The Glass House Tea Room in Braintree

My friend and I could not find anywhere in the town centre for lunch and came across The Glass House by accident so decided to pop in. We were pleasantly surprised by the comfortable seating and privacy as we sat left of the door. Staff are polite and attentative. Food was freshly made, very reasonably priced and tasted fantastic!! A bottle of fizzy water cost £1.. Yes I know I was shocked too!! 2 x luxury panini, 3 huge slices of coffee & walnut cake, 1 slab of chocolate cake, pot of tea, hot chocolate and a 500ml bottle of fizzy water came to £18 Absolutely excellent place to eat and will be returning!! P.S we didn't eat all the cake, took some home for the boys

Had lunch here today. Simple menu that meets all your needs for lunch and many choices of sandwich and fillings. I chose a tuna melt toastie which came with a small, simple salad, coleslaw and crisps. The usual choice of white or wholemeal bread. You could also have panini or ordinary sandwiches. There were cakes and the usual drinks We had a lovely big pot ot tea served with bone china cups and saucers. The man who served us couldn’t have been more kind and helpful I would definitely visit again

Absolute gem Very quick service Wonderful friendly staff.. good selection, freshly made Tastes lovely.. 😊

A lovely place for lunch, the owners are so friendly and lots of yummies on offer, nothing is too much trouble.

Great food. Friendly staff. Very helpful with advising us on what is gluten free on the menu and cleaning the kitchen surfaces before preparing the gluten free meal. Will visit again.

I booked a table for 2 for afternoon tea but when we arrived it was not ready but the man in charge John quickly made one up and it was very enjoyable Thankyou.

This is one of the best tea rooms around! We hired the Glass House for a small bridal shower and it couldn’t have been better! The room was set out beautifully, the food was amazing, and the owner and other staff were so brilliant. They were more than happy for us to do whatever we wanted/needed to, and couldn’t do enough for us the whole time. They are absolutely fantastic and are an asset to the town!

Great place to sit and relax, always lovely fresh food the staff are very attentive and service is great. I would highly recommend

A cute and cosy tea room with some of the best homemade cakes and scones in Essex. The Staff are all lovely and really take care of you. Attentive table service with a smile, And the lunch was delicious . found it hard to leave . This is definitely our new favourite tea room.

A delightful cafe. Excellent coffee with the best bacon sandwiches, cakes around.Unlike many high street chain coffee shops you are served at your table. I do find it difficult to understand why people will pay premium prices for mediocre coffee, prepackaged sandwiches and queue for the privilege.This is not the case at the Glass House, food is fresh, excellent quality, and you are served with a smile.

Delicious food, good prices and nice staff!! I Had a great time! For sure I will come back soon! ☕️🍰

We may have been unfortunate that when we went the staff were preparing for a group who were having an "afternoon tea", but we were asked to sit in a small area to the rear of the tearoom. Although it was only mid afternoon there was only one scone available, which when served we noted was smaller than most teasooms would sell for the price that we paid. We also had a slice of cake, which again was on the small side. I must say that both the scone and the cake were delicious and did go someway to offset their size.

I'd booked the day before for Afternoon Tea and it didn't disappoint. Lovely quaint tea shop where my friend enjoyed a long overdue catchup whilst tucking into an array of tasty sandwiches, wonderful cakes and yummy scones with cream and jam. All washed down with tea for my friend and coffee for me. We sat for a couple of hours chatting and didn't feel at all rushed by the owners. A lovely place, would thoroughly recommend it. Thank you!

Excellent little tea room in the heart of Braintree. The jacket potatoes were lovely, crispy on the outside and light and fluffy in the middle. The homemade coleslaw was excellent! Various beverages on offer and the green tea was of a good quality. All in all, well worth a visit with its quirky interior and, if you can get them, offers a little corner, tucked away for privacy, with throne-like chairs! Great!

