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Nestled amongst the shops and boutiques on Epping's bustling High Street, The George and Dragon delivers a premium dining experience in elegant surroundings in the heart of this leafy Essex town. With Epping Forest on the doorstep, and both Theydon Bois and Epping Golf courses just short drive away, the pub is the perfect place to recharge your batteries after a bracing country walk or a round of golf. An excellent modern British menu with Mediterranean influences delights the palate while a range of expertly kept cask ales, chilled draught and bottled beers, and a superb wine list will quench your thirst.
 
Each day of the week there's something exciting going on at The George and Dragon. On Wednesdays, steak lovers can look forward to enjoying a range of superb 21-day matured steaks with a generous 50% discount on a bottle of red wine. Enliven your Thursdays with a tempting range of sparkling wines including creamy Proseccos, vibrant Reserve de Sours Rose Sparkling and luxurious Moet offered at special rates. Fish Fridays invites customers to indulge in a range of delicious fresh fish and seafood dishes put together by the talented kitchen team, while the delectable roasts on Sundays make for the perfect weekend treat.

A large courtyard offers plenty of outside seating, perfect for al fresco dining in the summer, while the bright and airy bar also boasts a cozy real log fire in the winter. Diners can enjoy a reviving aperitif at the bar before wandering through to restaurant area, alternatively you could choose a quick snack or main course from the bar menu.

The seasonally changing à la carte, made with the finest fresh ingredients, matches style with substance and delivers a range of Mediterranean influenced sharing platters including lamb koftas served with flatbreads, chilli jam, and tzatziki. Alternatively you could choose an individual starter including a zingy smoked haddock kedgeree with poached egg. 

The mains selection includes a range of hearty selections, from the traditional favourite of freshly battered haddock with chips, tartare sauce and minted mushy peas to more exotic fare such as duck confit with honey, chilli, pineapple, shallots, sweet potato and butter beans. The grill delivers spit chicken with lemon, garlic, thyme and chips; black and blue burger with dolcelatte, mushroom and chips and fillet steak garni with watercress, confit tomato, grilled mushroom and hand-cut jenga chips. There are also a number of lighter options including chermoula spiced mackerel served with a salad of potato, orange, olives and fennel.

Vegetarians have not been forgotten at The George and Dragon and they can look forward to equally delicious dishes such as box baked camembert with stirata Romana bread and homemade tomato jam, salad of spiced pear, roast squash, beetroot, hazelnut and gorgonzola with tomato pesto and cannelloni al forno with spinach, butternut squash, ricotta and tomato sauce. Where many 'gastro pubs' may neglect the weekday lunch crowd, the George and Dragon display admirable commitment to excellence with their two-course prix fixe menu that changes weekly and could include starter of butternut squash risotto followed by ham hock served with creamy mustard mash.

You can of course opt for a main and a dessert and who could blame you with temptations such as Black Forest tiramisu; white chocolate crème brûlée; bourbon and raisin pudding with vanilla ice cream and limoncello posset with langues de chat biscuits to round it all off perfectly. 

The carefully compiled wine list boasts a variety of first-rate white and red wines drawn from all over the world and including classics such as zesty Pinot Grigio from Italy, meaty Spanish Rioja and a lovely Viognier Rothschild from France.

You might also want to consider visiting nearby sister pubs The Goffs Oak or The Dukes Head.

More information can be found on their Website.

Prezzo has been delighting diners for over eight years, and this Italian restaurant chain has since been able to expand throughout large parts of England and Scotland with some 141 outlets.

Interestingly, the company seeks to restore either impressive buildings or ones of local interest. The conversion of the Newbury library and other listed buildings, such as those in Salisbury, Romsey and Mayfair, are all welcome examples of 'new use'. Their trendy and sophisticated décor usually consists of tiled or wooden floors with delicate lights and colourful paintings, along with wooden furniture and sparkling cutlery, creating a setting that is suitable for a relaxed lunch, a family meal or an evening out with friends.

