Rainbow Cafe in Tendring - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Food ok but cafe noisy with music and staff talking loudly and swearing making it difficult for customers to communicate with each other. Not a relaxing environment at all.

Visited for the first time today. Absolutely lovely cafe, very friendly and helpful staff, great choice of food on the menu which was all reasonably priced. Really enjoyed my jacket potato with coronation chicken. I shall definitely go back.

Wonderful spot at Dovercourt Food is excellent. Wide choice cooked freshly and seved with a smile. Thoroughly recommend!

Lovely cafe just opposite the beach front. Dog friendly. Lovely decor and great outside seating area where some tables were undercover. Very clean. The menu was good. The food was delicious too! And sausages for the pooch :)

A lovely location next to the green in Dovercourt by the boating lakes. Very pleasant seating areas inside and out. Lovely friendly staff who offered water for our dogs. The food is very good value with thick uncut bread for poached eggs or sandwiches.

A frequent visitor to this little gem. Breakfast bap for hubby and a sausage for the dog. Smashed avocado with poached egg for me, again. Love it, one of my favourite breakfasts there. Always spot on with gorgeous yellow runny yolk. Lovely staff

We arrived and sat outside the cafe looking forward to breakfast My niece ordered egg & bacon sandwich with no butter/spread as has an allergy, my sister a full English and myself asked if I could have sliced avocado instead of smashed if not I’ll go with just the poached eggs on toast, she said no that’s fine, so all ordered. We waited Approx 40 mins, wasn’t busy but happy as outside in sunshine My nieces sandwich came out, with butter and not cut in half, my niece had to take it back in and explain she cannot have butter, they put the egg and bacon in another 2 slices, still uncut (thick bread so hard to slice with normal knife but that’s what she was told ‘there’s a knife on your table.’ Then my sisters full English came which was fine, then mine came out, the substance of the avocado was tinged yellow with slight slime, which made toast soggy and unpleasant I didn’t eat this, but managed 1 slice of toast and 2 eggs. My request to the staff was to please charge me for eggs on toast as couldn’t eat the avocado (maybe why they list as smashed on menu, was not fresh) I did not say this to staff member, don’t think this went down very well in addition to the request for no butter!! Which I would deem a reasonable one. My sister went into pay the bill inside the cafe as I have mobility issues I was making my way back to the car, when the staff member rushed out of the cafe to tell me ‘I’ve taken the avocado off the menu’ for which I thanked her, she went on to say ‘you won’t be welcome back here again!’ To say I was shocked would be an understatement, we was never once rude, I think assertive to an avocado that was on the turn and an allergy which needed addressing. An upsetting and unpleasant visit to this cafe I have frequented Dovercourt over passed 35 years as had a holiday home and brought all my children up there seasonally using the restaurants and cafes so very familiar with the very friendly place it has always been And we are a very well mannered family

Ordered a Tuna jacket potato. After a very long wait and they were not that busy it arrived. Well I would have like to have eaten the skin but this potatoes had been baked to the end of its life the skin was rock hard and hardly any potatoes left Inside either. Complete waste of £7.25 I have ever spent. Did tell the staff when I went to pay but didn't really get much of a response. Also noticed other customers had been served up baked to death potatoes as well. Not good. Husbands panini was so so as well. £3.10 for a cappuccino as well this is not a restaurant but an overpriced cafe. Will not return

A real find, Rainbow Cafe serves great food in a lovely setting. We visited as a large group and were made very welcome by their friendly and efficient staff. Thoroughly recommended.

I can only agree with the other very positive reviews of the Rainbow Café. I was travelling through Harwich and Dovercourt last Friday late lunch time and was struggling to find anywhere to eat. I saw the Rainbow Café out of the corner of my eye as I passed in the car. I did a quick 'U' turn and didn't regret it. The restaurant was full but the lady whom I assumed was the owner, was very helpful and promised me she would fit me in, which she did. I had eggs Benedict and an americano coffee which were both very good. Everybody else was having scones, so I joined in - it was excellent! I was particularly impressed with the staff, who were all friendly and seemed to know a lot of the customers by name. It's a shame I live a long way from Dovercourt, otherwise I would also be a regular at the Rainbow Café.

