Balkerne & Colne restaurants in Colchester

Another lovely meal today. It’s turning out to be a firm favourite in our annual calendar. We will be back in the spring for another meal. What we ate today you cannot truely comprehend that the food was produced by catering students these young people will go on to be fantastic members of restaurants and businesses in the future.

Unbeatable value rising stars in front and back of house absolutely fabulous faultless performance well done guys I can’t imagine how hard you guys work

Excellent Thursday night taster menu, enjoyed every course, with a very nice bottle of Primitivo (£20)! A tasting menu may cook up something that is not to your taste, but this time every thing was good, especially liked the Amuse, Beef Tartare with toast, which was a small taster, and was as good as any main I have tasted in France. I even liked the second course, Wild mushroom, butternut squash, spinach & ricotta Rotolo (veggie) The main course of chicken breast with barley, I enjoyed, but left some of the barley. So just one ingredient that was not to my taste, out of many! All this for £35! Well done guys. This really is a treasure in Colchester and deserves support as these guys are our future hospitality....

Our party of 4 visited on a Thursday for the tasting menu, having not visited for quite some time. The students work hard throughout the evening and despite the obvious nerves/knowledge gaps, the service is good throughout. Tasty food for each course, with the pork belly and sweet potato soup being favourites, this is really worthwhile visiting due to the quality and value that you receive.

What a disappointment. Over the years I have eaten some marvellous meals at the Balkerne Restaurant but not so today. The choice was limited with just 3 items for each course and I was filled with dismay to read that the main course options were Moussaka, Mussels or Goat’s Cheese Risotto. I am allergic to cheese (it won’t kill me, but I’ve always been extremely nauseated by all types) and the thought of eating a mussel turns my stomach. One of my friends had a similar problem, but there was no alternative for us and no member of staff to advise the very young inexperienced waitress. I had no choice but to opt for two starters which was to some extent equally disappointing. The thick mushroom soup although delicious was cold and consequently unappetising and the buffalo wings were far too highly spiced and practically impossible for an eighty-year-old to eat particularly as I’m not used to eating with my arthritic fingers and could get nowhere trying to attack them with a knife and fork. Thank goodness there were a few small thin strips of celery, which were extremely tasty. I could not fault the dessert choices, but simply selected the unhealthy option of sticky toffee pudding because I was so hungry. Throughout our time at the restaurant I only noticed one lecturer on the floor and she was mainly concerning herself with serving wine. However, I cannot fault the keenness, helpfulness and politeness of the students . It was a pleasure to meet them and I wish them well.

We arrived for our meal and advised we were waiting for the third person in our party to join us, so they offered us a drink while we were waiting. We were then asked about 3 more times if we wanted to go to the table, which we declined as we were early anyway. When our other guest arrived, we advised the host that we were now ready, and he said to come to the table, only to then turn around and tell us that they weren't ready for us and to wait. We were taken to the table about 3 minutes later. The table was clean and laid for 3 as booked. It's a very contemporary decor. I ordered the smoked haddock on a broadbean and pea risotto, followed by the Monkfish and Cod scampi and chips. Our guest ordered the Goats cheese Crostini and Chicken Parmesan with a truffle Mac and Cheese. The smoked Haddock was nicely cooked, if a little bland and the risotto well made. The Goats Cheese Crostini went down well too! The Scampi was nicely cooked and flavourful, and the chips were perfection. The only things that brought it down was the mushy peas were cold and the dipping sauce for the scampi had a skin on it - presumably it had been sitting under a heat lamp. The Chicken Parmesan was well cooked; the fried egg was nicely cooked and the Mac & Cheese very tasty. I had the Kiwi and Lime Posset, my partner had the Chocolate Delice and our guest had the autumn berry gateau. The only issue with the dessert was the gateau was that our guest couldn't finish it! Not a problem. Tea and coffee were served, my only observation here is to let the tea brew a bit before pouring! Service: Very attentive waitresses, they checked back with us at nicely spaced intervals and cleared empty glasses etc. promptly. Very friendly and professional, the only thing that I could see was that there's too many people serving each table so the trainee isn't getting the true feel for serving. I also observed the tutors serving customers too while trainees stood chatting. To sum up, it's a good meal, good value for money and we will return!

Just come back from the Balkerne gate restaurant for my birthday lunch, I’m full of praise for the excellent meal and smashing service received from the students. Definitely worth a visit parking is a problem so be warned plan where your going to park before you go. Looking for to book the Christmas lunch very soon.

