The Deli in Colchester

Visited this cafe with my partner for a quick lunch. Dogs are allowed inside which could explain why the floor around our table was dirty. We ordered two bacon sandwiches, a tea and a coffee. The tea came in a pot, enough for about two cups. The bacon inside the sandwiches was not very generous. The bill was just over £17. I used the cafe's toilet which was clean. Just put my handbag on the shelf when someone tapped on the outside of the toilet window. As the window was open at the top it was quite disturbing. I could see the outline of the person through the frosted glass; they then ducked down, and I hope went away. When I reported this incident to a female member of staff she was not at all concerned and seemed quite amused. She said it was probably a delivery driver! On leaving the cafe I went around the corner (this cafe was next door to another cafe on the corner). There was an archway leading to a small car park which seemed to belong to some adjacent flats. The open back door of Hobson's lead directly from their kitchen which a delivery person would have encountered first before coming to the toilet window. I would not be surprised if the tapping on the toilet window was a regular occurrence and the staff knew the identity of the culprit. We will not be visiting this cafe again.

Myself and my wife popped in for some lunch and found it so nice and friendly from both members of staff.I had the ploughmans which was lovely and the wife some Quiche And lovely coffees,so Thankyou

I live near Manningtree and have breakfast with my husband and friend at Hobsons, most Saturdays. The food is very good and the staff friendly and accommodating. Our border collie enjoys the outing and the doggie sausage. Until recently, my favourite was a Glamorgan veggie sausage toasted sandwich. This is a very old and well known sausage comprising variously, mashed potatoes, leeks and cheese. It hails from the Vale of Glamorgan. Following a recent unkind review about the sausage, they have changed to a gourmet sausage. It is very nice but so too was the Glamorgan. You can't please everyone and unfortunately some people cannot be satisfied. Hobsons is a local gem and I look forward to my breakfast on Saturday.

Staff great, food not so, very greasy, veggie sausages aren’t sausages, mash and onion shaped like sausages and fried 🤢, this is not a veggie sausage Wouldn’t come back again

Visiting Manningtree we chance upon this cafe at lunchtime. What a great find. Friendly, happy staff and superb food. The three of us had a cheese omelette, griddled potato slices with cheese and beans, and a goats cheese salad. Absolutely delicious and very generous portions, with copious salad on the side. Superb!

Called in for a late lunch, nothing too much trouble for the staff. Excellent food and service. Will definitely be calling again.

Love this charming cafe. The service is always so friendly..and coffee is excellent. Would recommend any of the excellent cakes. They also sell a lovely range of jams and chutneys which my family adore.

We found this cafe and deli after walking from Flatford Mill and treated ourselves to a breakfast ciabatta roll each and coffee. The service was friendly and the food was served piping hot with lovely coffee - just what we needed for the walk back.

Lovely cafe & deli! Staff are always so friendly and welcoming. The coffee is the best around! Food delicious and the chocolate brownies are so good

Food took ages even though it wasn't busy and it was just a Sausage Sandwich ,Brownie and Cornish Pasty. The Pasty was so hard and mushy I left half of it ( if I hadn't been that hungry Id have left the lot ) .The Sausage sandwich was bland but saved by the sauce . The service left a lot to be desired ,even though their were 3 staff ,service was slow and no sugar offered with the 2 drinks ,had to go and ask . Will never eat in their again .

Popped in here last week, I hadn’t been here for a while. Cannot fault the breakfast, great quality, friendly staff. What more can you want?

Had the coffee and a really nice chocolate danish. Good prices, friendly staff and quick service. Toilets clean and covid friendly. Centrally located on the high street so not always easy to park but this is true about Manningtree anyway

Manningtree's a nice place to stretch your legs and Hobson's is nice and central when you want to sit down - although indoor seating is obviously restricted these days. Plenty of quality produce in evidence, but my hopes of tucking in to a succulent pork pie with salad were dashed - some swine had been in earlier that morning and snaffled the entire day's stock. Never mind, my ham sandwich was a taste treat, too - big slices carved off the bone, and fresh and varied salad. Across the table one of the varieties of quiche on offer earned a thumbs up but opinions were divided by the mango dressing that came with the salad. It's certainly different, but proved too sweet for one of us (not me). Spotless and well-run operation which is obviously popular with locals, and you can see why.

