Acanteen in Chelmsford

Amazing brunch place! Great veggie options too!

Amazing tasting brunch, great atmosphere! Breakfast burger was incredible and filling.

Fantastic breakfast and service from Red! Highly recommend the French toast banana bread - the best banana bread I’ve ever had!! We will definitely be coming back.

Good food, good-sized portions, good atmosphere at the beginning, but as it emptied, the atmosphere dropped off.

We used the front lounge area for a birthday party for 26 people, then had a Sunday roast for all of us after. Staff were exceptional, attentive and we had a fantastic meal. Couldn’t be happier, thank you guys 💫🙏

Brilliant night with top DJ entertainment provided by Jazzie B OBE and Norman Jay MBE!

great night. great food. great staff . really impressed and will be back

Great, child friendly place to eat with a great selection of food. The staff are wonderful (especially Red) and always make us feel like VIPs and experienced in understand want customers want.

So I've always found Acanteen a bit hit and miss in the past. Staff are always good even with a dissatisfied customer. But Sasha who served us and the Chef and his team were nothing less than BRILLIANT on my visit last Saturday. As I now have food intolerance - Sasha was back and forth with the menu to the kitchen until they hit upon the solution of beautiful freshly made chicken, salad and fries. So grateful for food and service.

It’s always good food at ACanteen and this visit was no exception.

Brilliant Elton John tribute night! Food was delicious and cocktails were good. Excellent service by Josh and Sasha, they looked after us really well:-)

Went on a Sunday, small group for breakfast/brunch. Food was nice and there were nice veggie options. Service was the only let-down as it took a while for our orders to be taken

Have been here a few times and went for Sunday Roast. They were busy, but the service was slower than it should have been and the roast beef was over-cooked. They also kept the front door open which made it cold inside. Unfortunate, because I've generally always liked the place.

We throughly enjoyed Red’s Spanish wine tasting, we were introduced to several different wines which we had not tried before and they were all delicious, Red was very informative and interesting while explaining the different grape varieties and the location of the wine growers. The accompanying cheese board was also very tasty, we will be returning for the next one

Would be nice to pair the food with the wine? And then include cold meats as well as cheese. Also a choice of just red or white wine could be good. Enjoyable evening, sadly can’t make the next one.

We had a fabulous night at the recent Whitney tribute evening. The food was delicious and our waiter, Sacha was really great, making sure we were happy with our food, and getting us drinks etc. Unfortunately, due to it being so busy, we didn't get our food until the music started, meaning we couldn't enjoy the first set as much as we might have done. The music was incredible. If possible, it might be better to get food pre-ordered to reduce time taken to take orders and mitigate running out of some dishes and it would definitely have benefited from more staff in the kitchen and waiting staff.

Great place for a family brunch, the banoffee French toast set me up all day!

Great service from Red, lovely breakfast and Red was brilliant with my little boy who was feeling tired and a bit grumpy. Was soon smiling :-) lovely little place in Chelmsford

Really nice drinks selection and the staff were very friendly

Went to Whitney night, 3 course meal a set menu but plenty to choose from and vegan option, food was really good, the service amazing had a brunette girl serving us she was coming over just the right amount of times and asking if we wanted more drinks when she could see they were low. Singer was amazing! The perfect date night my partner really enjoyed it for his birthday. Thank you acanteen

Very nice dinner and big portions!

Staff were brilliant and very helpful especially with the cake. Very welcoming and friendly

Great food and customer service

Unique bar and restaurant in Chelmsford. It's definitely worth a visit. Always find the bar staff a friendly. There's a good bar area and great selection of beers and cocktails. The food is excellent chefs do a great job. There are events here as well. A lovely vibe on the river front. It's a big space inside but it does fill up as the evening goes on so you know it's worth having a bite to eat. .................. def will be going back some time soon

Really nice place to eat food any time of day. Good options and a wide selection too. Food is very good and at a reasonable price range as well. Very recommend ACanteen.

