A unique restaurant in Leigh renowned for its themed tea room experiences is the only restaurant in Essex named among the very best in the UK by OpenTable.

OpenTable has named its top 100 restaurants in the country for 2023, compiled from more than 1.2 million diner reviews.

Using dining metrics including ratings, percentage of reservations made in advance, and five-star reviews, the list highlights some of the top spots favoured by diners this year.

Mad Dogs and Englishmen, in Leigh's London Road, was the only restaurant in the county named in the top 100 list thanks to its 4.8-star rating from more than 2,300 reviews.

The family owned and run business has been working passionately in Leigh for more than 30 years, and their venue offers something for everyone with their three themed rooms; The Parlour Tea Room, the fairy-lit cocktail bar in The Botanical Rooms and The Piano Lounge alongside the whisky bar.

The restaurant also regularly hosts "magical" themed experiences, with their current Christmas-themed Narnia experience proving a hit with customers. Diners step through the wardrobe and into the snow-covered world of Narnia with fairy lights, fur and an afternoon tea extraordinaire.

One OpenTable reviewer wrote: "Had a really nice experience at Mad Dogs and Englishmen. Went for my daughter's birthday and it was truly beautiful, they have all put so much effort in to making the tea room look beautiful with all the waitresses all dressed up - it was a truly a wonderful afternoon tea in Narnia."

A regular added: "One of my favourite places to go! Always a wow factor and blown away by the attention to detail! Good, always amazing."

OpenTable is an online restaurant-reservation service company which also allows diners to leave reviews and publishes annual top 100 lists, best romantic restaurants, and more.