Visited as a family of 3 for breakfast. Booked in advance, glad we did as its a small cafe and all tables were taken. Took about 10 minutes to be served and another 20 minutes for food to arrive but it was tasty and priced fairly. Service seemed to speed up once 2 more staff arrived. All staff very friendly and polite.

The food was fantastic, ok you have a wait as it is freshly cooked, but it was so worth the wait. Friendly and welcoming. Would highly recommend.

We went here today for a Sunday roast (get booked in early) and wasn't disappointed. My daughter has coeliac disease and after our first visit in May we came back for a second visit. They take allergies very seriously and most items on the menu can be supplied with a gluten free alternative. We all had a lovely meal and the roast came with plenty of everything, my little boy had a ham sandwich and the bread was nice, thick and fresh. Was great value for money and we will return again, the staff are so lovely and went through all the menu and spent time to chat with us. There is an outside seating area and a lovely park opposite.

The wait was ridiculous and once we received our food we had finished our drinks the food took 40 minutes we was not offered no more drinks and they forgot the wedges , baked cauliflower cheese with bacon a joke a few strips on top didn’t justify a two pound charge and was sloppy and underbaked, the salad was a bowl I added chicken and revived 8 pieces no bigger than a penny coin no check back on food and people sat down after us were served first would not recommend even had to ask for the wedges to be taken off the bill and still no how was your meal

This place is a little gem....the staff are super friendly, polite and helpful...the food is amazing and good quality too... best breakfast I've ever had!! ....

Coffee and Cake was EXCELLENT, Pleasant, Fast, friendly Service (it makes all the difference) a nice setting, comfortable, spacious seating, and they were very busy. This restarant recently won an award for being one of the best in essex, I can see why. Keep up the good work, you have hit on the right formula.

My wife, father-in-law and I have just enjoyed the most amazing Sunday lunch. It was brilliant and they coped with my food allergies really well. The quality of the food is exceptional. Puddings to die for and a staff team that make you feel wanted and nothing is too much trouble. Writing a review like this is dangerous as I may not get a table next time. We pre booked. We have been here for snacks and coffee before always been great.

We ate lunch here. The food was excellent and the service friendly and efficient. We enjoyed their salad bowl with tuna and their eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. Great coffee as well.

Staff are super friendly. Food was truly fabulous. We had the Sunday Roast and deserts. Prices were very reasonable. Would definitely recommend this cafe/restaurant if your in the area

Popped in this morning and the food was amazing. Girls we’re lovely and welcoming. Outside seating is beautiful. You can really tell the meat and bread was all locally sourced. Not cheap rubbish. If you’re passing through definitely go in.

We visited the Rainbow café for lunch as part of a family reunion. The 4 of us went for different menu items - salad, sandwich, jacket potato and cottage pie. My salad was very tasty and so were all the other dishes. The place seems...

What a lovely cafe, great for cyclists coming in on route 51. Space to park bikes and a really nice selection on the menu. I had the gluten free apple and caramel pie with custard, absolutely delicious. There were several gf options and not just...

Had lunch today food very good also service. nothing to much trouble. Very clean. Staff always helpful and friendly.

Lovely Cafe a few steps from the beach promenade with lovely cakes, coffee & tea and fresh meals. Very nice and quick service.

Spotted this place whilst out walking. Warm and inviting inside. Staff are kind and friendly. Had a great Sunday lunch. Reasonably priced. Definitely worth a visit. Bit of advise book in advance for Sundays as busy period.

A very nice bright clean cafe, with generous outdoor seating. The breakfast was generally very good, but was let down by the fact that they could not get the order correct. I ordered the full English as it came with roast potatoes, as I so...

After a morning walk along Harwich promenade I deserved a nice full english breakfast and a roast. Both have been perfect prepared and kindly served. Very nice interior and a warm and welcoming staff. Family owned and with the right amount of love in every...

Went here on our second day, I had the chocolate cake and hot chocolate with everything and my husband had the potato wedges and hot chocolate. Everything was clean, the staff were very friendly and hospitable. Will come again if in the area.

I’ve not visited here for a very long time. Pleased by what I found. Good variety of food on the menu, at a good price. Service was excellent staff very polite and all wearing face coverings. Food wasExcellent and piping hot. The restaurant was beautifully...