My daughter treated us to a tea for two as it was mine and my wife's birthday. It was scrumptious, lovely finger sandwiches, plain and fruit scones with clotted cream and jam and to finish off (although we couldn't finish it all) coconut cake, rockyroad and eton mess. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Visited this little tearoom today. We ordered coffee and lemonade as well as two sandwiches. Portions were very generous and food was very tasty. Coffee was good too. The lady serving us was lovely and the price at the end was unexpectedly low. Great value for money!! Will be sure to visit again

The Tearoom is nice & comfortable & drinks are hot. We did not eat as it was just a coffee catchup. Unfortunately unless your eating, didn,t feel we could relax & chat, eventually feeling we were being asked to leave as the table was needed.

Our first visit since Kaye & David retired, & although the staff were very friendly and welcoming, it lacked the warm ambience of the previous owners. They have obviously also changed their bread supplier as the sandwiches are no longer of the ‘chunky doorstep’ variety & were a bit dry. We also preferred the quirky cluttered look

Have visited the Glass House several times and never been disappointed. Delicious home made cakes and very generous size scones with large pots of jam and cream provided. Love the china cups and quirky decor. Friendly service great value - recommended.

Excellent friendly prompt service. Very clean. Great atmosphere. Was able to chat to each other about familt matters nobody could hear Looks beautiful. Loved the old style cups and saucers. And the cream tea .. HEAVEN ON A PLATE. Good price

We've been here before & it's still lovely. Chandeliers, mirrors, all lit up & welcoming - lovely elaborate chairs & little tables.

So don’t really venture this way but had to drop a friend. Decided to grab a bite and found this place. Anyone that knows me knows I love cake and even more so a tearoom. This place was my cuppa tea quirky and quaint and just lovely. Menu was good, cake selection amazing and I was literally in my element here, drooling as I was munching as the cake was out of this world. Service was friendly and helpful and I cannot fault it in anyway.

Lived in Braintree for a little while & quite honestly finding this tea room could be dangerous- lol. The service was fab, the food was excellent (could have chosen a lot more tbh) Lovely setting inside with comfy chairs too. Well worth a visit.

Friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Fresh, tasty food. Amazingly tasting cakes. Simple menu,freshly made. Would highly recommend.

Excellent service, delicious scones, relaxing atmosphere with quirky, comfortable furniture. What lets this restaurant down is the amount of condensation on the windows. Apparently the landlord won't install double glazing or any other device to prevent it. It doesn't put off people who know the treat inside but might put off potential new customers. Don't be! Go in and enjoy!!!

Friendly and attentive staff, visited with friends for a cuppa was worth the visit. Value for money will visit again.

Just had lovely 'Tea for Two' then a scummy lunch followed by devine Lemon Sponge with my tea. Service and value for money were fantastic. I went with my disabled husband and the ladies couldn't do enough to help us enjoy our lunch. Definitely will make this my place for tea. And would recommend a visit.

Very nice food, staff very friendly. Clean & tidy overall an excellent experience . The tearoom is well lit with high chairs for youngsters

Had to go to Braintree to pick up some shopping and wanted to find somewhere for a cuppa. We literally chanced upon this tea room and decided to try it. We received a very warm welcome and were shown to a table of our choice. Everything was bright, cheerful and very clean and the atmosphere was warm, friendly and welcoming. There was a wonderful selection of homemade cakes....cream & jam sponge, coffee, carrot and the most delicious gluten free lime & coconut. We were so pleased we'd called in and would have no hesitation in recommending this lovely tea room to others.

Better than the Best "Teahouse" in Halstead!.. Best Sandwhiches in Town,or anywhere Local,for that Matter 10/10..

Stopped in for brunch, and between us we had cake, bacon baguettes and scrambled egg on toast. Excellent service, tasty food and a lovely atmosphere. We'll be back. Thank you!

Old fashioned look but modern methods. This tea room has a nice variety for snacks and light lunches. China cup and saucer with tea pot. Food well cooked and came quickly. Staff very friendly. Will be back.

Have heard good things about this place. Is very, very tiny which I suppose adds to the charm.

If you have simply a hot drink or cold, a sandwich or cake, or even an afternoon tea, the food is good, the style quaint and the staff friendly.

Called in on the off chance, a busy place great sandwiches amazing cakes and service with a smile! Well worth a look.

