The Secret Garden Tea Rooms Writtle Road Nursery in Chelmsford

I had a surprise 70th Birthday Afternoon Tea on the 9th March. It was delightful and the staff were very helpful ensuring we had everything we wanted. We were very well looked after. We had a room to ourselves and it was charming and magical! The sandwiches were fresh and tasty and lots of them. The cakes and scones were delicious. A big thank you to you all at The Secret Garden for making it such a lovely memorable experience.

My husband and myself visited this cafe today, after being here before for both my Nan and grandads wakes, which then was lovely, but today we was most disappointed, we ordered an afternoon tea, which was ok (we have had better) but most of all the two staff members that served us were rude unfriendly and clearly didn’t want to be there…my husband tried to interact with one of them and she didn’t say a word, not even a smile…so much so I nearly said to her “your enjoying your job” am sorry but the place is lovely and cosy but the staff really let the place down!!! We won’t be returning again unless the staff have changed!!!! Such a disappointment !!!!

A great venue for our sister's wake. Although some of our family party were quite late for our afternoon tea, the staff were very accommodating and let us linger a while longer than we expected. Thank you so much for that, it was very considerate. The high tea provided was just right, sandwiches, cake and suasage rolls that were absolutely heavenly! Having popped in during the late summer to book the event and enjoyed the outside area, we shall certainly be back again to sample the Baileys Latte and rasapberry cake! It was also very cosy and warm, on what was an extreley cold Saturday, so much more welcoming. Thank you all again!

A special thanks to the staff for making our Mums wake go without a hitch. The staff were so kind, friendly and very helpful . Many compliments from family on how tasty and fresh the afternoon tea was . Cakes and scones were delicious.

Thanks to all at the Secret Garden. Brilliant afternoon tea with my family and the best staff ever!

Was lovely day went with my son thought we would sit in the garden area, as we sat on a bench we hadn’t noticed it had broken my son fell back into a water bowel and smacked his head on a post. I went to tell staff as this was very dangerous if elderly or young child was to sit here. No apologies didn’t ask if my son was ok, they just moved bench and walked off. Poor service won’t return

The tea rooms were very busy; perhaps too busy as there was no interaction between staff and clients except for those that perhaps were regulars. We sat inside and I found it quite noisy and claustrophobic, felt that you could not have a private conversation. The hustle and bustle was staff rushing around to fulfil orders. Cannot fault the food it was most enjoyable.

Lovely spot to have breakfast. Food served quickly and was great. Staff are really friendly and efficient. We sat inside in the cosy area but did notice a bit tired inside and could do with a lick of paint and tidy up - didnt spoinl the breakfast but would make the inside more special.

First time Ihave visited but been past it many times hoping for an opportunity to go in. I had that yesterday, Saturday 15 July and I regret I was very disappointed. I sat down outside with wife and daughter and daughter and wife went off to use the toilet. Several times an elderly lady, maybe the owner, came out and stood by my table in silence. Never said a word and I found that a trifle bewildering since only I and only two ladies were in the garden. I thought she may be checking up but let it slide. I went inside to make my order, though I had assumed someone would tell me I had to do that and not wait at my table. I ordered two coffees and a Diet Coke with the elderly raising her voice to ask “What table” no please. I gave the number 34 and that was it. No sit down and we will bring the drinks out or wait a moment and the drinks will be ready in a moment. No courtesy at all. In fact I felt that I was fortunate to be served. Drinks took ten minutes to arrive and coffee was scolding hot - maybe no one had told them how to make proper cappuccino- which isn’t boiling. Daughter stayed with friends for lunch and reported sandwiches which had been left out with hardened bread. Brownies were unbeatable. I usually give cafes a second chance but not in this instance and will not be returning.

Not being local to Chelmsford and having driven past The secret Garden several times, I was drawn to it and wanted a visit. The reviews were outstanding especially where the friendliness of staff was concerned, so on the impulse we called in for breakfast. I regret to say that my expectations were shattered. I found the breakfast menu to be limited, pricey and the staff to be unwelcoming, unfriendly and rude. I was very disappointed as was my partner and would not recommend.

Service was exceptional, staff friendly food was lush, we went for brunch and had the secret garden bagel, and iced frappes lush!

