The Holly Trail Cafe in Waltham Forest

We went back again for a lunch with family. It's a lovely location, with great views over the golf course. My Mum really enjoys visiting this little cafe. We ordered baguettes , chips and coffee etc.... all very tasty , fresh and filling. The pumpkin 🎃 spice latte is especially delicious 😋. We also took a huge slab of cake home for the evening. Service has always been friendly and efficient each time we've visited. Prices are reasonable too, especially considering the decent portion sizes. We'll definitely be back soon. Thank you so much.

Favourite place to go for a weekend brunch or post walk cake and coffee treat!

Just been into the cafe, had a lovely bacon sandwich and the best piece of Victoria sponge, but nothing compares to their iced mocha which is to DIE FOR!! Will definitely be back, thank you to the lovely staff too, they were very friendly and helpful :)

A shame that the level of service has degenerated recently. Quoted 45 minutes for hot food post golf round.

Pleasant cafe on the edge of walking trails at Epping Forest . .a welcome oasis near to Chingford station. Affordable drinks, snacks and cooked breakfasts. We passed by on a Saturday afternoon to meet with friends for a walk. There's a generous amount of comfortable wooden picnic benches outside that double up as a meeting point. NB this is your last chance to eat or buy food before you hit any of the walking trails never mind use a toilet. And l have to say these are clean toilets. My apologies that all of my photos are of them and not the drinks or food any of us bought. I was too engrossed in conversation to remember to take any ! Wondering why it's called ' Holly' reference to trail is obvious. Are there some Holly Bushes nearby ? They need to put some greenery in the outdoor space to integrate it more with its surroundings then ld add the last star.

Solid cheese toastie and egg sandwich. Would come againz

Lovely little cafe, very welcome after a long walk. Food and drink were delicious. I had a salt beef bagal and a cappuccino.

Back again for lunch with the family. Such a great little, local cafe. A huge selection of food is available, together with a selection of freshly baked cakes. Indoor & outdoor seating available with great views over Chingford golf course. Food is freshly prepared & filling. Service is friendly and efficient. What's not to like. Will definitely be back & highly recommend. Thank you.

We ventured to The Holly Trail Café for lunch after an enjoyable walk around Epping Forest in the sunshine. The fine weather meant that we could sit outside which was useful as internally the café is pretty compact. Although it does offer toilets which you could probably use even if you're not making a purchase. On arrival there's a decent menu written on the wall which covers everything from sandwiches and baguettes to a full English breakfast. There are also a selection of homemade cakes available which do look rather tempting. Still we decided to try a range of sandwiches and an omelette. Because we were sitting outside we were unfortunately downgraded to wooden cutlery (maybe the youths that we saw performing community service nearby are prone to stealing them otherwise?). Anyway there we sat with our food buzzer and cups of tea waiting for our lunch. In fact we waited long enough to wonder if our buzzer was broken! Still our order did arrive in the fullness of time and really we could live with the delay because the food was clearly freshly made from scratch and that makes all of the difference. The sandwiches themselves were notably good in using quality ingredients and arriving with both salad and some crisps. So they were more than acceptable while my omelette was piping hot and pleasingly cheesy. So The Holly Trail Café hit the mark and I doubt that you'll be disappointed if you stop by.

Friendly staff working today :) great cafe for a great place

A seriously good vegan breakfast fry served here! The spinach cooked with garlic was a highlight. The first bite is with the eyes, they say, and the chef has a keen eye for presentation. Accompanied with a range of non-dairy milks this is now my number 1 place for a plant-based/vegan "Full English" in the area! 👍

Great food.lovely friendly service

Decent cafe by chingford plain. Sometimes gets very busy.

We went on a walk and ended up here for Brunch. It was cosy in there. The food was not bad. We didn't find the price for the menu on the blackboard and drinks (except the sausage sandwich). Thought what we paid was not worth the juices after we tried to work around the prices of food. We didn't like the juices in these plastic cups as we dined in. It was a very small drink for the price we paid.