It's been a long wait for this wonderful restaurant, run by the fabulous students at the Colchester Institute College. The service is 5 star, polite and attentive. The setting and ambience very professional. The menu sublime and the quality of fine dining as good as any if not better than most in Colchester. Rising gastro stars!!!! Thank you for my first taste of an oyster The amazing pork cheek And desserts and petit fores I look forward to an opportunity to return.

Food was incredibly tasty and beautifully presented. Portions were on the larger side, so would advise turning up hungry. Service was brilliant too. Would highly recommend visiting!

If I was blindfolded and brought here, sat down ate my three courses still blind folded then there was the reveal at the end. I would be shocked to be told I had just eaten at a food college. Fantastic meal today, glad I didn't have the blind fold as I had to see the care that was in my dishes. High end restaurant food without the price tag. So great to see the 1st year students working along side their 2nd and 3rd year peers and the tutors guiding everyone. There will be some fantastic restaurant hosts in a couple of years time. Four of us dined and we all had different dishes purposely to experience as much as we could, not a single fault with the meal.

Have had two fantastic lunches at the Balkerne restaurant, since it reopened in Sept 2021, both were amazing, every course was the standard of a michelin star restaurant and superb friendly service. Both times had the most amazing vegetarian choice along with delicious choices for meat eaters. The bread is also amazing and so good I always eat too much and don't have room for the gorgeous puds. By far the best place to eat in Colchester.

My first time here with a friend who's husband is a chef, so she knows her food and flavours. We were both impressed with the choice of food for lunch. The flavours and presentation matched that of a high end restaurant. The service was also commendable. Such a lovely experience and wonderful to know that the students are so well trained and skilled from what they have learned. We will most definitely be back!

This was our first visit since the lockdowns and we enjoyed our lunch very much. There were friendly faces to welcome us, the tables were immaculate and the ambience was just right. The food was beautifully presented, a good choice and very tasty. We were served by Cam who was a pleasant, attentive and efficient server. The staff and students worked very hard to make our day extra special and we really appreciated it. Thank you

booked online - very easy, very good covid guidance in place. all staff were very pleasant, food hot and correct :) would recommend as a great place to eat. thank you.

An excellent 3 course lunch with friends. A good selection of starters, main courses and desserts. A friendly and efficient team was on hand to serve us. Great value!

Great meal and a treat at The Balkerne Restaurant - prepared and served by the COlchester Institutes best cookery students, menu was an exciting set of choices, all deliscious and prepared well. Great menu and decent service from the students. Booking is essential here and three course dinner with coffee/tea was £22.50 with drinks extra

Very friendly atmosphere, food prepared and served by talented youngsters. Over the school year you can see them grow in confidence. Excellent standard and great value.

This time popped into the Colne downstairs, as they had a 3 course offer for £8.50 per head. At that price elsewhere you wouldn't even get a starter! Food lovely, as always, beautifully cooked and nicely presented. Good choices across the 3 courses, which gives the chefs plenty of practice in their preparation! As it was beginning of term, I suspect there was a new intake of students, so the waiting staff a little 'wooden' and needed prompting for most things but then they do have to learn and that's why they are there. Just need to brush up on a few things waiting wise but food great, as always. Charged £9 instead of £8.50 but no worries, as at that price who can complain?! Girl on the till just needed to know how to cancel and re charge the bill (which she didn't!)

This is an inspirational place to visit. We were given a friendly welcome and escorted to our table. We were introduced to our waiter for the evening Ben who certainly looked after us throughout the evening.This restaurant is staffed with 2nd and 3rd year students who are studying at the institute.The food was well cooked and presented.Having eaten in many places the standard here is very high.The restaurant was busy and had a lovely vibe.We had a great evening and all involved should be proud of the standard they have reached.Thank you.

The day before I managed to book a table at the COLNE BISTRO at Colchester Institute. We had been busy in town and my friend and I didn't fancy the High Street offerings. What a gem we discovered. We had a beautiful meal. We chose different items from the menu and we were served together. I had the pork belly which can sometimes be tough but not here. It was so tender with great crackling. Yes the waiters and waitresses were young and they were there to learn a trade but they all wanted to please. It was such good value. We shall certainly return.

I came a few weeks ago for the first time in a few years with a few friends and Shaun our waiter was just amazing very helpfull nothing was to much for him. even when we arived 30 miniutes late he was still very welcoming. THANK YOU SHAUN

Thoroughly enjoyable. Lovely 3 course meal, very well cooked with students keen to please and discreetly supervised. Will definitely visit again.

