There’s definitely something fishy going on here in Essex – but only in the most delicious sense of the phrase. Here’s our pick of the best seafood eateries across the county
Maldon Smokehouse, Maldon.
Once you’ve discovered this gem, tucked away down a tiny lane alongside the river Chelmer, it’s sure to become a favourite. An imaginative menu allows you to develop a taste for this traditional cooking and preserving method: the motto here seems to be, if a food can be smoked, it will be! Expect, then, not only smoked local seafood – from crevettes to anchovies and roll mops - but meats and cheeses too. The Smokehouse deli options include the popular Seafood Overboard, a large platter holding a generous selection of fish: smoked prawns, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, smoked salmon pate as well as peeled prawns and crayfish served with bread and Greek salad. Should you by any chance have any vegetarians with you, they can tuck into a garden board of home-smoked humus, garlic potatoes, Italian salad, olives and smoked mixed nuts and honey. An extensive wine list offers everything from Pouilly Fume to mini bottles of fizz – great for those who want a treat rather than a whole bottle.
Regular visitors come back time and time again not only for the food, but for the relaxed dining set up – there’s a rustic beach house, plus plenty of riverside tables outside – lovely on summer days, these offer a a great vantage point from which to spot wildlife on the Blackwater Estuary. on the menu but if you want to order a takeaway then this can be ordered. And, if you’re just having a wander around the town and want a scenic place at which just to enjoy a rather good cup of coffee and watch the world go by you’re equally welcome – or grab something smoked and more substantial to enjoy later at home.
Open Wednesday to Sunday.30am and 4pm.
maldonsmokehouse.co.uk
The Peterboat, Leigh-on-Sea.
Set in the heart of historic Old Leigh just next to the water, the historic Peterboat pub and restaurant – first mentioned in records in 1757 - is renowned both for its delectable fish dishes and for a coastal setting that appeals both to locals and visitors. Incase you were wondering, it’s named after a traditional type of wooden boat, said to have got its name in turn through its original use ferrying passengers to and from St. Peter's Abbey, the Saxon predecessor to London’s Westminster Abbey. That’s the history lesson out of the way; let’s talk about the food! The menu offers Choice with a capital C, with starters including a classic prawn cocktail, and the Peterboat’s signature cockle chowder as well as whitebait and grilled King prawns. For mains, try the catch of the day or perhaps a classic French bouillabaisse, a battered or grilled skate wing or plump for traditional fish and chips. Other classic British pub dishes plus veggie and vegan options, a special children’s menu and even breakfast for early risers are on offer too. There’s a choice of dining spaces: within the restaurant itself, outside on the patio, or on benches (dogs are welcome outside) – and so popular are those estuary views come summer that advance booking is highly recommended – often visitors can enjoy live music, too.
Where: 27 High Street, Leigh-on-Sea. SS9 2EN.
thepeterboat.co.uk
Smith’s of Ongar.
Established in 1958, ‘famous for fish’ is the restaurant’s motto and it’s quite easy to see why it’s one of the county best-loved luxury-dining destinations. With an extensive menu of fresh fish, cooked in a variety of ways to suit every palate, the a la carte menu offers Whitstable cockles and sweet-cured Arctic herring for pre-starters, with a seafood medley, Smith’s classic prawn cocktail and John Ross Scottish oak-smoked salmon to follow as cold choices. Hot starters, meanwhile, might include tempura Cornish monkfish escalopes or steamed Cornish mussels mariniere. One of Smith’s main-dish specialities is a gratin of Scottish scallops, Cornish monkfish, king prawns and spinach, topped with a parmesan and parsley crumb. Alternatively, dig into a Guernsey skate or indulge in a whole lobster thermidor. For those not fans of fish, roast and grilled meats add to a comprehensive menu, with a good selection of desserts and cheese on offer, too. There’s an impressive wine list but do try Smith’s exclusive bitter and ale, made in conjunction with Brentwood Brewery and adding another dimension to the overall Smith’s of Ongar experience.
smithsrestaurants.com
The Pier, Harwich.
Everything from a la carte to a children’s menu is on offer at this elegant Harwich stalwart. Recently launched for the summer, The Pier’s Seafood Lover’s Menu consists of four courses, devised by Head Chefs John and Andrew Thurston. To begin, a crab tartlet brings together crab mayonnaise, brown-crab mousse, avocado and bacon, while the second course is a poached supreme of sea trout served with keta caviar, dill beurre blanc and a squid-ink crisp. Keep it local and enjoy a delicious half Harwich lobster thermidor, served with round lettuce, pecorino and crispy onion salad and skinny fries for your main course. Still room for a pudding? A classic lemon tart, served with fresh raspberries and raspberry coulis, finishes off the menu perfectly. Also known for its enviable drinks list, wines can be paired with specific dishes, to ensure a gourmet match made in heaven. With views of Stour and Orwell estuaries, this really is the ideal spot in which to enjoy great seafood and a glass or two of champagne in a stylish setting. After just a drink and something lighter? The Navyard on the restaurant’s ground floor is a continental bar and terrace adjacent to Harwich’s working harbour. Experience cask ales, craft beers, cocktails and an extensive Gin Library – 150 on offer at the last count!