Little disappointed needs a little maintenance in the garden and some better sausages. I think I’ll return but for lunch not amazing tasting breakfast bagel

Went to visit in laws in Chelmsford for lunch and they suggested The Secret Garden which was located 5 minutes from their home. It’s so secret that they have lived there for 5 years without ever stumbling across this place !! A sunny day helped as we dined outside in the garden surrounding by bushes and trees with well spaced out tables. Probably best to book at weekends though as only around 12 tables for 6 outside but an extra 5 tables for 4 inside. Food prepared fresh and hot, we had scampi and chips and jacket potato with tuna, 4 meals and no complaints, then tea and scones with clotted cream and jam for afters 👍. Also animals allowed and of course children. A great find and will definitely go again as it’s a unique place with friendly staff.

There was no room inside so we were offered to sit in the marquee it spelt damp it was filthy dirty dead insects everywhere mildew on the side of the marquee we left at it was not a fit place yo eat.

I immediately fell in love with this place. There are lots of flowers and greenery on the outside of the restaurant. Coming inside, everything detail has a homemade feel. My breakfast was delicious. There were flowers at the table.

Tucked away in the corner of a large car park with an attractive outside seating area. The inside eating area is relatively small but has a nice feel to it. The food was freshly prepared and came in good portions. It was very tasty. The staff were efficient and friendly. Free Wifi and plenty of free parking.

I was told by the owner of the cafe I was ok to park my car, after he told me everyone uses his car park for the doctors I explained I will move the car anyway if he wanted but he insisted it was ok. I then came back 15mins later the car park was locked up. I saw the staff through the window looking at me locked out and they all ignored me including the owner himself. My 2 young kids were scared and shocked, they started to cry. They still don’t understand why the man tricked us so the car would be locked away. For over 40 mins of trying to get the car back, someone finally opened the gates. It really saddens me that people can treat someone and her kids in this way. I think the most disappointing part the feedback from friends in the area is clearly true after what happened to me and the enjoyable memory of when I took my kids there for food, has been tarnished (the service was still disappointing but they were busy so I didn’t mind at the time).

I visited Chelmsford for the Easter weekend. After walking for 2 hours, we came across this venue, we were relieved to have a sit down and some refreshments. We received a warm welcome from the staff and as the weather was warm we sat outside. It's a lovely setting, sitting under the umbrella, with flowers and trees. We were served promptly with excellent food. I'd recommend the coronation chicken sandwiches, well presented, delicious and plentiful. Others in the group had eggs benedict and the breakfast. I'd thoroughly recommend this venue, which is ideal for the spring and summer to eat outside and enjoy nature.

We recently used Secret Garden’s outside catering service. Sandra was absolutely excellent and totally on the ball right from our first meeting through to the smooth execution of the function on the day. The buffet itself was delicious and the portion sizes very generous. The attention to detail was impressive. I would 100% recommend and will definitely use Secret Garden again.

I popped in again in early August, on the way home from an early visit to the beautiful field of Sunflowers nr Writtle. Lucky to get a seat as it was very busy. But, I had a delicious brunch with iced coffee.

First and last visit. Arrived with my disabled husband who had been stuck indoors for several days. He was really looking forward to a cooked breakfast. Got out the wheelchair, attached the motor, helped husband into the wheelchair, wheeled him over the gravel and muddy...

Not a pleasant experience . We seemed to be asking too much from staff member who attended to us. We couldn't do any swaps on meal items even when we were allergic to said item! The actual place looked like it hadn't been cleaned with...

Marvelous service with an excellent waitress, who even made sure our dog was comfortable, thanks Mollie, you were amazing

Located a stone's throw from Chelmsford Crematorium, this was the ideal place to hold Dad's wake.   We were a party of 30+ and the designated area with indoor and outdoor seating provided enough room for all of us without feeling overcrowded.  There was also plenty...

Things were a bit busy plus extreme heat when we visited so I'm not sure we got the full picture. We will need to go back. What I could say very honestly is that noone greeted us or showed us to a table so we...

Held my Mum's wake here back in May. From the first time I contacted them they were very helpful and efficient, explaining my menu options and showing me around. On the day the food was excellent, sandwiches were fresh and sausage rolls delicious. The lady...

We’ve eaten here many times before but seems to have gone downhill badly. The post covid menu is not as interesting as it used to be. Paying in advance doesn’t sit comfortably either. Being charged 50p for the tiniest squirt of aerosol cream on an...

Came here with family on a Saturday, we didn't pre-book but there was plenty of tables both in and out available. We decided what we fancied and ordered at the counter, service was friendly. Food arrived in good time, I ordered the Club Sandwich which...

