It’s located at the very end of an Essex town’s high street
KG Coffee Ongar
I’ve tried a fair number of Ongar’s cafes since moving to the area last year, but I only recently discovered KG Coffee, located at the very end of the High Street, next to the Esso petrol garage. You get a vibe for the cafe before you even go inside, as outside (on a sunny day at least), you’ll find friends and families chatting outside with their dogs!
Inside, there’s plenty of toasties and lunch items on offer, from cheese-and-tomato toasties to salmon-and-cream-cheese bagels. There’s also a huge drinks menu, including chai lattes, matchas and iced coolers. KG Coffee doesn’t mess about with its sweet treats either – there’s shortbread, croissants and rocky road too!
I opted for a cheese-and-tomato toastie with a mango-and-dragonfruit cooler. I visited with my sister and mum, who ordered a ham and cheese toastie and a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, respectively.
My toastie was toasted and brought outside by a lovely member of staff, who also brought out a little pup cup for my dog! The toastie was delicious, on very fresh bread and sharp cheese.
The tomatoes also tasted fresh and delicious. I was told the ham and cheese toastie had a good balance of ham to cheese and was well seasoned.
The smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel was also very nice, with fresh, flavourful salmon and a proper dollop of cream cheese. My cooler was exactly what you want on a hot sunny day. Sweet, chilled, and also very pretty!
My favourite thing about KG was definitely the staff, though. Everyone was so friendly, and I had a little chat with the staff behind the counter. I also briefly met the owner, who also has a staffy, and he was so chatty and friendly too.
In summary, if you’re looking for an independent cafe with proper food and a huge drink selection, KG Coffee is one to look out for! In the summer, the pretty outside seating right on the high street is quite the sun trap, too!
This article is part of EssexLive’s series. Essex Eats where a member of our team reviews an independent food business in the county. We don’t tell the business we’re coming and we don’t tell them who we are while we’re there. Every meal for EssexEats is paid for by us and not gifted. Check back every Thursday for our top pick that week of a great food spot in Essex.
