Olive Tree Coffee House in Waveney

We often visit here with my father- in- law and sit outside on the terrace and enjoy a pot of tea. We occasionally treat ourselves to a preordered high tea, with cakes, sandwiches, etc. These are really delicious and well worth the visit. The Olive Tree has great, friendly staff, and the ambience is tremendous. Set amongst the grounds of the home, it is both peaceful and relaxing. Over a relatively short period, we've watched this business becoming established and go on to become a favourite of many. Sadly, father-in-law is now no longer with us. Years on.....and it's still one of our favourite haunts. We particularly like the themed afternoon high teas, and the staff are great. It's still well worth a visit.

I orderd a vegetarian quiche but when it arrived it had bacon inside, thankfully I realised before eating it, I was then brought a cheese quiche which had clearly been microwaved , the pastry was awful and the filling was weird , not much of an apology given either, I didn’t make a fuss as I could see they were busy , but I won’t visit again.

Just had afternoon tea for my birthday in one of the garden pods. Excellent selection of sandwiches,scones both cheese and plain with cream and jams and superb choice of cakes. The staff are all very friendly and extremely helpful.

Great service and fantastic food and drinks. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Absolutely lovely place . Great food at great prices , Lovely welcoming staff . Definitely recommend.

They do lovely afternoon tea freshly made

Unfortunately I think this cafe has gone downhill. I visit it regularly but today I was with one other person for just coffee and scone/tea cake. My friend’s scone arrived warmed but I had to wait 29 mins for my tea cake and he had finished his coffee and scone by the time mine arrived. I had to go to the counter twice to ask for them to query where mine was. Very disappointing with Off-hand staff who didn’t seem bothered!

Lovely cafe, we chose to sit in an outside pod which was lovely until we were rudely told to move as apparently you can only sit in them if there are 4 or more people. Cake was lovely but visit was ruined by being told to move seats, especially as cafe was not busy

Fantastic restaurant, enjoyed a high tea. Pleasant staff. Lovely relaxing environment. Make a reservation

We had a lovely afternoon tea, the scones were really nice. We would definitely visit again.

Lovely surroundings, nice lunch menu, great afternoon teas

Lovely food. A friendly welcome

In my opinion this is the very best local coffee house in town, I highly recommend this Coffee house.

Great food, great staff, great experience.

I met a friend for coffee, I am a coffee lover & did find the coffee quite weak but that is my preference. Was easy to get to & has lovely grounds for the residents that live there.

Took my mum and my son (it was his 21st birthday) for afternoon tea. When I phoned to book the table did tell them that I had allergies. We arrived a little early and it was clear that they were busy, I told them I had booked and was told you are on the reserved table, wasn’t told where. So we sat on the first table we saw reserved. After a while we got told that wasn’t our table and told to move to the correct table, would have been nice if we had been shown where in the first place. Our afternoon tea was brought out to us and I was shown the 4 finger sandwiches that were mine as I had the allergies, no scone as that had mustard powder in it but I didn’t get any substitution, would have been nice if I had had some salad as I was still paying full price. Cakes were very tasty, coconut sponge square was really soft. Plenty of tea, got pot refilled. Only other thing was it was hot inside, couldn’t have a table outside. There was just the main doors open, no other doors open and no fans, felt like a melted ice cream by the time I left.

Smashing little place in a lovely setting, food and staff is wonderful 😀, definitely recommend 👌

Absolutely lovely, nice food and really helpful cheerful staff.

Beautiful setting & lovely concept for residents to interact with visitor's however breakfast menu not great which was disappointing.

We always have lovely time with beautiful food here

Lovely afternoon tea. Shame there is no choice for someone who doesn't drink tea or coffee. We had one drink included in price for afternoon tea but had to buy any other drink. Nothing else offered.

What a pleasant find! Good coffee, tea and cake. Tasty paninis and other lunch items. They do breakfast too.

Lovely place, super staff and very tasty food.

Excellent food Excellent staff who are always very helpful Very welcoming and friendly atmosphere Reasonably price

Delicious afternoon tea, everything you could wish for. Delicious sandwiches, crisps, scones (cheese and plain with clotted cream and jam) and a selection of yummy cakes. We couldn't eat it all and had to bring some home ( oh dear, what a shame ha ha) very good value for the money. Would definitely recommend.

