Maison Mollie in Colchester

*Terrible service* We went to Maison and Mollie after it reopened post flood. Given it was the first weekend of reopening the place felt so dirty and unloved. The cake tins were empty. The one member of staff serving shouldn't have taken a job in hospitality. She appeared annoyed to be serving customers and even more so every time anyone asked for a different type of milk or anything extra. We asked to pay then and there to be told ''i think its best you wait'', without any further explanation. We waited 20 minutes for two coffees which were not the correct order when they arrived. The waitress slammed the down on the table. Whilst we were there she turned away so many other customers telling them there was a long wait when the place wasn't exactly overflowing. Such a shame to have a local lovely coffee shop run into the ground by a grumpy member of staff. Give the job to someone who wants it.

Visit last week for a coffee, no one serving, no staff in cafe at all. Walked away. Family member visited the following day and got served but a staff member quipped something really out of order to her and her companions. This is a lovely little cafe and should successfully but a little more professionalism please.

Cafe looked ok but service was oh so incredibly slow - our toasties appeared one at a time after half an hour. Fine if you have all day - menu was limited and cakes dense and disappointing. won’t be rushing to visit again.

Got coffee and gelato there for takeaway. It seems to be a nice cosy coffee-shop and we would have loved to stay there, but during lockdown we could only do takeaway. Service was very friendly, coffee was great and the gelato delicious.

I regularly visit this outlet and have always had the warmest of customer service and enjoyed an excellent coffee accompanied by an amazing array of homemade delicacies. It’s disappointing to see a negative review interpreted by an individual who behaved so appallingly during my last visit. It seems that certain individuals use this platform to vent anger or personal anguish because of they own personal beliefs or frustrations. Maison Mollie, you’re a fantastic venue and deserve all the support Wivenhoe and it’s locals continue to deliver to you. Times are hard enough without this degenerate bringing you down. X

Fantastic atmosphere, decor, and hospitable staff. In these tough times, it was lovely to walk around beautiful Wivenhoe and grab delish coffee and cake. We did witness a customer refusing to wear a face mask upon request and legal obligation. The reaction of this patron was disgusting, so upsetting for such a lovely establishment and people 😔

I said this on Google reviews but, no doubt, it should be said here too given my experience. A cramped, parochial establishment staffed, on this day, by an exceedingly rude woman with an attitude problem - not just my words. I’m told she owns it. If you are passing through this town (and why would you be) avoid and grab a cup from the Co-Op Costa machine instead. The dispensing machine there is not great either but at least you won’t have to deal with an attitude problem. Won’t ever go back.

Nice staff and surroundings and more importantly great chocolate cake and coffee. There looked to be a good selection food including sandwiches, paninis and drinks such as milkshakes etc. I will definitely return.

Visited on recent visit to Wivenhoe for the first time, nice ambiance delicious coffee and whilst we didn’t eat the food on the adjacent tables looked fantastic, would recommend a visit.

Regular customer at this little gem of a coffee shop, the food and coffee are always amazing and the staff are always so happy and friendly, always filled with friendly faces! Love this place x

Best coffee I’ve had for a long time. Relaxing atmosphere, great service and decent WiFi. Will definitely be returning.

I regularly visit MM - either to work on my laptop or on days off - and always find it to be friendly and welcoming. It’s usually bustling with a mix of locals and visitors and has an adequate range of things to eat and drink. The only thing missing is more variety in the non dairy milks offered for coffees. Oat would be good. Behind the counter are Bob and Sara. Their friendly banter makes even new customers and those on their own feel very welcome. They’re like a Wivenhoe double act and regulars obviously appreciate their humour and conversation. Nothing is too much trouble for them and their lighthearted interaction and that of the ‘Wivenhoe crowd’ who frequent MM create a lovely atmosphere. These days I visit as much for the conversations as the food and drink!

I have now visited this cafe on three occasions and there are never any sandwich fillings which surely has to be the most important factor for a cafe selling sandwiches. My order this week was for 2 different paninis and a banana milkshake. Neither filling was available and they had no banana milkshake.. On my previous visit there was no ham and no cheese! It’s quite rare that these days a cafe with a small menu has very little availability from the menu.

