The Blue Egg - Braintree

The food at this restaurant is good quality, but after visiting a few times, I have become increasingly annoyed by certain aspects. They use pagers to alert you when your food is ready, which can be frustrating if the place is busy and constantly bleeping. The toast that comes with your breakfast is a huge slice, placed on top of the meal rather than on a separate plate with condiments like butter, sauces, salt, and pepper in messy packets that end up spilling everywhere. If you're paying for a meal, it should be presented better than this.

My recent visits to the Blue Egg have been disappointing. On a bank holiday Monday, the restaurant was closed and today, we were met with extremely rude service. Despite arriving at 3.35 hoping for a light meal, we were told at 3.30 that food service had ended. Even though there were still hot dishes available like quiche, sausage rolls, and salads, the staff refused to accommodate us. It's a shame, as we have enjoyed our previous visits to this bustling restaurant. However, based on recent experiences and reviews, it seems like the quality has declined, possibly due to new ownership. In today's tough economic climate, every penny counts and we chose to spend our money elsewhere instead of returning to the Blue Egg.

This used to be a favorite spot for family lunches, but sadly, the sitting area is now dirty. We had to clean our table and chairs with wet wipes, as they were all in poor condition. Even the high chairs and trays were filthy and needed to be cleaned before use. The ordering system requires you to go to the counter, place your order, pay, and then receive a pager to collect your food. The only staff member we had contact with was helpful, while others seemed focused on clearing tables rather than cleaning them. The food was decent, but the hot plates and display counters could also use a good cleaning. Overall, we won't be coming back after many visits over the years.

One of the best lunches I’ve had, ordered the tandoori flatbread and it was a absolute dream. Fantastic service and reasonably priced, will return. Thank you knead food/blue egg

I’m not one to leave reviews but I simply will not allow others to make the mistake I did in coming to this cafe. Yesterday I visited with my two young children expecting a lovely family day out but was left with nothing but disappointment. Where do I start. The service was appalling and every time I was met with a worker the hostile assistance was highly off putting. The food was cold and dry and the cafe on a whole was far too noisy. The only positive takeaway I had from my entire visit was the young, red headed girl behind the till who I’m upset I didn’t see more of. Her cheery and accommodating service was unfortunately overshadowed by the overall displeasure of my stay.