4 great places to eat in Essex this month

Hollie Allen of Essex Foodies (@essexfoodies) is a food blogger reviewing restaurants across the county and beyond. She shares the eateries that have tickled her tastebuds this month 

Tarantino, Brentwood 

Italian cuisine  

My first time visiting Tarantino was a hit! This restaurant is super-cute and makes the ideal location for a date thanks to the romantic ambience – it just feels like you’re in a restaurant in Italy. It serves up authentic Italian food, including delicious pasta dishes from spag bol and ravioli alla aragosta (pasta filled with lobster in a creamy lobster sauce) to pizzas and filetto al dolcelatte (fillet steak), alongside daily specials, so you won’t be short of choice. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant if you haven’t already visited. We are lucky enough to have three branches in Essex: Brentwood, Hornchurch and Leigh-on-Sea.  

Love Churros, Lakeside Shopping Centre 

Desserts  

This is one for those with a sweet tooth! I recently ventured to Lakeside to give Love Churros a go and I was not disappointed. Totally Instagrammable, Love Churros has an amazing aesthetic along with the most perfect of desserts. You can choose from churros of all shapes and sizes and pair them with your choice of sauce and topping. I highly recommend white chocolate and Oreo slathered over looped churros – a dreamy combination with a nice crunchy bite. Love Churros can be found in Lakeside, making it the perfect place to stop for a mid-shop treat or you may even make your way down especially for churros!  

The Mesken, Hutton  

Turkish cuisine  

The Mesken in Hutton, Brentwood, is just a short drive from Chelmsford (around 15 minutes) and is a great spot for catching up with friends over bottomless brunch, treating mum to lunch or spending the evening dining with a loved one. The restaurant itself is huge and oozes glitz and glam – even the outside of the building sparkles! The restaurant serves Turkish cuisine – think shish kebabs, beyti dishes plus house specials. When I visited, I experienced the bottomless brunch, which for £55 a head serves up a tasty two-course meal plus free-flowing prosecco for 90 minutes. It was a real treat and was lovely to get dressed up and be treated like a VIP.  

Giggling Squid, Chelmsford 

Thai cuisine  

Giggling Squid are quite a big name in the food industry, so when it announced the opening of its Chelmsford restaurant at the end of last year, it was definitely a game-changer. Giggling Squid serves up some incredible Thai dishes, including my favourite salmon paneang, which is a deliciously creamy fish dish complete with veggies. Recently, they’ve started serving up breakfast and brunch dishes, which I am certainly keen to try out! Giggling Squid can be found dotted around in Essex including Billericay, Brentwood, Chelmsford and Hornchurch. 

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