Colours Continental Cafe in Ipswich

We absolutely love this café. The food, the staff & the wonderful vista. On this occasion my husband ordered a bowl of soup. It was the biggest portion I have ever seen! He really enjoyed his meal & wouldn't hesitate to order it again. We like the fact that the meals are homemade and incredible value. This café is now called The Coffee Cat.

We absolutely love this cafe, which is now called The Coffee Cat. The staff are great and the food is the best value and taste anywhere, I'm almost loathed to recommend it as it will make it even harder to get a seat. The views are to die for. We have enjoyed so many lunches here and great conversations with staff and other customers. On one occasion my husband chose the soup of the day, I have never seen the size of the bowl anywhere else! We have both enjoyed the homemade chilli, one with a jacket potato and the other with rice, just great. We will 've back soon.

Stopped for lunch in this very small café on the waterfront. Not only is café small but the kitchen is tiny and with 4/5 people in there when we were there could be a reason why production of food is quite slow. No complaints about the food when it eventually arrived. Nicely presented, tasty and good portions. Serving staff friendly but kitchen needs to be able to deal with orders much more quickly than it seems to be able to do at the moment.

Me and my partner had tea and a nice scone with jam and clotted cream and we were both very well impressed and a good price too. And very friendly staff as well.

Ate breakfast here and was really happy with it. I had a scrambled egg with tomatoes spinach and pumpkin seed dish wish was very tasty. Felt like 'clean' food and I will definitely be returning. The location is also fantastic, it's a lovely sun trap facing the marina. Give it a go!

This is a wonderful independent cafe on the waterfront. The food here is really tasty and freshly made. The best thing they do by far is the milkshakes! We can't walk passed without stopping for one.

Informal y Café sirve deliciosa comida casera de estilo. Niño muy simpático, con un montón de cosas en el menú que los niños pequeños como. Puedes comprar un helado en la tienda de al lado y comer en la cafetería - perfecta para niños pequeños junto a sus habituales que ofrece. El blue bubblegum helado sabor es particularmente popular en nuestra familia!

Costo promedio, pero bastante caro para lo que es. Los clientes tienen una opción entre alojamiento estrecho dentro o unas cuantas mesas y sillas pequeñas metálicas embutidas en un pequeño espacio fuera en el viento. Parecen operar en "Tiempo de suffolk", así que el servicio es bastante lento.

Habiendo tenido un gran deambula a lo largo de la orilla nos decidimos parar a tomar un café. Este Café está en una posición prominente y por la tarde en sol completo. El café es increíble y el queso scones excepcional. Me encanta ver a la gente pasar y factor en vista barco este lugar no defrauda.El personal es educado y cortés y dispuesto a participar en las bromas de los clientes.Volveremos.

Qué maravilloso café. Los asientos son limitados, pero eso no es una mala cosa. Sentir que estás recibiendo el servicio personal en contra de algunas de las cadenas de la ciudad. ampliaDespués de haber pedido probar la mía los bollos de queso que desde un bollo profesional de degustación son unas de las mejores de la ciudad.También algo genial sobre bebiendo un café y ver la cantidad de barcos y los cruceros balanceándose arriba y abajo en la marina.Se lleva mi voto cada vez.

As always something tasty on the specials menu, friendly service, all freshly made and brought to the table so it takes a little time, but well worth the wait. Lovely jacket potatoes today. A buzzy busy atmosphere which always delights, and a perfect location.

This cafe always comes up with the goods. Their scones are yummy yummy and soup homemade and always an excellent standard. Seating is in or outside overlooking the Quay . Definitely worth a visit.

Ordered tea and poached eggs on toast. Tea arrived in a very small pot, which just filled the cup, and wasn't really that hot. Poached eggs arrived after 15mins, over cooked and rubbery. No time to complain as I was hungry and didn't have another 15 minutes to wait . Staff conversations were very loud and easily heard in dining area. Great location, otherwise

I chose Colours Continental because it was convenient. The menu offers a range of snacks and drinks, including wines and beers.I chose a simple cheese sandwich and a lager.The service was swift, the beer was cold, the sandwich was delicious, and I would go there again.