***Highly recommended*** Absolutely fantastic! The Maison Mollie team are always super friendly and I couldn't fault any of them - I always have a laugh with the staff when I visit. I'm a fussy eater & they are ALWAYS happy to accommodate with any request I have. So, if you want something done a little differently (within reason, of course) then don't hesitate to ask, when I do it never seems to be an issue for them (and I can be a pain). I have been visiting Maison Mollie since they opened!

The varied menu never ceases to please. An assortment of home made cakes & everything's prepared fresh (...at least, everything I've ever ordered is!). I've found you can't go wrong with their sandwiches, paninis, ice-creams, milkshakes (made with real fruits!) & the Lemon Drizzle cake (but that's just me!). I see a few of my fellow reviewers don't share my enthusiasm for Maison Mollie however, I feel it's always important to remember that review sites such as Trip Advisor are hubs for the dreaded 'Keyboard Warriors'! Those amongst us who seem to take huge pleasure in complaining about EVERYTHING ...& when there's nothing to complain about, they invent something (...usually customer service related)! In my humble opinion, they are admittedly a little on the pricey side, however, I have never had anything but the highest level of top quality customer services from the current staff members & I cannot recommend Maison Mollie any more due to their current staff's EXCELLENT approach to creating a friendly, warm & welcoming atmosphere, their superb work ethics & wonderful customer services; which is what keeps me coming back!

This place has potential to be better but the lack of care given and service prevents it. Staff are not seen to be friendly and service likewise. We were served with a chipped cup and our plates were just carelessly dropped down next to us. The staff appear, but may not be the case, to do the bare minimum required. As someone that has a family business, I know how hard owners work and how disappointed one can be to receive bad feedback but by the feedback given to others I am not expecting that my review will be taken seriously

My husband and I went for coffee and cake to this cafe. We didn’t get so much as a good morning from the chap that was working there, in fact he never looked up from his phone for several minutes when we walked in. There was a sorry selection of cake, not even any fruit scones! My latte didn’t even come with a saucer which meant I had to leave my teaspoon on the table. When we left we didn’t even get a goodbye. The place could be lovely but the standards of staff and choice need raising. It’s also overpriced for what you get.

The service is very slow and there is a tiny selection of cakes which are rarely fresh. The staff are polite but the service is slow.

The ground coffee was properly tamped, I asked for a flat white but effectively got a cappuccino with loads of froth and a short measure of coffee - didn't say anything as I was already late for a meeting. Panini was well filled but the Panini press had to be switched on which delayed the service, but allowed me to have a wander and admire the interior. Great location with free parking just up the road. Friendly staff, good coffee bean (I am very particular!) and a reasonable price.

Wasn’t the nicest food- very expensive and £1.30 for a can of coke? They burnt my scone and was ice cold before hand! Wouldn’t recommend!

An unusual combination of gift shop and café located on a corner plot in this pleasant riverside town, we bought a couple of bits in the gift shop and then went for an ice cream in the café. I was planning on taking it away, but the friendly guy serving showed us to a table while it was dished up and in retrospect I’m glad he did as I think it might have been quite difficult to walk and eat it at the same time. I went for two scoops, and it was absolutely massive, definitely as much as you could possibly fit atop a cone and it felt very top heavy and unstable! Fortunately I managed to get through without any mishaps.

Loved this cafe for its coffee. Service can be sporadic but it has a good vibe, fairly relaxed. Cake choice is fairly limited.

Called in for coffees on a weekday, half a dozen other customers. The guy serving was friendly and after taking our order brought the drinks to our table. The drinks were fine, and we relaxed on the sofa in a calm and welcoming atmosphere.

We found this cafe looking for a place for lunch. The food was tasty and the service very friendly. The kids enjoyed their meals as well.

Easily spotted on Wivenhoe High Street, on the corner of the road down to the railway station, i called in here for a coffee on a free Friday afternoon.

I live in Wivenhoe and try to go to this cafe when I get a chance. It's a lovely local place with delicious coffees (great varity) and sandwiches, great place to meet friends or family or even an informal business meeting. Many people bring their laptops along to do some work with their lunch. It's very relaxed and the staff are always very chatty and fun, especially Bob and the owner of the cafe, Crawford.

We popped down here between my stepdaughter's rehearsals and a matinee performance at the university up the road and thought it looked like a nice little cafe. And it was.