The best tea house in Braintree by far!! Superb cakes, delicious lunches and super friendly staff that can’t do enough to please you.

This place is amazing! The owners a soooo friendly and the food is so yummy!! We have been quite an few times and the food has always been tasty and enjoyable. Thank you for my baby shower nearly 2 years ago and all the great times since.

Nice too go back in time .cakes look beautiful .however miss matched cups n saucers ,if a couple go in would expect too both at least be given same cups & saucers .owners friendly

We visited the quaint tea house and had a ploughmans and a cake, sandwich and tea deal. It was very nice and we will definitely go again.

Great home made food and phenomenal cakes excellent service fantastic tea use it or loose it so please visit you will not be disappointed

Have visited twice in the last few weeks with different friends for lunch. We had sandwich with all the trimmings we all loved what we had. No room to try what looked like wonderful homemade cakes. Very friendly good value and quirky place.

I purchased an afternoon tea voucher for Mother's Day and already plan on doing so again next year. The food was prepared before we had even sat down (as we had pre-booked the table), and everything was absolutely delicious- the lovely owners even wrapped up the leftovers for us to take home to ensure nothing went to waste! Absolutely lovely food, lovely staff, 10/10 will most definitely be returning

Was absolutely amazing! The food, staff and atmosphere was perfect! Highly recommend and going back!

Visited today with my daughter for a late lunch. Was greeted with a cheery hello. Had a lovely sandwich with salad and crisps. Was delightful and will be back. Lovely surroundings also.

My wife was taken by our eldest Granddaughter for afternoon tea so of cause I had to go as well!! What a feast we had. A wonderful side table, bone china and a feast of sandwiches, scones, cakes and a delightful posset all for for the price of 11.50 per head.

We absolutely love visiting here. The cakes are absolutely incredible. The staff are super friendly; and the tea room is gorgeous quirky vintage. We highly recommend a visit to see for yourself.

As always a friendly welcome and spoiled for choice on what to have. All fresh and homemade. Definitely worth a try

Make sure you pop in to this gem. Best afternoon tea we ever had. Great staff and lovely town too. We shall see you soon!

It may be cold and wet outside but always a warm and friendly welcome at The Glass House! Delicious freshly made food to warm the cockles of your heart ..... and just can't resist a generous slice of cake!!

Fresh and homemade. Cakes are a definite must. Warm and friendly as always. Nothing is too much trouble if you have dietary needs

We stopped off in Braintree to break up a journey, having never visited the town previously. After traipsing around and rejecting several uninspiring eating places we were on the verge of eating in Costa when we stumbled upon this charming tea room. I had carrot and roast potato soup which was very tasty and my husband had ploughmans which was very generous and included ham, cheese, coleslaw, pickle, apple as well as salad and bread. The bread was a little disappointing-it seemed to be standard supermarket sliced bread. The cakes looked lovely and were obviously homemade but the selection was a little 'samey'- basically different flavoured variations of a basic victoria sponge cake and fruit scones. The portion of cake given was massive-plenty for two to share. Coffee was average. Service was friendly. Price was very reasonable. Would recommend this tea room.

Went with my sister in law as we were out shopping and I can honestly say was very impressed we only had Cake and Coffee .. all home cooked the size was very big but it was really lovely and light .. as this was my first visit the people were so friendly and it will definitely not be my last will be going there again when I'm in the area or even book for afternoon teas Also very reasonable in price cannot rate food service value but if I could it would be a 5* for it all

The Glass House Tea Room hosted a family event .... a Baby Shower (private functions on a Sunday). Everything was truly splendid! Kay, who runs the tea room with her husband David, works tirelessly to give a wonderful experience. First class service, homemade food along with consideration to the customer that is sadly lacking in many establishments these days. If you have never visited then do make time for tea and cake.... I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I have been to the Glass House a few times now with friends.

My absolute favourite tea room I have ever visited. David and Kay run this cafe to perfection! And I always look foreword to going here for their gluten free scone, cake and sandwiches. Always delicious and always happy for a chat!

