Wildwood Chelmsford

Wildwood is billed as a ‘small collection’ of restaurants – in other words, it’s a chain. Everything about the style, from the bottles of olive oil on each table to the expanses of bare wood, wine racks and displays of provisions suggest a thought-through MOR Italian concept – so it’s a jolly nice surprise to be served some rather good stone-baked pizzas, attractively presented pasta and grills. A tenner goes a long way here: try a ‘superfood’ salad with smoked mackerel or piri-piri chicken, spaghetti carbonara or spring vegetable risotto; alternatively, push the boat out for rump steak with Gorgonzola sauce or roasted sea bass fillets with tomatoes, courgettes and fried potatoes. Affordable cocktails and Italian wines at friendly prices are further reasons to like Wildwood’s easy style.

Wildwood has a simple aim, “a friendly team, serving great food, in a place where you can feel at home.” Wildwood opened its first branch in west London in 2004, and has evolved into a collection of restaurants, each offering a unique dining experience in carefully selected buildings and locations.
The diverse menu is a testament to the team’s dedication to quality. From a wide selection of grilled items to enticing pizza and pasta dishes, along with fresh salads, burgers, steaks, risottos, and decadent desserts, Wildwood takes pride in crafting each dish using the finest seasonal ingredients, guaranteeing a burst of delicious flavours in every bite.

Visit Wildwood and begin your meal with starters like garlic tiger prawns in white wine or chicken liver pate with brandy, spiced pear chutney, and toasted hazelnuts. For a refreshing twist, explore options like mushroom and buffalo mozzarella bruschetta with balsamic glaze, crispy shallots, mixed seeds, and micro cress.

The main course unveils a selection of tempting choices. Indulge in the succulent Philly cheesesteak sandwich, a symphony of marinated steak strips, chimichurri dressing, fried onions, cheese, and mayo between grilled sourdough, served with fries or a mixed salad. Enjoy more delicious dishes with a full rack of pork ribs in a sticky barbecue sauce, a pizza topped with dry cured pork sausage, speck, Milano salami, and cherry bell peppers, or a calzone stuffed with spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, cheddar, egg, mushrooms, garlic, and nutmeg.

Cap off your wonderful visit with desserts that redefine sweet satisfaction. Choose from warm chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream, Tuscan lemon custard tart (torta della nonna) with vanilla ice cream and pine nuts, or the cookies and cream cheesecake accompanied by a drizzle of chocolate sauce.