I don’t know about you, but nothing makes me happier on a hot day than eating in the sunshine with a glass of wine with the waves rolling in the distance. Leigh on Sea is one of my favourite little towns to visit in the summer, so I wanted to share my favourite places in the surrounding areas.
The recommendations I share with you will always be 100% honest. The food needs to deliver, and so does the ✨ambience✨
Just as a little ‘FYI’ I’m not someone who enjoys places to be absolutely rammed full of people, and I don’t enjoy stuffing my face in the hot sunshine, so If you’re like me and like things peaceful, with a tiny hum of chatter while eating lots of ‘picky bits’, then hopefully you’ll love these spots so, you can relish in the sliver of sun we get as Brits!
The Grove Leigh on Sea
This cute little Bistro has a gorgeous, spacious terrace for you to sit and watch the waves from a height; watching the boats sail by is so relaxing! They offer sharing platters and small plates, which include things like arancini, crispy cod tacos, salt and pepper squid, chicken wings, mac n cheese, garlic bread, black pudding scotch egg (you HAVE to try scotch egg – unreal!).
The platters are cured meat, cheeseboards, and baked camembert, which you can also get alongside the small plates if you’re up for trying it all!
They offer multiple main dishes too, like burgers, fish and chips, steak etc. and have a decent selection of sides and salads and you can order a classic cocktail and sip into the sunset.
WILMAS Leigh on Sea & Rayleigh
Wilmas is a cute little cakery and has become a firm favourite in my family, my niece and nephews love it. They offer all kinds of brownies ( even slutty brownies), which is essentially a brownie sitting on top of cookie dough 👌🏼 blondies, which are my personal fave, especially when they are biscoff flavoured, all kinds of cupcakes from Nutella or Mars to white chocolate and raspberry or milky bar, they even do bespoke birthday cakes, coffee and ice cream. It’s in the prettiest floral setting. I must admit it’s also a great place on a Sunday morning to cure a hangover by getting some sugar and some coffee in your system!
The Boat Yard – Old Leigh
You can’t deny the boat yard is beautiful, the interior is sleek and stunning, and it’s so spacious, including the huuuuge decking where you can sit practically on the sea. They do amazing cocktails – I recommend the old English Garden cocktail. It’s so refreshing, and the sharing platters in the summer or The starters/light bites are great, too (the mango prawns especially).
I will be totally transparent with you, I have tried the burger from here, and it wasn’t a great burger, so I wouldn’t recommend that. The location is beautiful and so perfect for cocktails and a catch-up!
Mad Dogs & Englishmen – Leigh on Sea
The perfect little spot for afternoon tea. This doesn’t have coastal views, but you don’t need them because this place is ✨magic✨. They have the botanical room, described as a magical hidden garden in their cocktail bar, serving a botanical-themed afternoon tea. They have live jazz on certain nights, and in the main tea room, they change the theme every couple of months, but they’ve had harry potter, mary poppins, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast, to name a few, and I have been to some themed afternoon teas, and they can be a little bit tacky, but this isn’t like that at all! It’s super intimate, and the attention to detail is something else!
I am such a savoury girl, so the sandwiches will always be my favourite. The cucumber and mint sarnie and the cheese and onion chutney sandwiches are IT for me. They do cute little entrees to fit the theme, and then the cakes and desserts are usually on brand, so these change. Every time I’ve been, they offer scones too, which I mean, what afternoon tea doesn’t have scones?
Ocean Beach, Southend on Sea
Travel more towards Southend Beach, and you will find Ocean Beach. It is such a cute spot!. I’ve been here far too often; they’re great for little date nights, drinks after work, family breakfast or brunch with the girls. You can sit inside, on the decking (literally sitting ON the beach), or they
have tables, chairs and benches directly on the beach to avoid sitting on the decking and being more on the sand.
They offer a vast selection for breakfast, pancakes, egg benedict, full English, Spanish omelette, smashed avo etc.
For mains, they have plates of pasta, steaks, and ciabattas instead of sandwiches, steak ciabatta, chicken and pancetta ciabattas, you get the drift.
The tapas is the one, though, cajun crab croquettes, garlic chilli prawns, mussels, chicken strips, beef in red wine, Padron peppers, and chicken wings. The list goes on!
I love this place because not only do they do unreal tapas it is in the best location. It’s sat directly on the beach, where you can people-watch, stare and listen at the waves while sipping a large glass of whispering angel – Perfection 👌🏼
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