Essex Restaurants

Camelot Restaurant

The mere mention of Camelot conjures up much mythological mystery with images of Excalibur, Holy Grail, round table and King Arthur and his wife Guinevere, but within the plush confines of the Five Lakes Hotel is a namesake restaurant better known for its classic-chic décor and calm atmosphere.

• Address: Five Lakes Hotel, Golf, Country Club & Spa, Colchester Road, Tolleshunt Knights, nr Maldon, CM9 8HX (Map)
• Cuisine(s): European, Modern British
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £38.00

Caraway Indian Brasserie

• Address: 513-519 Cranbrook Road, Gantshill, Ilford, IG2 6HA (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Indian
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £15.00, Dinner: £20.00

Clocktower - Epping

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.

• Address: 4 Station Road, Epping, CM16 4HA (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Bistro, Modern European, British
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £15.00, Dinner: £29.00

Cock Inn, The

Located in the lovely village of Polstead, The Cock Inn overlooks the village green and inside the décor is brimming with a rustic appeal with brick walls and wooden furniture. For all those special occasions head to the restaurant's well-furnished extension or the marquee in the garden.

• Address: The Green Polstead, Colchester, CO6 5AL (Map)
• Cuisine(s): British
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £15.00, Dinner: £24.00

Company Shed, The

So you fancy a touch of authenticity? It doesn't come much more authentic than The Company Shed, particularly on a chilly day in winter, with the tides running fast and the wind in the landlocked rigging.

• Address: 129 Coast Road, West Mersea, Colchester, CO5 8PA (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Seafood
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £16.00

Contented Sole, The

Trust The Contented Sole to 'put the sole back into Burnham', as they prefer to describe themselves. This Andrew Hemingway - Stuart Burbidge venture's palpable commitment to local produce and exceptional food at reasonable prices is commendable, even their mentors Michael Roux and Antony Worrall Thompson may silently nod in approval.

• Address: 80 High Street, Burnham-on-Crouch, CM0 8AA (Map)
• Cuisine(s): International
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £20.00, Dinner: £32.00

Copacabana Bar and Grill

This restaurant has to be unique in Colchester as I cannot imagine another Churrasco place, Brazilian BBQ at its best, anywhere around there. They specialise in serving long skewers of beef, chicken, pork, lamb, ribs, which are basted with traditional marinades and then gently roasted over a pit of glowing coals.

• Address: 62 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1DN (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Brazilian
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £14.00, Dinner: £24.00

Cricketers, The

There are those who believe that this rather attractive old pub depends too much upon its status as the place where the parents of a certain Jamie Oliver taught their son to cook, and who now run the place.

• Address: Wicken Road, Clavering, nr Saffron Walden, CB11 4QT (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Modern European
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £35.00

Crofters Brasserie

With distinctive flair, Richard Forbes and David Whitnell have created at Crofters Brasserie a pleasant, innovative style encapsulated in their menu and wine list, all aided and abetted by a casual, laidback atmosphere, making the whole a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

• Address: 25 Maldon Road, Witham, CM8 2AA (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Modern British
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: £20.00, Dinner: £30.00

Crown and Thistle, The

• Address: High Street, Great Chesterford, Saffron Walden, CB10 1PL  (Map)
• Cuisine(s): Gastropub
• Avg. Cost Per Head Lunch: N/A, Dinner: £33.00