Hardens Guide to the Best Restaurants in Rochford
Hardens guides have spent 34 years compiling reviews of the best Rochford restaurants. On Hardens.com you'll find details and reviews of 8 restaurants in Rochford and our unique survey based approach to rating and reviewing Rochford restaurants gives you the best insight into the top restaurants in every area and of every type of cuisine.
Featured Rochford Restaurants
1. The Bell Inn
British, Modern restaurant in Horndon on the Hill
High Rd - SS17
Occupying a 15th-century coaching inn with two proper bars and a dedicated restaurant, this “old favourite” has been run by the same family for over 75 years and is “still very good” by all accounts, having helped pioneer the gastroboozer movement back in the 1980s. “Great quality food” of a local and seasonal stripe (venison, lamb, and veggie Wellingtons) and a proper pub vibe make it a real “family favourite”.
2. The Pipe of Port
British, Traditional restaurant in Southend-on-Sea
84 High St - SS1
2024 Review: Sawdust floors and shelves of wine for sale add to the atmosphere of this ‘Wine Merchant & Dining Rooms’ – a Dickensian-style space that’s been a linchpin of the town’s eateries since 1976. It continues to win consistent support for its traditional fare, and is well-suited to business lunches.
3. Food Leigh on Sea
British, Modern restaurant in Leigh-on-Sea
92 Leigh Road - SS9
John Lawson’s ‘no menu’ outfit (there’s always a meat course and a fish course, with veggie alternatives) “has moved away from a vegan format to a healthy-living offering” – meaning gluten-free and dairy-free, “so you don’t come away bloated and filled to the gills with butter and salt”. Everything is locally sourced and super-fresh, resulting in “superbly put-together meals that change regularly”: Michel Roux is a big fan.
4. The Magic Mushroom
British, Modern restaurant in Billericay
Barleylands Road - CM11
2022 Review: Darren Bennett’s stalwart, serving up creative modern British cooking (including a well-regarded afternoon tea) “continues to be reliable in all respects”, whether you stop to take advantage of the set menus or its popular side act as a wedding and events venue.
5. The Blue Strawberry
International restaurant in Hatfield Peverel
The Street - CM3
2024 Review: You “can’t go wrong” at this stalwart off the A12, where a rendered timbered façade gives way to a conservatory and covered patio. For over two decades it has been turning out traditional and consistent cuisine and, as ever, “the Beef Wellington is the pick of the menu”.
6. Pumproom Restaurant at Copper Rivet Distillery
British, Modern restaurant in Chatham
A “seriously dramatic room” plays host to meals in the restored 1873 pump house at Chatham’s historic dockyard on the Medway, which has been converted into a distillery and restaurant by Bob Russell and his sons Matthew & Stephen. Top Menu Tip – “amazing roasts on Sundays”.
7. The Hoop
British, Modern restaurant in Stock
High Street - CM4
2024 Review: This “lovely old Essex pub” with a white wooden facade serves food that is “well above average for pub grub” – and its popularity means it “gets overcrowded and noisy” at times. Originally three weavers’ cottages from 1460, the building was converted two centuries later using beams salvaged from naval vessels docked at Tilbury. Top Menu Tip – “the skate wing is delicious”.
8. Moto Pizza
Pizza restaurant in Chelmsford
24 Baddow Road - CM2
“Pizza that just keeps coming by the slice” remains a big hit at this bottomless Neapolitan concept boosted by locals who “simply love the quality of this all-you-can-eat pizza”. The snazzy interior has a “relaxed” vibe too and for parents, “the delicious pizza is simply adored by the kids and it gets them to try new topping combos!”
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