By Jamie-Paige Tucker
Essex is known for many things in current culture but one thing that is not recognised nearly enough, is the extraordinary amount of popular, independent restaurants that there are all over the county. When you go out to eat it’s fairly easy to fall into the pattern of eating at a chain restaurant, somewhere that you know will be the same no matter where you are. But a lot of the time, people are missing out on quality menu choices because they don’t know where to go or don’t know what’s worth trying. Here is a list of the top rated independent places to eat in Essex and where they are located in the surrounding areas:
· In Bishops Stortford, you have Pircios. This is a half Italian restaurant, half Turkish restaurant located in the town centre. It has received many amazing reviews with top results in food quality, atmosphere and beverages. The variety of the menu means it has a lot of options to accommodate many different dietary patterns and needs, making it a prime choice for many local residents.
· In Braintree, there is The Chop House. You can find this in New Street. This restaurant focuses on traditional british cuisine with many compliments on the quality of the roast dinner dishes they have to offer customers. One very common complaint however is the lack of direct parking there is for this establishment, you have to park in a near-by supermarket carpark, which some negative reviews state is not always very secure.
· Colchester has a family run café called Timbers, which is very popular with locals for many reasons. One major factor is that it’s a family run establishment with a small team of staff, giving people a really personal experience. It has food to accommodate all dietary needs too, which is rare to find in such small business. You can find Timbers on Trinity Street.
· On Old Road, near the Old Harlow Mill is COHO. This is a European cuisine restaurant that focus’ on many different dishes from around the continent. It has been recommended for special occasion dining but has also been praised for being reasonably priced.
· In Chelmsford, there is Shwings. This is an international street food restaurant located on New London road. Here you can find a variety of dishes to try from all over the world. It has been highly rated due to its range of gluten free options of the street style food.
· The Maldon Smoke House located in Cromwell’s farm is a seafood restaurant which has a certificate of excellence from 2016-2019. It has a unique atmosphere that is unmatched in the Maldon area, as its relaxed café style environment which serves quality seafood like no other place around. And the bring your own booze policy means the bill is extremely reasonable. Another fan favourite from many locals.
· FireJacks is an American Steakhouse located in Basildon along Festival Way. This restaurant has been praised for its atmosphere and unbeatable service. However, one factor that has been recognised as a negative is the fact that you have to pay for any sides individually, they don’t come with the dish, making the final price a little higher than expected. Other than that, it’s in a prime location and has a great choice on their menu.
· In Chigwell, you have Sheesh. This is a Turkish themed restaurant that is specifically 18 and over. The Bar on weekends is 21 and over and has a very specific dress code. This is a particularly popular restaurant with Z-list celebrities and personalities and brings a lot of tourism into the area. It supplies quality food and unique dishes that make it a desirable place to dine.
· Southend-on-Sea has Zen City. This is a Chinese all-you-can-eat restaurant that brings you whatever you want, fresh to the table, as many times as you want. It’s a good value for money, as it’s unlimited food and gives you the ability to try new things. It’s also great because the food is fresh, and isn’t like your conventional buffet which is extremely popular with locals and visiting members of society.
· The Brick layers Arms can be found in Brentwood on Ongar Road. This restaurant serves traditional, pub style food at very reasonable prices. Due to its location, it provides a very relax atmosphere yet gives you a professional and friendly service. It’s highly recommended for events and parties too.