I don't often eat out in my home town (because it's cheaper to eat at home!!) & went here to spend a voucher I had been given from work. They're obviously restricted to how many can be inside due to the covid rules but I...

For the first time I’ve had a takeaway Sunday lunch from Rainbow Cafe !! It most definitely will not be my last !! It was Superb !! Thank you Karen and Ally

What a fabulous place. Amazing food, great service, what’s not to love. It’s was spotless. The cakes are truly amazing x

Dropped in on Sunday and lucked into a table, had the Sunday roast. Plenty of meat, fresh veg and homemade Cauliflower cheese. Very tasty and well worth the cost. Special mention to the staff, very efficient and friendly we will definitely return and remember to...

We visited Rainbow Cafe after reading other TripAdvisor reviews and it certainly did not disappoint. We ordered The Roast Beef and Roast chicken main course. Both were very nice, served with fresh vegetables and cauliflower cheese. Both had plenty of meat and Roast and New potatoes. We then shared a Bakewell tart and custard..how I wish I had had it all to myself! It was one of the nicest puddings I have had, very light and full of flavour and the custard was to die for. The staff were all very friendly and could not have been more helpful...we will definitely return. ..as a note most tables were reserved so we were lucky to get in, I would recommend booking in advance if you want to sit indoors on a Sunday.

My first visit for a couple of years and it hasn't lost its quality. Friendly and efficient staff. The pineapple and fruit cake was gloriously tasty and moist. You're missing a trick if you're in Dovercourt and you don't visit here. If I lived locally it would be my weekly treat.

We were staying with friends in Harwich for the weekend. Found this gem for Sunday breakfast. Food yummy staff friendly

Lovely little place with friendly staff and really well cooked food. It's real food not fast food so don't expect instant service, instead spend some time reading some of the amusing signs about the place. We use it regularly as it's a favourite of my mothers who lives nearby. I have a good appetite but their quiche & salad fills me to bursting. Great place, great food, great service & great value.

What a great find - we had a lovely breakfast which included really good quality sausages and bacon. They also know how to serve poached eggs which isn't as common as you might think.We couldn't resist taking away some fruit scones fresh from the oven too. As well as breakfast the menu has a nice lunch selection (we haven't tried but if the breakfast is an indication it should be good).

Lot's of people have recommended this place to me and I was not disappointed. It's a clean busy cafe, not too noisy, not too cramped. There is plenty of variety including several options for vegetarians.I over ordered as prices were so cheap I was expecting smaller portions.I don't normally eat out for lunch but I will deck be changing my habits.

From the outside you can't judge how good this little place is. Highly recommend it. High chair for little one.

Small friendly cafe, spotlessly clean, staff well groomed spotless aprons. Food is excellent quality and very generous. Does get busy but you can book at weekends. Best cafe ever

Stopped here for lunch what a lovely surprise wasn’t expecting such great food,service and friendly welcoming staff plus a licensed bar! Thank you I shall definitely return

Ordered our tea 3 days before and paid a deposit. Explained I'm a vegatarian, this was no problem and ordered 2 veggie one meat/fish. Delightful atmosphere and the servers were happy, chatty and helpful. The table was laid ready with cup/saucer and small plate and we was offered tea or coffee. The teapot was large and lots of milk and sugar offered. The sandwiches were fresh and gorgeous. We had little prawn volvants and mini cream cheese crackers with a few crisps. We was offered more tea, a new plate and warm scones with cream and jam. We also had a brilliant selection of mini cakes. Definitely we'll thought out and each bite was amazing. We are already planning to go back.

Went here on Saturday 6th July before watching a game at Harwich & Parkeston FC. We arrived at 12:30, loads of parking. First on the menu (English Breakfast) stops at Midday so we missed that but was able to get an English Bap with Sausage, Bacon and Egg so all good . Baps were really nice and staff very friendly.

Visited here twice now, both times I have been pleased all round. A good selection on the menu, friendly staff and tasty food. I haven't eaten any hot food but it looks yummy! The sandwiches and salad I have had both times has been fresh and tasty.A nice place to stop and have a bite to eat, I would recommend and visit again.

Good place for a break and a breather. Enjoyable to sit around, great snacks and food Items. Would go there again.