Fantastic venue, excellent food and all the young students are polite, friendly and eager to please. We love going there and we have taken lots of friends and family who love it.

A friend suggested we meet up at the Balkerne Restaurant with another couple for a long awaited get-together,. We had a amazing 3 course meal served with a smile and discreet attentiveness, We felt a little rushed at the end but perhaps that was due to eagerness...

Nice to pop in here again at the start of the new term, with this years fresh students learning their craft. Although they had a fixed price 3 course menu, I was able to order just 2 courses and be charged less for that, which was nice, as I was tight for time and couldn't stay for the desserts, even though they looked so tempting! As always, the food is exquisitely presented and prepared and very tasty. New innovation is the big screen which allows you to watch the food being prepared in the kitchen out back, which is interesting to watch! As it is early in the term, those students doing the front of house were understandably a bit nervous and often stood around until prompted by the tutor but all in all very attentive and helpful. Definitely will be back and will also try the Colne Bistro downstairs again.

A superb evening. Young students producing one of the best meals I have ever had in Colchester. The students in all aspects of the food and service were enthusiastic, keen to get everything right and a credit to both themselves and their tutors. The drinks were incredibly reasonably priced as was the food. Well done to all.

Great quality food and imaginative presentation. Service standard and attention of waiting staff is outstanding.

Visited both restaurants and never had a bad meal. The food is freshly cooked by the catering students under the watchful eye of their tutors. Service is exemplary. Excellent value for money

been here lots of times over the years as a couple and family meals.lovely friendly staff, good food at a good price.

Not been.we do frequent this establishment.but we may do sometime in the future. We intend to have very enjoyable meal on the night that we do frequent this establishment.

One of Colchester’s best kept secrets! Whether you book lunch or dinner, the food is perfect and so is the service.

Our first time here, and won't be the last, just gutted we never tried a few years ago when we lived next door, would have been regulars

We have been several times now and the food is always excellent and fantastic value for money. Highly recommended.

They really have kept up the high standard of service and quality of food served here. Brilliant value - without a doubt it is still the best place to eat in Colchester!

We spent a lovely evening celebrating our Christmas meal at the restaurant. This involved exchanges of telephone calls and e-mails. Everything went according to plan. All the members of staff were excellent. We had a good evening.

This is my favourite restaurant in Colchester.

Everything was very good in both of the Colchester Institutes restaurants. Food, service and price really good value.

Decided to pop down here for a 3 course at lunchtime in the Balkerne Restaurant to see what the 'new season' of trainees was like. Must say, the standard of the food has not dropped at all, in fact it was probably even better than last year's - which was also excellent. Thursday was the 3 course special for £12 a head, so i started with the mackerel fillet (very tasty) followed by the guinea fowl supreme (super succulent) and rounded off with treacle tart - always a favourite! All the food was superbly cooked and nicely presented, the portion sizes were just right and the waiting staff did themselves proud. Not bad considering it's not long into the new academic year. Will definitely be back before too long!

Lunch at the Colne Bistro was so good I will be going back this month. Great value for money, superb food and excellent service.

This is my favourite restaurant in Colchester.

Love the idea of this place and we were not disappointed. After a slightly shakey start the students soon found their rhythm after a long summer off. When you think that price wise it’s on a par with some average chain restaurants the food was exceptional. Whilst the service wasn’t faultless, any mistakes are soon forgotten when remember that that is the point of the restaurant. Malakye in particular was very enthusiastic and will have a great career. Will definitely be going back.

We regularly lunch at the Balkerne Gate because the menu is comprehensive and regularly changed, the food reliably good and the staff friendly and helpful. Add in the ambience and ready availability of tables and its no surprise we keep coming back.

Had lovely meal,Waiter /waitress service was excellent.The food was amazing couldnt fault any of the sevice .

This restaurant is run by the students as part of their course. The experience of the students changes noticeably through the year. They are very enthusiastic, and the product its exceedingly good value for money. some interpretations can be a ,little unusual, but that adds to the atmosphere. I have had many good lunches, and their evening special events are also enjoyable.

One of the best meals ive had in a while , the students are very talkative and helfull! the tutors are lovely and frendly, definitely going again !!! 🥗🥗

Exceptional Friday lunch at Colne Bistro. Usually go to Balkerne Room but tried Colne Bistro for a change. We were not disappointed and the quality of the food was great. The students are training so mistakes do happen occasionally but tutors are on hand to sort everything out. Thanks for a great lunch.