Lovely little place. Good sized portion. Little bit of an American breakfast menu. Bacon and pancakes plenty of syrup. Will keep me going. Friendly staff. Will be going again

Had a lovely afternoon tea in a pod, wasn't told about the heater which would have been nice as a bit chilly, had to ask for the tea to be refreshed, but the sandwiches and cakes were lovely

The best place to eat in the area for a lite bite.

Sat outside in the sunshine with an enormous slice of cake and a cup of tea. Peaceful setting and very enjoyable as always.

used the pods outside. Comfy & warm. Lovely. Nice Staff too.

Lovely setting and fabulous food

I don't give 5 stars across the board very often but this little gem deserves them. From the second we walked through the door the staff were on point directing us to a table, we ordered our food and drinks and even though they were full to capacity everything came out in good time and was hot. I had some minor alterations to my meal due to being on slimming world and it wasn't any problem. The prices for the portion sizes is quite good. I can see why it's busy all the time, we will most definitely be going back at some point.

Lovely place in the grounds of a care home. But as a result a lovely peaceful welcoming setting. Very nice staff. Gorgeous array of cakes if that is your thing. Even with several customers and groups not at all noisy a lovely place to spend time.

Enjoyed afternoon tea with my daughter and son-in-law. Food was lovely and plentiful. We couldn't eat it all but were kindly supplied with boxes to bring our cakes home in. Friendly, helpful staff. Clean, modern environment.

Love this place, great food and a lovely setting. Very good value for money.

Lovely staff and food would go again 😋

We had an afternoon tea. Nice food. Good latte coffee. I like this place it's always so cosy and comfy.

Such a lovely place. The staff were so helpful, we had ordered an afternoon tea but I’d forgotten to say about no mayonnaise in the sandwiches for my husband, this was no problem for them as they made some fresh sandwiches straight away. They comfy seating inside or you can sit outside, they even have a few pods your group can have their food in. I’d recommend this place to anyone wanting a pleasant place for food and drinks.

It is my latest find and it is on a bus route so I don't need to rely on people driving me.

We sat in one of the pods in the rain. It was a very peaceful compared to indoors. I had a cheese scone which was lovely but would have been better slightly warmed. I will definitely go back.

A great little place, with friendly staff and a nice setting.

Last week we had the best themed afternoon tea ever at the Olive Tree. As always the food was excellent and all the staff were very friendly and attentive. We are so lucky to have this coffee house on our doorstep. Roll on the next themed event.

We had a great time we came for the grease theme afternoon tea it was all nice

I have been eating here for several years and always had good service and good food, UNTIL TODAY! Tried the Grease themed afternoon tea, a good idea very poorly executed, to add salt to wound the fondant on the biscuit had a huge human hair wrapped through it, when I complained I requested something else instead of a biscuit as this had put me off , got totally ignored and given another biscuit ! when challenged ged advised we only swap like for like with no apology! I then spoke with the assistant Manager whose attitude was disgraceful, poorest level of service I have ever experienced, very defensive, argumentative and sarcastic. Asked for a box to take my buttercream topped cakes home, got paper bags, when highlighting to Assistant Manager advised we don't give out boxes for afternoon tea! joke I was hear last week and we were given boxes for a bacon roll. I won't be returning as when spending £60 for 3 people to have a relaxing afternoon in todays difficult financial times , my day was spoilt and not relaxing in any shape or form. Really disappointed as I live close by and enjoyed popping In here on a regular basis, will have to find somewhere else. Afternoon Tea with a side of attitude is the best way I can describe my experience. See my hairy rock and roll biscuit picture enclosed!!!

Lovely place for lunch, all food freshly prepared and brought to your table.

Little hidden gem of a coffee shop situated in the grounds of Carlton Hall residential village but open to the general public. We just dropped in for coffee and cake which was lovely. Would definitely recommend and will be back.

Nice food but service a little slow today

Food excellent the Pods are a great way to meet friends for lunch . will be back

Enjoyed what we had whilst there had difficulty in finding the one way entrance, staff were very friendly and polite, good selection of food, drink and cakes, also reasonable prices.

