The Shoulder of Mutton in Colchester

We are on holiday in the area and were looking for Sunday lunch. We were not disappointed by the warm welcome, great food, service and atmosphere. Lovely welcoming village pub. Cosy interior and comfortable seating. Nice and clean. Food was delicious and it was served promptly and with a smile. Brilliant. Don’t be put off by the exterior, inside is much nicer 😊

We're regulars here. From a walking coffee stop, breakfast, lunch etc. The latest was for a hearty breakfast to start a Sunday walk. We sat in the courtyard as the sun peeped out at us and were served a gorgeous breakfast by attentive staff. We love this place. Location, Food, Coffee, staff. It's great as a couple, with friends and even with a fury friend or children (with a lovely spacious play area securely gated from the river that runs through Lawned gardens). The antiques are lovely to look at too and parking plentiful.

Delightful antiques shop with lovely tea rooms serviced by wonderful staff.

Visited here yesterday with my husband for afternoon tea. The food was very good. We were able to choose our own sandwich fillings from their normal menu, and the sandwiches were full size triangles not cut into small rectangles! The scones were lovely and fresh and were served with lots of lovely clotted cream. We had to ask for a box to take our cakes home as we couldn't fit them in! Also, all food was served with a lovely big teapot of tea. Highly recommended.

Been to Shoulder of Mutton twice now since it became the antique centre and tea room. The team who run the antique centre are lovely, there's always lots of new and quirky items and treasures on offer to explore and discover. Myself and my friend came for the Christmas market they did last year which was really good fun - hope that is back on again this year! We came again for lunch out for my birthday this week. The tea rooms are excellent as well, nice traditional decor, good food and service. A real hidden gem of loveliness!

What a lovely little place to eat. Never been here before. Would highly recommend. Staff so lovely and helpful. Food was lovely and plenty of it.

We have come here now 4 times for the breakfast, wow 🤩. All freshly cooked every time, no issues what’s so ever, all local produce used!! I can highly recommend shoulder of mutton!! My only gripe and I hope this is taken on board is the tables need to be cleaned thoroughly, don’t just wipe around things, but please don’t let this deter you from eating here!! Lovely food and staff!! Keep up the good work! 😊

We had breakfast which was delicious

Love the opportunity to eat inside or out . Always polite and helpful staff. Food is fab including cake selection. We sat outside , sun shades were provided and lovely surroundings. We both love shopping in the antique section too !

We enjoy going for walks in the trail behind, we then stop off for coffee and cake in the garden before visiting the antique center, which has lots to look at. There is a good selection of freshly baked goods, and the coffee is good too. It's lovely to sit in the garden by the river, there's also a little play area for kids. Dog friendly which is a bonus!

A bit slow today, normally much better.but hasn't put me off.

It's a take away good food good portions my 4th visit hopefully keep visiting.

Good homemade food. Friendly staff. Decent price.

Have been several times and am always welcomed by friendly faces. The antiques they stock are gorgeous and it's so easy to reserve bits through their social media. Would also recommend it for the cafe as they have delicious food and a great drinks selection.

We visited for tea and cake however the service location and quality of food left a lot to be desired. One of the group ordered a cream tea however when it eventually arrived at our table several key components were missing such as milk, tea spoon, scone, jam and cream! Apparently they claim a “cream tea” to be a cup of tea with cream . When the staff were questioned on this error , their attempts at rectifying this included asking for further payment , taking 10 mins to get some milk and a spoon (in which time the tea was cold) When further payment was asked for as a result of their error we offered to return the goods, however they were quite adamant on getting further payment which we declined. At this point a young blonde lady with a horrendous attitude got very rude and back chatted customers. Maybe a change of attitude, career or employment maybe required? We will not be visiting again, however we will be enjoying many of the other local places to eat in the future.

Antiques, lovely cafe, outdoor dining and walking possibilities, what more could you want!

I've been coming to the shoulder of mutton for a good few years now. I know each time we go, there will be lovely hot food, or delicious fresh cake to choose from, to have with a good cup of coffee. Plenty of variety to choose from. We go regularly to the monthly quiz they host, which is a good evening of entertainment with good food on offer. The atmosphere is always welcoming, with lovely staff serving, whether inside, or out in their rural garden. My daughter has a severe allergy which is always taken into consideration, and we've never had any issues eating here, we have a lot of confidence in their food handling. All in all, a great place to visit for breakfast/brunch/lunch. I would definitely recommend to anyone

Absolutely gorgeous food & always the best cakes, can’t recommend this place enough, we often as a family come for breakfast which is always yummy, stuff are all super polite with a smile on there face we love the out side space great for the kids to play while we enjoy our yummy cakes and coffee highly recommend

I recently enjoyed a lovely brunch out with my mum for my birthday. The shoulder of mutton is a charming tea shop that's definitely worth a visit. I had the ham, egg, and chips, which were delicious—perfectly cooked with a generous portion size. The atmosphere of the place is warm and inviting, made even better by the friendly and attentive staff who go out of their way to make you feel welcome. As a delightful bonus, the tea shop is connected to an antiques centre, which made the experience even more enjoyable. After my meal, I wandered through the antiques, adding a unique and nostalgic touch to my visit. It's a perfect spot for a relaxing meal and a bit of treasure hunting afterward! Also is beautiful walk if you wanted to do that along the river and tables outside to enjoy the countryside. All in all it makes for a lovely trip out, highly recommend!

