Welcome to Pubs In Essex

Essex Pub is a blog designed to protomote the local pubs of Essex. This is a community driven blog.

It will help you find local hotspot in Essex. Essex Pub also covers some of the popular eating joints.

Future plan is to maintain a definitive, reliable and customer driven directory for best Pubs in Essex. Provide enhanced search engine to help people find nearest hotspot and encourages them to experience it by themself by visting these pubs. This will be a people driven blog. Let us know about your experience in these pubs and if you feel some pubs deserve to be in this list, let us know about it with your personal experience and how would you rate it on scale of ten points.

Note: This blog is created for educational Purposes by SID: 0903852

The Viper

The Common, Mill Green Road, Mill Green, Ingatestone, Essex, CM4 0PT

The Viper is nestling in thick woodland of Mills Green, camouflaged with wallflowers and hanging baskets, and identifiable by its yellow-painted doors.

The pub has been named The Viper because of the once-abundant reptile colony that thrived in the surround woodland of Mill Green. Locals know the way here very well. During most of the summer morning, dozen of the people wait patiently in the garden for the midday opening.

It is well known for its unique location, its rustic wooden-floored simlicity, and its range of locally made real ales such as:  Oscar Wilde Mild (3.7% abv from Mighty Oak, of Maldon), it also has its own Viper-brand V.I.P.A (3.5%) and perky Jake The Snake (4.0%), as well as Augustinian (4.5%, from Nethergate Brewery, in Suffolk).

Last but not the least the food is excellent and very reasonably priced. This pub is a must visit if you are near by the location.

Our rating based on customer review: 8.7/10

The Old Crown Inn

Lodge Road, Messing, Colchester, Essex, CO5 9TU

The Old Crown in Messing has got to be every villagers dream local.  Good beers, a selection of reasonably priced wines and an ever changing seasonal menu, all served in a relaxed, traditional pub setting that doesn’t have delusions of grandeur.

You will not find the formulaic beech finish tables, laminate flooring and contrasting two tone walls here; this is a pub’s pub.  Think traditional beams, solid dark wood tables, understated simple decor, and carpet.

This is honest, straightforward delicious food, made from the best of locally sourced seasonal produce, expertly cooked to order and presented without fuss.   The dishes available are mainly British, although encompass some welcome modern twists, cooking techniques and European influences that keep the menus interesting and different.

Pop in for a ploughman’s lunch, a hearty dinner, or even a good pint and some home-made bar snacks; their freshly cooked pork scratching and crisps are fabulous.  Great British food in a Great British Pub.

Our rating based on customer review: 7/10

The Woolpack Bar & Bistro

Mill Green Road, Fryerning, Ingatestone, Essex, CM4 0HS

Set away from the maddening crowd in the picturesque village of Fryerning, The Woolpack Bar and Bistro offers a warm and relaxing retreat to while away the hours enjoying a drink and some excellent straightforward food.

The Woolpack was taken over in 2008 by the Jarvis Family who have given the interior a fresh new makeover; white washed walls and contrasting rich aubergine tones give a stylish, contemporary feel to the traditional oak timber frame.   The place oozes laid back appeal and due to its popularity, a definite bistro buzz.

The Bar and Bistro also offers simple and tasty items from their bar menu throughout the day, where you can expect to find tasty snacks including marinated olives or smoked salmon and cream cheese blinis, or how about the good old British favourite of pork scratchings – homemade on the premises.

What with the bar menu, lunch menu, afternoon tea and dinner menus, you could basically turn up to The Woolpack in the morning, make yourself comfortable and eat well all day!

Our rating based on customer review: 8.6/10

The Plough and Sail

East End, Paglesham, Rochford, Essex, SS4 2EQ

The Plough and Sail is situated in rural Paglesham; just 5 miles east of Rochfords main Town Centre and 9 miles north-east of Southend. 

The 300 year old, historic timbered Inn is what I would call a ‘real’ pub, in that it is at the hub of the local community, as many pubs used to be, sponsoring local events including the annual charity clay pigeon shoot - raising money to support essential local charities - and hosting regular social events, including live music and even concerts in the adjacent field.

The décor is traditional and warm, as are the fixtures and fittings, including an attractive open fire and some interesting photographs of the locality throughout the ages.  It’s a great place to sit and enjoy a good pint of well kept ale, or a glass of modestly priced wine, in comfortable and friendly surroundings.  If food is on your agenda, then you will have much to feast your eyes upon.

The daily specials board extends your choice, featuring a number of fresh, seasonal repasts putting the excellent local produce to good use, including a good selection of fresh fish and seafood, treated simply with a minimum of fuss. 

There is ample parking and a pleasant well kept garden to the side of the pub.

