Best Farm Shops in Colchester, UK

Lovely food options in the restaurant and very tasty. There are options of mean meals, sandwiches and chips, cakes and children's meals. Soft drinks and alcohol available. We also visited the trail which was £3.50 each (free for under 2). A bag of animal feed was £1. The person on the desk was not welcoming or did not provide any information. However the trail is easy to navigate and has pigs, cows, alpacas, sheep, goats and some different birds. Very lovely scenery. There were some play parks for children. The trail is grass and was fine with a pram. Ther We also visited the shop which sold lots of home grown products. Would definitely recommend. There is also free parking available.
- Lucy Swain

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A very mixed bag - the farm shop and restaurant are high end, quality set ups and I would fully recommend them. The farm trail needs a lot of investment to bring it up to a decent standard - as it is somewhat run down and neglected, giving it a tatty feel. I'm sure the owners will attend to this over the coming years. Nice spot to let the kids blow off some steam as there's some kit to climb on etc.
- Phil Price

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I really enjoyed my visit today. First time for me. Very impressed. Immaculately presented café. I really like it and would come again. My brunch was delicious. Excellently presented and one of my eggs was perfectly runny. Impressed with the menu options, and gluten free toast available. Beautiful spot.
- Lilly Ladd

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Stopped in cafe for coffee. Was quite busy but still managed to get a table (Saturday afternoon in September). Interesting farm trail here to keep kids amused. Farm shop too seemed pretty good. Was very busy so had to park in the overflow car park by the church which is only a minute away.
- Adam Sewell

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Lovely place, my grandaughter loved it , plenty Todo . Lovely shop n restaurant .
- Millie

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Very nice food and top quality ingredients can’t fault that, just a shame it took 35 minutes for the meals to arrive. We sent the poached eggs back because they were freezing cold and so was the hollandaise sauce. The front of house team need to up there game a bit aswel. Walking around taking orders and serving customers while eating sausage rolls…very off putting and unprofessional
- Jordan Parsons

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Fabulous food, friendly staff and very reasonably priced, happy for us to sit with the dog outside. Well stocked farm shop too. Excellent find and would recommend as a pit stop if you are travelling on the A12. Just needed a few more shaded seating areas outside to be perfect.
- Kate Wakley

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The staff were incredibly helpful and kind, they were very patient. We were a party of 14 for a pre Christmas breakfast. The food was absolutely stunning, the views of the outside were amazing. We had a fantastic time, we highly recommend you to visit this wonderful place.
- Sally Thelma

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Very nice, well maintained family run farm. Wonderful management. Fruits are of good size and super quality.
- amar nath

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Really fantastic. Large piece of land and fruits were delicious. They could really expand the farm shop more - i was really to spend but the choice was really limited. Didn't take away from the experience - we loved it here!
- Joanna Brunt

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A beautiful place with very friendly staff and with good 5star fruit, sweet and tasty... It's me my daughters and two other Friends with their sons we all had a great day 😍It's to come back without a doubt
- Sonia Queimado

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Absolutely love the fruit farm!! We regularly visit each year and have such fun picking our own fruit. The children love it and it’s a wonderful experience. Now off to make some cookies! 😆
- Chloe Jacobs

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We visited on Monday afternoon during a hot and sunny weather. The children enjoyed picking strawberries, although the fun of sampling strawberries is now restricted to 2 pieces a person, so if you know your kids can't control the natural joy of eating summer fruits, do not bother as supervision is in place and you'll be closely watched (and warned). There is a little coffee stall in the car park that also offers a selection of cakes.
- Jana O'Loughlin

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McLauchlans Fruit Farm located near Colchester provides the opportunity to pick your own berries! What a great experience and the strawberries are extremely sweet and huge! There are many different types of crops available at the farm but some of them are based on the season. The other different types of berries available for picking are gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants & blackcurrants. All fruits and vegetables picked at McLauchlans Fruit Farm are sold by weight and therefore they will be weighed accordingly at the exit.
- Ting Ting