We had lunch in the Balkerne Restaurant on Friday for the first time with some friends who had been several times before and had recommended it to us. We were very impressed with the delicious food and our waiter who was very pleasant, professional and efficient. We will be back!

A very well presented and excellent meal with great service to match. The food was way beyond what we all expected and was up there with some of the best food we’ve enjoyed at a restaurant.

We had three courses for £10 and we couldn't fault any of them. The students were polite, professional and knowledgeable. Watching crepes being prepared and flambéed really added to the whole experience, well done to you all, we will be back soon.

Popped along today for their 3 course lunchtime special offer (3 courses for £10!) As always, food superbly cooked and presented, always a good choice of all 3 courses and enthusiastically served up. I started off with a starter of pigeon and the wife had a risotto, followed by guinea fowl for me and sea bream for her and finished off with a passion fruit tart for her and cherry and almond torte for me. All very tasty! All the staff have excelled themselves again this year already! Will most certainly be coming back here for more treats!

A large group had a lovely Christmas meal here and a great meal was enjoyed by all although the lamb shank was the one course which proved not up to expectations. It was well cooked so tender and fell off the bone but was lacking in the flavour you expect from this dish. Apart from that the evening was very good with the students on to form providing excellent service. I would recommend eating here to experience good food with good service delivered by lovely students.

Love this place and we had a great Christmas dinner. Friendly attentive service & well presented tasty food. And great value for money too. Definitely worth a visit if you have not been. Starters were sublime, duck pancakes in a chilli sauce and baked goats cheese. Mains were even better and the roast turkey with all the trimmings was superb as was the baked bream. Puds were good too & all washed down with a lovely St Emillion.

myself and husband thought we would give the balkerne a go as we are quite keen on using the facilities in the area

This is such an amazing place that showcases the future talent of our local trainee Chef’s and Hospitality persons.

Lo que un evento genial en una encantadora de mayo por la noche! Nos sentamos en el balcón con vistas a una tranquila y verde y servida por los alumnos educado, amable y eficiente. Los canapés bien presentados ambos eran saladas y dulces, con una amplia gama de cada una. Los langostinos en salsa de Yum Yum era precioso, como los huevos benedict y la salsa hoisin rollitos con pato. La comida es muy sabrosa, todo servido con Cava hizo una perfecta ocasión. Muchísimas gracias a todos los involucrados.

Este lugar es realmente una joya escondida. Nos vienen regularmente y disfrutar de la experiencia respaldada por un servicio amable y atento. Una gran selección de canapés salados y dulces. Nuestros favoritos eran los huevos Benedict's y el Strawberry mini macarrones. Y se sirve con una buena calidad Cava. Y una gran relación calidad-precio en 10 libras cada uno.

Un grupo de 54 de nosotros visitamos el Balkerne restaurante para almorzar hoy. Todos somos miembros de una asociación de jubilación y tenemos muchas comidas juntos. Hemos estado en varios restaurantes que forman parte de las universidades de catering y este fue sin duda uno de los mejores que hemos encontrado.

Visité hoy el Colne bistro. Excelente presentación y sabores de comida. colorido No tengo quejas, y sin duda, volveremos.

Ha sido para el restaurante en el Instituto colchester balkane para una cena cenar bien y qué gran comida que era, la comida era excelente y muy bien presentado. Nuestro waitrose fue muy profesional y como un hermoso joven. Los estudiantes deberían estar orgullosos de sí mismos, el servicio desde el momento cuando llegamos hasta que nos fuimos, fue genial. No podemos esperar a volver una fantástica relación calidad-precio

My mum and I had a fantastic meal in the Colne today (once I had found the right entrance road and, bizarrely, a double yellow line to park on). The waiting students are all very friendly, polite, do their best and ask if you are happy with the meal. The food was superbly cooked and presented and everything on the menu looked appetising. Portions are quite generous, which is a shame as I didn't have room for one of the stunning looking puddings.

Visited for lunch today after reading good reviews. The service was friendly , polite and the staff were very welcoming. ( thanks James and the young lady serving the water) . Good choice and caters for gluten free & vegetarian. The food was very flavoursome , nicely presented , and a good portion size . Would recommend and visit again. The only downside was the car park was full and it is difficult to park nearby.

As we've been before, we were on the emailed offers list, so took advantage of their 3 courses for £11 a head lunchtime offer one day last week. We usually eat in the evenings but an offer like this is too good to miss! All the food is so beautifully prepared and presented and it all tastes great as well! All the courses were delicious! The students on the courses run by the Institute prepare the meals and wait at the tables. From what we've seen, they will all go far. One has already been a 'Materchef' winner, we believe, which didn't surprise us.