Booked here after a service next door Helpful staff and there is a secret path to crematorium next door. We had a private room with about 30 people with all our needs.Fresh food with a small bar we couldn’t have asked for more and very...

I had my mums wake here, nothing was to much trouble, they went out of there way to accommodate the ups & downs of organising a wake in these difficult times, the red room was lovely, the afternoon tea was freshly made, very well presented...

First visit won't be the last. Food very good and very reasonable. Very friendly service and very busy place. Nice to sit out in the gardens. Look forward to trying the afternoon tea next visit.

Heard a few people say about this place but I think it is over rated in my opinion. Sat outside and all the condiments are in a pot on the table which is disgusting as anyone can touch packets and put them back which in...

I found this little gem last year, so came with a couple of friends for lunch once they reopened after lockdown. So well organised & a warm welcome when we arrived. We sat in one of the outdoor open sides marquees at a well spaced...

My partner and I have visited here for many breakfasts and drinks, often taking relatives and have always enjoyed the ambience and decor. We will be back after lockdown!

I visited with 2 friends for lunch at 12 noon.We sat in the outdoor socially distanced marquee. We had been advised to bring a blanket for warmth but actually didn’t need it. We ordered a jacket potatoe with coronation chicken & salad, a cheese panini which came with chips and salad, a bacon & brie baguette and a bowl of chips. All of the food was really good. Lovely crunchy crispy chips.I had a bit of a mishap with what turned out to be a damaged pepper grinder. As I held it over my meal the bottom fell out and covered my food in peppercorns! The young lady serving us dealt with this in a very professional way. She offered me a complimentary drink and remade my meal. During our visit we also had 3 decaf cappuccinos, a hot chocolate and 2 pots of tea during our stay. The bill came to under £15.00 each.Will deffo be going back as need to try the cakes too.

Organised a funeral wake recently at The Secret Garden Tea Rooms. They were fantastic - could not do enough for us. The afternoon tea option for food was also excellent and there was lots of it. Could not recommend them enough - especially as it is a very stressful time but they made it as good as it could be.

I would just like to say a big thank you to The Secret Garden on behalf of all my family and dad’s friends. We decided to hold dad’s wake at The Secret Garden after it was recommended to us. What a great choice it was! Dad, an avid cake lover, would have delighted in the generous array of fresh delicious sandwiches, sausage rolls, cakes and fresh clotted cream and jam scones. The service was excellent. A continuous flow of tea and coffee. The room was lovely and felt very homely in spite of social distancing! Thank you so much once again. We will certainly be back for happier occasions.

I had to change plans at very short notice for an afternoon tea party for my daughter's birthday. Not only was the food delicious but staff went out of their way and delivered the food to my home. so thoughtful and very much appreciated :)

Popped here today for afternoon tea Sandwiches lovely and the cream tea to die for mmmm Would definitely recommend

Sometimes the experience is very pleasant with staff very attentive and very good service however it seems that of late this is not always the case. It is similar with the food; you’re pretty safe ordering quiche, breakfast or afternoon tea but the separate sandwiches are awful. The granary bread is just your usual cheap supermarket offering, not pleasant.Also just to add make sure you have your own sanitiser with you as all their sanitisers were empty!

Went to Secret Garden today with a friend for afternoon tea,cannot praise it enough,the staff were friendly and the food was excellent. Looking round at what other people were having it looked very appetising,will be back for lunch soon.

Popped here for a random visit to meet a new friend. What a quirky lottery nice find. Its beautiful here. Sat nav was a bit confused, we only had a drink but will be back to test the food for sure. The service was lovely and although we didnt book they managed to find us a table.

Such a beautiful little hideaway. Breakfast was enormous and delicious. I would thoroughly recommend to anyone who hasn't been before. Beautiful gardens, super staff and an enormous car park.

My daughter booked for her and I to have afternoon tea today. It was delicious, was very busy today, lots of people there which was good to see in these times. We sat outside in the shade, lots of tables outside with umbrellas. Our afternoon tea was lovely, sandwiches, scones and cakes were delicious. We did have to wait a little while but to be expected on busy days. Would recommend and will be returning soon.