On a cold icy day what more could you want than a delicious, homemade mince cobbler that not only warms you but takes you (well me anyway), on a nostalgic trip back to my school dinners. Now we just need to decide on which cake .... chocolate? lemon madeira? carrot or ginger? As usual we are spoiled for choice xxo

We had a wonderful tea yesterday afternoon for my daughter's 21st birthday. We had plenty of tea in pots and a wonderful selection of sandwiches, scones with jam & clotted cream and then cheesecake, brownies and strawberry compote. it is such a querky place full of charm and the staff couldn't do anything more for us . Perfect in everyway thank you all for making her afternoon

Lovely sandwich - really fresh bread, tasty filling, good side salad and home made coleslaw is yummy! I received a big pot of tea (for one) with my sandwich rather than before (as I requested) and it was no trouble at all. Lovely warm welcome and good service.

Had a family afternoon tea recently here for approx 25 of us. Couldn't fault it - the sandwiches were all fresh and plenty of them, all followed by even more lovely cake. The venue is nicely set out and clean and all staff very friendly and accommodating. Thank you and well done.

Very nice lunch with my daughter friendly staff good food nice decor reminded of the old lyons tearooms excellent

Real old world tea rooms - so lovely warm homemade baking & lovely welcome definetly will call by again when next in area

The staff are very friendly and immediately make you feel welcome. The food is fairly priced and absolutely delicious! Will most definitely be visiting again

Had the meal deal and it was lovely.

Excellent food and service. I had cheese on toast, it was delicious with a latte.

Went here Saturday for lunch. Fabulous egg sandwich in granary bread and salad followed by a good slice of homemade lemon cake. Tea in a proper teapot with China cups and saucers. Attentive staff. Charming venue. Well worth a visit.

What a nice little tea shop. This was our first visit but it won't be our last.

Nothing is too much trouble when coming here. Food is always fresh and homemade. Staff are so friendly

Popped into this tearoom and was pleasantly surprised. It is a little quirky with lights and decorations everywhere.

A huge thank you to Kay and David for hosting an Afternoon Tea for my grandchildren (and a couple of bigger children!!) Super soft, fresh sandwiches. Melt in the mouth cakes. Light and fluffy strawberry mousse. And as usual so much to eat we had to take our scrummy, chewy Rocky Road and chocolate cheesecake home with us!! My grandchildren absolutely love coming here, and with very good reason. The food is superb and the cakes superber!!And before I forget ..... David's new range of hot pies are delish!!

Fresh food everyday. Homemade cakes are a must and friendly staff. Group afternoon tea bookings and all at great prices for what you get

Went for afternoon tea and they were happy to cater for three of us. Everything about it was delicious! Was the best afternoon tea I've had. The sandwiches and scones were fresh and tasty and the cakes were amazing! We had Rocky road and white chocolate cheesecake, which are delightful, all handmade and also a strawberry posset. You can also choose a piece of cake after, which you're allowed to take home as it is very filling. Wonderful service from a lovely family run business. Would definitely recommend this charming tea room. Thank you!

We came today for my Dad's 76th Birthday.We had a really lovely visit. This is such a welcoming and happy place with utterly superb food, service and pricing. Delicious

Just come back from a lovely and delicious afternoon tea for brothers 50 birthday .delightful freshly made finger sandwiches with plenty of filing. Best warm scones with cream and JamLovely light lemon dessert and rocky road bitesBut to top all that a lovely home made chocolate Malteser cake ..I was not surprised at how delicious the food would be as it is always lovely and cakes delicious and home madeBest coffee shop in Braintree, lovely for afternoon tea or sandwiches .. Highly enjoyable and would recommend

Homemade and fresh. Perfect for quick snack, main meals or even just afternoon tea. Staff will cater to everything you want and more

Had a lovely afternoon lunch here, First time visit. The sandwiches were yummy myself and my grandaughter had a prawn and crabstick one they were lovely and my partner had a roastbeef and horseradish one which she said was lovely. then we afternoon tea with scones jam and cream and took home 3 cakes which we could not eat at the time as was full up lol. will be visiting again no doubt. the staff were very nice and friendly would do anything for you.

