The Olive Branch in Colchester - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Excellent Syrian food and great for vegans!

Our dishes were a bit vinegary and the falafel too dry for us but overall a nice place to pop into. Worth giving it a go and reasonably good value.

The coffee and food were delicious and the service was excellent. The friendly manager gave us an extra panini, sweets and a large box of fresh dates. Such a treat!! We will definitely go back 🤩

Lovely lunch however, charged twice and after 3 visits to resolve and instructions from my bank, showing evidence, owner veered from initially offering refund to refusing, and embarrassingly, he was argumentative and intimidating in public, using my card to drag another customer into the discussion. Advise to stay away as not to be trusted and a total lack of customer service.

charged twice and owner refusing to refund me despite 3 visits and ringing my bank as he told me to. Followed bank advice, provided evidence of bank statement, but ended in an intimidating argument in public. When asked to go to somewhere private, he refused and went on to share my card with another customer drawing them in. Would not trust again and would advise not to go. It was so intimidating today that I will not walk in there again, owner needs a lesson in customer service

Absolutely delicious lunch! Prepared within minutes, so reasonably priced and was full to the brim from just a wrap. Stunning! Thank you! Recommend to anyone! 🫶

Excellent little cafe, very helpful staff (even when busy), and the food was delicious. The platter was a good plateful, and a great variety. The Bakhlava was pretty good too! Worth a trip to Wivenhoe to visit

A cozy and cute cafe, providing good cafe and atmosphere! Staffs are so friendly, really enjoyed the time here!

Absolutely love The Olive Branch. Friendly staff, great atmosphere and amazing food!!

My friend and I had finished a trail walk around Wivenhoe and came across this charming place. Not our usual choice but we thought we would try it. We had a platter which was varied and very tasty. Also some pastries for dessert! The owner was a lovely gentleman as were the two younger gentlemen waiting. I will definitely return with my wife in the future.

really good food, friendly staff

The atmosphere is so warm and friendly …. But the food is amazing !

Absolutely love the Olive Branch, the food is awesome and the staff are friendly!

The food is delicious and the customer service is great. I have tried most things on the menu but my favourites are the lentil soup and the mixed platter.

I visited for lunch with a friend and we had a delicious and very filling lunch. We both had wraps which were served with a small, tasty salad. I like the fact that the menu is vegetarian. It's a friendly café, clearly very popular with the locals. Luckily we came for an early lunch and were able to get a table. I can imagine it getting very busy. I highly recommend and can't wait to come back.

We had visited in July and really enjoyed it another visit in December and it’s drastically changed the food, presentation and staff all really poor more like a cafe than restaurant and the worst falafel I have ever had really dry, stale bread, sad brown iceberg lettuce and little/no tomato, no olives, and not freshly made falafel really bland and dry honestly wont be returning here. The old food/owners were much better.

The Olive Branch is such a hidden gem, the food was so fresh, and tasted wonderful, we can't wait to return.

First time in those little cafe in Wivenhoe . Every thing was perfect

This very small restaurant serves delicious and carefully prepared food. It is relaxed and very cost. Excellent service and very friendly staff. Ill be back and bringing friends.

Reasonably priced and delicious food. Service above and beyond. Atmosphere very friendly and comfortable.

I love the Orange Branch. Not been for ages but had lunch last Friday and it was as good as I remembered

Tasty lunch today whilst at the Wivenhoe Art Trail. Good soup and friendly srvice

Really lovely cafe with marvellous range of plant based food. The baba ganoush was stunning! Service was a little slow on the Saturday when we went and they forgot one of our orders, but all sorted out quickly. Be nice to have some music playing in the background.

Popped in after a long walk down the Wivenhoe trail for the first time yesterday and I must say the food is yummy! The falafel wraps were a great size and the platters are super tasty! It is a small little place so I would recommend booking but we will definitely be back and happy to recommend it!

Really nice little place, lovely friendly staff. Food was amazing tried the Zaatar manoushe. Coffee was very good too.

Great little place, staff and food exceptional.

Cute place with delicious vegan food. The sharing platter was good value and very tasty. I'll definitely be returning.

Excellent, friendly service. Lovely food

Great spot for lunch - delicious haloumi wrap and salad was great value !