Would be very reluctant to return, it seems they have too many tables for the kitchen to cope with in the current situations. Food quality saved from being a 1* review.Arrived around 11:45 on a Sunday. I had called before but was told that I didn’t need to book a table as they still had some left. On arrival the person told us they had hardly any tables left but managed to find us a table. On ordering food we were told there was a 20-30 min wait in food. We were happy to wait this long and said that it was fine. However with no food buy 12:55 we were getting very annoyed. We had only ordered two full English Breakfasts. The food arrived then with no apology at all. It was just dumped on the table and the person bringing the food walked off. My friend said, “where are the sausages?”. Somehow the server heard this from literally twenty feet away and said “ohhh are there no sausages? I’ll tell the kitchen”. So basically the sausages weren’t ready but instead of making us wait even longer they made as if it was an accident. (Also still no apologies.) A lady then brings out the sausages a few minutes later on a plate. She said “here are your sausages you waited so long for” laughing. No apology for the delay in the food despite knowing about it. No apology for the fact that they’d “forgotten” items of the food we were waiting an hour for. The sausages were molten hot, as if they were fresh from the grill/oven. No way had they accidentally been left of the plate and were waiting.Food quality was good but the customer service and speed was totally unacceptable.

Thank you to all the staff at secret garden. Myself and my daughter had our first journey out apart from the supermarket. You all have put fantastic measure in and accommodated my daughters funny food requests. Food fantastic as always. Well done you’re doing great making sure everyone is safe.

We went in there today for a spot of lunch, it was our first time to. We sat at the table for about 15 minutes then called the waitress to come and serve us to take our order to which she replied, oh sorry you need to go to the till with your order, ok fine. We then waited around 20 or so minutes for the food to arrive. After lunch I ordered a scone to try, it arrived with no knife for the jam or clotted cream, so the same waitress was near by and said you need a knife, I replied yes please. I ended up waiting 10 minutes whilst watching her come and go serving and cleaning tables before I got up and got it myself whilst waking past her without her saying anything to me. It was a very strange experience and I wont be going again.

The food was delicious, I had the homemade quiche. The portion size was generous, I personally think there was a bit too much coleslaw but I just didn’t eat it all. The scone was really nice but not enough clotted cream. The hot chocolate was amazing! They put the marshmallows underneath the cream so they melted, which is how it is meant to be. I took loads of cake home which I haven’t eaten yet but it made my car smell like chocolate so I know it is going to taste amazing

Came across the tearoom by chance when out viewing flats with my son. We happened to see the tearoom sign board and dropped in for a quick lunch as we were early for our next viewing. It was a real find! Helpful & friendly staff, clear processes in place for Covid-19. Lovely surroundings in the courtyard and delicious foodWe just ordered sandwiches, which arrived very quickly but were definitely freshly made. Generous serving, which unexpectedly came with chips & salad. We'll definitely be back!

What was meant to be a lovely afternoon taking my nan out for her birthday quiet frankly was ruined. We ordered our lunch and it arrived very quickly and looked lovely, however after a couple of bites of my coronation chicken baguette I pulled a hair out of my mouth. My mum then noticed more hair poking out of the side of the baguette. When I looked into both baguettes I found even more hair or fluff. I work in the industry so I waited for a few minutes as normally a check up on the food is done….it wasn’t so I walked over to the front desk and quietly told them I found hair in my food. The lady came over, saw this for herself and asked what else I would like. I said a jacket potato and she said did you want the coronation chicken on the jacket potato …I thought this was a joke!! I asked for another topping. At this point it took quiet a while and by the time I received my food both my mum and nan has already finished. The server didn’t say sorry about the wait just very quickly passed the food over and left. There was no check up done on this meal either (which I know should defiantly be done if there was a previous issue). To be honest I lost my appetite and didn’t eat much of the meal at all so we soon asked for the bill. To our disgust all three meals were showing on the bill. When we went to pay again I polity said I am only paying for two meals and the lady just said ‘oh ok then fair enough’ so they were trying the luck and after paying I still didn’t get an apology. I could of made a seen about eating someone else’s hair so I felt like I dealt with it the right way and unfortunately I do not believe your staff did this in return. I work in a restaurant, mistakes can be made but its all about turning it around. Your staff either couldn’t be bothered or didn’t know how to! A check-up should always be done a few minutes in and a check-up should defiantly be done if something was wrong with previous food. You most certainly wouldn’t charge the customer for the email and would be very apologetic. The overall customer service was just awful. My nan cannot get out often so this really did ruin her birthday lunch.