Last minute booking - and as always it was fabulous. Food was great, atmosphere fab and service totally on point! Thanks Saffron for being so accommodating when we turned up with an extra person for dinner 🤩 Brought friends from out of town who had never visited before and they all loved it! - especially the cocktails and the DJ!

Went to boozy drag bingo. Did not disappoint. Had an amazing time and will definitely be back

Attended the drag boozy bingo. Fantastic night, very funny and great entertainment

Great atmosphere, lovely brunch menu to choose from.

We hosted our baby shower here last minute due to mix up with another venue. We are glad that we moved it to Acanteen in the end as the whole team and staff were really helpful, friendly and accommodating. The space itself was the right size for our group (around 25 - 30) food was reasonably priced and of good quality. Happy to recommend and thanks again to the whole team for making the afternoon run smoothly.

What a shame! Lovely place with a very chilled atmosphere but the service was appalling! Every time I go, the service is worse and slower, last weekend we went for a drink with some friends and the service was just awful! A bunch of teenagers in slow motion, we had to beg to be served. Nearly an hour to get a few pints (4 exactly). Management was nonexistent. A great hospitality place in town with a charming and cool atmosphere going decaying due to poor management.

Great place for food and drink, staff are fantastic, venue is top notch and very relaxed. Great restaurants and bar.

I recently visited Acanteen with seven other mums and our babies (all under one year old), and it was such a wonderful experience! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the food was fantastic. Emma, the owner, was incredibly friendly and welcoming—she even took a group photo to commemorate the occasion, which was such a thoughtful touch. What really stood out was how accommodating they were for all the buggies. Without us even having to ask, they gave us extra space, making us feel so comfortable and at ease. It’s clear that they really care about their customers and go out of their way to make sure everyone has a great experience. If you're looking for a considerate and family-friendly spot with great vibes and excellent food, I highly recommend Acanteen!

Hosting a networking event at my favourite place was a joy. As expected, from the initial enquiry to the point of leaving on the evening of the event, everything run smoothly. Nothing was too much trouble. In the run up to the event, communication was clear and informative. One the evening of the vent, the staff spent time running through everything. The food and drinks were delicious, well priced and fresh. Special thanks to the staff that were working that evening for making our networking event run so incredibly well.

Great Sunday lunch with two of us enjoying a great big plate of roast beef and veg, piping hot through out. The others had pizza which was enjoyed just as much. Will be back 👍🏻😊

Very friendly and helpful staff

menu was extensive so hard to choose :) we ordered the smoked aubergine pate and flat bread with feta and pomegrante. It was basically a pizza which was not what we were expecting. its tasted great but thought we would be getting a bowl of aubergine pate with some crumble feta and warm flat on the side.

Such a wonderful beautiful place. One of the most popular & modern places in Chelmsford imo .. like a place you’d find in the West End or on a Baleriac island .. prices are pretty reasonable for such a place too! Waiters and management couldn’t have been more professional, friendly , attentive and perfect customer service. Give you all the time in the world to even take family photos! Gorgeous setting with her looking the river .. seating outside and the shutters all opened up on the warmer days and has a holiday feel place to it .. lovely coffee barista part at the front and also a bar whether you want a real nice coffee and a bar snack or some amazing cocktails or glass of champagne. I’m TEETOTAL so they do an amazing choice of Mocktails and only around £5 and a beautiful mocktail made up with palm leaves and big chunks of pineapple like an ibiza long drink! Gorgous home stone baked pizzas and lots of other various dishes .. good mains with fresh fish and also spoilt for choice with small plates/ sides/ starters which is great for me as I have a small appetite. My boys loved the freshly cooked double burgers and the triple cooked chips and the stone baked mozerella garlic flat bread was to die for! Gorgeous quieter restaurant where we ate but also at the front part there are gorgeous chase lounges and sofas with or without tables .. ans can mingle there .. have drinks .. and even bring your precious dogs! and this was just a normal thursday night! Definitely booking many more nights here as they have amazing DJs and comedy nights and top West end singers to enjoy as you dine or drink there. I couldn’t fault A Canteen and I thank you for making my birthday last minute get together meal for myself and my boys so special x

Great venue for an 'young-at-hear' crowd. Spacious, comfortable with great music and a good atmosphere. Service can be a little slow at the bar because they offer cocktails but other than that, it's a great spot.