A good training establishment great price but great fine dinning. Front of house great, food great service need refining but nothing to spoil a fantastic lunch. The refining part was that the waitress tended to stretch across the table rather than serving plates of food from the right and removing food from the left. In addition the people pouring water made a similar mistake. THESE 2 THINGS did not spoil the meal and was raised for the benefit of the trainers who hopefully look at these comments. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS VENUE

we come here often but the menu is always changing so I don't get bored. My friend is a veggie so her choice is usually limited to one starter and one main - but there were two this time - an excellent pea soup with a minted crème fraiche and an egg Florentine. I couldn't choose between the egg Florentine and the Caesar salad - so as they were only £2.50 each I had both and my friend the pea soup. We had complimentary bread to start with good butter and chilled table water. There were about four choices for main and I had the fish pie with seasonal veg (absolutely divine butter soaked corn on the cob) I had to have a doggy bag to take away my left overs. Dessert is simply not to be missed - the winter fruit cobbler with custard was my friend's choice (custard wasn't as good as usual) and my choice was the mango posset with tuille = really delicious with a velvety texture. the only issue was the our server had a flesh coloured plaster on his thumb and to keep my tuille on the plate he had stuck his thumb on it... so I ate around that bit!! coffee was also served - but their blend is not very nice...

This restaurant is such a gem! I have been several times with my fiance or friends and it is always such pleasure to eat there. Service offered by the students is of such high standard, it is like nothing I have seen in any other Colchester restaurant - fast, efficient, very friendly. Most of these youngsters are just so great at what they do. And the food!!! Where else you would eat a superb quality 3 course meal with excellent choice of drinks and complimentary bread costing between £16 (special o email offer deal) to £21????Every time we go there is a different menu, with great selection of starters, mains and dessert.I have been several times for dinner and never had a bad experience and this is food cooked by students! Not chefs! Apparently Colchester Institute has the best cookery school in UK so that tells you something of the quality of food on offer.I think this place is Colchester's best kept secret, sometimes I wonder why more people don't know about it but shhh maybe it is better this way as I am always able to get a table and if the news is out who knows...Booking is essential via the phone or their website.

Where to start..Having been a student here years ago and working with many over the years who trained here.I and two friends finally went to eat here.And what an experience it was.From meet and greet onwards we were blown away with the whole experience.Front of house were smart. Attentive and knowledgeable of what was on offer that evening. And we're nothing but professional the whole way through. Nothing was too much for them. In particular I must pay credit to rosie who was welcoming, bubbly and a delight to be served by and had no problem communicating on all levels and not afraid to make recommendations on the dishes available.On the same note all credit to steph as well who although was not overly confident in her wine opening abilities was confident enough to ask for help from her tutor and more importantly was confident enough to engage with us and skilled enough to know that we were good for a laugh and tailor her interaction with us accordingly. What she lacked in getting a Cork from a bottle she made up for 100 times over in personality. Both of them superb.All I can say of the food is that I know of nowhere you could possibly get a meal cooked to the standard that it was for £16 for 3 courses. Every aspect of it was phenomenal. If this is the standard that will be going out into the trade in a year.The lecturers should be more than proud.All of the students that night are a credit to the institute.A real big well done to you all.

A superb evening, Portuguese themed with wine, absolutely lovelyThe staff were helpful attentive and friendly.The speaker about the wines was very informative, and selected each wine to go with each dish perfectly.I particularly liked the Quinta da plansel selecta tinto red wine, and the Quinta do Crasto finest reserve ruby port finished off the evening in styleHighly recommended

We visited the Colne bistro today for my wife's birthday. I had booked online but had inadvertently booked at the Balkerne. A quick call and we were politely moved over to the Colne. Upon arrival we were pleasantly greeted by the student at reception.The restaurant is immaculately presented and we were shown to our table. We ordered one salmon starter and one aubergine starter. While we waited complimentary fresh bread was offered. The starter were well presented, fresh and tasted beautiful. The aubergine was tender, wasn't over cooked, oily or soggy.The salmon was an absolute delight. Light, well seasoned with a delicious sauce.The mains were pasta dish and a dish of seafood and both again were delicious.The atmosphere was pleasant and comfortable. The students were attentive and tried hard. We enjoyed the lunch and the food. It was perfect for a birthday treat.This place is a little gem. The food is a superb especially considering its been made by students who, no doubt, will be top chefs in the future. Visit this place and you definitely won't be disappointed. You will also be supporting our local youngsters to learn and develop.