The Tearooms still provide a cosy getaway for delicious homemade cakes and lunches on a damp, dreary February day, when it’s impossible to enjoy the Garden. Small and busy, busy with high turnover - definitely worth booking in advance. Helpful staff and our lunch choices were very tasty.

I visited on Tuesday with my young baby. As I approached with my pram to the front door my first greeting from a member of staff was ‘You can’t bring that in here’ No hello or anything, not the best of welcomes. So I got my baby out & we finally sat down at a table, started to look at the menu to then be told we only had 45 minutes at the table due to a private function. I wish I had been told this at the door before i offloaded everything I needed for my baby & got her out of her pram. I didn’t feel welcome at all which was a shame as it was recommended to me by a friend. It looks lovely inside but i won’t be going back. We ended up at ‘Robyn’s Nest’ in Whittle & couldn’t have had a more better experience especially being a Mum.

We were visiting nearby cremertoram chaple , and popped in for some lunch , very nice and reasonable to.

Visited this tea room with a funeral party ,not very impressed as teas were not hot,there was no knives to put butter and jam on scones or to cut them in half with, sandwiches looked like they were shop bought quite boring flavours the only nice thing with food was the homemade sausage rolls and considering it was £15 a head wasn’t very impressed ,there could of been a jug of iced water with glasses as some people didn’t want hot drinks,would of also been nice if tea was served in tea pots on tables instead of having to keep getting somebodies attention to get a cup of tea,overall not impressed and will not be revisiting

Beautiful run business with a good range of food, surrounded by trees is so surreal while relaxing eating.

Lovely reasonably priced food, good service and ambiance. All food homemade, very good quality and served with a smile.

What an absolute gem. We arrived after a long drive from Southampton, we were visiting the cemetery but needed lunch and is this was close we thought we would try it. Lovely cup of tea with soya milk, delicious sandwiches with just enough yummy chips and the most delicious cake. The lovely lady then gave us directions to walk through to the cemetery from the tea rooms. I would highly recommend this for anyone who lives in/visits Chelmsford. Wish I was closer!

Afternoon tea for 13 plus a 3 year old which was absolutely beautiful. Myself and my group of ladies thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and were very impressed with both the abundance of scrumptious food and the attention of the staff. Would 1,000 % recommend ☺️

Been using this venue for a few weeks now. Can’t recommend it enough. Friendly, helpful staff who go over and above. The food is good too! Highly recommend this venue for both business and personal. You won’t be disappointed!

My first visit to this little gem excellent food and all freshly cook the service was a little slow but the food made up for this little problem. Great food.

I found this tea room online, so we decided to come here after wedding dress shopping, we weren’t disappointed. What a lovely place, food was absolutely lovely and we all enjoyed it. Staff were very welcoming.

Its hard to believe that this fantastic tea rooms is nestled away in the heart of Chelmsford but thankfully it's become well known locally. It is a firm family favourite, where we have held wake's and marriage receptions. The garden is well tended and beautifully decorated. We recently visited the tearooms to say a hello to the staff and were treated to a wonderful breakfast.

Lovely sandwiches, salads and desserts. Friendly staff and a lovely garden. Will continue to visit as it's a lovely place to catch up with friends.

We hired their function room for the wake following my good lady's funeral a couple of weeks ago. Being located next to the crematorium, made it easy for everyone to walk over to join us. Lots of on site parking too. My good lady enjoyed regular breakfast/brunch/lunch/coffee here so it seemed like a sensible venue for the wake. We had the afternoon tea option with some extra sandwiches (coronation chicken - obviously - being her favourite!). We had the room from 12.15 to 14.15, then moved out into the garden and stayed until closing at 5(ish....). Tracey was very welcoming and helpful in the lead up to it and everything went to plan on the day. Food, drink, everything just great....I didn't see the final bill as it was taken care of for us, but we always get fair value here. If you are considering it for a wake, what are you waiting for - book it. It's a little different,a little quirky, but importantly, it's excellent. Recommended!

I have eaten lunch here several times, there is always a good choice of gluten free food, the salads are fresh and delicious and the gluten free Victoria sandwich cake is a must

Lovely grounds, lovely people and lovely food but just a bit slow and doesn't all turn up at the same time plus to be fair, it's a bit pricey. But its fresh and freshly cooked.

After waiting an hour for our breakfast order, an assistant apologised and offered us a free drink. The full english was very good. The tearoom is very welcoming and clean. Will go again.