Lovely coffee and pastries then a walk and back for lunch. Super food and service . A job well done !! Thank you. 🤗

What a gem of a find. It can be hard to find good vegetarian food. We had a mixed platter for two and it was amazing, fresh, vibrant and tasty. The staff were very helpful and the chef who prepared the food explained each item that was on the mixed platter. recommend highly

Scrumptious baklava and coffee.. Very nice staff..

Gorgeous vegetarian and plant based café, friendly staff and delicious middle eastern food. Freshly made with a range of cakes/pastries.

I love this little spot in Wivenhoe. They do beautiful vegetarian / vegan platters and the food is so fresh, healthy and delicious. We shared a vegetarian platter and then had Turkish coffee and baklava for dessert. The staff are so lovely and friendly. I keep coming back here as I like it so much.

Love this place. We were immediately made to feel so welcome. What a warm welcome we received. ( Chantel, the server was simply amazing)! We instantly felt appreciated for visiting, allocated seating and checked on regularly to make sure we were comfortable. What’s more, the food was scrumptious! Never ever have I tasted vegan wraps that tasted so excellent. Thank you for making us feel cared for and welcome.

Absolutely brilliant vegan cafe with vegetarian options for Jon-vegan friends/family. We walked over to the cafe along the river and through woodland and enjoyed a meal there. Really good food, super nice staff, attentive and great atmosphere. Husband said it felt like we were on holiday again. Will definitely return.

Very friendly staff and fantastic food. My partner is vegan so the menu was great for her but although I'm not vegan there was still ample choice. We will definitely be back.

Great food and excellent service. Gluten free flat bread which was lovely. Had the platter for 2 and well pleased with our choice. Coffee was also very good quality 👌

Popped in for some late lunch.. very welcoming.. and amazing food.. Thankyou 😁

Great coffee, fantastic service with a bright smile, and a welcoming vibe - the best cafe in beautiful Wivenhoe

Very chilled Vibe with a brilliant ambience, the food is lovely and the coffee is amazing. The service is second to non with exceptionally kind staff. I wish i was exaggerating but this was an amazing experience for the first time using The Olive Branch.

To be able to order delicious vegan food in the knowledge that is just that is a true relief and pleasure. Wether you are Vegan or not this food tastes amazing and the service is top notch. Syrian food tastes fantastic. The staff are happy to explain the dishes and enhance the experience.

Superb place. Great coffee (Monmouth) and fantastic food

Excellent little cafe, lovely coffee and cake.

Me encanta volver a Wivenhoe y saber que siempre me está esperando con la misma calidad “The Olive Branch”. Abdul, el dueño es muy amable y simpático

One of the best meals I've ever had! As a devoted meat eater I've never in my life ever considered trying vegan food, not until I stumbled upon this cute little cafe one wonderful Saturday afternoon. I was greeted by the most cheerful staff and the owner Abdul went as far as to personally take my order. Now, I'm not accustomed to Mediterranean cuisine let alone vegetarian Mediterranean food but Abdul walked me through the menu so well that I felt as if I was in Syria myself, being offered one of the finest cuisines the world has to over. The ambiance of the cafe very comfy and inviting, I didn't want to leave. I finally ordered the make shift pizza that I unfortunately forgot the name of. I would pay whatever is required for me to enjoy that delicacy once again. If you're in wivenhoe and you're interested in trying new things, this restaurant will not disappoint.