Having walked along the waterfront we came across this small coffee shop. It is small inside but has plenty of seating outside. A nice selection of cakes and snacks along with a very nice coffee, tea and cold drinks is available and on a nice day sitting outside on the waterfront is wonderful. The coffee shop is clean and the staff very polite. It was in all a very pleasant stop for a well earned coffee.

We chanced upon this cafe after visiting Neptune marina. The shop next door which I believe is also owned by the cafe has an eclectic mix of items for sale as well as essential items for life on board your boat! The cafe is neat and tidy and the American girl that served us was very friendly and efficient. They too serve all the usual fayre you'd expect from a cafe with unusual bottled beers and Fentimans gin and tonics from the fridge. Perfect for sipping from their tables long side the Marina with. Coffee and sparkling water. Very sophisticated. Perfect for watching the world go by despite it not being quite as glamorous as the south of France. However, close your eyes and image you are, particularly on such a beautiful day.

Had a couple of breakfasts with wife. A reasonable selection. Had porridge, generous toast and very good, non-greasy cooked breakfast. I was early morning and service was good. Can sit inside and outside. Friendly.

Great sandwiches at a sensible price beautifully made and served with fresh salad and crisps, staff are helpful and friendly, at last a sensibly priced place to eat

Dont' overlook this unobtrusive venue on the waterfront. Ideal for a lunch or afternoon tea, the menu has a variety of fresh, innovative items to suit most. There is also an emphasis on vegetarian and requests are always met with a smile and willingness to go the extra mile.The salads are particularly good and taste so fresh that it feels like the ingredients have just been picked from the garden!Portions are generous and presentation is appetising. Don't miss this one.

Lovely little café to visit when on the waterfront. Especially good when it's sunny and you can it outside. Good coffee and great menu.

Great range and quality of food as a cafe - clean toilets with outside seating. Staff are friendly and railings to lock-up bikes. Student discount!

I can't remember the last time I asked for brown toast and got proper thick sliced bread and not that processed sweet stuff. Proper butter and marmalade too. Nice coffee. Great staff, and a little note stuck above each electicity socket that actively invites you to charge you kit and say they will provide the cable if you need. How nice is that?

Visited this cafe for breakfast with 5 other members of my family. Good variety for breakfast, everyone enjoyed their food. The price was reasonable and the staff are really friendly and the service is very quick. Full marks!

OK the menu has nothing vegan! Other than a black coffee and choice of soya milk... but I asked. The staff seemed bemused as if never fasted with a milk free, meat free, egg free request.... but they were helpful and created a beautiful breakfast. And the Linda McCartney sausages, so easy to cook badly, we're done to perfection. Just need to get a vegan cake on the menu and some plant based spread then it would be amazing. Highly recommend.

A wonderful little cafe to find on Ipswich busy waterfront. Cafe smallish inside but has a lovely seating area outside. Food freshly prepared & homemade and big portions. We had breakfast not at all disappointed. Plus daily papers to read. We sat outside a tad chilly at the time so just wore our sweaters. Prices not over the top at all. The Bushel Box next door also owned by the cafe is equally as good for essentials and for lovely small kitchen nick knacks etc. I never fail to come away having bought something also a small selection of papers to purchase. All staff in cafe & shop always have a smile in their eyes.

Just love eating all fresco and this is the perfect place. Friendly staff and beautiful fresh food. Would recommended to everyone.

In a nice spot by the waterfront in Ipswich. Colours has good range of food at reasonable prices. Serving sizes were very generous and the coffee was quite hot. The cafe is rather small and poky but there are seats outside

Had been to this cafe last year (2015) and thought it was good but a recent visit this year was extremely disappointing. Whilst the setting and location are perfect the service leaves a lot to be desired.On this occasion we just ordered two coffees. Had to wait a good 10 minutes (which is a long time when you are just sitting waiting) and when it arrived it was awful. I had a cappuccino which arrived with spillage in the saucer, and apart from half an inch of froth, underneath it looked and tasted like a cup of hot milk with not even a hint of coffee flavour!I don't know if this cafe has changed hands but it has certainly gone downhill since my previous visit. I will not be going again. Lots more choice along that quayside that I would recommend trying instead of this one.

We stumbled upon Colours as we had just checked into the Premier Inn (round the corner) and wanted somewhere nearby to grab some lunch. It is a nice spot on the quay and is fine for a quick bite. Menu includes sandwiches and jacket potatoes. The cakes looked really nice but as both of us are gluten-free we couldn't eat them. There was only one gluten-free option available which was a coconut slice.