We had my Nana’s wake here 2 years ago as her funeral was at the Crematorian next door. It was as lovely as a sad day like that could be, the staff did a lovely job of setting up an afternoon tea for everyone in one of their function rooms.

Organised a funeral wake here earlier this week. I seriously underestimated the numbers attending but the staff here were completely unphased even though there were twice as many mourners than expected....like nearly 100 when I expected 50. The only complaint was they ran out of their delicious sausage rolls....but you can’t suddenly make 50 more can you!

Had a lunch here with wife daughter son in law and grandson. Food was good but expensive for what it is I was also disappointed that my meal did not come out for nearly ten mins after the rest of my family where served. Doubt I will return can get just as good food in any of my local pubs in Writtle for half the price

Attended here for the first time as part of a 'wake' after a funeral next door. I had never been here before and was plesantly surprised. The buffet was excellent, amazingly good quiche and sandwhiches, cakes were moist and my friends also commented upon the sausage rolls. The service was very efficient and we all left full of praise. I would definately visit here again.

What a lovely place for afternoon tea! Not only was the food amazingly fresh and tasty but the staff really couldn't do enough for us. They gave my Dad a wonderful 80th birthday memory and made him feel special! The gardens are as beautiful as the inside eating area and there is ample parking. A lovely 'non chain' eatery. We cant wait to go back!

We organised an event in the function room and can only compliment the staff on their service and the great food options. The sausage rolls came highly recommended and they didn’t disappoint. We even took excess food and cakes home as didn’t want it to go to waste. All in all everyone was very impressed

Food was nice,fresh and well presented, service provided with a smile and staff helpful.

Had an excellent afternoon tea with friends on Sunday afternoon. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful. Food was absolutely delicious and plenty of it! I would recommend their afternoons teas without a doubt, they’re such good value for money. I’ll definitely be back!

Visited here for the first time on Friday for an afternoon tea with my family. We were seated in the function room which was lovely and staff were friendly. Two of us had the vegetarian option and the sandwiches were lovely! Cakes very nice also

For my birthday this year I wanted to organise an informal lunch for my wider family that could cater for an age range of 93 to 2 months. Chelmsford is equidistance from out respective homes and whilst looking at Hylands Park for a picnic option my wife was recommended The Secret Garden by a random stranger. So we wandered over later and spoke to Wendy and arranged a booking for 16. We would have part use of their function room which turned out to be perfect. We pre booked our lunch order and this was served within 15 minutes of our arrival. We were looked after superbly by Sandra who could not do enough to make our visit enjoyable. All the food was fresh and tasty and reasonably priced. After lunch we went out into their garden and sat for another hour without any bother. The restaurant and garden were quite busy but it never appeared crowded. Then my grandson and I discovered the secret garden through a pathway from the main garden. Its well worth a visit.

Went here for sandwiches and tea after event locally, nothing was to much trouble for the staff. The Sausage Rolls I can highly recommend.

I held a Wake for my brother in the function room at The Secret Garden and was really impressed by the kindness shown by the staff and especially Tracey, who took all my worries away. From the moment I booked to the moment I left the Wake, nothing was too much trouble.

I used to come here a lot to meet my friend who has now passed away. We walked in at 11:45am on a Monday and only 1 other table in there. Was asked if I’d booked to which I replied no and I was told well you can sit here but I will have to split the table and she promptly pulled 2 tables apart so they were 10cm apart and we sat down. It was myself and my 3 year old daughter and we were made to feel really unwelcome. My daughter had a sandwich and some fruit in a bag as she only likes Dairylea and I ordered a tea and a panini.

Visited recently first time in a while. So disappointed,scones dry, coffee weak agree with previous reviews that standards as well as quality of food have most definitely dropped too. Won’t be going back.

Stale scones , synthetic cakes , ordered flat white had no idea how to make it , weak watery coffee . This place has gone down hill , would not recommend , save your money.

Popped in for a quick coffee and was quite shocked to how the place looked unloved to when we were there last ordered two coffees and were told to help yourself outside to a cupboard to get sugar got the impression that they could not be bothered shame won't be going back

I have been visiting the secret garden for many years both with and without my kids but recently the staff have become very rude and unwelcoming to people with children due to the nearby located natural foundations.