The Olive Branch is a small cafe in Wivenhoe that specialises in serving authentic vegan Syrian food. I went there last week for the first time on a beautiful sunny day for lunch. The place was nearly full when I arrived, and although the tables and chairs were close to each other, they were well-placed so I didn’t feel overlooked. I was served by two staff members during my time at The Olive Branch, and both of them were really hospitable and attentive. I really wanted to have a truly authentic experience, so I ordered their own special minty lemonade for £3. The drink arrived very quickly and looked quite attractive. Although the drink was quite bitter, it was cold and refreshing on such a hot day. The ice used was cloudy and small and looked homemade, which made the drink look cheap and less appealing, but in these hard financial times, I do not blame them. I decided to go for their ‘Double Olive Branch Platter’ for food which cost me and my partner £18. The menu did not have what was included on the platter, but the staff member tried his best to explain and used words such as ‘hummus’, ‘falafel’, and ‘olives’, and I was sold. The platter did not take long at all and definitely had the wow factor. It looked beautiful and fresh, showing a variety of different colours and textures. The platter was served with a basket of warm pita bread, which the staff kindly topped up towards the end of our meal to “mop up”. The hummus and falafels were excellent, I only wish there was more! There was only one small section of hummus with cucumber and one falafel each. There were several other foods, one that looked similar to hummus but had a slimy texture and exquisite taste (I did not enjoy this at all), a couple broad bean dishes that were fairly bland, olives that were coated in a very strong oil, a baby aubergine stuffed with peppers, and a vine leaf that was quite tasty. There was a nice mixed salad in the centre of the platter. I also ordered a slice of their chocolate cake, which cost £4.50. This was probably the most disappointing dish, as the cake was quite dry and looked as if it was a birthday cake bought from Tesco. If you are going to charge £4.50 a slice, then you would expect something homemade and fresh, especially as there is a coffee shop in close proximity that sells homemade vegan chocolate cake that is cheaper and in my experience, a lot nicer. Overall, it definitely felt like an authentic experience, but I would not order the platter or the cake again. However, if you are feeling adventurous, or want to try some new unusual foods, then I would suggest trying the platter. The staff there were amazing, the prices were reasonable (except the cake where I felt a little robbed) and the scenery was pleasant. I definitely recommend their hummus and falafel.

Great healthy food and great service.

Great vegan food, will be back Pleasant service too 🙂

Very lovely place, kind staff and the food is so amazing. It is good to book a table at the weekend as it can get a bit busy - love it!

Very nice restaurant for vegans! Tasty falafel and other Middle Eastern delicacies!

Shared an enormous platter with family. Everyone loved it

Small and friendly. Top coffee and chocolate brownies.

We wanted a takeaway as we had been travelling a while! We were late in the day but the staff were so obliging and made us some delicious wraps! Every wrap was delicious and full of fresh vegetables - so tasty! The menu was varied and fairly priced!

This one is a real gem. The food is fresh and the owner and staff are really friendly. We ordered labane which was amazing and came with warm pittas, and falafel that was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Everything is vegetarian and most dishes are vegan. We had coffee and baklava for dessert and enjoyed every second. I highly recommend and would definitely be back!

Lovely food, lovely people, great coffee, a very welcome pick me up for 2 very soggy cyclists 🚴‍♂️ 🚴‍♀️

Incredible food, great staff. Don't be put off by the vegetarian tag if you are a meat eater!

Stopped off here whilst on a walk today with my friend. I would never normally choose a vegan cafe but wow I was not disappointed. The haloumi and salad wrap I had was very fresh and tasty. Popular local cafe with friendly staff.

Lovely little place serving great middle Eastern food.

Small... looks lovely... polite people... but pretty much nothing is vegan. Which was a disappointment. Nice baklava though.

Turkish coffee is a must. Pastries are amazing. Staff always great. Amazing little place.

Lovely coffee, flaky croissant and nice conversation. Head over to the Olive Branch today.

Excellent vegetarian lunch. Service prompt, polite and helpful. Good value overall

Amazing food, thank you so much for an amazing experience. We took baklava as take away too and they tasted fantastic!

Lovely food, nice to experience something different for a change

Lovely food, nice to have something different

We had Coffee and Blakava. It was lovely! Service was good and everyone was very Friendly! We will go back and have a meal the menu was very appealing!

Food was really lovely. Coffee was amazing. Very friendly atmosphere will definitely visit again.

Lovely little cafe, great choice, something for everyone. Hummus is fantastic full of flavour, best I've had in this country. Excellent coffee

Best falafel wrap ever. Lovely staff and delicious coffee. Hopefully they will be able move to somewhere bigger!!

We have enjoyed several delicious lunches at The Olive Branch and I think today’s was the best yet. The Olive Branch platter is excellent, their coffee is the best in Wivenhoe (in our opinion) and they now serve excellent ice cream too.

Lovely and polite people. Delicious baklava. Nice to meet them.

Nice idea. Pleasent atmosphere let down by items on menu not being available (tea cakes!)