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We went over around lunch today and it was a great experience, interestingly my wife had never been strawberry picking so not just new experience for the little people! There is plenty of parking, and loads of strawberries still to pick! Our little pick cost us about £6.50, so not completely unreasonable, they did also add 50p for the container which I hadn't appreciated when we selected one to fill to begin with. We will prob go back soon, perhaps for some raspberries! Recommended pick your own!!
- Andrew Cartwright

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This place is great, so much fruit to pick! We always go for the strawberries, which are plentiful, but the raspberries and gooseberries are also great. Slightly pricey, but good quality fresh fruit is never cheap. Parking can get a bit busy. There is the great addition of a horse box coffee cart in the parking area, which serves ice lollies and drinks made with the fruit from the farm; these should not be missed!
- Tom Gelder

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A lovely farm shop and cafe. We came for lunch and bought some bits from the shop. There was a wedding faire going on as well, along with the farm animals outside. It’s a great spot for a meal with large farmhouse tables for larger groups and dogs are welcome! We had a lovely lunch; for a 5* you except the food, service and atmosphere to all be stellar. We had an early lunch with only half the restaurant full, yet part of our order was forgotten, and once we were served no once checked by to see if everything was OK. The food was great, we’d definitely eat here again. Atmosphere was super. The service was just a little lacking considering it wasn’t fully packed.
- Aleena A

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Well presented shop and cafe. We went for lunch (on a Sunday). Only menu items were roast dinners which was a bit more than we wanted but it was really nice! They have animal all around and lovely setting. Was quite pricy for a cafe.
- Andy Marsland

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My friend and l arrived for lunch absolutely frozen through and were able to sit on one of the cosy sofas by the fire. What with the friendly staff, lovely atmosphere and hot drinks we were soon happily thawed out! Then we ordered lunch and I'm not exaggerating to say it was THE best mac and cheese we've ever eaten. Blue cheesy and garlicky. Delicious. We spent a couple of happy hours being warmed by the fire as we gazed out at the frosty fields and sipped coffees and shared delicious deserts. Heaven :)
- Tamara Summer-Cullen

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Lovely farm cafe, food is delicious, fast, helpful staff. Great atmosphere, didn't feel rushed. Farm shop is wonderfully stocked with Christmas gifts and sustainable refillables,great idea!
- Belinda Rose Bond

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First visit and hugely impressed with the set up and vibe of this venue. The breakfast was delicious and service from the staff on point. Looking forward to visiting for lunch in the near future, amazing selection within the Farm Shop as well. Only complaint was the standard of the drive, lots of deep pot holes, otherwise highly recommended.
- Lee Williams

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Looking for somewhere different, we visited Fields for their Santa experience with the kids. We booked online, and in comparison to a lot of places, it was fairly reasonable. Upon arrival, it was busy, and we parked in theboverflow car park - not completely unexpected it was a little muddy in areas, and we made our way straight over to the grotto / santa area. It was a bit of a wait, but they had elves chatting to the kids before they went in! The experience was well thought out, a little hunt for the secret word, write letter to santa, create some reindeer food, eat some smores with some elves, a photo in the sleigh and then a visit to the big man himself. After the experience, we went for a wonder round the rest of the farmshop and restaurant. Restaurant is quite large, and whilst it was too busy to have anything, we did make a note to pop back at some point and try it properly. We then popped into the shop area, which was perhaps a bit busy, but they had lots of different things to purchase. Outside, we had a quick look at the animals, and whilst it was too wet to have a play, they did have a little play area. As mentioned above, we plan to revist when it's a little less busy!
- Andrew Cartwright

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We went today with 18 mums and babies to use the Boot Room. What an amazing space! We didn’t feel bad about disturbing other customers and the babies had a lovely time being their loud happy selves. Abby and Tabo made us feel really welcome and accommodated us last minute with amazing food (as always) and attentive service. Thank you so much - we’ll be back to take over the Boot Room!
- Pamela Mardle

