Essex Restaurants
Make a free reservation
Book for late dinner tonight in Essex
New restaurants to OpenTable in Essex
Award winning restaurants in Essex
Check out diners' favorite restaurants in Essex
Updated on
Diners’ Choice Awards are based on where your fellow diners book, dine, and review. Only verified diners get to review restaurants on OpenTable, so our data doesn’t lie.
La Petite Petanque
Price: Moderate•British•4.8(41)A Beautiful Restaurant in the perfect setting
Open every day with three dining areas, including terrace seating
Serving Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Evening Dining Events.
For Afternoon Tea please call the restaurant to book and pay deposit.STARK
Price: Very Expensive•Modern European•4.8(84)Stark is located in East Mersea, Essex and is owned and run by Ben and Sophie Crittenden, who opened their first site in Broadstairs back in December 2016 with the aim of securing a better work/life balance and enabling Ben to enjoy more time with their three young children, Ivy, Rosa and Arlo. Before relocating to Mersea Island, Stark was the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Thanet and one of five in the whole of Kent.
At Stark, only one, set tasting menu is served with no options or alternatives available. Because of this, Stark is unable to cater for any allergies or dietary requirements, for any reason as all guests eat the exact same meal each night. Ben creates a menu from high quality, seasonal ingredients, using his creativity and passion to create delicious food and provide a unique and exciting eating experience for customers.
Stark is a very intimate, relaxed restaurant, whose only demand of you is that you sit back, trust us with your dinner and enjoy the experience.
The Fat Turk - Brentwood
Price: Expensive•Turkish•4.7(44)The Fat Turk - Brentwood
WORLD CLASS TURKISH CUISINE
Welcome to The Fat Turk Brentwood a stylish and vibrant restaurant in unparalleled surroundings. Providing world class Turkish cuisine that is freshly prepared to exacting standards served with an abundance of style. With the lavish interiors, you will instantly know you have arrived in a first-class location.
We offer our Long Room which is an exclusive private dining room which seats comfortably 24 diners. If you are looking to celebrate a birthday, engagement, anniversary or baby shower, please get in touch.Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Price: Very Expensive•Afternoon Tea•4.8(2,988)Here at Mad Dogs & Englishmen we have become renowned for our themed Afternoon Tea’s and wonderful cocktails. Enjoy the eclectic surroundings of this unique venue. We offer an immersive experience, a feast for the eyes and the taste buds! The Parlour Tea Room at Mad Dogs and Englishmen provides a vintage setting to enjoy Afternoon tea. We’ve become renowned for our themed teas which offer an unforgettable experience. The Botanical Rooms is upstairs and hosts our cocktail bar and also hosts our themed afternoon teas.
EVENTS
THE PARLOUR TEAROOM seatings at 12, 2.30 & 5 pm
Running 17/1/25 - 04/5/2025 - DIAMOND OF THE SEASON
Including Mothers Day 29th & 30th March
Running 10/5/25 - 13/7/2025 - GREASE
THE BOTANICAL ROOMS (upstairs) seatings at 12.30 & 3pm
Running 17/1/25 - 27/04/2025 - SNOW WHITE
Including Mothers Day 29th & 30th March
Running 03/5/25 - 13/7/2025 - The Circle of Life
Please ensure you select the correct time, venue and event when booking.
Carluccio's - Fenwick Colchester
Price: Expensive•Italian•4.7(427)Here at Carluccio's, we’ve always been true to our Italian heritage and what food really means to us. The best ingredients, from the best regions, cooked with love.The Eyna
Price: Expensive•Turkish•4.7(970)The Eyna is a new, refreshing, traditional Turkish cuisine coming to the heart of Basildon. With a open-plan dining experience, open kitchen & central bar, we're sure this will be your perfect location for all types of events or casual dining.
