pint and the comany of sometop messers. Spoofers bar Queen st. Rammed.
• Playhouse - converted theatre (via bingo hall) - can be busy + difficult to be served.
• Hogs Head - Student's pub, good beer selection + food(?).
• Tap & Spile - OK pub with guest beer each week, quiz night on Mondays.
• Nightlife sucks pretty much, but the 'Hole in the Wall' pub is pretty cool of an evening. Avoid 'The Marquis' at all costs (townies and little kids ahoy).
• 'The Cups' pub, up from the arts centre near the library and church. It's a goth/student hang out where they are not ashamed to play Sisters four times in a row, and follow it by Nine Inch Nails. You'll either love it or hate it...

Cafes and Coffee Shops

• best coffee in town , bar 33 , have a latte , then try and go back to the filter rubbish served elsewhere , with the added bonus of no college brats sitting next to you for three hours chainsmoking over the same drink .
• cafe rouge
• Loads of places to drink coffee. Most unusual is Sad Sack Cafe? You can get a genuine American soda in there from the real equipment. Impressed me anyway.
• I can't believe that no-one has yet mentioned Vagabonds! I was amazed that a place as spohisticated as that existed in Colch as that. their garlic bagels are gorgeous (though their strength sugggests Colch has a vampire problem...)
• Vagabonds the ultimute post night out venue, cool stuff,staff and prices.
• Try Carl Marx on Osbourne St. for this cool buffet style lunch thing. Also the Lemon Tree below Traders of the East, access via Eld Lane or Osbourne Street.

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Last updated: 2007-09-19