Whether you’re looking for five-star dining, cheap eats, or foods catering to vegan and gluten-free eaters, Essex has it all.
This student guide offers all the best places to eat in Essex on a platter, so as you travel around the country during your time at University, you can enjoy some of the best that Essex has to offer.
While a lot of these restaurants and cafes are dotted around Essex as a whole, students living at the University of Essex, or in private accommodation like Avon Way House, will find a number of great places to eat right on their doorstep. For even more delightful food based in Colchester, students should read our Best Places to Eat In Colchester blog, too.
Cheap Eats Around Essex
1. Beans and Bagels
Delicious food at great prices, that’s what Beans & Bagels has to offer!
Their philosophy is to offer a fun, ethical and welcoming cafe for everyone. They offer a range of healthy options using locally sourced produce, and friendly staff will always invite you in with a smile.
Students who come across Beans and Bagels on their travels will find a highly affordable spot that offers everything from bagels to afternoon tea.
Location: De Burgh House, Market Rd, Wickford SS12 0BA
2. Sarah’s Creative Chocolate Kitchen
Sarah’s Creative Chocolate Kitchen offers a unique experience for visitors, with a small restaurant offering a wide range of breakfast and lunch foods.
Alongside the restaurant, this unique business also offers a shop and workshops around chocolate making.
Diners can book ahead and enjoy exquisite afternoon teas, and vegans and vegetarians will also feel at home here, with a menu dedicated directly to them.
Location: 83 Rayleigh Rd, Eastwood, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 5UZ
3. The Hub Farm Shop & Light Bites
The Hub Farm Shop & Light Bites is all about bringing everyone together to enjoy London restaurant quality food, while offering a fantastic service, at some great prices.
Students should pay a visit to the Hub Farm Shop for their Breakfast and Lunch deals to find some of the most delicious and affordable food in Essex.
They serve everything from full English breakfasts to ‘Pizettes’, and if you’re not feeling too peckish, you can even just stop in for some coffee and cake!
Location: Warners Farm, 1 The Courtyard, Main Rd, Howe Street, Chelmsford CM3 1BL
4. Maxwells
Maxwells aim is to provide one service – fresh food, at fantastic prices!
This is the ideal space to stop in with friends while paying a visit to Southend-on-Sea. They provide all types of delicious hot and cold foods, so you find something no matter what the seaside weather throws at you!
Customers can enjoy new specials changed weekly, and vegans and vegetarians will also enjoy Maxwells’ range of foods. Students will find all of Maxwells food to be under £10, perfect for pinching a few pennies on your trip!
Location: 11 Queens Rd, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1LT
5. Cafe No.11
Cafe No.11 is a beautiful restaurant in Rayleigh that offers a fantastic range of foods and drinks for the student with a broad palette!
Meals from all across the world are available here, so there’s always something new to try. Students will find the food well priced as well, so they can enjoy flavours from all over while keeping to a budget.
Cafe No.11 is also proud to work alongside local suppliers, and uses local fresh produce throughout their food wherever they can.
Location: 11 London Rd, Rayleigh SS6 9HN
6. Dr Chippy’s
Dr Chippy’s is an easy to reach place to eat for all University of Essex students. Sat in the heart of Colchester, Dr Chippy’s offers the excellent classic fish and chip shop food you would expect to find throughout the UK, and at great prices too!
Students will also enjoy a dedicated student special – perfect for enjoying these classic British dishes while exploring their new University home.
Location: 3 St Botolph’s, Colchester CO2 7DX
Vegan and Vegetarian Friendly options
1. The Oaktree Vegan Restaurant
The Oaktree Vegan Restaurant is, as you’d expect, completely vegan! This restaurant offers a great range of light bites and cakes, and the restaurant itself has a full vegan menu made with fresh ingredients. Even the drinks at the Oaktree Vegan Restaurant are vegan, offering a truly plant-based offering.
This restaurant, owned and run by passionate vegans and vegetarians, is in the beautiful town of Leigh-on-Sea, just out of Southend-on-Sea.
Location: 75 Leigh Rd, Leigh-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 1JN
2. Banana Tree
Banana Tree is a quick and easy 5 minute walk from Chelmsford train station, and offers a host of pan-Asian meals that will appease the hungriest of vegans and vegetarians.
Banana Tree offers a relaxed atmosphere as soon as you step inside. Customers will find comfortable hammock chairs as well as a tropical bar, offering a taste of that holiday experience that we all love.
Vegans and vegetarians will enjoy the wide variety of delicious dishes on offer from the regular and vegan-specific menus, which includes favourites like gyoza, spring rolls and laksa soup.
Students will love the loyalty card system offered by Banana Tree, which could eventually get your free meals and desserts!
Location: 25-27 Exchange Way, Chelmsford CM1 1XD
3. Stoked Vegan BBQ
Stoked Vegan BBQ offers some of the most delicious looking vegan food ever photographed!