The House by Hilly Gant
Price: Very Expensive•British•4.7(1,293)We've been serving the people of Braintree and beyond since 2015 and in that time have humbly become ‘one of Essex’s best restaurants.’ We have received recognition from the AA, having been awarded an AA Rosette for ‘culinary excellence’ for five consecutive years, and then in 2023 we received our second rosette, putting the restaurant amongst the top 10 restaurants in Essex. Our food is of course one of our main focuses, but we don’t just stop there. Attentive, relaxed and friendly service is as important as the food and our objective is to make your visit an enjoyably memorable one. Our exceptional wine supplier, Peter Watts Wines (based up the road in Coggeshall) allows us to offer you delicious wines of an exceptional quality. Then add some cocktails, jazz, personality, creativity, a few hidden quirks and we like to think this all culminates to create a truly wonderful experience. Life is about memories; we want to be part of your best ones.Smiths Restaurant Ongar
Price: Very Expensive•Seafood•4.8(5,200)Priding ourselves on our motto ‘Famous for fish’ Smiths Restaurants is a name that has become synonymous with fine dining and quality, attentive service. Our restaurants are located in Ongar Essex (just off the A414) and Wapping in central London (near Tower Bridge). Both restaurants boast an extensive menu of fresh fish that we offer to cook in a variety of ways to suit every palette. We also offer locally sourced meat dishes to accommodate those who prefer their food terra firma. To compliment the quality of our food we have worked closely with well renowned independent wine merchants to ensure we have a selection of wines that are the perfect accompaniment to every meal. The only problem you may have a Smith’s is being spoilt for choice.
Outdoor dining in Essex
See what locals rave about in Essex
From verified diners like you
From verified diners like you
- LLynneEssex •1 review5.0Dined 2 days agoReally lovely food, excellent service. Good value food.More infoThe New London Restaurant and LoungePrice: Expensive• British• Chelmsford•4.8
- JJamesEssex •6 reviews5.0Dined 4 days agoFood and service were excellent. Booked again for SundayMore infoThe Cricketers Mill GreenPrice: Expensive• British• Brentwood•4.5
- BBevEssex •1 review5.0Dined on Jun 29, 2025Lovely pub with large garden and plenty of seating. Had Sunday Lunch which was lovely and great value. Will be back againMore infoThe Ship StockPrice: Moderate• Pub• Chelmsford•4.5
- JJacs100Essex •156 reviews5.0Dined on Aug 28, 2020Sapphire Restaurant: quiet on arrival by atmosphere livened up later, excellent service, food, wine list, value for money. Impressed!More infoCounty Hotel, Samphire RestaurantPrice: Moderate• Contemporary British• Chelmsford•4
Trending dishes in Essex
Explore dishes that diners are raving about
Restaurant experiences trending in Essex
Private Dining
Find the perfect place for your next party or group dining event.
Explore private diningPrivate Dining
Find the perfect place for your next party or group dining event.
Frequently asked questions
Healthy restaurants located in Essex include The Eyna, Lot Bar & Restaurant and The Anchor Danbury
Restaurants with gluten-free options in Essex are The Eyna, Lot Bar & Restaurant and The Anchor Danbury
Bottomless brunch in Essex is available at The Eyna, Lot Bar & Restaurant and Sévine Brasserie & Bar
The most romantic restaurant in Essex is The Eyna
Restaurants in Essex with a great view include The Eyna, The Anchor Danbury and The Anchor Inn - Nayland
Explore OpenTable
- Lexden Methodist Church
- Grange Hill Station
- Queen Elizabeth II Bridge
- Debden Station
- Roding Valley Station
- Theydon Bois Station
- Toby Howe Cricket Ground
- Billericay Railway Station
- STN Airport
- Flatford Mill
- Lakeside Shopping Centre
- Rollacity
- County Cricket Ground
- Great Wood Hill
- Football Club Clacton
- London Stansted Airport
- St Mary's Church
- Rage Roller Coaster
- Salcott
- Waltham Abbey Church
- Jacksonville / Northeast Florida
- Kansas City / Kansas
- Denver / Colorado
- Washington, D.C. Area
- New York City
- Corpus Christi / McAllen
- Fresno / San Joaquin Valley
- El Paso
- Central Texas
- Phoenix / Arizona
- Upstate New York
- Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
- Detroit / Eastern Michigan
- Connecticut
- Cincinnati / Dayton
- Tampa / Central Florida West
- Greensboro / Winston Salem / Highpoint
- Texas Panhandle
- Portland / Oregon
- Springfield / Branson