Used to call every couple of months but never again. We wondered why this formerly popular cafe in a great location had just one table occupied at lunch time on a Saturday and soon found out. Met with a grunt when giving my order. Our drinks were long finished by the time we got our food about 20 minutes later. My Brie, ham and onion Panini was luke warm. Slabs of unmelted brie with the rind on. 2cm circle of onion on one side.4cm circle at the end of the other side. My wife had a fish finger roll. Well, it certainly fitted the Trade Descriptions Act. It was just fish fingers in a roll. Dry. She used the dressing supplied with the salad (which was tired lettuce and two wedges of cucumber) to make it edible. I left mine.

I was disappointed with this place.When ordering we had to give our table number. Then whilst we were waiting a waitress came several times with dishes and asked us if they were ours. Why give the table number if you are not going to use it?I had coffee and carrot cake, the coffee was weak and pretty tasteless and the carrot cake was dry.The location though is nice, with sitting areas on either side of the road running alongside the harbour.

Nice location and pleasant sitting outside for breakfast, although the menu was quite limited. Although the place was less than 50%, full, say 25 people, service was slow and when I went inside to use the toilet I was amazed to see 4 people milling about and arguing in the tiny kitchen.Eventually the food arrived, but we had been so long waiting we had all drunk our teas and coffee. The waitress refused to bring more and if I wanted any I had to leave the table, and my long awaited bacon and eggs and order inside?! As the others needed drinks I followed the waitress inside to the counter. She went around the other side and then ignored me! As my food was getting cold outside I was not inclined to stand around until she deemed it appropriate to take my order, and I reminded her why I was there. Somewhat flustered by this unreasonable request for attention she took my order and money and I returned to eat my breakfast. Sometime later the drinks turned up and we were obliged to 'chuck' our old cups and teapot etc. on an adjacent table as there was no room for the new supplies on ours.Some training is needed here as it would have been appropriate to take the old cups etc. back after bringing the breakfast.

We ordered our coffees and scone. Waited 20 minutes and then I went to ask if there was a problem. I was told "sorry, but we have been very busy". Our order arrived shortly after, the decaffeinated coffee was not a one shot.

always good here . When the sun shines sit outside next to the boats. Breakfast lunch 'tea' all good

Friendly and attentive service. Great selection of newspapers and a great set of seats outside to enjoy the sun on. Very chilled.

Sat in the sun, overlooking the waterfront lunchtime and had a very lovely cheese and pickle sandwich. Very tasty, soft fresh bread, and a lovely salad garnish with really nice dressing. Would recommend eating here, have had cake here before and that is always good too.

I visit at least once a week and have yet to be disappointed. Beautiful mix of cakes ranging from traditional to whacky. I don't normally leave reviews but after trying the malteaser cake today I just had to write something! Amazing.

We have been with my friend there twice and was ok as we like the espresso coffee there after a few hours work, the last two times it has been poor service and the scones have been served cold and hard ,like have been made few days ago and they charged us 60p for clotted cream which came after a while ,

We have only just popped in for a bacon bap and coffee for breakfast when staying in Ipswich but will definitely go in there for a lunch when we go to Ipswich for shopping instead of the usual quick stop in a basic take away!! It is a little out of the way from the shops but the menu looks good and so do the prices and in a lovely setting. Keep it up.

I am not sure if the ownership has changed, but I went back to this cafe again recently and noticed a distinct improvement in relation to all of the issues that had disappointed me before. The service is significantly quicker than it used to be and they don't appear to run out of things that are on the menu at peak times. Also, I think the prices are a little less than they used to be so overall I was very happy with the service and value for money as well as the quality of the food. I can highly recommend the chilli!

It has been a while since I have purchased lunch from Colours. Mainly because they used to give me a different price for the same order but also because the food went majorly downhill!However, having recently purchased lunch I have been won over. The price was reasonable and the food was even better. I didn't have to wait long despite the cafe being quite full.I will definitely be going again.

Service is always a bit slow and the breakfasts are a bit mediocre. Good for a takeaway coffee though, particularly if you have a boat in the marina or are a student.