Lovely sunny morning and decided to have breakfast here, excellent choice. Very friendly, welcoming. Orders taken tea delivered in a lovely big teapot and cup and saucer. Breakfast was cooked fresh to order, good sized portion and excellent local produce was used. It was excellent. Reasonable price. Happy to recommend and more then happy to return .

5star staff 5star food 5star cafe Excellent lunch And the drink My brother loved it and my grandad loved it Perfect place for a warm welcome and a delicious meal

I had a lovely breakfast, home cooked hot food, very nice staff and although it was freshly cooked we didn't have to wait long.

Consistently excellent. Delicious food and very good, piping hot cappuccino. We always have it with an extra shot

Visited for late breakfast/brunch, sat outside in the sunshine, eggs benedict cooked exactly how I like it, friendly efficient service.

My daughter and I really enjoyed our first visit here and will definitely return. The chocolate and pear tart was delicious.

Always a friendly welcome in this lovely cafe and deli. A good selection of food and drinks with good service.

I love Hobson’s cafe and deli, the menu really blows me away for a small establishment, there’s so much choice, especially vegetarian options which I’m so happy about!! The food is absolutely delicious and the service is second to none! The breakfast tea I had was so good too. I highly recommend giving Hobson’s a go, and it is certainly my favourite spot for some lunch or breakfast in the area.

Love this place we often go for breakfast. The main thing for us is our little dog is welcome. The staff are very friendly, efficient and helpful. The food is good there is a pleasant atmosphere and the coffee is excellent. Highly recommended.

The staff here are very pleasant and more than happy to tweak the menu for you. Had a really lovely, freshly cooked breakfast and the lunch menu looks excellent. Will be going back.

Had a wonderful lunch last week, avocado salad sandwich for me and cheese toastie for my daughter. Both plates were presented well with crisps and salad and the food was fresh and tasty. There was no dressing on my daughter’s salad, which was the right call. The cafe was busy but the service was prompt and friendly. I would happily return. Ps thank you for the special 50p coin

Wonderful little deli in the centre of Manningtree, my girlfriend organised a picnic hamper as a surprise on our trip. Staff put together an amazing hamper and were kind enough to open on Sunday to give us the hamper even though they’re usually closed. Hamper was full of local cheeses, ham, scotch eggs, pork pies, scones and brownies. Staff also let us hand the hamper back the next day. Special thanks to Erin for making it happen.

Have started to use this place regularly having recently moved my business nearby.

A lovely cafe on Manningtree High Street for breakfast, lunch and coffee. Fairly recently taken over and revamped with extensive menu with usual classics (sandwiches, toasties) and some with a different twist. Very friendly staff, if occasionally a bit forgetful/distracted (tip for the owners - make sure there's always someone "front of house").

Lovely Deli and cafe. Homemade food Eggs Benedict and afternoon tea particularly good. Lovely welcoming staff aswell... well worth a visit, even just for coffee and cake out on the terrace.

We were at Hobsons this morning, the latest in many visits we’ve made to this deli/cafe.

This eatery on the main street in Manningtree has a varied menu and the name 'Deli' sums it up perfectly as it's more than just a cafe! Breakfast, Lunch and afternoon 'tea' are covered here.

Hemos estado en el Cafe Rio al lado del Deli muchas veces pero en este día Cafe Rio estaba lleno así que esta vez nos metimos en la tienda. Nos sorprendió muy gratamente! No sólo la comida y el café excelente, pero también nos quedamos encantados con el ambiente.