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Our first time here for Breakfast, It Looked lovely and the food looked good too ! However we didn't get to have any as our food order was messed up and we got forgotten. We understand these things happen it's human error after all, but nobody came to explain and we had to go and tell them we could quite clearly see that they had realised the problem and didn't amend things. We payed for our teas and left no offer of them being given to us as complementary given the circumstances. Very disappointing 😞
- Sally Diggins

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My first ever visit, from Braintree. What a wonderful surprise was awaiting me. The tea shop is large with both indoor and outdoor seating. Most of the outdoor areas are covered. I selected the sausage cheese and red chutney sandwich, which is accompanied by a salad and dressing and crisp. I also had a Berry smoothy. Fantastic quality sandwich, and I certainly have no complaints. It was so nice to be served a salad with a dressing, so many restaurants and tea rooms just dont bother? I was served by the lady owner, and she certainly made me feel welcome. The farm shop is very impressive along with a gift shop and has very good quality fruit and vegetables on offer. At the rear of the tearoom is a fantastic selection of garden trellis and fence panels,sheds, and so much more. For me, a hidden gem, and I will certainly be revisiting soon and taking my wife with me. She will love this place.
- Stephen Digby

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Found this shop as we were driving pass and so pleased we did. Staff were lovely fruit we purchased was delicious and it is dog friendly in the shop and tea room.
- Amanda Price

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Limited selection, expensive and the male member of staff was so engrossed in relaying messages to his mates from his mobile phone conversation that he was totally oblivious to everything and continually kept walking in front of my wife and I whilst we were trying to browse the shelves. I will not be going here again. The farm shop at the Braxted crossroads is far superior.
- Steve Cawley

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Lovely place, well worth a visit and definitely a go to for garden furniture. Much more solid than the bulk bought stuff and for a more reasonable price too
- Georgia Dyer

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A lovely local shop. Always come here to get our eggs and other bits we puck up when in. We bought a lovely real Christmas tree here at a very good price. Always good quality, very friendly staff and always good to Support local.
- T R

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Visited Toms Farm Shop yesterday as I needed an odd shape and size of fence panel made up. Jim was very helpful and said Pat in the workshop would have no problem working to my drawing. I was astounded to receive a call later that day to say it was ready! What superb service. I collected the panel next day and Pat had made a really excellent quality job of it. He also insisted on carrying it to my vehicle for me. All the staff are so friendly and helpful. Thank you Jim, thank you Pat.
- John Saunders

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Interesting place on the road between Heybridge+Tiptree. Little shop and tearoom that continues to grow. Farm shop, outside area where you can buy various wooden items. Fences, trellis, all types of wood. Things can be made to order online too. The tearoom is situated just behind the shop. Ample sized car park wheelchair friendly.
- sandra buckley

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Purchased a 10x8 pent she must be 6 or so years ago now and still looks as good as when we purchased. Great service, delivered and installed. Need to purchase a 4x7 one next for tools etc and wouldn’t go anywhere else !
- Darren Sidey

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Really good farm shop. Lots of nice fresh veg and fruit, but also bread, cakes, frozen foods and lots more. Convenient location, with it's own car park.
- Andrew Larkin

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Wow what an amazing little gem. The shop is bigger than it looks, and the fresh fruit and vegetables are beautiful. Fantastic choice of pies and frozen products too. Highly recommend. Loved it, will definitely be back.
- Mandy Benning

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Nice shop bit on the pricey side but good quality and tasty. I've been going there for years as live nearby. I've knocked a star off as the lady who serves there has never once engaged in general chit chat even when we were the only two in the shop and I have yet to see her smile or infact say thank you. Good manners cost nothing.
- Elaine Scotland

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Lovely little place obviously more expensive than supermarket .lots of other items meats plants etc highly recommend
- Frances Downes