Love this place. Beautiful setting next to the river. Lovely food, ham egg and chips my favourite, Cakes & coffee delightful too. Staff always friendly and efficient. Thanks🥰

I've been coming to the shoulder of mutton for a good few years now. I know each time we go, there will be lovely hot food, or delicious fresh cake to choose from, to have with a good cup of coffee. Plenty of variety to choose from. We go regularly to the monthly quiz they host, which is a good evening of entertainment with good food on offer. The atmosphere is always welcoming, with lovely staff serving, whether inside, or out in their rural garden. My daughter has a severe allergy which is always taken into consideration, and we've never had any issues eating here, we have a lot of confidence in their food handling. All in all, a great place to visit for breakfast/brunch/lunch. I would definitely recommend to anyone

We as a family absolutely love the food & cakes can’t recommend enough I came here for my birthday breakfast & was amazing as always the cakes are yummy the kids love playing in the garden while we enjoy the view great friendly staff with always a smile on there face happy to help highly recommend

I recently enjoyed a lovely brunch out with my mum for my birthday. The shoulder of mutton is a charming tea shop that's definitely worth a visit. I had the ham, egg, and chips, which were delicious—perfectly cooked with a generous portion size. The atmosphere of the place is warm and inviting, made even better by the friendly and attentive staff who go out of their way to make you feel welcome. As a delightful bonus, the tea shop is connected to an antiques centre, which made the experience even more enjoyable. After my meal, I wandered through the antiques, adding a unique and nostalgic touch to my visit. It's a perfect spot for a relaxing meal and a bit of treasure hunting afterward! Also is beautiful walk if you wanted to do that along the river and tables outside to enjoy the countryside. All in all it makes for a lovely trip out, highly recommend!

Love Love Love this place Delicious food, lovely setting by the river, Friendly & efficient staff Ham, egg and chips my particular favourite. Cakes and coffee delightful too Thankyou Be back soon 🥰

Went for the shop managed to pick up some tools for college

This is one of my favourite places to go. The setting is gorgeous, the staff are always smiling and helpful and the food is delicious. I always have a scone to take home as they are amazing.

I LOVE coming here. The food is amazing and the staff are also incredible and very attentive to your needs. It’s a beautiful atmosphere. I highly recommend it!!!

One of the few places I’ve always received service with a smile, no matter how busy, the staff have always been super helpful and friendly. The fresh cakes and food are always delicious and it’s so nice to have somewhere fully dog friendly and welcoming so local!

Staff are friendly and accommodating, atmosphere is lovely and their outside seating is simple yet so beautiful! Lovely place to head for a cold drink and a bite to eat with friends!! Not enough stars can be given!!

Family of five for a Sunday lunch. Really friendly and helpful service, beautiful setting and a lovely antiques shop to peruse. Roasts were lovely. Will definitely be going back!

I had been looking forward to having lunch here since recently moving to the area. I enjoyed looking round the antiques before going to sit down. I ordered a toastie which took some time to come out especially with no one else inside. I think it was forgotten as the bread was over toasted and tasted burnt and the crisps on the side tasted stale. Also, shake the bottle of J20 before opening it. I won’t be coming back to eat here but I might go back to look at their antiques.

Always enjoy a nice coffee and cake but today gorgeous lunch. Wonderfully located for a nice walk. Love peeking at all the antiques

Nice small Antiques Centre linked to Pub and Restaurant. Didn't try the Restaurant, the Antiques side is worth a 20-30 minute browse.

absolutely wonderful tearoom with out side seating. Food is delicious I recommend the coronation chicken baguette, banoffee pie and raspberry lemonade.

This place has an enviable setting, with nice grounds and situated on the main road with decent parking. There's a children's play area and a nice garden. Also an antiques/junk shop. We went for Sunday lunch and maybe therein lies our mistake as other reviews seem enthusiastic about the 'tea and cakes'. There were some roasts and a fairly unexciting menu: opinions varied in our party from being OK to being a bit 'tired and uninspiring'. Nothing unpleasant, just rather boring. Service was polite. Overall I feel that with a little bit more effort and bearing in mind the location, this could be really good.