4 of us met there for a birthday lunch having seen the reviews and awards it has won, It is a very small and basic cafe, serving light vegan lunches, mainly wraps and salads with some humous and olives, my dad who is not vegan had a cheese ciabatta, which had a good flavour as did 2 of our other lunches,(?mine was the platter which had a good flavour and looked good sadly 2 of us had different vegan cakes for desert but unfortunately both were too stale to eat, the 2young woman serving us were very friendly and helpful and deducted the price of the cakes from our bill. The cafe does not serve alcohol, but unfortunately it’s soft drink selection is not very extensive, hence eventually 3 of us decided on orange juice but they only had 2 of them left in stock. The cafe has one toilet for customer and staff use accessed through the kitchen area and down a couple of steps. We had all travelled some distance to meet there for lunch and left slightly disappointed, and won’t be returning customers.

Lovely variety of food with good quality and quantity too! Well worth a try.

I Just love it in there good vibes mostly vegi food

Delicious food and coffee, friendly and helpful staff. Love it here.

Delightful cafe with Armenian influence serving very good coffee, snacks and wraps. Friendly folk running the place. Thanks for the vote if you found this review helpful.

Great food and drinks a great atmosphere. I'm not vegan or vegetarian but that didn't matter, there are some great tasting foods.

Delicious food to eat in or takeaway such fresh flavours a real asset to Wivenhoe. Accessible for all and fully inclusive menu that will suit everyone, vegan or not. The staff are friendly & helpful and its not far from the station if you wanted to visit by train.

Always a wonderful experience, food is always tasty, some lovely plant based options. staff are friendly, polite and laid back, once you are eating they do not hassle you. It's a very petite restaurant that I imagine could get very busy but it's definitely worth trying.

Great little place with excellent food and good service, best to book a table though. I shall definitely be going back.

Regularly treat ourselves to a lunch here, never fails to impress, Charlie and staff are spot on, food is excellent as is the ambience, a hidden gem this one

Delicious food and excellent service! A favorite for a weekday lunch.

Have been in here a few times , great little place, lots of selection of food and deserts. Staff are really helpful and quick service. Coffee is superb and hot chocolate is amazing . Well worth a visit

A great café serving good coffee and vegan food. Would recommend.

Olive branch catered for a birthday party event we hosted for about 70 people. They prepared incredible platters of food. Not only was the food delicious but it was presented absolutely beautifully and with such care and attention to detail. Many people asked where we had found such wonderful (vegan!) food!!

Delicious fresh lunch food. Generous serving size and not greasy at all. Also great value. 10/10!

Went there for a valentine lunch and shared the large vegan platter which at £15 was fantastic value for money. Managed to leave enough space to try the sweet treats, some Baklove and an awesome pistachio encrusted Turkish delight. Service was fast and friendly. Time was spent describing each dish as we were new to Syrian food. Will definitely be back soon

, tasty food. Friendly atmosphere

This is a lovely friendly place to eat delicious food. It’s also very reasonably priced so is a regular place for myself and my friends to meat for lunch or just a coffee.

Always enjoy popping in to this little gem of a cafe in wivenhoe for lunch.... everything on the menu is tasty, and the service is always friendly.

Quirky little place tucked away off the High Street on the road down to the station. Syrian based food, veggie based and mainly light lunches. Interesting food and some nice different hot drinks to try as well.

My favourite place to eat! Normally I have the platter which is amazing but today I'm on a very restricted diet due to health issues. The staff were so accommodating and went through the whole menu with me, adapting 2 of their dishes so I could eat..was so delish along with the cozy, friendly atmosphere...love it!

Love the food and great service!! Thank you.

Fantastic food and drink. The coffee is full of taste. The Ayran drink is delicious with a touch of garlic. It just works. Finish off with a mint tea.

Really disappointing- we had the double platter - really very bland; Baba Ganouj a really strange but actually unpleasant taste, hummus without lemon/garlic was tasteless, falafels very dry and again without flavour. We were anticipating a meal full of flavour but regretfully very bland

We took family here for lunch when they were visiting, one of whom had spent a lot of time in Syria. We had a large family platter chosen by the staff after asking what our preferences were and really enjoyed the food which was truly authentic. The choice and price was excellent and we'll happily return soon.

Amazing food and coffee. Very friendly staff. Would recommend for a new experience of different foods. Definitely recommend the baklava 😍

Lovely little spot, just by the station. Wonderful vegan and vegetarian food, very welcoming and attentive staff and they were very accommodating of our toddler too. The pictures are missing food because we couldn’t wait to dig in 😊