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I originally went in to get some nice fresh local eggs and I was not disappointed at all. The eggs I got were a gorgeous red/brown and bright orange yolks. I made a cake with these for my stepson. I also found that this shop has a great range of Wilkin & Son's Tiptree jams/preserves! Also lovely freezer section with very delicious looking ready meals, fruit pies, desserts etc. I also found delicious cupcakes sold separately that are all unique so you can literally buy 6 different ones! I could easily spend a lot of money in this wonderful farm shop. Also within an easy distance from the Greenstead side of Colchester.
- Andrea Clarke

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What a great shop i loved it the stuff they sell is great ,freezers full of nice stuff prawns pastries n loads of stuff definitely worth a visit
- Scottuss B

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Always friendly, produce Always first class :-)
- STEVE WILLIAMS

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Love this shop. Traditional meats and pies sold here, fresh fruit and vegetables and a large selection of cakes, wines and locally sourced produce. They sell their own Stempster potatoes, which are supremely delicious, never fall to bits in the pan, and are a firm favourite in our household. They also sell frozen sweet pastries (also delicious), ice cream and other household basics. Family run farm shop, with lovely staff who are always so helpful and pleased to see you. Can't recommend enough.
- Lucy Hardwick

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Popped into The Great Braxted Farm Shop today with my Mum, what a fabulous shop, great choice of fresh fruit and veg, excellent quality and good value. Such nice, genuine people who run it too, had a lovely chat whilst we was there. I throughly recommend this farm shop, its amazing!
- Shaz Green

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Had driven past here a number of times, on this occasion decided to stop by - nice little shop that includes flowers, fruit, veg, meat, pies and a few other bits and bobs. As with most farm shops it's not the cheapest place to shop, but it was far more reasonable than some we have been in!
- Andrew Cartwright

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Watch out... Bought a loaf of 'fresh' tiger bread today. Got home to find it was stale and mouldy. Very disappointing waste of money.
- Emma Walker

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Great array of fresh produce at great prices ,if your looking for value for money then this is the place to go ,not only veg but other things such as bread,pies ,jams,,flowers, and much more
- Bernard Snow

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The produce is really fresh although a little pricey however it is worth it because it tastes so much better. Loved it.
- Chris Austin

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Awesome products, and when you go in for one Christmas wreath and come out with 4, because they ate all so Awesome 👌🏻
- Tracy Kershaw

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Fabulous produce , nicest service we will definitely be back . Had a pasty was 💯 better then Cornwall pasty we had last week amazing 5*
- Patricia Dunlop

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We are in love with this little gem of a place ❤️ 🙂 gorgeous surroundings too! Great local produce.
- Katarzyna P

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Quick last minute Stop and was very surprised they had a fresh Roman Cauliflower I was hunting for, every thing was fresh and even got some chestnuts thrown in as I was looking longingly at them, as the wife called. It really made my Christmas, lovely people, review the car park is a little stoney for wheelchairs but should be manageable as you can park very close to the shop. Off street parking. Yummy veg would be heaven for a rabbit.
- Dave Kendall

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Picked this lot up this morning, easy to find, friendly staff and produce was perfect! Will definitely be returning.
- Tommy

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Staff are very friendly and helpful in many ways. Produce is very great tasting and def better than prepacked produce. Can't praise the staff enough for all the hard work they have done in keeping customers safe and well throughout this pandemic.
- Joyslen

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We have been using this farm shop for almost 20 years - and stay with them as they are so very professional, helpful - and quite frankly some of the "beautiful people"!!! Best produce ever. Far superior to the supermarket produce. Local wherever possible and always of a very high standard. Brian and his team are absolutely brilliant!!! THANK YOU all for what you do - you really are THE BEST.
- Lesley Heywood

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Really fresh veg and so much grown locally. A feel good environment and some inspirational ideas on the side. Feels wholesome to support local talent.
- Arif Soomro

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Stonefields, under new management, have maintained and consistently stock the freshest produce - vegetables and fruits - much of it local. The staff are lovely and helpful, and if you want quality, freshness and choice, Stonefields Farm Shop is the place. Customer for several years.
- Chris Willcock