Visit this place regularly. Always get great coffee, haven't eaten there yet. Staff friendly, proper village cafe. People moaning about slow service ? It's a coffee shop, not McDonalds.

We were looking for lunch on a Saturday down by the Quay. Many of the popular places were shut for lunch. We got a recommendation from a local shopkeeper and we were very happy with our sandwiches. It came with a lovely side salad. You order at the counter and they bring it to your table. It's casual but the quality is very good.

Very friendly and helpful staff who were welcoming and pleasant. Ordered paninis but two of our party of fourveould have preferred sandwiches and the choice was poor. Sandwiches were already prepared and boxed up for sale and not many left. Perhaps it might be nicer to freshly prepare them to order? There was however a nice selection of cakes and the paninis when they arrived were delicious with fresh ingredients both in them and the accompanying salad.

Ok as a quick bite to eat, not much room inside. Food good quality, service a little slow. Average place, not much more to say !

Today my grown children took me to this quaint little coffee shop for mothers day. What a wonderful place. Service with a smile, nothing too much effort. I had a toasted pannini and it was delicious, served with crisps and salad. Everyone of our party thoroughly enjoyed what they had. A selection of books, colouring and sticker books available to borrow for little ones. When you have had your fill there is a lovely gift shop attached next door. Perfect for all occasions, highly recommended.

Great coffee, quirky café, doesn't seem geared up for food as teeny kitchen but great cakes. Friendly staff and unrushed atmosphere.

We love Maison Mollie! Wivenhoe needed a place like this. It is so lovely to pick up a take out coffee while on a long dog walk or pop in with a friend for a natter over one of their scummy hot chocolates with all the trimmings!

This is a nice place in the middle of Wivenhoe where you can have a coffee and chat with friends. Any food orders can take some time though so be prepared to wait if you order anything that has to be cooked or heated up. Friendly staff. Definitely worth a visit.

Nice little place, our second visit. Small, and can be very busy as not massive amount of room. Service can be a little slow, but it's Wivenhoe! Best place in the village for coffee !

Visited Madison Mollie on a quiet mid week morning. Both our coffees arrived fairly quickly and were very nice. But the cake we ordered did take about 10minutes to arrive. We also order some hot water and a glass of tap water (for my baby to drink) and were told they would bring it over. Although the cafe then got busy we waited 30 minutes for the water, asking several times to be told yes. In the end bought a bottle from the news agent round the corner! Lovely place but they don't seem to be at cope with food and drink orders if more than a few tables! Shame!

Took my granddaughter and her friend for an evening treat. What a lovely evening it was too! The food was delicious, freshly made waffles and proper hot chocolate for the girls, tea and cheese scones for us. Service was first class. Just a lovely place to spend time.

This little cafe is relaxing and cosy, with both tables/chairs and sofas, a good place for a drink after a walk around Wivenhoe. I'm no expert on coffees, so wouldn't presume to judge them, but to me the coffees were fine. They also serve snacks etc., and have a few items for sale. The staff were jolly and efficient.

We first visited Maison Mollie a couple of months ago with our family and enjoyed ourselves so much that we now go back as often as we can! The level of staff attentiveness and friendliness is unparalleled and they can't do enough for you. The cakes on offer are all homemade and the ones that we've sampled have been totally delicious. The coffee we are told, is roasted locally and tastes fantastic

Small little coffee house, there were 3 members of staff so expected service to be a lot quicker, but it was very slow!! We waited 10mins just for a pot of tea. Baguettes were nice, great fresh ingredients. Not a lot of choice with cold drinks as the drinks fridge was almost empty.Good value, just need to sort service out.

A nice little cafe serving a good range of coffees and teas. Also light lunches and cakes. Free wi-fi is a bonus.

We went for tea and cake before my friend caught the train home. Tea served in a nice pot, homemade Lemon Drizzle cake, perfect! Friendly service too.

Can't really add anything to the title. Good place for a coffee and within a few minutes walk of the wateffront.

Visited a few times with good friends. Lovely attentive staff, awesome coffee & totally yummy cakes. The feta, spinach & caramelised onion panini was delicious. The perfect place to meet - highly recommended.

A group of us stopped here after a morning's photography around Wivenhoe. We were made very welcome. Service was speeded up by taking orders, serving and then paying afterwards.