I booked the Shoulder of Mutton for a private birthday afternoon tea celebration which was first class from start to finish! The staff, who worked hard, were happy and at all times to ensure everything went perfectly. The food, was freshly prepared, provided lots of yummy sandwiches plus scones and jams (dietary requests catered for) for the cream tea along with ever flowing tea and coffee. Options for other drinks can be catered for if required as there is a drinks licence. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sophie and her team for giving us the best afternoon tea experience … everything was TRULY EXCELLENT!

This amazing tea room is such a great find. Staff are always very friendly and helpful. The food is lovely and the views and dogs walks on the doorstep all a bonus. Adjoining antique shop worth a look too. Highly recommend

Very relaxing and enjoyable lunch

Great little antiques shop, great little restaurant until........ DOGS!! Fine outside or in an area away from main dining , but the gentle whiff of dog as I ate my breakfast was not good. Nor was the sight of the cook and serving staff strokng the dog and disappearing to continue cooking/serving. At no point did I see the serving staff wash their hands. Whether the cook did , I couldn't comment. Used to love this little place for all the right reasons but won't be going for food again. REALLY DISAPPOINTED. Mentioned my concerns on paying but was met with ambivalence. What a shame. Dogs in restaurants versus health and safety......I just don't get it. Following a response from the owner (no name provided) I am grateful for your explanation. Just to clarify.... I am a dog lover and my family own dogs. It is not the dogs fault and I understand that in the post covid world things have changed. My review was considered and heartfelt...... Dogs in restaurants, I still don't get it. Would a cat be welcome, a pet rat, a small pony perhaps? Where do we draw the line ? I am not being unreasonable and I imagine I am not the only person who feels this way. Your restaurant/food are lovely, the staff great, but if I wanted to eat with animals I would go to a petting zoo and was simply letting other like minded diners know what to expect. Thanks again for your response.

Best breakfast around! Lovely friendly staff and super helpful Lovely location and on a sunny day you can enjoy your breakfast by the river

Have been going here for sometime now and always enjoyed the food and surrounding. Decided to pop in for breakfast, it was lovely and quiet. Placed our order and happily waited, then in walked a couple with their very large dog, they sat down by us to order food and drinks. The cook and some of the serving staff in turn came over and stroked the dog. We did not see any of the serving staff wash their hands, they just went back behind the bar to serve cakes etc., as to the cook washing his hands, I do not know, he went back into the kitchen... Don't get me wrong, I love dogs, but trying to eat my breakfast, with the smell of someone else's dog wafting around me, plus it would not sit down, its owner constantly telling it to sit down. When we paid we explained about the dog, said we would not be back to eat as we had no idea if the cook or staff had washed their hands after stroking the dog and had now lost confidence in their food hygiene. The staff could not have cared less, just said, its your choice. If you want to take your dog out to eat, sit at a table outside..

Interesting cafe, with attached antique shop. Good scones and Earl Grey!

Good old fashioned pub lovely staff

Went on the bank holiday weekend Sunday in May. Was lunchtime and the place wasn’t that busy. Ordered the Roast Beef was not very good. Was like eating the sole of my shoes. Won’t be returning!

Quiet midweek lunchtime when I visited so really not much happening as you'd expect. 😊 That said, the staff in both the antique centre AND the cafe were spot on friendly and helpful. Chicken sandwich and latté hit the spot too. 👍🙂🍴

Didn't go to restaurant, went to the antique centre next door which is good

Stopped here for a quick cuppa and a very tasty bit of cake, dog friendly and welcoming staff.. can't wait to call in again and have a meal.

Did not eat here but will go back and do so. Antique shop as well and lovely setting

Just visited the antique shop this time. A proper little gem 😊

Recently discovered this wonderful tea room, a real find. Delicious home cooked food, friendly and welcoming. Superb Afternoon tea!

Cozy pub with lovely fresh cakes and sweet selection. Even some vegan cakes, that helped with the little one. Staff are friendly and has a family feel.

Love the antique centre and cafe was good quality.

Great service and excellent service

Breakfast was ok, small breakfast a bit sparse.

Busy spot with a nice lunch menu. The service was friendly and prices are reasonable

I love going here! Whatever i have had in the restaurant has been delicious...and then there are antiques too!! The service is always welcoming and friendly and it is a popular destination. Would recommend booking a table, but if you have to wait a while for a table...there are lots of rooms to explore! Would definitely recommend to the antique explorers out there!

Got a nice green just behind the restaurant. We had a warm and nice leisure walk along river Colne before having lunch there. A small but comfort place. Food served quickly.

Lovely small antiques shop and cafe/restaurant, food was delicious

Amazing food and brilliant service. Offer a variety of food and drink options. The staff are really friendly and helpful. Dogs are welcome and they also get treats from the kitchen.