Quick service, great location, well priced and tasty food. Simple menu from sandwiches, salads to jacket potatoes

Stopped here for lunch with friends and sat outside on a very sunny Saturday in Aug. Needless to say it was packed, inside and out. Despite that (and despite some reviews here) the service was pretty quick and we got exactly what we asked for. The food was good and the cakes were lovely! We really enjoyed it and it's in an excellent location to watch the world go by!

I use CCC because of its location, along the waterfront, and also because they are open nice and early when I am walking by!the service is always good, the staff are very polite.food wise, the bacon rolls are ok, not great and the bacon isnt always cooked enough for me, the paninis however are amazing, the brie ham and red onion is my favourite and i recommend it.

I have enjoyed eating in Colours cafe for quite some time but my 2 most recent visits have not been enjoyable as my food was served both late and incorrectly on both of these occasions. Milk in my 'black' coffee followed by late delivery of food which had already been prepared, without the sides which were paid for. I overlooked this as a commonplace mistake the first time but thought nothing of it but as the same thing happened on the next visit as well I will now think twice before stopping here again. Staff took care of the mistakes that were made but the fact that they keep on being made repeatedly means that doesn't really make up for it.

Great location with a lovely menu. Very happy to see a range of Gluten free options which I am now making my way through!

Perfect little café for lunch. Good choice of food and drinks and a good choice of veggie options too. And all rather tasty indeed. The service was efficient, and the staff were all rather pleasant, even though they were working away in a small kitchen on a very hot day. Would definitely use this place again. It's in a lovely area overlooking the harbour, but we did have to go and eat inside due to it being a suntrap outside and we were with a young lad...could do with the odd parasol or two...mind you then that would disrupt the view.

This little cafe has everything going for it as regards venue but we will not be visiting again. We only ordered a coffee, a cold drink and a slice of cake but had to wait ages. The drinks eventually arrived and we had to remind them about the cake. Still we waited... My husband's coffee was getting cold and there was no cake to have with it. Unfortunately I had paid up front so was just going to cancel the order for the cake when I went back in to find it just being cut. There was a long queue (it was about 12 noon by this time) the whole atmosphere was chaotic; some people were paying up front, others afterwards, there seemed to be a problem with the card machine, the problems were endless. Then to cap it all,I noticed the harassed person making the sandwiches and cutting the cake was picking food up with her fingers, no plastic gloves in evidence - awful.This was our first visit to the waterfront; we shall certainly be looking for somewhere else to get our coffee next time.

Lovely relaxing place to sit and watch the world go by. Lovely staff and excellent coffee. The cakes looked amazing too but the waist line would not allow us to sample.

We have just got home from an appalling stop off at the Colours Continental Cafe, we waited nearly 40 minutes for 2 wraps, it didn't even seem that busy to me as most of the outside eating was empty. We had to chase our food after about 30 minutes to be told it's on the way, another couple who ordered after us were then served before us even though our order was placed first and it was a cold order so no cooking required!! When the food did arrive it looked like it was thrown on the plate, no care or attention taken. How the waitress had the cheek to even put it in front of me, I was gobsmacked! My partner was going to take it back but I said we'd have to wait another half hour or so to get it so we ate and left, never to return again.

This cafe is situated in a superb location with tables not only outside the cafe but just across the road next to the marina. We really enjoyed very tasty coffees with delicious home made cheese scones as we watched the comings and goings through the harbour. I would recommend this venue.

This small cafe is right on the marina and has both indoor and outdoor seating so on a nice day you can sit in the sun and look at the boats and stuff. I have now been here twice (I live in Ipswich) and I think it has become my go-to coffee place. The mocha is absolutely first-rate and today I had what is very possibly the best fruit scone I have ever eaten. The service is efficient and friendly. I can't say enough nice things about this place.

Great Barista coffee and the cakes are home made and really tasty. I recommend if your in the area. Free Wi-fi and News papers, nice touch. Loyalty cards and friendly service

You can sit indoors or out at most times of the year. Papers to read and free wifi complement the great coffee and the position of this cafe is ideal for watching the world go by........there are also some scrummy cakes and a good menu to choose from.

Excellent outlook. Fresh and tasty food. Good service. Loyalty card. A place to watch the world go by whilst eating good fresh food. Lots for vegetarians.