Lovely little place, family run. Food is very good and service is too Always try to pop in when I'm down visiting

Met with a friend on a blustery day for lunch at Rainbow Cafe. Lovely surroundings, classy decor and comfy chairs. Good choice on menu and I settled for French stick with coronation chicken - bread was a little hard but all tasty with generous side salad. All waitresses were very friendly and immaculately presented. The cafe was busy which indicates it’s popularity. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 was because the toilet opens out straight into the dining area. Lunch for us both was about £17 which I felt was good value. Really great place and I will visit again.

Despite my partner causing mayhem the minute he stepped through the door, we were greeted by a lovely smiley lady, who went out of her way to find the right bottle of wine for me, and the right vegetarian meal for him to keep us both happy.

As occasional visitors to the "Rainbow" for the odd "snack" we have always enjoyed good value. Our recent lunch was no exception. Quality and portions were of the expected high standard and the service efficient and friendly. The absence of wifi is an added bonus!

We are frequent visitors to the Rainbow Cafe which serves a unique range of well prepared meals. The staff are very friendly and helpful - lots of smiles. The home made cakes are to die for, and they have a good choice in gluten free. Love the most recent sign addition - 'we don't have wi-fi, talk to each other'. A lovely place to relax and eat quality food.

Just popped out for a ride and walk by the beach and spotted this cafe.

I love poached eggs - can’t make ‘em myself but the Rainbow cafe can. Drove by, and turned round instead of going into Harwich town. Glad I did. Nice staff, good food but wasn’t quite so keen on the cappuccino.

Lovely little cafe. Friendly staff. Food was lovely 😃 Coffees were delicious. Very welcoming. Would definitely return.

Have one of their super scones for morning coffee and you can go without lunch!! Happy atmosphere. Eat in or out.

What a place ! From welcome to goodbye! From the service to the food! Well done! We'll definitely be back soon!

Visited this lovely little café after it had been recently recommended. It was very busy, however staff were very friendly and attentive. We opted for the ploughmans, which was a plate full of French stick, cheeses, ham, salad and pickles. Very good! Don't visit if you are in a hurry, there was quite a wait for our lunch... however well worth it! I will be returning and recommending!!

Have been here a few times on visits to dovercourt but 1st time actually had lunch. It was extremely busy but staff friendly and smiling. Explained would be a wait but the food was excellent and worth waiting for. It is an absolute gem of a place. Have been to a few places lately with poor service and food so I can't rate this place highly enough. How restaurants can cope on busy days, with a smile. Well done to you.

7 of us went for afternoon tea. The sandwiches were lovely and fresh, plenty of tea and coffee. The small cakes were gorgeous especially the coffee cake. The only reason i didnt give it a solid 5 is because it wasnt clotted cream with the scones other than that...lovely!!

Although it seems a mediocre complain for a small cafe on the corner of a Harwich road. i feel this needs to be said, two of my friends and i had been having a lovely day on the park, and since we had been messing around for a few hours, had obviously began to get peckish. my two friends had only a bit of shrapnel in their pockets. Just enough for a prawn bap each, which admittedly was very nice. However, since we arrived an hour before closing, we could only order cold foods, bearing in mind it was in the middle of a chilly day in December, but regardless, i ordered the only vegetarian thing on the menu, an egg roll. Having looked at the menu for a while, i had discovered could add cheese to a burger for 20p, deciding i liked that idea i asked my waiter for extra cheese on my egg roll. He bluntly said no, i continued with him asking why it is any different to add cheese to a burger than it is to add cheese to an egg roll, all i got in return was another rejection and a less than pleasing egg roll. I will be returning, but the staff need to cater to everyone’s needs.

hello and welcome back to my series of trip adviser reviews about establishments that i go in to eat. this time the establishment was the rainbow cafe. as you can see by the title of my review, it was neither a riveting or disastrous visit, just average.

Visited with a friend for afternoon tea, we were NOT disappointed.... fresh sandwiches and cakes were delicious, staff couldn’t do enough for us! An added bonus being licensed too so we could enjoy a bottle of wine with our food!.....would definitely recommend!