Had a lovely bottomless dinner for my boyfriends birthday. Food was great, the nduja pizza was delicious. Excellent service from Saffron.

Great menu, good selection of soft drinks as well as alcohol. Fantastic atmosphere for the comedy night.

Nice venue except the beer is far too expensive. At £7 a pint you can get cheaper in London. Fantastic dj's on the night though.

We shared some small plates which we were extremely impressed with. The cured salmon 👌 service was also really good!

A relaxed early evening drink! Perfect atmosphere.

Did the bottomless dinner for an impromptu date night, and Izzy was the best waitress we could have asked for. So friendly and drinks topped and waiting by the time we finished our last round! Absolute credit to this bar/restaurant. Food was amazing highly recommend

Went here for boozy bingo , absolutely fantastic food was nice but the atmosphere made the night . I was impressed with the quality of the night Fantastic would recommend

Booked the lounge sofas with a friend for a couple of hours on a Saturday. Lovely atmosphere, great staff and fun vibe

Went for a bottomless dinner for a birthday and the waiter (Tom) made the whole experience great :)

We were a party of 6 and opted for the three course dinner option. Food was very tasty and well cooked. Service was excellent. Great value for money.

Family Sunday Lunch. Excellent food, good portions, friendly efficient service. Good value for money

First time visiting Acanteen, has a very relaxed, understated vibe with its decor and young staff. Went to George Michael tribute and saw they have lots of other events going on. Great place to eat and be entertained too.

First time here. The service was brilliant!!! Food great and George Michael Tribute ❤️ Will definitely be back. Thanks Guys xxx

Really nice place for dinner and a couple of drinks! Service is really incredible. Quick, amazing and good value for money.

Fantastic food, friendly service and a really fun atmosphere.

I visited for my birthday on Saturday and we had a bottomless dinner; it was great value for money! The sourdough pizza was delicious and I will definitely select this should we return. The DJ created a fun atmosphere and the lighting was fab. We loved the photo booth and had a really great night. Thank you!

Always my first choice for a meal out in Chelmsford. 241 burgers on Thursday is our latest find. Love the menu variety and staff are always friendly and accomodating.

My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our pancakes. As a vegan I often find that the options are limited when I eat out, but not at Acanteen! The arla coconut cream and blueberries were delicious. My friend also enjoyed her bacon pancakes and oreo milkshake! I will definitely be back soon.

We love Acanteen, we visit regularly as a family with our children and for events, music and comedy nights. You are always greeted with a warm and friendly smile, nothings too much trouble and the food is always A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

This was the first time I'd been to Acanteen in a long time and I left feeling disappointed. It wasn't particularly busy (for a Saturday night) yet service was slow, the waiting staff had to keep checking orders as they weren't sure what items were on the iPad vs what's written on the menu, and we were sat right next to a very loud group of people, despite there being other tables free that were the other side of the room, which made it very difficult for us to talk and to anyone or be heard. My meal was lovely but I won't be rushing back.

I am posting on here as all emails have not delivered To SLT, I am writing after having experienced the worst service in a restaurant I have had. I arrived with my family (3 of us) for a walk in lunch at 1pm today knowing the food is great having been many times before. The female host on the front desk was disinterested when showing us to the table and had walked off before we got to the table. We waited 25 mins without contact from your team, not even an acknowledgment to say they were getting to us, at which point we got up and left. We left your restaurant without staff acknowledging our departure. I have never walked out of a restaurant before and I now, disappointingly, won’t be back. I didn’t want to put any negative reviews on any social media platforms knowing you are a small local business but also wanted to make you aware.

Over priced food. Random service charge. Can't use cash. Disappointing.

