Alec’s Restaurant Bar & Grill

With its “great good, superb service and smart ambience”, fans reckon that Alec’s is “very much London fine-dining… but not in London”. What was the Green Man pub, some three miles outside Brentwood, has been carefully restored by Essex restaurateur Alec Smith, who has created an atmospheric venue with spiral staircases, spacious dining rooms and roaring fires in winter – plus an alfresco space for summer days. The kitchen cherry-picks from the world’s cuisines for an international menu that majors on seafood – think crab ravioli with asparagus, tomato and lemon dressing, roast turbot on samphire with hollandaise or steamed wild sea bass with ginger and soy. There are also plenty of “perfectly executed” dishes for meat eaters, from veal milanese to variations on the surf ‘n’ turf theme, while desserts such as jam sponge pudding and caramel cheesecake are built for comfort. Meanwhile, Champagne cocktails go down a storm with the sophisticates in the lounge.  

Alec’s Restaurant opened its doors in 2010, and has grown to be a well loved fish restaurant in Essex, attracting locals and visitors alike. Known for its commitment to quality ingredients, great service and for adhering to the MSC code of conduct for sustainably sourced seafood, Alec’s is well worth a visit if you find yourself in the Brentwood area.

At Alec’s, you can enjoy a delicious dinner, relax in the inviting lounge or bar area, and savour a great bottle of wine or a signature cocktail. In the winter, you can enjoy sitting by the roaring open fire, whereas in the summer, the outdoor dining area is great for soaking up the sunshine. Although specialising in seafood and offering some of the finest shellfish, the menu also offers plenty of non-seafood dishes, ensuring everyone is catered for.

The a la carte menu changes seasonally, but you can usually expect to see a range of hot and cold starters, followed by mains, sides and dessert. Kick off with jellied eels with bread and butter; king prawn cocktail with lemon and Marie Rose sauce; or arancini with wild mushrooms, truffle oil, parmesan and butternut squash puree.

Main courses are split into day boat fish options, shellfish, meat and vegetarian options. Choose from Peterhead cod with tartare sauce, whole Dover sole and Scottish salmon fillet, to the salt marsh lamb rump with harissa, coriander hummus and pomegranate, and a Suffolk pork belly served with Bramley apples, pommery grain mustard and morteau sausage. On the side, enjoy dauphinoise potatoes, maple heritage carrots and Brussels sprouts with shallots and bacon, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Dessert keeps things classic, with creme brulee, tiramisu, or strawberry cheesecake. You'll also find lunch and dinner set menus on offer, as well as an extensive wine list and signature cocktails.