The best restaurants in Essex

Housed within a majestic Georgian manor hotel near Epping Forest, this bright and airy brasserie serves up elevated British comfort food with serious flair.

Diners can enjoy everything from sticky pork belly bites and lemon tarragon sea bass to gourmet burgers, all while taking in tranquil views over manicured hotel gardens.

This elegant sanctuary inside Downham Hall’s Georgian manor house delivers sophisticated modern British dining.

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the light-filled Orangery offer sweeping countryside views, while the kitchen works closely with nearby Essex farms to showcase hyper-local, seasonal produce across refined lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea menus.

A cherished family-run gastro pub on Brook Street, The Bull blends rustic charm with elevated comfort food.

Locally sourced ingredients take center stage, featuring prime cuts from nearby Hepburns Butchers. Whether you settle in for a 28-day aged beef burger, a hearty steak and Guinness pie, or a Sunday roast, it is pure comfort.

Set within the magnificent Down Hall country estate, The Grill Room blends grand historic setting with crisp, modern European cooking.

Flooded with natural light, the restaurant makes full use of its own kitchen garden, delivering garden-fresh plates alongside prime steaks, decadent afternoon teas, and a quintessential Sunday roast experience.

Originally opened by legendary restaurateur Peter Langan, this historic Coggeshall brasserie retains its artistic soul and glamour under head chef James Self.

The kitchen delivers refined British-French brasserie dining - think slow-braised short ribs, whole wing rib to share, and local game - served in art-lined dining rooms steeped in four decades of history.

Named after the ancient willow on its grounds, The Willow Room is a beloved Great Dunmow gem that excels in unpretentious, flavour-first cooking.

The kitchen focuses on hyper-seasonal British produce, crafting inventive dishes alongside pub classics. Pair that with warm, intuitive service and a relaxing dining room, and you have a spot well worth a detour.

Steeped in culinary history, this idyllic 16th-century pub with rooms in Clavering was famously run by Jamie Oliver’s parents.

Featuring low-beamed ceilings and a cozy bar, it serves generous, unpretentious pub fare, from wood-fired pizzas and seasonal pies to classic Sunday roasts, alongside a fine lineup of local Essex ales.

Set in a picturesque Tudor building on the banks of the River Stour, Talbooth offers one of Essex’s most iconic fine dining experiences.

Expect pristine seasonal cooking - think Shetland halibut with mussels or grilled Hereford beef - served in beamed dining rooms or on the idyllic riverside terrace. It is quintessential Constable Country luxury.

Found in Billericay (home to Gavin, Stacey and the gang), The Magic Mushroom combines relaxed dining with high-end culinary ambition.

Chef-owner Don Choppin presents a creative modern British menu packed with bold flavours, from pakora-battered sea bass to succulent ribeye steaks. The warm, unpretentious service makes it an equally great pick for date night or family catch-ups.

Dating back to the 16th century, Tudors at Marygreen Manor is an atmospheric, timber-framed restaurant housed inside a grand baronial hall.

Complete with original oak beams and minstrel galleries, it offers a theatrical fine dining backdrop for polished dishes like guinea fowl terrine, venison, and decadent tasting menus.

Spread over two floors on Kings Road, Zebrano combines fabulous food with a high-energy party atmosphere.

Alongside an interactive hot-stone steak experience and indulgent seafood pasta, this stylish Brentwood spot features private dining lounges complete with state-of-the-art karaoke setups, making it the ultimate venue for celebratory group nights out.

Ellis's delivers refined British cuisine in a Grade II-listed 17th-century manor house - now the excellent Greenwoods Hotel & Spa.

Featuring elegant grey-panelled walls and white tablecloths, the serene dining room is the setting for artfully presented seasonal dishes like crispy duck leg and wild mushroom arancini.

This 15th-century Dedham coaching inn bridges the gap between traditional boozer and top-tier Italian-inspired eatery.

Expect low beams, roaring fires, and a monthly changing menu spotlighting handmade pasta, local game, and day-boat fish, making it an irresistible destination for a leisurely pub lunch.

Run by the same welcoming family for over 75 years, this 15th-century pub-brasserie exudes character with its open fires and timber beams.

The daily-changing menu champions fresh seafood and traditional puddings alongside an expansive wine list, offering a buzzing atmosphere that feels like a cross between a Parisian bistro and classic English pub.

Run by Michelin-starred brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin, this 700-year-old countryside pub is a jewel in Essex's culinary crown.

Combining rustic pub warmth with refined French-accented British cooking, the Green Man boasts a vast riverside garden, an impressive wine list, and flawless pub classics that keep diners returning.

Founded by chef Paul Wendholt, Kintsu earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its creative, eco-conscious approach to small-plates dining.

Tucked away in central Colchester, the restaurant showcases hyper-seasonal Essex ingredients through inventive multi-course menus that celebrate sustainable cooking with zero compromise on flavour or technical precision.

Chef Ben Crittenden’s celebrated, intimate restaurant relocated from Broadstairs to Mersea Island, bringing its strict 'good food, laid bare' ethos to the Essex coast.

Operating in a tiny, serene space, Stark serves an unpretentious six-course tasting menu that lets pristine seasonal ingredients shine through masterful, stripped-back technique.

Taking up residence in a 16th-century pub near Chelmsford, the Pig & Whistle is one of Essex's most romantic dining hideaways.

Candlelit tables, rustic oak beams, and plush interiors set the scene for beautifully crafted British comfort food, decadent afternoon teas, and top-drawer Sunday roasts.

Perched along Southend’s seafront inside the boutique Seven Hotel, Aurum brings chic coastal sophistication to Essex dining.

The stylish, gold-accented interior frames ocean views, providing a backdrop for modern British dishes made with locally landed seafood, seasonal produce, and a popular afternoon tea experience that feels truly indulgent.

Bustling, chic, and stylish, Aspera brings authentic Mediterranean and Turkish flavours to Benfleet.

The striking modern dining room is always buzzing, while the kitchen turns out beautifully presented meze, charcoal-grilled meats, and fresh seafood. It is an ideal pick for celebrations, lively group gatherings, or date night cocktails.

Milsoms breaks the country-house hotel mold with its effortlessly relaxed, no-booking dining concept.

Situated right in the heart  of Constable Country, this chic venue serves a crowd-pleasing, international menu from morning until night. Its vast, heated sail-covered terrace and landscaped gardens make it one of the finest places in Essex for alfresco feasting.