Ipswich is awash with sandwich shops and cafes, both independent and chain, and at this time of year they all have special festive items on their menus.

We've explored the town centre and tested them out, looking to find the best Christmas snacks and drinks in town.

Taste-Testing-Festive-Menus-at-Cafes-Across-Ipswic-7e451a45

1. Greggs: The Festive Bake

Where: 35 Upper Brook Street/51 Westgate Street/Burrell Road,

Price: £1.60

Rating: 3/5

East Anglian Daily Times: The festive bake, from Greggs, will be available at the Upper Brook Street, Westgate Street, and train station branches, amongst othersThe festive bake, from Greggs, will be available at the Upper Brook Street, Westgate Street, and train station branches, amongst others (Image: Archant)

Greggs is a stalwart option for traditional hearty pastries, and it's festive bake does not break that mould.

Combining chicken, bacon, stuffing and cranberry sauce, and wrapping them in crispy pastry casing all for £1.60, the festive bake is a solid choice, but be careful not to burn your mouth on it.

Starbucks: Gingerbread Syrup

Where: Cardinal Park, Ipswich/Train station, Burrell Road, Ipswich/10 Westgate Street, Ipswich/Sproughton Road, Ipswich

Price: 55p

Rating: 3.5/5

So this is a bit of a rogue one, but also one of the cheapest things on the menu. Take Starbucks gingerbread syrup, mix it with hot water and nothing else, and it is amazingly, surprisingly, quite tasty.

A very good hot drink option for those of us who don't enjoy milk or coffee.

Applaud: Stuffing, Turkey and Cranberry roll

Where: 19 St Peter's Street

Price: £6.50

Rating: 2/5

East Anglian Daily Times: The turkey, cranberry and stuffing sandwich from Applaud, on St Peters Street, IpswichThe turkey, cranberry and stuffing sandwich from Applaud, on St Peters Street, Ipswich (Image: Archant)

For a fairly expensive price Applaud on St Peters Street will sell you a very standard turkey, stuffing and cranberry roll.

The bread is white, and soft, and the core ingredients are all present in a decent quantity, but despite the cafes wonderful atmosphere, the sandwich was not our favourite.

Cult Cafe: Mince Pie

Where: James Hehir Building, University of Suffolk, Ipswich Waterfront

Price: £2

Rating: 4/5

East Anglian Daily Times: A mince pie from Cult Cafe, at the University of SuffolkA mince pie from Cult Cafe, at the University of Suffolk (Image: Archant)

Located in the University of Suffolk's James Hehir building, cult cafe offers low priced drinks and food on the Ipswich Waterfront.

For the festive season they have made the most traditional of Christmas treats — mince pies — but have given them a vegan twist.

Cults offering is tasty, with an extremely crumbly outer shell, and icing on top.

Costa: Mint Syrup

Where: 1-5 Queen Street, Ipswich/ 2-4 Carr Street, Ipswich/1 Rope Walk

Price: Varies but sub £1

Rating: 2/5

East Anglian Daily Times: Costa Coffee, on Carr Street, in IpswichCosta Coffee, on Carr Street, in Ipswich (Image: Archant)

Costa's mint Christmas syrup served with water doesn't quite match Starbucks gingerbread option, but served with cold water, it's a refreshing drink nonetheless.

Not particularly delicious though.

Coffee Cat: Christmas Cupcake

Where: Ipswich Waterfront

Price: £1.60

Rating: 4/5

East Anglian Daily Times: Coffee Cat, on the Waterfront, is selling delicious little Christmas cupcakesCoffee Cat, on the Waterfront, is selling delicious little Christmas cupcakes (Image: Archant)

Coffee Cat, on the Waterfront stock a delightful variety of home-baked snacks, including great little Christmas cupcakes.

These cakes a wonderful quick bite, and well worth a little wander down to the Waterfront.

Subway: Tigerpig Sub

Where: Duke Street, Ipswich/Cardinal Park, Ipswich/ Carr St, Ipswich/Felixstowe Road, Ipswich

Price: £4.29

Rating: 3/5

East Anglian Daily Times: Subways TigerPig sub is available from all branches in Ipswich, including the one in Cardinal ParkSubways TigerPig sub is available from all branches in Ipswich, including the one in Cardinal Park (Image: Archant)

The Tigerpig is indulgent, combining bacon with a hot dog to create a long pig in an extensive blanket.

With a slightly smoky, salty taste that builds up the more you eat of it the Tiger Pig might well be too much for some people, but if you enjoy hot dogs, you will enjoy this.

The Green Room: Ginger Cake

Where: 18 St Margarets Green, Ipswich

Price: £3.20

Rating: 4/5

East Anglian Daily Times: The Green Room, on St Margarets Green, is selling delicious Christmas ginger cakeThe Green Room, on St Margarets Green, is selling delicious Christmas ginger cake (Image: Archant)

The Green Room is a fancy looking French style Cafe, which can be found on St Margarets Green, towards the north of the town centre.

As a Christmas special, the Green Room had made delicious iced ginger cakes, which are only a little bit firey.

On the Huh: Mulled Wine

Where: 3a St Peters Street, Ipswich

Price: £3

Rating: 4/5

East Anglian Daily Times: The mulled wine from 'On The Huh', on St Peters Street, IpswichThe mulled wine from 'On The Huh', on St Peters Street, Ipswich (Image: Archant)

On the Huh's mulled wine is warming, quick, and surprisingly tasty given that it only costs £3 a cup.

They also offer a Festive Sausage Roll but be warned, this sells out quick.

Hullaballoo: Nut Roast, Pumpkin, Caramelised Onion and Cranberry Sauce


Where: 14 St Peters Street, Ipswich

Price: £7.50

Rating: 5/5

East Anglian Daily Times: Hullabaloos on St Peters Street's Nut Roast, pumpkin, caramelised onion and red currant sauceHullabaloos on St Peters Street's Nut Roast, pumpkin, caramelised onion and red currant sauce (Image: Archant)

Hullabaloo source their ingredients from Poppies care farm, which is a business based around employing people with learning difficulties to grow vegetables. The cafe adapts it's menu to what the farm provides, which leads to innovative meals like this festive pumpkin and nut roast sandwich.

This combination of ingredients is nothing short of mind blowing. The way the onion pairs with the pumpkin is utterly sublime, while the nut roast and the cranberry cuts through and gives a broad spectrum of flavour.

You have to try this sandwich.