Diners' Choice: Great for fine wines restaurants in Essex

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the most notable wine lists in Essex? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Smiths Restaurant Ongar

4.8

4.8 (5186)

£41 and over

Seafood

Ongar

About the restaurant

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.

Top review

Angela

Dined 4 days ago

Had a lovely lunch for my Aunts Birthday, food was wonderful & the service was excellent. Will definitely be going back.

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The New London Restaurant and Lounge

4.8

4.8 (1005)

£26 to £40

British

Chelmsford

About the restaurant

The award-winning New London restaurant has been on Chelmsford’s dining and social scene since October 2013 and it still is a relaxed yet sophisticated dining venue. The venue is full of elegance and glamour – now more than ever after an incredible redesign in March 2018.

We have a reputation for seasonally inspired menus with a unique approach to homemade food which makes the New London restaurant a special place to visit.

We pride ourselves on our excellent service with a personal touch. All our staff are proud of, and knowledgeable about, our dishes, wines and cocktails.

We offer only the best locally sourced and seasonal British produce including fresh seafood, locally sourced ingredients and foraged herbs. All our dishes are served in the inimitable style that has helped it garner so many compliments and awards since opening.

Top review

Peter

Dined 2 days ago

Another excellent meal here. The menu was varied and each dish contained unusual elements which were so tasty. Beautifully cooked. Service was excellent and friendly.

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Experience

Essex Spirits Co Tasting & Lunch

STARK

4.8

4.8 (80)

£41 and over

Modern European

Colchester

About the restaurant

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.

Top review

Francine

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

Fabulous meal nice small restaurant with great service and food to remember. Tasting menu so portions small but delicious and smoked mascarpone ice cream with blackcurrants stunning as was cod pickled fennel asparagus etc

The Punch Bowl

4.8

4.8 (64)

£25 and under

Gastro Pub

Southend-On-Sea

About the restaurant

The Punchbowl is a 17th century gastro pub, located in the heart of rural Essex and the Crouch Valley and the South Essex Salt marshes.

We offer nose-to-tail style menu, with unpretentious dishes that focus on flavour. Everything is made in house - from bread to mayonnaise, and we use local, seasonal and organic ingredients. Our menu changes daily, as the season's best comes in, and always features day boat fish, meat, offal, rare breed steaks and excellent vegetarian cookery.

Our beautiful garden bar has a lawn and york-stone patio looking out across the farmland of Paglesham and the River Crouch. Throughout the summer we offer BBQ dining from our hand-cranked Asado and Rotisserie Grills.

Top review

David

Dined 5 days ago

We had a really nice lunch at the Punchbowl, it is pleasing to see it open as on previous visits to this part of Essex it has been closed. Food was excellent, very good beer from Wibblers Brewery and service was attentive and timely. i'm sure we'll be back. i dont usually do reviews but the Punchbowl deserved a good one!

Le Bouchon Brasserie & Hotel

4.7

4.7 (1208)

£41 and over

French

Maldon

About the restaurant

Please note that Afternoon Tea cannot be booked online. This must be booked through the Hotel directly.

Le Bouchon Brasserie and Hotel is a grade II listed, 300 year old Georgian building which has undergone an extensive refurbishment programme restoring the building to its former glory. The renovation period was used to combine some of the original period features of the building with furnishings and classically styled decoration that complements the original style of this house.

Le Bouchon Brasserie offers a blend of both French and British cuisine, set in a relaxed and intimate environment. Enjoy a meal from our A la carte menu or choose from our wide selection of set menus available at different times during the week.

Top review

Eric

Dined on Jun 14, 2025

Early Father’s Day treat with my daughter. Was nice and busy do the atmosphere was good. Food and service were excellent as it normally is.

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Experience

Breakfast at Le Bouchon

Experience

Tasting Menu

The House by Hilly Gant

4.7

4.7 (1291)

£41 and over

British

Braintree

About the restaurant

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.

Top review

KennethVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Always a pleasure to dine here and the staff are very pleasant and welcoming. Quality of food is to a high standard which is reflected in the pricing, but overall a very enjoyable dining experience and highly recommended.

The Fat Turk - Brentwood

4.7

4.7 (43)

£26 to £40

Turkish

Brentwood

About the restaurant

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.

Top review

Mark

Dined 4 days ago

The staff are very friendly and inviting. The food was amazing.

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Experience

The Fat Turk Live Lounge

Côte Brasserie - Chelmsford

4.6

4.6 (73)

£25 and under

French

Chelmsford

About the restaurant

Côte Brasserie in Chelmsford offers an authentic French dining experience in a prime location, just a minute's walk from Chelmsford Cathedral and next to High Chelmer Shopping Centre. The nearby Bell Meadow Park and River Can provide a serene backdrop, perfect for a leisurely meal before or after exploring the city's sights.

Top review

Judith

Dined on Apr 16, 2025

Delicious food and excellent service. A relaxed and calm atmosphere.

The Swan Inn Felsted

4.6

4.6 (91)

£26 to £40

Italian

Felsted

About the restaurant

Discover a haven of flavours and ambiance at The Swan Inn, a charming gastro pub nestled in the heart of Felsted, Essex.

For those seeking an embrace of comfort and authenticity, The Italian Kitchen awaits. Guided by the hands of Chef Nino, every bite echoes the streets and homes of Italy. Whether it's the comforting touch of pizza, the allure of pasta, the charm of tapas, or the timeless notes of traditional Italian fare, Nino brings Italy to you. And with And with our full restaurant and alfresco seating, let Felsted feel a touch more Mediterranean.

If Sunday means gathering with loved ones over a hearty meal, The Sunday Roast is where you belong. Crafted by Chef Nino, our roast is a celebration of timeless British flavors, featuring tender cuts, golden potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and traditional, rich, savory gravies—all served with the warmth and care of a family feast. Proud to make Sunday in Felsted feel just a bit more special.

Top review

Sarah

Dined 4 days ago

We had an excellent meal at the Swan. There is a good choice for everyone on the menu and the quality and service are top notch.

The Starr Inn

4.4

4.4 (41)

£26 to £40

British

Great Dunmow

About the restaurant

The Starr Inn is back in Dunmow, with a full refurbishment, a range of delicious new menus and the fantastic service it's renowned for.