Dobbies Garden Centre - Suffolk Coastal

Visited Dobbies as an alternative to driving to our usual garden centre (which is a much longer drive away). Very busy as expected on a Sunday but ample parking. Was hoping for a nice Christmas display and although there was a lot to choose from it wasn't nicely displayed and rather haphazard. Lots of indoor and outdoor plants at reasonable prices. Restaurant fine as long as you don't mind dogs at the next table. Prices as per normal garden centre prices Beware of ordering toasties, Croque Monsieur one of each ordered and both very disappointing. Cooked on 1 side only, Croque Monsieur was basically a partially cooked ham and cheese toastie. However, scampi and chips and a cream scone ordered and both delicious. Recommend avoid toasties etc but everything else seemed nice enough Overall recommend Dobbies for a quick garden centre trip

The queue in the restaurant was long and moved very slowly. I only wanted to book a slot for the soft play area for my family. Maybe the girls on the main tills could do this as they were not busy. Anyway got settled in the play area and went to order drinks. Again the Q was long and slow. The latte was nice and the pot of tea made more than 1 cuppa. The cheese scone was fresh but not very cheesy. Went back again for a portion of chips have to say they were yummy. What I do vehmently disagree with is dogs in restaurants. I saw one dog sniffing the condiments in the wooden box made me feel sick. Saying that the play area is great value and the kids loved it.

Visited Dobbies and was once again very disappointed with the restaurant, we have been dog owners in the past and have nothing against dogs but we do have a problem with dogs in the restaurant. There are areas in restaurants where dogs should not be, for example at the tills where there is food. There is a clear notice to say no dogs in that area, we saw someone go to the tills with their dog no members of staff advised the owner that the dog should not be in that area. Why have restrictions if they are not adhered to. Dogs sitting on owners knees at tables, and being fed titbits, we have witnessed this and noticed that tables are not always being cleaned between uses and another person going to use that table, this is really not acceptable. This is not the dog’s fault but the lack of consideration by the owner. We have visited other garden centres and noticed that they have specific areas in the restaurant for visitors with dogs. This area is monitored and tables cleaned between visitors surely this is a much better option, not everyone is a dog lover and this is a clear and separate place for visitors to sit and enjoy their meals.

Below average husband had full breakfast and I had bacon roll Toast on plate with the breakfast was wet (surely you should bring that on a side plate) Sausages and bacon were not the best quality The bacon in my roll still had the white fat on it because it had not been cooked long enough The staff were excellent though and very polite Sorry we Won’t be back !!

Ordered 2 cups of tea at 10.15 am by 10. 42 am had not been served even though others who followed us into the venue had been, queried this with an employee and asked her to check, never happened, decided to get a refund, when asked why the employee just performed the task and in my view she was not bothered at all that she had lost my order in the system, I was going to purchase items from the store but put them back on the shelf and left in disgust Will not return