Have not been there for approx. 2years. Purely really as it is local to us we like to travel further afield for whatever, Having heard about it being good there and my other half being rather fond of a cooked breakfast we went. Cannot vouch for others taste buds but no way did the breakfast do it for us. We were the first breakfasts of the day as they had only opened at 8.30 and we were there at 9.05 and only ladies drinking tea coffee were sitting at tables. Very pleasant staff place lovely and clean, Decent paper napkins and not thin like a cobweb.Think that was the problem with being the first breakfast of the day, Bacon tasteless and dry. Sausages tasteless no flavour. Fried potatoes obviously left from the day before okay. Beans okay, Mushrooms were awful. Obviously left from day before and been rewarmed up definitely not fresh at all hence no flavour left in them. The Tomato was tinned which I hate due to the wet slop you end up with all over your plate. Yet website photos show fresh tomato, Toast fine. I always ask for extra Mushrooms instead of egg as do not eat egg and love Mushrooms but these I struggled to eat and left some. Coffee very nice. And plates although an attempt to warm them had been made it was not enough and plates soon went cold. Asked other half for his opinion he said would not come back. Preferred he said where we usually visit in Lawford for breakfast.

Husband & I found this little gem on line & decided to give it a go! So pleased we did. Great choice of food. All home made. Extremely good price. Husband decided on the cottage pie & me the quiche salad. Cottage pie looked lovely with a separate dish of seasonal veg. My salad was fresh, generous & was not at all boring having little additions. The quiche was very tasty. We both really enjoyed our meals. Staff were smiley & very helpful. We’ll definitely be going back!!!!

Popped in for a weekday lunch. Good selection of food. Staff polite. Very good salad garnish with sandwich & even larger with a jacket potato. Nice place.

Great cafe with friendly staff, gooey fruit cake (homemade), nice scones, good tea and an immaculate loo. Even had good Muzak. Well done.

Delicious homemade scones, need bit more fruit to be 'fruit scone' however still great and latte lovely and hot .

Lovely little place, with excellent homemade food, lovely surroundings, good prices and only 2 minutes from the beach. Definitely worth a visit, especially on a sunny day when you can sit outside and watch the world go by with a coffee and homemade cake

Went here today with a friend. We both had a nice meal. Not too expensive. The place is clean and bright and seems very popular. My friend said it was the best coffee she'd had in a while. Both meals were well cooked and the staff were very pleasant. No complaints at all. Will look forward to going again.

Me and my partner went this morning. We had a pot of tea, scone and tea cake. The scone was warmed up in the microwave and in my opinion this make the scone quite tough. But was still ok. The tea cake was very nice. The staff are always friendly. I Would recommend a visit to anyone.

A good clean cafe, service very good, staff cheerful and helpful, menu very good for lunch and a quick break for those on the move.

A little and nice coffee place.. I had a first time visit after my run .. good service.. warm and friendly stuff.. Good food to eat.. I liked a lot this little place..

Very friendly very clean we needed a nice meeting place in Dovercourt where you could get food which is also health not just a burger and chip

Took my best friend here today for the afternoon tea ( you need to book in advance). We had freshly baked scones with jam and cream, home made cake selection and really lovely sandwiches. It was one of the best teas out that I have ever had, served with lovely full cups of coffee and smiling happy staff. Can't wait to go back for my birthday. Thank you Rainbow x

Very busy is usually a good sign that it’s popular.

This cafe is a gem! We arrived at 8:30am, already open, to a warm welcome and superb breakfast. My scrambled eggs were perfect, light, fluffy and delicious with not a trace of fat, served as requested with brown toast and excellent smoked salmon.

I visited this cafe numerous times in 2017 and it never disappointed. Excellent staff - attentive and friendly - and the food is of the highest standard. Good choices, home-cooked scones are amazing! Their sausages are the best I've tasted - made by a butcher just for them, so I understand. You might need to book as they can be very busy at times - a sure sign of an excellent venue.

This is my first visit to the Rainbow cafe and it definitely won’t be my last. My family have been a few times and highly recommend it. We pre-ordered Sunday lunch of either beef or turkey. It was all very well presented, all very tasty, home cooked with plenty of veg. We had some of the cakes and desserts after which were all very nice aswell. Fantastic value for money. I can’t wait to go back and try more of the cakes.

Decided to go somewhere different for breakfast with my mum and so glad we did.

Been here a few times and the service is brilliant. Location is lovely and parking is normally ok.