Food was nice but not good enough for the value of it doesn't give you an option to change a salad if wanted and one of the ladies working there was very rude and blunt

I really love this place, being vegan it is hard to find somewhere to just go for a cake but the team had everything available, no worries. Really friendly staff and atmosphere, one of my favourite places

Excellent food, very nice surroundings a very nice experience

Fantastic little place off the beaten track, you could be anywhere in the world its so quiet and lovely, and of course great food and staff!

Beautiful setting in accessible location.

What a lovely place. We had a pod outside with heating which was nice out of the wind

Recommend you try for yourselves you'll not regret it.

Lovely coffee house with nice staff and pretty surroundings. Food is very nice and not too expensive.

Had a lovely time food was lovely and very warm and friendly ❤️

Went for afternoon tea, fantastic! Even the Vegetarian selection was excellent. Lovely place. Highly recommended. Just been for another one with my bestie. Again it was excellent and at only two days notice they fitted us in. Fab job 'The Olive Tree'! Thank you!😁

Today being Shrove Tuesday went to The Olive Tree for the first time and sampled their pancakes. They were wonderful. The staff were very friendly and efficient. We shall certainly be going back. The outside seating area is dog friendly which is a bonus.

Good coffee excellent bacon butty. Pleasant atmosphere.

Lovely food served by very friendly staff in a beautiful setting.

Kept getting dripped on from the ceiling whilst dining. I did report it and understand it was from condensation.

Lovely soup, very chilly next to the garden doors

Accessibility Focused Review: Situated on an attractive Care Home grounds, making it widely accessible inside and out, with a pond and plenty of greenery outside. Outside seating all the way around the café, accessible by the front or back door with a singular accessible toilet as you enter the building. Counters are low so you don't have to lean up to speak to the cashier and they're considerate of individuals with accessibility needs. Parking is close to the venue and the distance between is smooth tarmac. Patio slabs lead to the entrance of this lovely, light building with welcoming decor, music and staff. Food and drinks are good value and taste very good, with an added pre-book option for afternoon tea! The wooden tea huts outside may not fit a wheelchair inside so if you're to book afternoon tea let them know you're in a chair so they won't put you outside. If you'd prefer to ring and let them know you'd like to reserve a table and explain your accessibility needs they will be more than happy to cater for you and make your experience pleasant. Surrounded by windows on 3 of the walls the café is light and airy, with a comfortable view across the grounds, full of trees, roses, flowers and even ducks in the pond! Always a really enjoyable visit, whether just for a cuppa, a special birthday celebration with afternoon tea or a tasty lunch, The Olive Tree is highly recommended. P.S., spot the Olive Trees on site!

Nice and cheap. We came here on a weekday lunch time and got the last table for 2. Decent food, quick wait times 👍

Nice clean place, friendly staff, reasonable prices

We had a tea for two. That was delicious, had more than enough food we took the cakes home as just couldnt eat another thing. We will defiantly be back & recommended to all.

Visit most weeks when visiting my mum who's in the care home, friendly staff and well worth a visit .

Nice cafe. Food looked nice thatveas being served but we only had drinks

Lovely coffee shop. Great setting. Will return when I am visiting the area. Food was very nice also.

My daughter in law, granddaughter and I enjoy going out for a cream tea. Usually this means attentive staff, nice food and extra tea or coffee if wanted. Also a nice quiet chat together. None of this happened here. My daughter had booked an outside pod but was unsure if it would be for three or four people. When she rang to confirm there would be three bookings, she was told the pod was no longer available as there had to be four people to have a pod. She requested a table outside. We walked in to find we'd been given a table inside. Not as requested. The noise inside was absolutely terrible. We were given two teapots of tea to share amongst the three of us and a stand of cake and sandwiches. Being a veggie I can only say my four tiny finger sandwiches were bland and uninteresting. I gave up after eating two. My meat eating companions were luckier. There was also what appeared to be chickpea curry rolled in filo pastry. I like both but this looked unappetising so my daughter tried a piece first. She declared it heavy and stodgy so I left it. The small scone was dry and hard. It's the part of cream tea that we enjoy the most and look forward to. Even smothered in jam and cream I could only take a couple of bites and left it. My daughter and granddaughter ate theirs but couldn't touch anything else so we put the cakes into a box to take home for my grandson and left. We could see the pods from our table and one clearly only contained 3 people in spite of what my daughter was told. I would have given one star but gave 2 star as my daughter and granddaughter said, it was 'alright but we've had better'. Somebody asking if all is ok is part of the service that makes you feel special and makes you want to return. Not here though. A feeling of indifference as to whether you were fine or not. We'll not go back. Once was enough. I'm glad that others have had a better experience. It certainly wasn't a pleasant experience for us. Sorry Olive Tree, we all have 'off' days but I believe in being truthful in my reviews and saying exactly how it was for me. This incidentally, is the first negative review I've ever had to write.

