EDitorial ± 24-Apr-2015

Light Lunches: Walton Coffee House

Ever-reliable Kev, the first lord of Felixstowe, is trying to describe where this new place can be found. If you're at the lights, he says, head past Chuckles and The Bounty and it's up there on the right. Oh, I say, in Trimley? No, he says, in Walton. Hence the name.

For once, he's correct. We meet by the ominous blue flood warning post, me and Andy en voiture, Kev en velo. Smack bang on the capitalised High Street sits Walton Coffee House, a Ronseal destination: in Walton, serves coffee, is a house. A rather smart period house which, for the last few months, has been run as an upmarket bijou cafe. Enter by the heavy front door and, a little like the Fish Dish, head left or right. Left is a lovely lounge with sofas and a piano; right is a regal room (inc. papers and magadzines) with our table plum in the sunny bay window, ideal for us lads that lunch. Sun dapples the leaves and illuminates Bombay Nite opposite.

From the short and sweet laminated menu, Andy orders a chunky panini (with a pack of non-fake "Real" crisps) while I go for some oily fish in the form of a tuna mayo sarnie: both are presented on proper china plates with a teensy pot of home-made coleslaw. Not a leaf in sight for you salad-spotters out there. All very tasteful and tasty. A lively chat with bundle-of-energy Sara, our hostess, reveals that she:

  • also runs a coffee hut (not a kiosk) at The Dip towards Old Felixstowe
  • knows how to pronounce "arabica"
  • sources her caffeine from Coffee XTC of Saffron Walden

Did you notice that Cap'n Kev skipped savoury? I dunno, nearing the big five-oh and he's nibbling lemon drizzle and necking a double shot Americano like a man half his age. Time to catch him up and choose from the multitude of cake options: generous piece of farmhouse fruit cake with a jolt of strong Essex macchiato should do it. Coming here is like going to tea at your super stylish nan's. I'll be returning with my mum and to get another stamp on my loyalty card.

If it was a car -- Daimler DR450.
If they were passing by -- Mary Elizabeth McDonough.