And one final bonus? For those wanting to make the most of the summer by the coast, The Pier also has 14 rooms individually styled to match the seascape – so all you have to do is enjoy dinner as the sun sets, then totter upstairs and sink into your capacious bed…
milsomhotels.com/the-pier
The Seafood Shack, Southend
‘Although the name suggests we’re a shack, we like to think we’re a posh shack’, say The Seafood Shack’s founders and lifelong friends, Sandy Van Deventer and Wendy Church. Having begun by taking over a seafood stall in Rochford back in 2019, the duo launched the Shack in 2022 in what was previously a pub. Today they pride themselves on not only serving freshly cooked seafood (plus other food, too – think mac n cheese and surf and turf), made from the freshest ingredients, but on the loyal following they’ve built up in a relatively short space of time.
‘We serve everything from cockles and jellied eels to lobster, oysters served with Champagne, plus crispy calamari and salt & pepper squid. We cater for meat eaters, vegetarians/vegans too, and can also provide food for those with gluten and dairy intolerances. Parties and private-hire events, including corporate get-togethers and London-based companies away days can also be catered for.’
If you want to enjoy what’s on offer as a takeaway option, The Seafood Shack’s platters are perfect for summer dining at home. All include small prawns, tail on prawns, shell on prawns, cockles, mussel meat, crayfish tails, pinks (imitation prawns), crabsticks and imitation lobster tails as standard, while medium, large and deluxe platters include crevettes and dressed crab. Smoked salmon, New Zealand mussels and real lobster tail form part of the deluxe platter option.
‘Our customers are from lots of different backgrounds, older, young couples, friends, and families - we seem to attract all varieties of people, which is lovely,’ says Sandy.
seafoodshack.social
The Company Shed, West Mersea.
Since opening over 20 years ago this family-run business has built up quite a reputation for serving quality shellfish - indeed it’s one of the go-to seafood restaurants in the county. Specialities include dressed crab and smoked mackerel plus freshly prepared hot seafood dishes including grilled garlic stuffed mussels and crab cakes.. Can’t get a table or simply want to enjoy some of The Company Shed’s offerings at home? Opt for a takeaway platter featuring whole crab, salmon or prawn platter, or choose the mini mixed seafood platter if your appetite is smaller – a highlight is the beetroot gravalax. Booking recommended – and checking of tide timetables before setting off for the restaurant for those outside Mersea is essential.
Opening hours are Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm; last orders 4.30pm.
Where: 129 Coast Road, West Mersea. CO5 8PA.
the-company-shed.com
The Rosebud Pub & Restaurant, Brightlingsea
With its blossom-strewn pink façade and pretty garden, plus wonderful views stretching over Brightlingsea creek and towards the sea, The Rosebud is just the sort of place at which to while away a summer’s afternoon, lingering over a plate of fish, delivered from the market fresh each day. Enjoy a simple but generous seafood platter, dressed crab or prawns, or try Cajun salmon, a substantial chowder or perhaps stick to a traditional fish pie. A new option from the pub are its bottomless brunches served Friday to Sunday, which offer good value and include options such as smoked haddock kedgeree, with plenty of meat and veggie and vegan options also on offer. Sunday roasts in this cosy pub (its wood-burning stove might come in handy later in the year…) come highly recommended, too, and as you’d expect there’s a good wine list with plenty of beers available too, plus cocktails at brunch time. Closed Mondays and Tuesday.
rosebudpub.co.uk
Felix Restaurant Warley & Felix Seafood Grill, Billericay
Not one but two ultra stylish venues at which to enjoy irresistible seafood, beautifully presented, with the opportunity to see and be seen (and with a glass of vintage champagne in your hand, naturally) an added bonus. Felix Warley is an especially jaw-dropping set-up, with what was once a brick-and-tile pub having been transformed into an opulent temple of glass and copper. Glamour at Felix Seafood Grill at Billericay is on a smaller, more casual scale, and with a shorter menu. In both places, though, substance combines with style, thanks to dishes expertly and imaginatively put together to showcase the freshest ingredients: think smoked salmon served with cucumber, chives and a caper salad plus lemon crème fraiche and grilled skate with brown butter. Says Felix’s Kamlesh Raval, ‘We know from social media that our lobster dishes are incredibly popular, but those who prefer a less rich option love our sea bass with spring onions, ginger and soy.’
A three-course set lunch or early supper menu at the restaurants offer good value, and there are tempting dishes for carnivores, plus desserts from fill-your-boots sticky toffee or strawberry jam pudding to a palate-cleansing raspberry sorbet or fruit salad. An extensive wine list holds plenty appealing to discerning drinkers.
Felixrestaurants.co.uk
The Harbour view, Tollesbury
You know what you’re getting here: as its name suggests, a good window-side view of the harbour’s comings and goings at this bright-and-breezy bistro on Tollesbury Marina. Food here comes fresh and home-cooked, starting with breakfasts : the usual fare – but scrambled eggs with smoked salmon is on offer if you’re keeping it fishy. At lunch and dinner, guests can take their pick from traditional seafood sides, from roll mops to crayfish tails and cockles, or plump instead for moules mariniere, breaded scampi or one of Harbour View’s generous seafood platters. We think that the mussel and samphire linguine sounds especially tempting though: fresh steamed mussels in a creamy sauce finished with samphire (a real taste of the sea), plus chilli and Parmesan. Plenty of other dishes here to keep everyone else happy, including burgers and a special children’s menu. Closed Mon and Tues.
the-harbour-view.co.uk