Such a great atmosphere. Very cosy with excellent customer service. Beautiful food and very reasonable prices. Will most definitely be back and will recommend to all my friends and family.

My grandsons (11 & 9) absolutely love The Glass House as much as I do. A great range of sandwiches, snacks and drinks for them to chose from - for £3!!!! And a sandwich, salad and drink for me. Unbelievably 3 people fed and watered for less than £11. If you haven't ventured down here yet ... you're missing out!!

My nine year old daughter had a lovely tea party here for her birthday, fabulous homemade scones and treats. Good value. Charming couple who run it.

My daughter and I had the pleasure of lunch in this little gem of a place . We had sandwiches but homemade cakes were on offer that were just begging to be eaten.Lovely service , lovely surroundings

Was my Sisters Birthday today and we had a beautiful Afternoon Tea the Service was 10/10, really good value for money, presentation 10/10, Food 10/10 very happy would highly recommend

I have visited this tea room on several occasions and have usually been satisfied, in fact during the Easter school holidays I was pleased to see that Nanny and Grandad were running the cafe with a very helpful grandson. It seems to be a family run business. I was assured that the cakes were home made and I had reason to believe this when I visited the cafe a couple of weeks later with some friends. I am afraid that the venue was let down by the two people serving there that day. They were not the people that I had met before and in fact they did not give us the exceptional service we had previously experienced. Not only was the floor very dusty and left my coat with marks on it, but for the entire time my friends and I were there we were plagued by the sound of a food mixer being used continually. I was prepared to accept this for five minutes or so but eventually my friends and I were so upset by the noise that we left the cafe and vowed never to return. I believe that the owners would be mortified if they had seen how bad mannered it was to inflict such a noise on customers as we were trying to have a friendly talk together. I hope that the owners read this criticism as if it is repeated, they could lose customers. As far as the food and drinks are concerned I have no complaint and it is a shame that thoughtlessness caused our visit to be very uncomfortable.

Popped in here with my husband on Saturday morning for a hot drink and a slice of cake. The couple working here were so welcoming and the atmosphere and tea room lovely. I had a hot chocolate and hubby had a Cappuccino and a slice of Coffee and Walnut cake. Trying to be reasonably good (diet wise) I did not order cake but tried some of my husband's and ended up eating most of it, it honestly was the nicest slice of cake I think I have ever tried, clearly home made, full of flavour, beautifully light sponge but still felt a little indulgent. The rest of the menu looked great and we can't wait to go back again, thank you!

Went for High tea and requested in advance vegan option which was accommodated. Delicious vegan cakes (I loved the scones) and lovely hummus and salad wraps too. Ingredients were all described to me and reserved table was decorated lovely.I will be returning for sure!

Had a lovely tea party baby shower here. The place is so quant the staff are a family run business and they are really nice people, definitely recommend this place

Having enjoyed many afternoon teas, cakes and lunches at The Glass House, my friend and I had a day off work so decided to "do breakfast". And we weren't disappointed. Lovely fresh, fluffy scrambled eggs on crispy toast, a pot of tea and a coffee .... and change from £10!!!! It was extremely hard not to order a slice of cake from the big selection of sponges and scones tempting us from their glass domes on the side. But it had to be done ..... a slice of moist fresh strawberry cream cake to take away!! Kay and David (mum and staff) never fail to deliver delicious food at really affordable prices with a smile and a chat! Thank you ☕

Second visit here. The first being six weeks ago. Last time we visited on a busy Sat. Today (Thurs) was quieter despite it being lunchtime. Lovely welcome and we ordered :Cheese and Ham toastie with crispsBLT with coleslaw, salad and crispsNutella and caramel cakeVictoria SandwichCinnamon and apple cake. Everything was perfect on this visit apart from one thing. The cinnamon and apple cake was so dry. It wasn't fresh and was disappointing. Every other item was superb and the Victoria Sandwich pretty much the best I'd tasted as I shared a bit of my daughter's having left half of mine. This is a super little cafe and despite the letdown of the apple sponge we will return for sure. Great pricing.

