A new coffee and doughnut restaurant is coming to south Essex.

Canadian chain Tim Hortons has revealed plans to set up its second Essex restaurant in Lakeside before the end of the year.

It forms part of the brand’s plan to open sites in all major UK cities and towns before the end of 2022.

So here is what we know about the chain and what we can expect when it opens its new site at Lakeside:

What do we know about the Lakeside site?

It is expected to create up to 50 new jobs and will come with seating both indoors and outside.

For those customers in a rush, there will be a drive-thru service available.

The seating capacity will be for over 100 customers at any given time, and the menu will also include options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What food and drink does Tim Hortons offer?

Aside from the traditional coffees, Tim Hortons also offers hot chocolates and tea. Cold drinks are on offer too, including milkshakes, iced teas and coffees, along with iced drinks such as lemonades and smoothies.

The food menu has a mix of wraps, rolls, muffins and pancakes for breakfast, along with bagels, chicken and toasties for later in the day.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the menu though is the bakery section, with an array of doughnuts on offer.

Flavours include chocolate brownie, strawberry cheesecake, glazed, Canadian Maple and Boston Cream.

What has the chain said about the new restaurant?

Tim Hortons opened its first site in Essex back in May in Harlow. The Lakeside restaurant will be quickly followed by another site in Braintree.

Speaking about the chain’s plans to expand in Essex, chief commercial officer Kevin Hyde said: “Following an incredibly successful launch in Harlow, we are thrilled to announce a further two openings in Essex later this year - taking our total number of restaurants to three within the county.

"Our openings in Thurrock and Braintree will not only allow us to bring our Canadian charm to the fantastic local community but also to those in East London and the surrounding areas.

"This marks a huge step in bringing our brand closer to home for many of our fans.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for the brand as we continue this period of exponential growth and we’ll be searching for local talent to join us on our journey.

"Our three openings in Essex are providing over 150 job opportunities across the county and we are extremely proud of the training and progression opportunities we offer.

"We look forward to recruiting for a variety of exciting part-time and full-time roles and will be accepting applications immediately via our website.”