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The Best Ever fruit & veg! Lots on offer and superb quality, I love it! It's much more than that too, the plants on sale are excellent.
- A H

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Wonderful farm shop can't praise it enough. Lots of local produce which I like a lot. Also very reasonably priced bird food which is unusual for a farm shop. My daughter stables her horses at the back so very handy. Lovely plants when in season also good prices.
- Anne Potts

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Fantastic hosts, excellent food & drink and a beautiful view. Have visited a number of times now and the laid back vibe here is the perfect fit for the view of the sun setting over the vineyard… achingly pretty! 😍 Whether you’re having a romantic meal or a family day out, Matt and his team will make sure you’re well looked after. Also, local beer doesn’t get much more local than this!! 🍻
- Richard Barnes

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Lovely place with a wonderful owner! The homemade sausage rolls are delicious. Such a wholesome place to sit, enjoy the vines, wines and watch the world go by!
- Squibb Vicious

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Lovely setting by the vineyard for a coffee and a cake. Friendly staff, and they are dog friendly too! They host a few evenings, food trucks etc follow them on social for dates.
- Jenniferg Polley

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If you get a chance go visit this location! The food is superb, the service is second to none and the location is just stunning! I have now been multiple times with friends and family (adults and children). I have also visited for one of the quiz nights which was so much fun. Being a business that is using local produce only I for one salute this…. We need more business’ like this. I cannot wait for the summer to see the landscape bloom once more. Skylark caters to all, in all weathers throughout the year which is again amazing and this cannot be said for some businesses. See you all again VERY soon. ☺️
- Rebecca Brennan

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Skylark excels itself again! Introducing their new weekend brunch menu…it was 5 stars from us! Travis especially loves their amazing hot chocolate too! The new addition of their outside enclosure makes us able to enjoy Skylark in all weathers! Great job!
- Kerry King

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Absolute hidden gem. Fantastic for coffee, lunch, evening events in superb surroundings. The staff are fantastic and the farm shop is great. Great for families to enjoy a few hours out enjoying coffee and tasty food whilst having a nice social vibe, not only for adults but children too where there is room to play. Will keep coming back!
- Jay Matthams

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The owners are top blocks, staff are very friendly and accommodating and they pour a proper pint. Cracking location the view is top notch, dog friendly so it’s a great way to end the day after having a dog walk. They have a great cocktail menu recommend trying all of them. Looking forward to going back there.
- George Tegg

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Absolutely love visiting Skylark on the weekend. It’s a great place to meet friends, enjoy a coffee and a sausage roll (incredible I must add). Room for the children to play outside whilst enjoying a hot chocolate too, which makes it even better. Definitely recommend if you are yet to try.
- Bruce Poole

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Fantastic farm shop, selling all sorts of goodies. Friendly staff, wide choice, and competitive with the supermarkets on price. Fresh veg bix £5! Now with stacks if plants!
- Paul Boorman

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Really lovely owners and staff, very helpful and much prefer getting my groceries here now instead of the supermarket. Location is highly convenient. Some organic fruit/vegetables and today I discovered the organic pasta and breadsticks - more bits I don't need to go to the supermarket for!! If you could please stock raw butter (fenn farm dairy), organic cheese and segianno raw pesto, that would tick another few big boxes 😁 .... anyway, you have a new regular 🙌
- Chelsea Ashwell

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Amazing customer service and wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables. Much fresher than I’ve seen in the supermarkets. And was able to get lots of other bits for the cupboard store ❤️ will definitely be going back regularly ❤️
- Rebecca Scerri

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Iv found my new favourite shop. Amazing fresh fruit and vegetables aswell as bread and cheese! Friendly staff and managed too pick up some sugar and tea bags at the same time. I will 100% be back.
- Toni Kenyon

