We’re holidaying at home this week (or to use the new hateful marketing buzzword of the moment, having a ‘stay-cation’, pfth). And although I had a little bit of tidying up of work to do this morning, once that was done, we buzzed up to Colchester for the afternoon. In our opinion, the oldest Roman recorded town in England – and the capital of Roman Britain – is one of the best towns in our home county of Essex, and offers much for sightseers and shoppers alike. With alleys off the main thoroughfares inhabited by smaller, more independent shops, in many ways it’s similar to Brighton or Norwich.
This afternoon it also reminded me very much of that other East Anglian jewel, Cambridge. Tucked away, hidden behind railings opposite one of the town’s churches, is the Art Café, and its almost holy location played quite a major part in our town-city comparison. The small eatery-cum-gallery is ensconced by buildings at either side, and the pretty little courtyard with stone walls and green umbrellas provide a very pleasant and cosy atmosphere, even under a dull, grey sky. We can’t vouch for the interior, but eating our scones and drinking our hot drinks outside, we really could have been down a meandering alley in the East Anglian city of spires some 60 miles away.
And what delights those scones and hot drinks were. Rich and buttery, the scones were perfectly made, and my white hot chocolate (places that do this are very few and far between) was equally sumptuous. Opened in 2007, the Art Café in Trinity Street feeds off a parent establishment on Mersea Island – also in Essex – and both blend homemade food and selling art to a, well, fine art. Started by James and Maggie Weaver as places to combine their love of food and art, both Art Cafés feature small exhibitions by local artists. The Art Café is open six days a week in Colchester, serving breakfast from 9 until 11am, lunch from 11am until 3pm, and afternoon teas from 3 until 5pm.
- The Art Café, 7 Trinity Street, Colchester CO1 1JN // 01206 577 775 // www.islandartcafe.co.uk/