Nice but book and don't end up in the shed.

I love this place, so friendly so accommodating. Excellent gluten-free options as well as alternative dietary requirements highly recommended.

Made our dogs reallywelcome when we came for lunch

Had a really lovely lunch as usual, such a welcoming atmosphere and the food was great. All the staff are very nice and friendly too.

Love this place! Such a lovely little independent tea room

A very tasty and filling meal with a good ambience.

Our first visit,Had a very enjoyable lunch.Staff very pleasant and helpful

Walked from Earls Colne to this location. It was busy, but we didn't have to wait. Staff efficient and informative. Recommend the Jeremy Clarkson bottled beer.

Such a lovely place, excellent food,staff absolutely lovely and very reasonable prices. Definitely will be visiting again

Good service and a enjoyable lunch.

Went for quiz night, food great flavours and just right size portions. V good, quiz was great fun

Great scones, tea, and a lovely garden in which to enjoy them.

It had been a while since I had been here. It used to be a pub restaurant. It's now a restaurant and antiques venue. The food was good and reasonably priced. Some affordable stuff in the antique part. I will certainly visit again.

Glad we stopped here, good food at reasonable prices.

Food was great and good value. With the antique centre it makes a nice afternoon out

Lovely place with good service and nice children’s play area. Club sandwich was excellent. Thank you!

We attended a charity quiz event in the garden, food was great, atmosphere great too. Everyone was friendly and helpful.

Went to see the baby goats at the weekend. Friendly staff and lots of antiques. Seemed to have a nice selection of food. Will try next time.

I brought my parents here for a mid-week lunch. Service was excellent, the food was great and my parents were delighted to find a beautiful venue where we could bring the dogs! Staff are super friendly and we're already looking forward to coming back.

Very good food. Great Antiques area. Friendly staff. Well worth a visit.

Heerlijk zitten langs de rivier de Stour.

A superb antique center with a lovely cafe and friendly staff we really enjoyed our visit

Full English breakfast was good. Loved the quirky antique shop.

Lovely staff, lovely shop, lovely tearoom! A guaranteed good trip out!

We went here with my nan to take a look at the antiques section, and she absolutely loved it, as did both my parents and I. It has such a huge array of old trinkets to look through. We made a fair few purchases that day! Will definitely come back, next time to have some food as we only stayed for a drink each, which was also lovely as we sat down by the river at the outdoor seating area.

We stopped in for a breakfast, you could tell the produce was of good quality and the food was very yummy. Cooked really well.

Lovely cafe / antique shop, serving good food and drinks. Serving by a river with country walks behind the beer garden.

Wow what an amazing breakfast wished I'd had room for a piece of cake too they looked delicious . Chilled relaxed atmosphere we sat outside near the river Dogs welcome too will be back for more

Went here today for the first time. They had stopped doing Sunday lunch but was offering baguettes and sandwiches. My husband and I ordered a cheese and ham baguette, a cheese and onion baguette, portion of chips and garlic bread. Our baguettes came out first and we were half way through before the chips and bread arrived, surely you would wait for all to be cooked before serving? The garlic bread that we paid just under £4 for was literally 2 pieces from a garlic bread. When we looked in the cheese and onion baguette we found 1 piece of onion! The prices here are shocking for the food you get and we will not be returning!

Great Sunday.lunch. no rush and great home made food. One of the few places we have been where the veg is cooked as it should be.

I found the restaurant to be a bit small and cramped. The food was very nice

Came here for a look round the antique centre. Stayed for a lunch in the tearooms. Free good parking, and appears child friendly in the tearooms. Interesting antiques, lots you could’ve bought. Good food and service, with nice drinks on top. Had a milkshake, coffee, Jack potato and chilli and egg mayo baguette. Food was fresh and the dining room clean. Will be back for more!

Nice small restaurant, would advise booking a table .

Its a ok place got nice wheel barrow full of plants they are 😍

Excellent place used to work here years ago lovely quaint

Popped for a look around the antiques centre, early Good Friday. Decided to stay for breakfast, two small plate breakfasts and a sausage & Bacon baguette. Food and service were excellent and friendly. Dog friendly and situated at the edge of countryside walk.

Have now been four times, this time with friends, absolutely brilliant service as before, could not have been better, food wonderful and my dog was treated like royalty. This cafe is a must, you won't beat it.

Unfortunately 2 of us had the burgers and was disappointed to find was processed meat not homemade at 15 pounds each and the thick chips were fried in over used fat sorry must have been a bad day

Love this place, good food, very accommodating and dog friendly.

Delightful little shop, wonderful helpful staff.

Lovely staff, very friendly and helpful l, great selection of things to buy