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Jimmy and the team are very helpful. And I will continue to buy things from birchwood farm shop. Thank you. Martin brocklesby From heart of the wedding cake
- Martin Brocklesby

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Fantastic selection of fruit and vegetables. Wnd local product's
- Vincent Cantlow

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Nice range of products inc gluten free and local veg
- curds m

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A hidden gem. Great selection, excellent prices and cheerful staff - a rare find in this part of the country!
- Rob Worth

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I first started using Blackwells at the start of the pandemic, as we hoped to support more local businesses. And we were not disappointed, and have continued to use them ever since, even ordering our Christmas meats and many treats from them. The shop itself is usually really well stocked, especially considering its size. You're obviously getting food produce here though, and not your monthly shop. The produce itself is amazing, and my biggest problem is not just buying things that I don't need, just because they're obviously so good. You'll find a moderate range of prepacked meats, fish and cheeses in the aisles if you're not in the need for the butcher/deli counter. But that's prepacked (generally) from the farm or other small business, and I can recommend everything I've had. The vegetable sections is pretty varied too, with enough there to fill your bags or inspire an meal. Then of course, the meat and cheese counter. If you don't go in with a specific idea of what you want, you'll be in trouble. Because it all looks, and is, so good. From sausages, bacon and steaks - to prepared BBQ skewers. Then a great selection of cheeses which will just leave you wanting to buy more crackers. The staff have always been friendly and helpful when I've been there. Offering a bit of advice occasionally or just, quite simply, being pleasant. I'd thoroughly recommend using Blackwells, though get your online order (you can still order a smaller range of goods online) in early for Christmas!
- Paul Drew

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Bought a pie. Fantastic. Girl serving was so rude it was bizarre. I don’t expect a goodbye when I leave but to not get a thank you is really poor manners for anyone over 3 years old. I’ve just spent 11 quid on a pie and no thank you, weird. Won’t go back
- James Mccall

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My experience over the past 3 years of shopping here has been overwhelmingly positive. Two regular highlights for me are the prepared pies and the beer cured bacon. The highlight of this farm shop is the butcher's counter. Always friendly knowledgeable staff. If you can't see what you want in the (extensive) counter display, you can describe it and they will prepare it for you. Yes it's expensive, but this is locally prepared rare breed meat. If you want cheap hurried food this place is not for you. The selection of veg and other staples (beer, cheese, frozen pastries) is also top quality local produce, however I get mine from a local (Thursday) market so haven't needed to buy here. It's almost impossible to leave without a hot sausage roll!
- Rickey Costas

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I ordered my turkey from Blackwells and I must say it was definitely the best I’ve ever had
- Pamela Woolf

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A bottle of Malbec, honey, steak and ale pie, free range chicken, rare breed pork shoulder, apple pie, fruit and veg from Blackwell’s farm shop near Coggeshall, Essex. They say the proof is in the pudding and that’s so true. We’ve just dined on the steak and ale pie with vegetables, the red wine, followed by the apple pie with cream. An experience to relish again, as it was so delicious and appetising, the best pies we’ve ever dined on. With food like this - wholesome, healthy, and full of many delicious flavours - we’ll be returning to Blackwell’s again, and pass by the supermarket.
- Brendan Clark

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What a lovely farm shop. I loved the sustainable way it's all set up, not a plastic bag in sight! We bought a lovely joint of beef and vegetables for our Sunday roast and it was all delicious.
- Louise Smith

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I love this place. The meat is the best I’ve ever eaten and the staff are always friendly and helpful. I wouldn’t go anywhere else
- Sarah Davis

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Having purchased from the farm shop on several occasions, we hired their Catering team for our wedding. All of the food was delicious, and honestly can't rate their service and flexibility enough. The only problem i've ever had in the farm shop (And it's not a them problem) is everything seems so much bigger when I get them home! The meat in your counter seems to grow on the trip home, and because it's such good quality I end up stuffed so quickly. Can't recommend the team in shop and catering enough.
- Rebecca Ferris

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