We were booked in for lunch at the Colne Bistro today for a business lunch - they have only just started to open on a Friday for lunch - so this was an unexpected pleasure. All of the front of house and the kitchen team are students - apart from the tutors which supervise everything - so you can expect nerves sometimes. Our servers were efficient and prompt - although the drinks order wasn't quite right they corrected it without fuss. There were four choices for the main course only - but with one fish, one meat and two veggie dishes a fair choice. 'starters' were not available but we got a bread board with a very delicious onion and cheese bread which was really gorgeous and half a homemade bread bun each with either poppy or sesame seeds - good butter too. I went for the roast beef - quite well done but tasty - really yummy (if a little flat) Yorkshire pud and a side dish of roast potatoes and roast carrots and parsnips. A generous boat of horseradish was bought to the table immediately and mustard was also offered. Gravy was already on the plate and I would have preferred it served separately - but there was an ample supply. My colleagues had the Salmon coulibiac and this was served with a watercress sauce, new potatoes and mange tout. She said it was delicious. My other colleague had the vegetarian quiche with salad - which was good - but it would have been great if it could have been served with vegetables for a change - he always seems to be served salad and he doesn't really like it. We indulged in the puddings as it would have been rude not to as they were only £2.50 each. Sticky toffee and chocolate pudding x2, pistachio crème brulee with sable biscuit and I had the chocolate ganache cake - a huge slab of chocolate delight - the only criticism was that the chocolate decoration looked like a little poo! See photo. With coffee and drinks the total bill for the four of us was just £42 - a total bargain.

Very pleasant evening service was excellent, food exquisite, warm greeting,throughly enjoyable. Can recommend.

We have been visiting for many years and have always enjoyed the meals, students very helpful and pleasant. However we were very disappointed with the “Friday hot Buffet lunch”Buffet definition: A meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve themselves.We were offered a choice of just one dish served from the kitchen or one on display in the restaurant served by students.My husband did like the chilli con carne but I was disappointed with the six very tiny haddock goujons from the kitchen. There were four dishes on the menu and we were offered only one therefore it is not a buffet.

My partner and I have just returned from a lovely dinner here. All the staff are very attentive and the food was absolutely delicious! We will most certainly be returning!

Today we have been back to the Balkerne Room for lunch. It is a few years since our last visit and we were not disappointed. Good selection on the menu.....something for everyone. The food was well presented and hot. The three of us choose different dishes and we were all very happy with our choice. Looking forward to returning. We won't leave it so long next time.

Don't expect to much and you probably won't be disappointed Cold food unpleasant guinea fowl tough and still had blood on the bone.Besides that if you like a cheap night out and no atmosphere then it would be a place to visit just to support the trainees.

We have been a couple of times to the Balkerne restaurant on a weekday evening. The value for money is fantastic as the quality of the food is well up with that of a top resturant where you would have to pay through the nose for a tiny portion, but the portions at Balkerne are really good. You also get a taster before your starter and the drinks prices are very reasonable. But the best part of the experience is helping support the students who are in training on catering courses. You can even watch the level 3 students cooking in the kitchen on a big screen. I think it's an excellent idea - a perfect way for the students to get experience in a real setting and build their confidence.

Finally got round to trying this place - wish I hadn't taken so long! Can't fault the food - it was absolutely delicious and not run of the mill. Small but varied selection on the menu - I could have chosen anything and I'm sure I would have enjoyed it. Our waiter was obviously nervous but he was very friendly and the service was efficient. Offers great value for money, and even more so when there's a deal on! My one piece of constructive feedback would be that the place could do with an update in decor. In any case, highly recommended - I'll certainly be back!

We've been recommended to try this place for some while, so last night booked for our first experience here. We have to say, we were very impressed. The front of house staff (and presumably the chefs?) are all learning, so this is part of their course experience. The format seems to be - 3 courses, choice of 4 dishes per course, for a set amount (last night, £15 per head!) plus any wine, coffee, etc you may wish to add. Both of us had the pan fried pigeon starter and guinea fowl main and then I tried the apricot and almond samosa sweet and my date the white chocolate mille feuille cheesecake. All the food was beautifully prepared and very nicely presented and the taste did not disappoint. The poor waiter was a bit nervous as it was his first ever night on the course, so we tried not to be awkward customers! We thoroughly enjoyed the food, the portions were just right and a particularly scrumptious sweet, so we will definitely be returning for more of the same!