I work in Ipswich quite a lot, and this used to be the café of choice for my colleagues and me. There is a choice of good, home cooked food and the staff behind the counter are really friendly. It is good value for money.I have now decided to eat elsewhere for a while. Why? Because the person I assume is either the owner or manager sits in the corner on his computer throwing his weight about either with staff, or on one painful occasion, having a blazing row with his mum on the phone for ordering too many cakes. This hardly leads to a tranquil atmosphere.This is a real shame as otherwise it is great with free wi-fi, daily papers and paperbacks on hand.

I frequently pop into this little cafe when walking by the waterfront for some lunch. Great choice of freshly made toasties and jackets etc though I often choose to try something new off the 'specials' board. The staff are always friendly no matter how busy they may be during the lunch rush. The cafes imaginative cakes also deserve a mention, the festive season has seen some wonderful new creations available. Delicious food and lovely staff!

I visited this cafe on a busy Saturday lunchtime. Most of the tables were occupied, but we found a comfy corner spot and soaked up the atmosphere. The menu choice was large and varied with a huge cake selection on display too. My panini was generous in size and accompanied by a fresh side salad. I had ordered a cup of tea which was provided in a pot that filled the very large cup.Whilst there I noticed that there was free wifi, which I duly logged onto with the provided password. I noticed others on laptops using this too. There were plenty of newspapers and magazines hanging up if I had wanted too.The overall service was excellent, with the staff all very friendly and polite. I really enjoyed my visit to this cafe and will definitely return.

This weekend though I stopped in for a quick lunch with a friend. The cafe was very busy, but the staff were lovely and took our order quickly. The reason for posting though was the soup, Parsnip & Apple, it was delicious! Very impressed. Unusual and tasty on a cold day. I've seen that some previous comments were negative, but I can only assume that the owners have taken the reviews on board and made changes, everything was very good. Recommend popping in to give it a try.

I visited the colours cafe recently and was really impressed. The cafe is very homely and the homemade cakes offer something for every taste; pastries, homemade scones, flapjacks, tiffin and even 2 gluten free options! The staff were very polite and I was wished a 'good day' when I left which was really nice. I visited on a Monday and the regular customers coming in to get there usual was something I had always wished to have.. 'A usual'. I believe this cafe was one of the first to open on the waterfront and after reading some other reviews it is a shame that rude staff in the past have resulted in bad reviews, and I do hope the management consider this when hiring. Service with a smile is certainly what I Recieved and it made my experience good and certainly not my last. Keep up the good work colours cafe! The homemade soup and cake I had was delicious! See you again soon

I dropped in for a coffee and a bacon sandwich to take away.I eat here often, and the home made cakes are always amazing!!I was greeted by really friendly staff, and although they were busy, my sandwich was prepared freshly for me and quickly. It tasted great and the latte, was actually hot, which is a nice change from chains like Costa where its half cold by the time you get to drink it! and on a nice day you can chill out with a view over the marina. Great service, tasty food Highly recommended!!

I was staying at a local hotel on business and to be honest I'm not the sort of person who likes to eat in some standard place so looked around and found the Colours cafe. I had only intended to have a coffee there before a meeting but the food looked so good I went back there for lunch...absolutely delicious! The staple cafe food was available but really surprisingly there is a specials menu with some lovely and different options...I had a chorizo stew with fresh vegetables...never had it before but wouldn't hesitate again. I was back there the following morning for breakfast...again...lovely and polite service (obviously family owned) and all cooked freshly...a real delight and unusual to find these days. Coupled with the location and views...what more could you want? Thank you...I'll be sure to visit again on my next trip

I love this cafe, a lot of the reviews on here just don't do it justice. So, I thought it was about time I posted why I love it.Working locally on the Waterfront, Colours has become a daily visit. First and foremost they serve excellent coffee, it's much better than the run-of-the-mill coffee found in many coffee chains and it's actually made properly, which is a real pleasure. Not only is it great, but the pricing is very, very reasonable.Occasionally, food takes a little longer to be prepared, but then it's most likely being made fresh to order. They can get very busy, so all that's required is a little patience. Being in there regularly the staff are always very welcoming definitely brighten up my day.Finally, make sure you try one of their fresh cakes! Always awesome.