Nice meal with friends. Staff were excellent.

Ned was a great host but the brunch was let down by the warm prosessco.

Acanteen is a great place for food, we tend to go at breakfast time. We have noticed the quality isn’t perhaps as good as it used to be with things being overcooked but the staff and service are wonderful, as is the restaurant itself

Love this local funky and independent restaurant and bar. I've stayed loyal since it was a small cafe / astore and now one of the best places to eat in Chelmsford.

Usually a visit for a couple of drinks, on this occasion visited with some friends from Dorset. My burger was well made and tasty, my friends very much enjoyed the pizzas. A very decent wine was an ideal accompaniment. Can highly recommend for the excellent staff service, very polite and attentive. The cocktail bar has windows facing the river and allows for plenty of light and sunshine. There are also a few tables situated outside this bar. For the purposes of coffee or an afternoon pot tea a decent sized and comfortable lounge is situated across from the cocktail bar. This is also used as an addition to the bar for a more comfortable seating arrangement. There are frequent themed nights, which although I do not attend, are very popular and by all accounts very enjoyable. A medium sized room is also available for more of a private party vibe. I’m also pleased to report that cleanliness is very good throughout this establishment.

Acanteen My partner and I came here on Sunday for brunch. We didn’t book a table and it was quite busy so they gave us a table in the lounge area. This area is counter service, and after we decided on food and drink I went up to the bar to order. The girl behind the bar was clearly distracted and had a lot of trouble with our order. We ordered the Verde Eggs and a build your own breakfast. Our drinks came out quick, but I’d ordered an extra cup with the pot of tea that didn’t come. That was okay because we asked the server and she brought one immediately. Then we waited and waited and waited. No one brought us cutlery or tap water. No one checked in on us. 30 minutes later our food came and a welcome sight that was. Mind you, we still had to take cutlery from another table. Unfortunately, they had forgot the bacon on the byo breakfast and hadn’t included any syrup or butter for the pancakes. We requested the bacon and found out that they hadn’t included that in the order. Fortunately, they brought it out and didn’t charge us. The atmosphere was nice. It was calm and clean and there was a good amount of space between tables, you didn’t feel packed in. The food was okay, the verde eggs had a nice combination of components but nothing shone through. The pesto got lost behind the heaps of guacamole. The build your own breakfast was also swamped by guacamole, but the bacon and sausage were tasty. Overall, the service really let this place down and the food was just okay.

It is my favourite place in Chelmsford

Good range of brunch options - I enjoyed the vegan breakfast. Can get a bit loud on occasion.

Sorry to say that poached eggs on my companion’s dish were over done and the fried eggs on my other companion’s plate were also over done, they had a chorizo dish. The bacon I was served was dreadful, overcooked, hard . The staff were lovely and very helpful can’t fault them but will not be returning.

Went for brunch & enjoyed a seat by the window. I loved the verde egg breakfast - so nice to be able to have something healthy & different from usual breakfast offerings.

Acanteen offers a delightful breakfast experience with a menu that caters to all preferences, including plenty of vegetarian options. The staff are friendly and accommodating, readily making any changes to your order. Despite being consistently busy, the bustling atmosphere is a testament to its popularity and quality. The drinks are fantastic, adding to the overall great dining experience. Whether you're a regular or a first-time visitor, Acanteen's welcoming vibe and varied menu make it a top choice for breakfast. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a vibrant and delicious meal to start their day.

Good atmosphere,Good friendly service😁

Top night in this place. Great music. Have to say the staff were very friendly and especially to the guy Chris, so friendly and added to the atmosphere

Good place for brunch although can be quite noisy.

Amazing food, incredible atmosphere - a great find!

Great food, drink and atmosphere while watching the Euros

Such a great place! Food and service was amazing. Well stocked bar with very helpful staff. The music was perfect for our girls night out.

Great food. Had the make your own brunch. Fast and attentive service. Recommend.