This lovely little restaurant has a great helpful staff, the food is very good and pricewise is unbeatable!!! I can thoroughly reccomend the place for either just coffee, lunch or afternoon tea. And the cakes are all homemade and yummy......

It is a unexpected find even though it is so near the boating lake and swimming pool. Lovely staff, great food and the most excellent cheese scones ever! Inside or out you can watch the world go by with a great coffee and slice of cake.

Whatever you choose will be well presented, perfectly cooked and very tasty! It is privately owned and therefore their reputation is important to them. You won't be disappointed. The menu is varied - anything from full English to afternoon tea! On a fine day it is nice to sit outside.

What a great find, the café is actually in Dovercourt at Gordon Street and boy am I glad we found it. It is so clean and fresh that it is a pleasure to visit, there is seating inside and out and the seating is very comfortable and soft. I ordered a bacon sandwich and it came with a little salad on the side with a few crisps. The bacon was so tasty and delicious, my husband had sausage and thoroughly enjoyed his to. It is a little bit more than you pay in other places but it is worth it for the comfort and quality of what you get. We were served by a very nice and friendly lady called Maria. I strongly recommend you give this little café a try and you wont be disappointed.

If you want instant coffee, tasteless tea, chips with everything and supermarket bread sandwiches---this is not for you---if you appreciate good food and drink you will find it here, Well Done !! Excellent food and drink, carrot cake and Bakewell tart to die for, Cappuchino with an extra shot Excellent.

Have visited this lovely cafe several times in the past year. There is a nice friendly relaxed atmosphere. The food has always been good and the prices are reasonable. The breakfasts are cooked to order using good quality ingredients and are delicious.

Well worth a go. Fantastic ice cream Irish worked through an American machine lots of flavours. They also do apple cider slush.!!! That's my next trip.

Had two meals here whilst on holiday both very good. A cottage pie & a roast beef Sunday lunch. I would highly recommend. We will definitely visit again.

I love this place, great food, very friendly stuff, and most of all always fresh food.My favourite little gem. Lovely Sunday roast as well. Thank you to all the stuff that always welcomed us and make us feel at home.

Always struck by the friendly service. Lovely food, I had a really good macaroni cheese and salad. Tasty and fresh. Outside seating if the good old British weather allows it. Really recommended

Very nice breakfast at a reasonable price. The cafe is cute with a lovely garden and a decent selection on the menu. Staff were really friendly and helpful.

Great food at a great price lovely friendly staff. Very pleasant surroundings , comfortable seating area. First class

Great cafè with tables inside and out. Booking essential at busy times. Staff very welcoming and will have a laugh with you. Delicious breakfasts lunches cakes afternoon tea. Large spotless loo easily accessible for all. A gem.

You always get good service at the Rainbow but we were particularly impressed by the afternoon tea which we had to celebrate Mother's Day. The place is always so busy so if you're coming for a special occasion definitely prebook.The food is great, high quality, good portions and priced accordingly. My Mum is gluten free and they always cater for her. The GF options regularly change which is great as it means unlike other places we've been, she doesn't have to always eat the one same flavour of gluten free cake.They also cater for people on Slimming World having a SW dish every week.More often than not we just enjoy sitting outside having coffee and cake and watching the world go by. The chairs in the corner are in a complete sun trap which is fantastic on those warm days (that we occasionally get here in the UK). It also means you can bring your dog along as there is plenty of outside seating and also fresh water for your furry friend to drink :) what more could you want.

I popped in for a quick coffee and couldn't resist the cheese scone, fresh from the oven and delicious.Excellent, warm, friendly service which helps to create the relaxed atmosphere.The whole place is spotless.....yes even the washroom! Impressive.

Visited rainbow cafe numerous times & it never fails to disappoint. Excellent friendly service & very delicious food plus I can take my dog and they will cook her sausages which is wonderful.

Fabulous food. Friendly service. Fantastic service. Great choice of food - easily adaptible to an individual needs . Would definitely recommend and use again x

Really lovely place, great food, Have been a few times and tried a few different things off the menu. Lovely relaxing cafe

Love this place. Super clean. Food is very good. Worth a visit. Sit outside or inside. Place for smokers outside as well. Also a covered area to sit outside.

Been a few times just for coffee, but also had an excellent, freshly cooked breakfast a few times. However if you want lunch I'd advise booking as they are always full.