Great British Life > Food And Drink > Places to Eat and Drink

8 of the best fine dining restaurants in Essex

Victoria Purcell

Published: 5:17 PM December 1, 2020 Updated: 12:08 PM January 27, 2021

Alec's Restaurant (photo courtesy of the venue) - Credit: Archant

From Epping to Colchester, Essex Life picks out its favourite fine dining restaurants

1. Galvin Green Man, Chelmsford

With a Bib Gourmand Menu set lunch or dinner on offer for £21.50 (two courses) and £24.50 (three courses), it’s ideal for enjoying great, West End-quality food that won’t break your budget.

Main Road, Howe Street, Chelmsford CM3 1BG; 01245 408 820; galvinrestaurants.com

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2. Alec’s Restaurant, Brentwood

Essex Life Food & Drink Awards 2019 Restaurant of the Year winner, Alec’s has an excellent reputation for great food and great service. Dishes include the likes of soft-shell crab with seaweed mayonnaise, slow-roasted pork belly with wonderfully crisp crackling and butternut squash and cider sauce.

Navestock Side, Brentwood CM14 5SD; 01277 375696; alecsrestaurant.co.uk

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3. The Creek, Colchester

Indulge in Happy Hour Cocktails from Wednesday to Friday with two for £10 when dining from the lunch or dinner menu. You can also enjoy two courses for £23.95 or three courses for just £29.95.

Flag Hill, Great Bentley, Colchester CO7 8RE; 01255 317950; thecreekgreatbentley.co.uk

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4. Le Talbooth at Maison Talbooth, Dedham

With an idyllic riverside setting in the heart of the Constable countryside, Le Talbooth, established in 1952, has a long history of producing stunning food. Enjoy locally sourced, meticulously prepared dishes such as hand dived scallops, Thetford forest venison and dry-aged Dedham beef. Grab a seat on the terrace in view of the River Stour.

Gun Hill, Dedham, Colchester CO7 6HP; milsomhotels.com

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5. Wivenhoe House, Colchester

Weekends are the time to celebrate with both a Bottomless Prosecco Lunch every Saturday for only £29.50 per person or a Sunday Night Stay & Dine offer for only £60 each, which includes your breakfast on the Monday too.

Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ; 01206 863666; wivenhoehouse.co.uk

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6. The Hoop, Stock

This 15th century, traditional pub in the pretty village of Stock offers real ales and popular pub classics, but looks can be deceiving, as it also has a fine dining room on the first floor. Husband and wife team Phil and Michelle Utz run The Hoop together, with Phil as head chef and Michelle front of house.

21 High Street, Stock, Ingatestone CM4 9BD; 01277 841137; thehoop.co.uk

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7. Haywards Restaurant, Epping

Haywards, situated on the edge of Epping Forest, is all about quality. Head Chef Jahdre Hayward uses all of his skill to bring to bring together the freshest ingredients to create elegant, delicious dishes worthy of a spot in the Michelin Guide and three AA Rosettes. The restaurant garden grows most of the fruit, vegetables and herbs used in the dishes, and they even cultivate their own bee colonies for local honey!

111 Bell Common, Epping CM16 4DZ; haywardsrestaurant.co.uk

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8. Pig & Whistle, Chelmsford

Based in the beautiful Chelmsford countryside, the Pig & Whistle’s 16th century building oozes rustic charm with glowing tiffany lamps and beautiful vintage furniture. They serve fantastic home-cooked dishes using the best local ingredients from honey marinated duck breast to sweet potato and peanut curry and lamb rump tagine. Plus, the sun-soaked terrace is a lovely spot to savour a glass of fine wine.

Chignal Road, Chignal Smealey, Chelmsford CM1 4SZ; 01245 443 186; pigandwhistlechelmsford.uk

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