The restaurants are of particular appeal to those who like genuine Italian cuisine, and they use only the best seasonal products, many of which are imported directly from Italy. The menu includes pizza, pasta, risotto, grilled meats, fresh salads and frequently changing specials.

The freshly baked breads, like the garlic bread with mozzarella cheese, are perfect for sharing and give you adequate breathing space to order starters to follow. Crab cakes served with garlic mayonnaise or grilled goat's cheese with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on foccacia bread with a balsamic glaze set the tone for a hearty meal. Best fun is to order an antipasto platter to share made up from seven well loved Italian nibbles.

Find pastas such as the unusual penne con salmone, with oak-roasted salmon, broccoli and fresh chillies in a red pesto and cream sauce, or firm favourites like spaghetti with meatballs, spaghetti Bolognese, and fusilli al pesto, asparagus spears with field mushrooms and roasted peppers in a basil pesto sauce.

Amongst the special pastas, the pollo mariano, seasoned chicken, pepperoni sausage, roasted peppers and fusilli in tomato sauce, is interesting and different. Italian menus would be incomplete without risotto, like tiger prawns with petits pois in a creamy saffron sauce.

Classic pizzas embrace, among a wide selection, the popular napoletana, topped with yellowfin tuna, tomato, white anchovies, capers, red onion, mozzarella and marinated olives, and the much loved quattro stagioni - pepperoni sausage, prosciutto ham, artichoke, field mushrooms, capers, marinated olives, mozzarella and tomato.

Specials could include the pollo Siciliana, char-grilled chicken breast, prosciutto ham and plum tomato slices, baked with their blend of cheese, only one example from the many tempting offerings that come out from the Prezzo kitchens.

You can accompany the food with a variety of tipples, though for many, Italian food requires Italian wines to be enjoyed to the full, ranging from house wine through Morellino di Scansano and Prosecco to liqueurs and beer, and there is espresso or fresh ground coffee to wind up an enjoyable meal, in company with a glass of grappa or sambuca.

This is Italian food at its attractive best, convincing and bringing together the traditional with the modern twist or two against a background of excellent value.

Prezzo is a lively group and opportunities to improve and update are never left on the table for long. Keep up to date with a quick click on their Website.

If big restaurant chains have their loyalists, so do the little ones, seldom failing to please the palates of hungry diners. Clocktower is a lively town centre restaurant, under ten minutes, on foot, from the underground station and picturesque Epping Forest.

Their dedication to providing delicious food shines through simple dishes such as chicken liver terrine with red onion marmalade and toast, grilled fishcakes, lemon grass infused baked sea bass, or penne pasta tossed with vine tomatoes, basil and garlic. A traditional Sunday roast is served from 12 noon, and if you have any dietary requirements, they are always happy to help.

Dine or just relax and cool down with a few drinks in the heated garden terrace situated to the rear of the restaurant. A lively wine list should meet most tastes.

Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

New Orleans, ravaged in 2005 by hurricane Katrina, is now full of beans with plenty of food, jazz and Mardi Gras celebrations happening there. Taking a cue from the city's genuine sense of joie de vivre, Old Orleans celebrates the enthusiasm and authentic tastes of the Deep South. Latching on to the Crescent City style theme, the atmosphere across 14 restaurants in the UK is cheerful and lively with a menu well fuelled by classic Louisiana and Cajun dishes.

Catfish or squid bites, chicken tenders, black and blue mushrooms, and Caesar's salad will be the first thing you'll notice, closely followed by a Louisiana sampler of grilled chicken breast skewers, rustic cornbread, potato skins, hot and spicy wings, coconut shrimps, dusted squid and mini pork riblets, plus a BBQ sauce and sour cream dip.

For lovers of cocktail, ice cream and sliders there's a wide spread indeed and cocktail specialties include Hurricane, Serendipity and Screaming Banana Banshee. Little diners at Old Orleans are also well catered for with a special menu designed to suit their allegedly tiny appetites.