A lovely little cafe next to Chingford Plains so it is a great location after a walk in the forest. It is small inside so there might be queues otherwise there is additional seating outdoors.

Served by a nice friendly lady. I had a vegan breakfast, mushrooms were really good, hash brown tasty, not too keen on the vegan sausage, or the spinach. The boys however both enjoyed their eggs on toast, one week done one normal as requested.

Use the café regular as I work in the forest great food best place for miles

I’ve eaten here many times and always enjoyed the food. However, I’ve recently had to switch to a gluten free diet. On arrival I asked if there were any gluten free options (previous reviews mentioned there were) and was told very abruptly ‘we don’t have anything’. I asked if their sausages were gluten free as hoping for a fry up and the chef gave me a look to make me think I’d asked the stupidest thing ever. I could have found something naturally without gluten eg jacket potato, but despite being a pretty regular customer, I didn’t feel like eating there! Wake Cup in the high street however were extremely accommodating and lovely!

Service is painfully slow and inaccurate

Food was OK and served quite quickly. Full English was not the best I've had, I prefer my bacon kinda soggy and sausages that move when you try and cut them. Staff were friendly and helpful and we will go there again sometime. Prices I thought were slightly on the high side given the quality of the food, that's just my opinion of course.

Regina is the kindest and hard working young lady. Lovely welcoming place with the best coffee around.

Very friendly welcome and good menu at breakfast time. Went for a walk around the area having recently moved here and staff were attentive and service an excellent bacon sandwich, cooked to order. Nice outside seating area too.

A handy location for meeting friends for a coffee. On my last visit I had English breakfast for first time and have to say it's one of the best! Generous portion, beautifully cooked. ... we going back again this week

Popped in here after an afternoon walk and it did not disappoint. Great menu with lots of choices. Very reasonably priced, but delicious, food. Deffs include a visit next time you wander round the forest!

Really delicious breakfasts, cooked to perfection and friendly staff ☺️

Super cafe with great menu and food. A little pricey for us (though I'm sure OK for most) but a lovely treat. Nice friendly staff too. Would definitely like to go again.

Had a variety of meals off the menu - all well cooked and presented. Many vegan & vegetarian dishes. It was busy so you wait your turn. Very reasonably priced good quality food.

Nice food, but a very disappointing flat white served in a latte cup with a ton of froth

Terrible breakfast.The sausages were rock hard and hash brown stone cold.Well in fact all of it was cold.Even my dog wouldn't eat any if it.It was very expensive too with having to pay extra for the tea.This use to be a nice cafe back in the day but not anymore🤔

Stopped here after a walk and had a nice lunch here. Good service and good food, the chips did live up to the claim of being the best chips in Chingford too!

Lovely coffee and great bacon sandwich lots of bacon snd lovely fresh bread great value for money

Lovely coffee and lovely fredh bread with lots of bacon and friendly staff will be back again as saw some great food being served

The car park is operated by Ringo on behalf of LBWF with strict enforcement. Had to wait 20 minutes from a bacon sandwich. The bacon was not fresh (seemed pre cooked and re heated, very hard) The coffee was nice and we got that after 5 minutes. Won't go back there again unless I am walking or cycling which is highly unlikely as I am a pensioner. I feel sorry for the cafe to be burdened with parking charges as its not their fault, but it will no doubt help to send motorists else where.

Very clean. Pretty decorated Big easy board to read the menu selection simple. Not really into main meals. Recomend removing round table from the serving window. We sat there, found it crowed in this spot. Moved up a table

Only ever had coffee from here which was fine but service is always pretty slow.

Well where to start pictures are worth a thousand words. Inconsistent portion sizes I get some costs have to go up but 2 coffees a chocy bacon bag and chips @ Over £15 I’d expect to have some more care and at least a decent portion. So after comparing mine and my partners food with others in the group seems we was singled out! Only difference is the colour of my skin, can’t say racism but it begs a question as almost every other order that’s past us is better filled and bacon isn’t looking like it’s been cremated!