We have been visiting with friends and family for over 5 years And we have always had a very enjoyable time with the food and service

I took 5 others ( all previous diners at the Balkerne and Colne Restaurants) to the Murder Mystery evening. We had a great, fun evening with excellent food cooked by the students to a very high standard! The entertainment was good fun and the Drame students did very well, working in the confines of the restaurant. The whole evening was a success. We all hope to see more of these next term! I'm going to get withdrawal symptoms very quickly! I wish all the staff and students a good break, and look forward to a brilliant new term. We are so lucky to have this facility in our town!

As always, a warm and friendly welcome, and impeccable service from a delightful bunch of students. Delicious food with a good choice for all courses, and good value for a relaxing and enjoyable night out..

Excellent, food as always. Students are always polite and helpful. Looking forward to our next visit.

Had lunch recently with my mother, excellent from the moment we arrived until we left. The students looked after us very well, food fantastic, will definitely visit again and have already recommend to friends and family.

I organised a lunch at the Balkerne restaurant for my mother's 80th birthday. With a guest list of 37 we were able to have exclusive use of the restaurant which really made the occasion. The fact that there is a small seating area to have arrival drinks made it possible for people to reconnect who hadn't seen each other for a long time. The food was excellent at all stages. The maitre d' looked after our every need including magicking up a candle for my mother's dessert. Service was extremely attentive. One has to keep in mind that it is a training establishment, but the odd idiosyncrasy added to the charm. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

The Lovely food delightful wines and Attentive staff made a perfect evening Already planning next visit

Pleasant welcome once again, albeit a little nervous. All the students were really well presented and welcoming.Surprised we were recognised as it's been a year since we were here last.All the food was super, particularly the deserts, and especially the white chocolate cheesecake.Great value too.Look forward to our next meal here.

An attractive dining room and superb food prepared and served by the students on the catering course. £23 for a three-course meal. The restaurant was full; in fact booking is essential. It is a real asset to Colchester. The food was absolutely delicious and we all had a really enjoyable evening.

Excellent food & service staff/chef very accommodating with one of our guest being diabetic they provide an excellent desert for her that was not on the menu. Staff was very good at explaining what some of the dishes was in detail. Excellent food & well worth the visit would defiantly recommend to visit. They made you feel special.

This place is a little treasure. The food and service is always up too the highest standards and the price is right (It's far too cheap). No more review just go there and try it, you won't be dissappointed.

What a wonderful team, meal and service. Nothing was too much trouble including all our dietary requirements.We are already planning our next visit.

Experienced a wonderful evening in the Balkerne Restaurant last night, a perfect antidote on a cold January night. We were given a very warm welcome by the students and enjoyed relaxed pre-dinner drinks in the bar area. At our table the menu was explained, as one of our party has several food intolerances this was not straightforward! However, we were all impressed with the 'can do' approach from the kitchen team in helping sort suitable choices. The food presentation, quality and value for money were excellent....it is hard to imagine that student chefs cooked everything, the standard was far higher than many restaurants I have eaten in lately. All of the students running the restaurant were well presented, friendly and attentive but particular mention needs to go to Milly who waited our table....she was an absolute delight, catered for our every need and went out of her way to give fantastic service, something that can be a rare thing these days.All in all a great evening....we will return!

The welcome was friendly and we were seated promptly. The menu had four choices for starters and mains with a choice of three for dessert. The chicken and ham hock starter with a poached egg was excellent!. Two of us had the spinach, red onion and cheese tart which was very tasty and two had the smoked pork rump which was so tender. All the desserts were good and beautifully presented, the pastry on the tart was delicious far superior to previous offerings!.The service was efficient and well managed. Very good value for an amazing meal. Well done to all the students and staff.