Very pleasant cafe in great surroundings. Inside and outside seating or book a pod. Lovely food and coffee. Very friendly staff and happy for dogs outside. Ample parking in the grounds.

Excellent morning coffee and afternoon tea, great place to catch up with friends.

Absolutely lovely place to sit and have lunch/coffee cake. Staff are wonderful and customer service is excellent. Well worth a visit.

Lovely setting so hot we sat in gardens. Great lunch

Always lovely food. Home cooked. Reasonable price.

Immaculate relaxing place to be

Come every week to vist a resident and have cake and cuppa . Staff friendly and helpful . Always lovely place to come too.

Lovely afternoon tea for four people. Birthday celebration for a dear friend

Booked 3 afternoon teas to be shared by 6 people (4 adults and 2 children) in a pod for Father's day but owner phoned up twice to tell us it should have been 1 afternoon tea per person which would have cost £80. First time she said she would honour the booking as it wasn't approved by her but then 2 days later (3 days before Father's day) she phoned up again to ask us to reconsider spending more as she had to turn people away (who would have spent more money). So in the end I told her to cancel the booking as I thought she was very rude and unprofessional. It's a shame that in the end it's all about the money and not the customer having a nice experience. We will not be returning.

Nice location, inside and outside seating, food was good plenty of it. Staff are helpful.

Went for coffee and a scone, the coffee was lovely but the cheese scone was awful, it was hard and stale, nothing like a scone should be, it was more like a rock cake. Would go again but would avoid the scone!

Been a few times before with my partner, always brilliant. Today I was there with my son Will (who is wheelchair bound) brilliant place as its wheelchair friendly ! 😀

I went for my Birthday for afternoon tea and the food, service and setting was amazing. Thoroughly recommend and will definitely be returning.

Great place, to meet with friends for coffee, lunch or afternoon tea. Friendly staff, the food is very good.

Tea was really nice and plenty of it!

Very pleasant surroundings. Staff very helpful and friendly. Food excellent will go back , take friends .

Lovely lunch in a wonderful setting . Friendly , attentive staff .

Lovely place we sat in one of the pods food looked lovely.

The food was lovely, the staff were very friendly and the atmosphere was very relaxing

Don't bother at all. Poor customer service.

Delicious pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. Polite friendly staff.

Pleasant place to have coffee, teas and light lunches. Tasty scones with clotted cream. Coffee good. Lovely staff. Interesting location. Today we had a spectacular afternoon tea for 4 plus child. It was outstanding and granddaughter ate everything! Highly recommended. We sat in a comfy pod . Great for my birthday. Thank you.

Lovely atmosphere, good food attentive staff

Lovely food, great staff, very welcoming.

First time visit had a lovely breakfast, staff were very friendly and attentive, definitely be calling again.

It was very busy when we arrived so the staff offered us to a seat in one of the outside heated pods which we accepted. We found it to be great fun and the view of gardens were very festive and well maintained. The food was very good especially with me being gluten free, it's always a worry eating out. The sandwiches were yummy and the g/f carrot cake was the best! Lovely place!

Lovely as always. Delicious food, polite, friendly staff and a really pleasant atmosphere.

Had a wonderful afternoon tea here to celebrate a friends 70th birthday.great food, well presented, lovely environment and friendly helpful staff . Thank you. 💐😊