The very utilitarian building disguises this great little cafe. Smiling staff, a decent choice of light, cafe style staples on offer. All cooked to order, the food was tasty, plentiful and good value. Dog friendly and worth a visit.

Had a really lovely lunch today. Generous portions freshly made. The young lady who served us today really polite and friendly.

Short walk from Chingford Overground station and on the edge of Epping forest. Good fried breakfast. Toilet for customers only. Limited indoor seating, so could be a wait for a table at busy times.

Dropped into the Holly Trail Cafe on Saturday for a cup of tea. Very nice atmosphere and was served by Adam who was very polite and made us very welcome.

Lovely! Delicious vegan sausage sandwich. Great service too.

Nice little cafe. Free parking for customers. Large covered outside area for about 30 people. Coffee and cakes, great selection. Also sandwiches, fry ups. Good selection and also licensed!

Went in today for a Calipo, but had none, so took a punt on a lovely looking Victoria sponge. You have to try it. Was delicious. Thanks guys. And yes take away cake for a hike in Epping forest works.

decided to go for breakfast - the food was excellent and the chef and staff were friendly and efficient. Another customer was being incredibly rude and bolshy and they dealt with him really well despite alot of provocation. I was really impressed and will definitely go again.

Nice coffee but not worth a 20 min wait, very unorganised.

Possibly the best ham and cheese toastie I've ever had ! Definitely going to make it a regular visit when we walk through the forest which is right on its doorstep.

I’m a big fan of this cafe, staff are friendly and it’s a great place for a sandwich. Feels buzzy, always lots of walkers, golfers and cyclists around. Great pit stop, especially now the outside seating has returned.

Really nice outside eating area food lovely and friendly staff very covid comiant

Amazing food and very lovely staff, service is very quick and food is always served hot!

Slow low quality food at expensive prices

Within walking distance from home so convenient, but good for anyone, couples, families, hikers, even those brightly coloured lycra-clad cyclists types are welcome and will find something on the menu to suit varied tastes, diets and pockets. Why I am giving it Five Stars I don't know, because I would rather keep the place a secret for friends and family!

Free parking. Blue badge holder parking available. Near to Epping Forest for bike ride or ramble before or after your snack. We had flat white coffee, which was good but felt it was on the small size. Cake was tasty, moist and smelled nice. Cafe area wheelchair accessible. Reasonable amount of covered, outdoor seating. Staff were friendly. Lost a star because young female staff member had her chin covered with a mask, and used her bare hands to lift cake on to show plates.

Friendly staff and great coffee.

I have been here several times and it always amazes me how evreytime I go there is a different home made cake to choose from .Always a friendly atmosphere even in these difficult times . Keep up the great work

Epic bacon sandwich here. Hard to beat.

Very nice food, pleasant staff, good service. It was takeaway due to the pandemic & Gov guidelines.

Myself and my husband always go to this place. That is going to change. Unfortunately, customer service isn't very high. We decided to get a couple of coffees yesterday and had to wait 25 minutes for them. I couldn't believe it. There was only two mums together in front of us. My husband was then told to wait a moment to take his order and the girl disappeared for 10 minutes. Completely unacceptable.

A good place to have a coffee before you tee off for a round golf at Chingford Golf Course.

Lovely! They cater for gluten free too.

Had the omelette with ham and bacon it was delicious 👌🏼

Very well organised. Always lovely food here and good service

Nice friendly cafe. Generous helpings. Plenty of outside space. COVID safe

A good eatery to go to if you're hungry. Quality and quantity is a priority here. Spotlessly clean and friendly young staff with plenty of choice menu. Great fry up or lunch with a healthy choice or just tea and homemade cake to make your afternoon special.