If I were basing my review on just the fact this is a student-run operation then I would have given top marks - it is undoubtedly wonderful what they produced given their age and limited experience and I commend them for that. However, I think they would prefer to be judged as a "real" restaurant in the real world and, because of that, I'm probably going to sound a little mean!Through no fault of the students, it doesn't feel like a restaurant - the decor is quite dated and the setting a little staged, very conference-room-cum-wedding-reception, making it quite difficult to achieve a natural atmosphere. However, the gentleman at front of house was a delight, joking with us and making pleasant small talk before taking our coats and seating us at our table. In fact, I can't fault the level of service - we had the same waitress serve us the entire evening and she was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable when we had a question about one of the starters on the menu. I enjoy a complimentary bread basket and one of the highlights for me was a wedge of the delicious beetroot bread, I could have eaten a whole loaf! Though the butter was slightly too cold for spreading consistency (perhaps not helped by the temperature of the restaurant, I was desperate to get my coat back by the end of the evening!). Starters came within minutes of ordering - the baked aubergine stack certainly wasn't lacking in flavour, though I would have liked it to have been served warm. I was slightly concerned for the deconstructed fish pie main with its pea risotto base and I don't think the presentation helped it's cause, but this was actually my favourite dish - the pea risotto complimented the fish perfectly, creamy potato purée and some wafer thin crispy potato slices for added texture. I was pleased not to have found any bones in the filleted pieces of fish, though the haddock was ever so slightly overcooked. My two friends had the pork belly, which looked every bit like it had come off a fine dining menu, and I took it upon myself to check that the crackling shard tasted as good as it looked...I can confirm it did!Dessert was a little disappointing for me - I had the caramel and chocolate tart with cherry compote, but I wouldn't have known there was any caramel in it and the compote was one cherry cut up on top. The pastry was crisp, though the tart itself was a little tough to get your fork through with quite a dense, set chocolate filling. We finished with a round of tea and coffee (happily they had decaf options) and left feeling full but not uncomfortably so - portion sizing was spot on, and represented incredible value for money, with 3 courses for £15 a head. Despite a few minor criticisms, these were some of the most well thought out and imaginative dishes I have seen in any Colchester restaurant in a long time - there's no denying that these students have bright futures ahead.

Went to the balkerne restaurant today for lunch. This was my first visit and will not be my last. The food was fantastic as was the service from the time we walked in to the tine we left. Our waiter was polite and very attentive but not over so. I would say that the cost of the meal can not be beaten. Will be back very soon and will recommend to all my family and friends.

Have been here many times now and can highly recommend this restaurant to anybody. The students who are studying to become chef's use the restaurant to prepare and cook an inventive menu for lunches and dinners to a very high standard. Value, Quality and Service. Well Done!!

We couldn't wait for the Balkerne to reopen after the Christmas break and luckily managed to get a table in their first week back. The thai fishcakes, seafood pie and sticky toffee pudding was absolutely delicious. Although the restaurant was busy, the service, as always, was excellent and the waiter happily answered our questions regarding the food. Looking forward to our next visit.

We had booked for our charstmas meal in antisipation of a good meal as for the passed year we have been every month with no complaints.We paid over 200 pounds with out the wine for our party and the meal that came forth was just awful the staff did not seem that interested as it was end of term that went for the servis as well as the food some of the party had felt ill the nexy day,the food was poor and not good value it seemed like an after thought not what we expected and I have been suporting them for over 15 years.I did email them re my concerns was told it was going to be taken into account with the tutors but no real concerns or an apology which I felt was the least the head of the resteraunt could have offered

Our company had our Christmas meal there and it was a wonderful experience. We were well attended by the waiting staff - even my napkin was opened and placed for me - we hardly had to lift a finger during the entire meal. The food was gorgeous. I had the bream and it was the best piece of fish I have ever eaten. I highly recommend the Balkern Room to anyone whether you are hoping for an intimate meal or a business lunch.

As always the food was perfect. A delicious meal, well cooked and presented. Excellent service, nice surroundings. Unbeatable value

Visited today with a local charity group . The restaurant served 87 people simultaneously with a choice of menus, unobtrusively and efficiently. The meal was very enjoyable and the sweets outstanding

Having read such glowing reports of this unique restaurant we were keen to see if it was worthy of its position as the number one place to eat in Colchester. In my opinion, it definitely is. The service was exemplary from start to finish. Our waiter, Ryan, was very professional and made sure that everything ran smoothly during our evening. The amuse bouche was a lamb and caramelised onion sausage roll with a butternut squash puree. The flavours were beautiful. For starters we chose a mackerel dish with turnip and tzatziki and a ravioli dish. Both were well presented and delicious. For mains I chose pheasant, which arrived whole and was carved at the table. It was served with an amazingly tasty cassoulet and some other well chosen accompaniments. My husband had the mullet which was served with mussels and had been very delicately flavoured with a variety of spices. Both main courses were exceptionally good. To finish the meal we had a warm banana cake and toffee ice-cream and a profiterole-inspired dessert. Perfection. Two cappuccinos and petit fours completed the evening. All of this amazingly creative and well-executed food came to exactly £50 - most definitely very good value for money. We are looking forward to returning in the near future.