This unique restaurant offers everything a bbq lover could ever want, including mushroom hot wings, racks of tempeh ribs, seitan crispy chicken tenders, and more! Even the beers at Stoked are carefully selected and imported for vegan tastes.
Alongside its regular vegan bbq offering, Stoked also holds regular theme fine dining and theme nights, so you can really expand your palette!
Location: 787 London Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9SU
4. The Olive Branch
The Olive Branch is a beautiful Syrian Cafe based in Wivenhoe, not too far from the Avon Way House or University of Essex!
This cafe offers a full vegetarian menu, with delicious offerings in the way of falafel, hummus, baba ghanouj and halloumi.
Vegans are also well catered for, and will enjoy the range of plant-based foods on offer.
Location: 1a Station Rd, Wivenhoe, Colchester CO7 9DH
Top five Essex restaurants from Harden’s restaurant guide
1. Smith’s Ongar
Smith’s of Ongar is famous throughout Essex for its fantastic array of fish dishes, made with fresh ingredients all sustainable sourced.
Smith’s prides itself on a high-level of service, with staff all provided regular taster days of food and wine, so they can suggest stunning combinations for guests.
You will also find Smith’s own brand of bitter and ale on tap, made through the Brentwood Brewery. Perfect for enjoying surrounded by the exposed brickwork and roaring fire.
Location: Fyfield Rd, Chipping Ongar, Ongar CM5 0AL
2. Pig & Whistle Restaurant
The Pig & Whistle prides itself on its intimate atmosphere aimed at adults looking for a romantic evening.
This restaurant finds the balance between cosy and private nooks to dine in and beautiful areas exposed in the sunshine. They provide seasonal menus alongside stunning wines and other local drinks to keep everyone well fed with the best of Essex.
The Pig & Whistle is also the proud owner of a Muddy Stiletto’s award for Best Restaurant in Essex in 2022.
Location: Chignal Road, Chelmsford CM1 4SZ
3. The Bell Inn
Run by the same family for over 75 years, The Bell Inn is well known for its character and charm.
This location provides a warm and friendly pub atmosphere alongside some of the best food in Essex with an extensive menu that changes daily, using local and seasonal produce where it can.
In fact, the food is so good, The Bell Inn has been recommended in The Sunday Times Food List and The Good Pub Guide!
Location: High Road Horndon on the Hill, Stanford-le-Hope SS17 8LD
4. The Magic Mushroom
The Magic Mushroom restaurant provides a unique dining experience, offering a range of contemporary dishes inspired by local cuisine.
Guests will find a diverse range of foods, including vegan and vegetarian dishes, with each meal presented with the utmost care, and bursting with flavour.
The Magic Mushroom also offers an incredible range of wines and cocktails, all of which are hand-picked by expert mixologists and sommeliers. The staff will also help you find the best drink to complement your meal too, so you’re certain to have a truly delicious experience.
Location: Barleylands Road, Billericay CM11 2UD
5. Food Leigh
Food Leigh on Sea is a charming restaurant that offers a unique dining experience. Utilising its ingredients to the full, Food Leigh on Sea offers a delicious and innovative menu served in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The extensive menu at Food Leigh on Sea is inspired by international cuisine, with a focus on using fresh, locally-sourced and seasonal ingredients. Diners can enjoy a variety of dishes, from classic British favourites like fish and chips to more exotic options like Thai green curry.
An extensive wine list is also available, featuring wines from around the world. With its fantastic food, friendly service, and cosy atmosphere, it’s no wonder that Foodleigh on Sea is a favourite among locals and visitors alike.
Location: 92 Leigh Road, Leigh on Sea, SS9 1BU
Be sure to view the rest of the Harden’s Food Guide to see more from the incredible restaurants available throughout Essex.
What else is there to enjoy in Colchester and the surrounding area?
There’s plenty more for students to enjoy in Colchester and beyond!
Be sure to view our blogs on The best pubs in Colchester for students, Essex Uni Nightlife, and Living in Colchester: The Complete Student Guide for all the latest great places to eat and drink around Essex, as well as entertainment to be found around the University of Essex and Colchester.
Budget-savvy and low or no-income students will also find a lot of helpful information in our Colchester Living Costs guide, which provides a number of ways you can save money and budget. Perfect for when you’re ready to step out and enjoy wider Essex!
Living in Colchester
Excited about the prospect of sampling food from all the delicious restaurants listed above? Make the University of Essex your choice for further education, and experience it all only a short journey away.
Beyond The Box specialises in the student accommodation in Colchester, offering student apartments and living quarters made with students in mind. You can find any room type you require, from 2-bed, 3-bed, 4-bed, 5-bed and 6-bed apartments, to studio apartments with countryside views, all with plenty of room to bring everything you need.
Get in touch today if you’d like to discuss moving to our Colchester student accommodation at Avon Way House, or view our list of available rooms now.