Awesome breakfast and staff happy to adapt for dietary requirements

Lovely food and friendly staff, but there really isn't much shade in the garden which isn't ideal, particularly as if you go in with your dog after a walk you have to sit in the garden. I've no problem with dogs being restricted to the garden, but bigger sun shades and more of them would make it so much better. We were two adults, a child and two large dogs crammed together in a small patch of shade. Not the most relaxing way to eat lunch.

I regularly meet friends here for a quick coffee/snack. In an area with a surfeit of coffee shops, this establishment more than holds it's own. Great coffee, tasty food and friendly service. On the edge of the forest so popular with dog walkers who are sat at one end of the cafe in a designated area. Recommended!

The food was freshly cooked so I didn't expect it to be served in two minutes. However, the poached eggs were excellent and the coffee was well flovoured. The table was clean and tidy and the service warm and friendly.

Great to pop in for a Latte after a chilly walk around the plains.

Foods OK if not slightly overpriced, however service was adequate and pleasant surroundings. Would visit again.

This was our first visit to the cafe for breakfast. We had a full english which was lovely and worth another visit.

Lovely atmosphere, to die for cakes!

It's your regular greasy spoon. The food is absolutely fine for what it is and very generous portions. The staff are nice and the cakes are good. If you want to fill up on carbs before a round of golf or walk in Epping forest, you could do worse. Excellently located for both these activities.

Cakes are massive. No wonder we're all getting to be morbidly obese! Cakes are home made delightful.

Good value. Good staff. Good food. Good atmosphere. Friendly people.

Little bit pricey on the food, nice place to sit and have a cup of tea after you've walked the Forest.

Small cafe next to the golf course. Friendly staff and a selection of breakfasts with large portions.

I regularly pop in to this cafe for a hot drink whilst walking in the forest. I am always met with a smile and a friendly chat. The cakes are delicious and the service is good. It can get busy at weekends because it is so popular and the food is tasty. Like any restaurant, when short staffed, things sometimes don't run as smoothly as usual but if you are a regular customer, you'll know how fabulous this little place is and will continue to visit. The seasonal decorations are a lovely touch and there is plenty of seating outside in the summer months. Highly recommended - service with a smile.

Went there today for a coffee with friends, they were busy and service absurdly slow, I think it took 10 minute queue to order and 20+ minutes for them to bring 3 coffees and a tea. The flat whites were more like lattes. We won’t go back.

Great cafe for a post walk in the Forest. Food was delicious and the freshly baked scones were an amazing bonus!

Unfortunately for the chef, the service here really let’s the place down. I would have scored 1 apart from the fact the food was actually delicious.First of all it took 20 mins to get a coffee and a tea. Secondly when my husband got his (long) bacon baguette it had 1 slice of bacon in it despite costing nearly 5 pounds. He took it back up and asked if it was right, got looked at blankly, they took it back and then it sat on the side for 10 mins until he went back up and saw it sat there! No apology.I ordered my son pancakes with strawberries and even asked for the cream on the side, however received pancakes and .. bacon!!Mine was lovely, but the fact that our sons who is 3 also came a few minutes after our food was just another slight mishap. You should always give the kids food first!!Unfortunately the waiting staff are inept at customer service.My son had a coughing incident - ( tables turning round as he choked on something) however not one of the staff seemed to notice. Clearly not their fault, however when I worked in restaurants I would have run over with a glass of water to offer SERVICE. There is none here.I have written great reviews for other establishments but this one was severely lacking..

This is a small friendly cafe, the food is fresh and very tasty, the prices are reasonable. My only negative is the cafe allows dogs, great for dog walkers not so great for the rest of us, however dogs are kept at the far end away from the food..

Relaxed vibe friendly place - we popped in for some brunch and had a good time. Large menu & nice food, with outside eating area for warmer weather. They catered well for our toddler as well. A stones throw from the golf course and next to Chingford plain, it's great for grabbing some food mixed with a bit of nature. Also a short walk from the Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge & Connaught Water

such a great local place with home cooked tasty food....good quick service, warm welcome and good prices... highly recommend :) YUM

The place closes for lunch time . There are better places around.