Our rating based on customer review: 8/10

The Crown Inn

Little Walden, Essex, CB10 1XA

The Crown is a charming beamed country pub situated in a quiet country village approximately 2 miles outside the picturesque market town of Saffron Walden and a brisk ten minute walk away from Home Farm fishing lake and camping site.
An extensive home cooked menu is available every lunchtime alongside a lighter menu with sandwiches, baguettes and ploughmans. Evening menu is available Tuesday-Saturday. Racked cask stillage is used for dispensing an excellent range of beers, with affordable house wines and hot drinks also available.

If you are fan of Jazz music, you can break up the week by visiting them on Wednesday night and listening to some great live jazz.

Our rating based on customer review: 7.8/10

The Bell Inn

High Road, Stanford-le-Hope, Thurrock, Essex, SS17 8LD

Horndon on the hill is a charming and tranquil village just over half a mile east of Orsett and the same distance west of Stanford Le Hope. Situated towards the end of the high road that runs through the village, is The Bell Inn & Hill House; a 15th Century Coaching Inn.

The Bell has gained a long established reputation for providing excellent food, an extensive selection of well chosen wines, and a variety of well kept real ales; many of them local. The establishment has been owned and run by the same family for over 50 years and there is an evident and justifiable pride in all that they do.

The Bell has all of the character and charm you would expect from a true, aged, traditional Inn; timber panelling, wall to ceiling beams, and an open brick fireplace. A striking feature in the saloon bar, are the rows of hot cross buns hanging from a ceiling beam; the tradition for the eldest (available) member of the community to hang a bun at 1.30pm on Good Friday started in 1906 and continues to this day.

The main bar is separated into two areas. The first, as you walk in, is primarily where you can sit down, have a pleasant drink and read a newspaper, or chat with friends by the open fire. The second is set for relaxed dining, where no booking is necessary. However, if you want a table, I would recommend that you get there early – as near to opening time as possible at weekends – as although 28 covers are accommodated, this area does fill fast.

The daily changing menu offers a selection of fresh seasonal produce, much of it sourced locally, which is carefully crafted into sumptuous dishes. The combination of the modern and traditional styles and flavours, make for some wonderfully imaginative and memorable repasts. The prices are reasonable and the quality is high. I have regularly dined at The Bell for the past fifteen years and have never been disappointed.

The wine list is beyond extensive, with a superb choice of over 100 International wines, from a crisp, fruity Muscadet Sur Lie Chateau La Noe, 2005, at £14.95, to a ripe, robust and exquisitely well-balanced Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint-Julien, 1982, at £175.00. There is also a good choice of wines by the half-bottle and 16 by the glass. As you may ascertain, good wine is a passion at The Bell.

Our rating based on customer review: 8.9/10

The Sun Inn

High St  Colchester CO7 6DF

In picturesque Dedham, this sunshine-yellow coaching inn dates back to the 15th century. These days, it's much the same, real ales, a daily-changing menu and a great community vibe which are the heart of this pub. It’s an ideal spot to revive yourself with a pint of Brewer's Gold and there's always a welcoming smile.

Locals can be found having their usual in the afternoon, while families take over at weekends and during the school holidays. If it's sunny, you can find a dappled patch in the mature beer garden. If it rains, you can stay indoors and lift the lid on some vintage board games.

The food gets daily deliveries from local farms and fishermen to meet the demand of daily-changing menu that is governed by the seasons. Depending on your hunger levels, you can choose between sirloin steak (£17), risotto (£8.50) or sandwiches (£6.75). And, if you have kiddies in tow, you'll be pleased to know there's a decent menu for them. Prices range from £6.50-£8.50 depending on their age/appetite!

Our rating based on customer review: 8/10

The Thatchers Arms

Mount Bures  Bures, Colchester, Essex CO8 5AT

There are pub dogs and then there is Dylan, resident hound at the Thatchers Arms, a belter of a village pub in the middle of rural nirvana on the Suffolk border.

The black Labrador ambles about the bar, tail swinging lazily, looking for the next victim for his well-practised seduction routine. And who can resist him when he sits next to you, looks up with those melting eyes and puts his paw ever so delicately on your leg?

The Thatchers Arms is also pretty irresistible, even though first impressions suggest otherwise. From outside it looks unremarkable. But looks can deceive and perseverance is the key. To pass on by would be a shame, for this is an establishment you really shouldn’t miss. It hosts each of the holy trinity of pub life: good food, divine drink and heavenly company.

The main bar is light and airy, comfortable and modern without going down the Ikea casual décor route. There’s a garden room to the right and what could have been the old lounge stretches out to the left. There’s another area at the back of the bar that doubles up as dining room and on Thursday nights a cinema. With a bar billiards table sitting next to a piano, a lot goes on here.

Our rating based on customer review: 8.4/10