My friend and I visited today for afternoon tea for her birthday. We were delighted with the whole experience. The food was delicious, unlimited tea and cake to take home too. Nothing was too much trouble, the staff were very friendly and welcoming. Do not overlook this tea shop just because it's at the end of the high street. Will definitely be visiting again soon.

My Boyfriend took me here for Afternoon Tea, It was scrumptious. The sandwiches, cakes and Tea were delightful. The proprietors were friendly and service was good.

Lovely traditional tea room in an interesting old building, very good food and coffee and very clean and tidy . Staff very friendly Can thoroughly recommend Its near the end of the High Street but still quite close to the shops .

I just wanted some me time a nice cup of coffee and to read without getting up to do things or answer phones. I went to the glasshouse because everyone is friendly not over powering and do lovely fresh food if eating and very good coffee.

Lunch stop on my birthday before the cinema at Freeport and we wanted a cake and cuppa somewhere other than the chains. This is a smashing tea shop with a fantastic selection of homemade cakes. Lovely staff. Nothing too much trouble. Brilliantly priced especially the half sandwich with salad and crisps followed by cake and cuppa. Lemon Drizzle cake was amazing.

My Wife and I have visited a couple of times now and on both occasions could not fault the service or quality of food. My Wife had a chicken and bacon sandwich with a coffee. I had an afternoon tea consisting of a roast beef and horseradish on granary bread sandwich, a slice of pistachio cake and a cream and jam scone. All of which were excellent. I would recommend if you are ever in the area, you will not be disappointed.

We hired the Glasshouse so we could invite our guests for tea the morning after our wedding. The owners were incredibly accommodating in organising this and on the day they provided a huge variety of hot and cold drinks, as well as amazing homemade cakes, for over 60 visitors. Nothing was too much to ask, and they even made gluten free cakes for guests with dietary requirements. Some of our guests tried 5 different slices of cake, and many of them took cake home too because there was so much provided for us! They even made a huge effort to decorate the tea shop with ‘Just Married’ bunting and other signs & balloons, which was extremely special. This is a truly lovely place to have some tea & cake in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Thank you!

What a delightful place to eat, came across this whilst visiting Braintree and so glad we did, opted for the meal deal of sandwich, cake and tea, it was lovely and such good value, all served with a smile and friendly chat, will certainly return and recommend that you give this tearoom a try for yourself, you won't be disappointed.

My daughter and I came across the Glass House Tearooms and I'm so glad we did. What a wonderful little tea shop with the most friendliest of staff. My daughter opted to sit on the throne seats in the window which she loved. We ordered drinks and a slice of homemade cake each, it was a hard choice as they all looked amazing. The cakes definitely tasted as good as they looked. We've been to Braintree quite a lot and never walked that far up the high street to know it's there. Chatting to the lovely owner he said a lot of people don't realise the tea shop is there. I'm so glad we found it and we will certainly be back with the rest of our family. I encourage everyone to walk a little bit further up the high street, you won't be disappointed. *****

The tea room is furnished very nicely with antique decor. The food is nice and the staff are very friendly, nice place to eat for all the family.

We had our work Christmas party here this afternoon & the staff have gone out of their way to accommodate us from day one. Delicious festive afternoon tea, drinks for those that did not want the usual tea, did I mention the delicious home made food, and exclusive use for our party for the afternoon. Kay bent over backwards to create a special menu for different dietary requirements & our every whim was catered for by the friendly, helpful staff. Cakes & sandwiches to die for in beautiful, comfortable surroundings. Thank you & can't wait to come back!

My mum and I went for tea and cake in this lovely tearoom. The lady working there was really friendly and made us feel really welcome. We both had the lemon and berries cake which was delicious. We'll definitely be going back to try the lunches too.

Just been to the glass house for lunch my partner had the homemade tomato and pepper soup witch was very nice and gluten free I had the chocolate and peanuts butter cake which was also good and all home made excellent

Great selection of homemade cakes and snacks and good range of gf food.Very reasonable prices and friendly service - even given free extra teacake! Loved the vintage china and interior,a refreshing change from chain coffee shops. Would definitely recommend and will return!