We normally go on a weekday, when the experienced professionals are working. No problems, The weekends are a different matter. I popped in with my husband and son, last Saturday, The table was filthy, I went into the toilets and tore off some of the blue kitchen roll , wet it and cleaned our sticky table, it couldn't have been cleaned the whole of service. We ordered, and my husbands Croque Madam wasn't cooked correctly , the toast was soggy. He didn't complain, but when the waitress came to clear, she asked if we enjoyed our meals, a strange question when one meal was uneaten. We were offered a free drink on our next visit. Had someone actually come to check after serving the meal there may have been time to recook the meal. Standards are better during the week, but we won't be back at the weekend, the staff are far too inexperienced to deal with any situation or clean the place.

Best eggs I've ever tasted in my whole life

1st and last time to go here, breakfast order was completely wrong then I was told the cashier didnt take for certain items and that I could go up and pay they would make the extras (meal would've been finished) then the two eggs were so undercooked the white of the egg was clear on top. I called both waitresses over and asked if they thought the egg was cooked they said no and if I wanted it changed, I hadnt time so I said just let the chef Know just so it doesnt happen again and they didnt say a thing to him which is why I'm writing this post. Best part of the breakfast was the bottle of coke.

So happy to have found this place. I’ve driven down Bury Road many times and never knew this cafe was there, so thought I’d give it a try after seeing the good reviews on Trip Advisor. Excellent vegan and vegetarian breakfast, presented really nicely with food in separate pots which I loved. Staff really friendly, would highly recommend ⭐️

Mushroom soup is fabulous, portions are huge. Only reason for closure me star less was my bu ge was like cardboard. Be prepared to wait, but worth it as the food is cookef fresh. Staff are cheerful and pragmstic

The Holly Tree is situated on Chingford Golf Course entrance. The staff are always amazingly friendly and serve good honest food with a smile

I rang the day before to book a table as we were eight friends meeting for lunch! I have been before so know it gets busy! Lovely food coffee cakes in a nice friendly setting opposite the Golf Course we look forward to returning when the weather is nicer to sit outside! Great to have parking too as some ladies disabled! Give it a try!

My husband goes out of his way to buy their amazing scones!

This place is a hidden gem with excellent service. The kitchen is very allergy-friendly. The food menu has changed recently so if you’re after the lamb shank, you should give them a ring.

Good food well presented outside seating with lovely views of golf course

We have been in the station road area of Chingford numerous times of late and have struggled to find somewhere for a quick bite to eat and parking.today we solved both of these. Parking on one of the Corporation of London pear parks and walking to station road we passed this place. One of the places we visited recommended it as a “honest place with good food” they were right. Simple food, done well and to order. I had a great bacon baguette, and my partner went for a tuna and sweet cord wrap, both made to order and fresh along with hot chocolate and a latte a good snack at reasonable prices We will be back

When the only criticism you can think of is that the portions are too big, you are on to a winner. We have been there twice recently; first class tuna melt, pancakes and Olympic standard ham, eggs and chips. Also does sarnies, toasties, pastries, baguettes, panini, potatoes, omelettes, breakfasts etc. Pleasant staff and atmosphere. Nice views of golf course. Clean facilities.

Really nice place and excellent food and service.

We have been in the station road area of Chingford numerous times of late and have struggled to find somewhere for a quick bite to eat and parking.today we solved both of these. Parking on one of the Corporation of London pear parks and walking to station road we passed this place.

Visited for breakfast, lovely full English, very nice little cafe with lovely views of the golf course and chingford plains, great place for dog walkers to stop for a snack.

Lovely cafe, very cosy and prettily decorated. Large choice on the menu including vegetarian and vegan choices. Very reasonably priced, great cakes, scones served warm as is the bread pudding with cream and jam with the scones. Highly recommend, if you've overdone it you have the forest including The Holly Trail right outside !