Visited here for the 1st time recently. It's a cute little place, located along Writtle Road. As you enter the place has a small enchanting outside space, with chairs/tables, cubby holes, little sheds, & fairy lights. The place inside is average size, with toilet facilities, and a small bar, with tables & chairs filling the tea room. The food is tasty, and of good quality, and the waiting staff friendly, helpful, and good at their job. May have to visit if we're in the area again.

met friends for lunch ,very good food ,pleasant staff .quick service,lovely garden to sit in if weather permits.

Myself and my friend visited the secret garden with our 2 sons after a visit to natural foundations after a morning of playing we decided to treat ourselves to lunch at the secret garden , unfortunately there wasn’t any baby changing facilities but we have come across this before so we improvised however as we entered the restaurant with a 18 month in my arms and three bags I was rudely told to shut the door this was a bad start I would never speak to anyone like that let alone a mum who is clearly struggling with bags and a heavy child in their arms .... the rude miserable waitress then told us there was no room to accommodate us , (we could clearly see tables free) no apology’s and no offer to get the door we left we both felt totally unwanted as we had children with us (who were not crying or making a fuss) ....we certainly would not return with or without our children and wouldn’t recommend to anyone else we had to feed our sons in the car and me and my friend went without , not the nice catch up we had planned !

Il luogo, non completamente isolato ma comunque distante dal centro cittadino, si rivela un buon posto per stare in tranquillità, gustarsi il tè del pomeriggio e, perché no, anche qualche altro snack, tipo panino o tramezzino, in grado di compensare, nel mio caso, la fame che avevo in quel momento. Da provare soprattutto i dolci.

We had a very good experience here at the Harris Room when my sister in law and wife hosted a celebration of life for their mother. The room was perfect although very full with the 40-50 people there (50 is the limit). The selection of sandwiches, finger foods and cakes was excellent and more than enough with tea and coffee. Although there was only one lady serving she continuously provided drinks for the two hours. Top marks to her. All in all, we were delighted with our choice.

Perfect place for a wake. As a frequent visitor to the tea rooms the food was as usual outstanding, The staff are friendly and willing to accommodate any specific needs or requirements and the function room was a perfect setting.Thank you to all staff.

We booked the function room for our parents 60th wedding anniversary. What a fabulous place, the room was set up lovely, the food was delicious, and the staff couldn't do enough for us, thanks especially to Tracey who helped organise it for us.Everyone had a wonderful time. Would highly recommend The Secret Garden for a special occasion.

Beautiful little tea rooms in quaint grounds with lots of little nooks and crannies for eating outside and pretty cosy rooms inside. Food is delicious my favourite is the savoury cheese scone with pickle.

I booked an afternoon tea for my parents Diamond Wedding. I was told when i booked that we could have the red room and would be able to access the room from 2.45. My kids arrived at 2.35 with balloons but were told rudely that they could not access the room before 3 even though i had said when i booked that we would be suprising my parents on arrival. When the food came out there was not enough portions and i had to ask for my husbands stand. We paid 7.50 for a ham sandwich and pom bears for my great niece no cake!! My daughter and husband asked for more tea and when i settled the bill we were charged for the extra tea. The staff are not friendly and i would not recommend for a special occassion.

Nice food. It was a warm afternoon and the garden was more a less empty. I don't know that I would have enjoyed sitting inside. A bit querky.

Visited on a Friday lunchtime with a group of friends. I ordered the salad with ham and asked for no onion, the waitress said, "no problem". When it came it had onion, a LOT of onion so I searched through it and had to keep putting it to one side (didn't have time to send it back and wait for another). There were also olives in the salad (great) but along with the olives were FIVE whole garlic cloves - in a salad! So, I had to look carefully for those too and fish those out to one side. I basically had ham, grated carrot cucumber and a bit of coleslaw.

Very nice ittle place. Food was delicious and all reasonably priced. Recommend for a nice place for lunch and will definitely return.

Went for tea and scones with my daughter . The staff were lovely and friendly and the service was excellent. Would definetley recommend and I will be returning soon .

This place is amazing!!! Popped in for an early lunch and was very lucky to get a table. Food is beautiful and portion sizes great! Will definitely be returning!

A very tasty toastie! Halloumi with salad and nice chips, followed by fruit crumble..It is ideal to be able to sit inside, outside, or under a verandah in the autumn weather. What a shame that the adjacent garden centre will be closing down this month.

Although i work here, i had my husband wake here yesterday and all can say everything was perfect the staff the food was spot on. Everyone worked hard and i just want to say a big thank you xxxx