What has happened to Colours? Where has their customer care gone? Do they want to keep their customers and stay in business or not? We have been going to Colours since it opened. Not a short trip but an 80 mile round trip such was the food, service and setting. But oh dear after today we will not be wasting our time nor money again. We ordered two Tortillas – the staff took our money despite my noticing that there was only one portion behind the glass. Frankly we expected the Tortillas to be cooked fresh – remember their advert – ‘food cooked fresh’. So we patiently waited and eventually after over 30 minutes we went to the counter to ask where our food was. Being ignored as my wife stood there was the first of a downhill trip; from there it got worse. They looked for our order and made the comment ‘oh they sometimes get lost’ with the body language and attitude really saying ‘and do we care – no’. And so the attitude and lack of customer care continued as they tried to give us a refund – the till would not let them so they had to make a phone call and after the instructions they were given failed they had to go next door to get our money. Did they tell us what was going on? No. Were they busy? No. Did they display any interest or concern? No, not one of the three girls behind the counter seemed concerned – all just totally disinterested. Very sad but we will not be returning

I drop in here from time to time to buy lunch because I work nearby. The food is usually OK, which is why I have given it 3/5, but a bit pricey for what you get, apart from the cakes. I have frequently been disappointed when asking for things from the specials board because they have run out already by lunchtime but have not been taken off the board. Also, the service is painfully slow and the staff often ignore you when you are waiting at the till. I'd give 0/5 for the service.

I have eaten here on a few occasions and usually the service is slow but the food is good, this time it was the other way around. The food came quickly but was horrible. I have never been presented with such an awful looking dish. I ordered Cauliflower cheese, it was brown!! I'm not sure how this happened!! I took it straight back and was met with an appalling attitude from the staff, muttering that it looked ok to them! I asked for soup to replace which was very nice, but I had to ask them for the difference in money as it was not offered. It was put on the table with no apologies. I will not be returning here or recommending it to any one.

Witnessed argument between staff and customers staff wanted door open and customers wanted door closed on a very cold January morning poor woman of around 80 years old closed door as cold and windy inside cafe was told by staff leave door open as we are hot unreal . Cold latte no baps only sandwiches at a extra £1 at around 10am didnt go back even though nice spot on the marina

We stayed at the new Ipswich Central travelodge by the Marina, and had breakfast both mornings at this cafe. Right on the Marina, and nice in Winter, but imagine would be lovely in the Summer at the tables outside. Plenty of choice, and good quality food. The open breakfast sandwich with bacon and free range poached egg, hot chocolate and the coffee are all highly recommended. Also an interesting delicatessen next door where you can buy lots of different produce including home made ready meals.

I regularly get my breakfast from Colours on my walk in to work and the experience is always good, friendly service and great food.Today Myself and a couple of work colleagues decided to give Colours a try for lunch and were greeted by a substantial sandwich and light bites menu. In addition to this they had an impressive selection of Daily Specials, 2 of us opted for Daily specials, namedly the Sweet Potato Curry and in my case the Chorizo stew with Mashed potato. I could almost run out of superlatives to throw at the food! whether it be aimed at flavour, portion size or value for money thay all score a big tick in the excellent box for me!I will be sure to visit again to try out other daily specials and keenly wash them down with a fresh fruit smoothie while taking in the lovely view both inside and outside of Colours.

Been here multiple times and really enjoyed various menu options. But visited here sunday for fathers day and was slightly dissapointed as to start off with the coffee came out in grubby cups and half full which i dont expect when specifying black. Also they have stopped putting one of those posh biscuits on the saucer :-( Then when the wifes sausage sandwich arrived there was no chutney or salad which in the past it came as standard and my breakfast it just looked like there was something missing from the plate like ketchup! But having said all that the food and actual coffee was lovely but they really need to up their game just a lttle which would make them standout from the usual "cafe"

I wandered down the waterfront and glad i didn't stop, until i got to Colours. The staff were really friendly and welcoming. I had a toasted cheddar and pickle sandwich on brown bread, which was toasted to perfection. I wasn't planning to have a coffee, but soon changed my mind when i realised that the staff actually looking after there beans. I sat outside and took in the view. As customers left and staff said goodbye in a familiar way, I realised that once you had visted there you would definately be back.