The ambience and the staff were amazing. My both kids enjoyed, my elder one said the best pizza he ever had 🥰 well spent lunchtime

We hadn’t been to ACanteen for many years, not since they moved from the original cafe in New London Road. Don’t know why we hadn’t visited really. Anyway we’re back and it was great to see Sarah again after all this time. Same great food. Same great decor (love the private room). Same great vibe. Love it. We’re now going to be regulars again.

The house burger was great! A DJ playing some cool sounds was a bonus! A great night out.

.such a wonderful venue. Great staff. Fantastic food and music..

ACanteen will always be the first choice venue, perfect for celebrating, relaxing and has the best entertainment

We came for lunch. Had a table booked at 1:30, but there was only time for our lovely burger and chunky chips. We didn’t have time for dessert which we did order, but I had to leave before it arrived. I thought an hour 45 mins for lunch would have been enough, but the service is soooooo slow. The food and atmosphere is great, so I hope they work on the service to match.

Service was so slow to get food and drinks. Food wasn’t all that, trying too hard

Fantastic thank you for letting me host my fundraising event!

Food is always really good, atmosphere hindered by the Gospel choir that were there. However, really good as always

The service was slow, we waited nearly an hour before we received any food, the restaurant did not appear to be very busy.There were several of us in our party & a variety of dishes were ordered it took a long time for all the food to arrive & some people were kept waiting. At no time were we offered any desserts or tea/coffee, eventually we asked for tea/coffee only to be told the coffee machine is closed for descaling. This seemed very strange as the restaurant was open & there were people dining.

Banging Sunday Roast for the family, thank you!

We had a wonderful time celebrating our medics halfway celebrations at Acanteen. Lovely staff and amazing food and atmosphere! Saffron was an amazing help to us with organising everything. Thank you all so much, would highly recommend this venue!

Staff were very accomodating and friendly.

We stopped in wanting to have breakfast. Stood about at the reception desk for about 5 minutes before anyone even noticed . Couple of young servers were mucking about behind the bar area. We looked around , there were 4/5 small tables max of seated customers , with no food on their tables. Customers looked bored waiting to be served/ place their order. Very poor service, in times of financial hardships , you would think restaurants would up their game and service to lure customers in or at least maintain a decent level of service. This visit was on 7/6/24 at 10am. If I were the owner of A Canteen I would retrain staff, maybe pat a surprise visit every now and again. I suppose it is true the saying.. when the cat is away, the mice come out to play…

Great food, wonderful service. Overall a very good experience

I hosted my boyfriends 21st birthday party at acanteen on the 24th of may and I could not have done it without Saffron. She made the experience so easy which helped calm my nerves. The room I hired out was cleared of chairs and sofas when I arrived which made setting up very easily. From the bar we ordered spicy margaritas which were amazing so I’ll definitely be coming back for those. I would definitely recommend this venue to anyone hosting a party, and will be coming back again!

Couldn't fault it. Food great, service great.

While I was waiting for the rest of the party to arrive, I ordered a coffee 10 minutes later. Another waitress came up to me and asked if I wanted a drink. I told her I had already ordered a coffee , and she said she would find out what's happening 10 minutes later. It arrived also the rest of the party arrived and we ordered our food my son in law asked to keep menu so he could check that he got everything he was supposed to which he didn't hash brown missing not good.

Very good food and atmosphere. Small negative is it took a while for staff to notice us

Come for coffee and stayed for the food. Great venue with options to sit for coffee or restaurant in separate spaces. Great place to come with prams as not many spaces in Chelmsford can fit. I had the Banana Bread French Toast and it was incredibly delicious with warm butterscotch and comforting. Plus I'm not the biggest banana fan but I would order that again. You can tell the chef cares about the quality and presentation and looks as good as tastes. Small/ medium menu selection but perfect to make the dishes they do very well. Had sofas perfect for our 7 month olds to practice their sitting. Staff are helpful and always friendly. Happy to accommodate warming a bottle and bring to our table once warm. Probably my favourite place for a bunch in Chelmsford now.

lovely breakfast there. definitely recommend this place.