A family-run restaurant in Essex has been named one of the best in the country.
OpenTable has revealed its annual picks for the top 100 restaurants in the UK, determining the top restaurants across the country.
It is compiled by analysing more than 780,000 diner reviews, ratings, reservation demand and percentage of five-star reviews.
Other factors include the number of alerts set and the percentage of capacity and direct searches, with everything weighted to comprise an overall score.
Lot Bar & Restaurant Essex named among UK's top 100
Making the list by OpenTable was Lot Bar & Restaurant, in Shenfield, Brentwood.
The only spot in Essex to make the list, the restaurant is a family-run business, "serving fresh food in the evenings since 2005".
Its website says: "Our Head Chef, Aaron Hardy, has been with us from the start, creating menu staples such as King Prawn Linguine to innovative specials like roast haunch of venison.
"All our food is made on the premises from scratch, everything we serve has been made by us and cooked by us, and not simply opened from a packet and warmed up.
"We believe in using where possible, local produce from small businesses so that we can keep small independent companies like ourselves in business."
On the top 100 list, Sasha Shaker, Senior Director at OpenTable in the UK and Ireland, said: "Dining has become about far more than what’s on the plate this year.
"It’s about connection and creating unforgettable moments together, with new research showing that 79% of Brits say eating out helps them feel more connected to others.
"With Brits set to dine out six times a month on average in 2026, we’re confident that restaurants will remain at the heart of the UK’s social scene in the year ahead."
What are reviews like for the Lot Bar & Restaurant?
The restaurant is rated a 3.5/5 on Tripadvisor , a 4.4/5 on Google reviews and a 4.8 on OpenTable.
A review summary on OpenTable says that Lot Bar & Restaurant offers a "great selection of food with great quality produce" and "excellent service".
It adds that the atmosphere is "lovely," and the staff is "always friendly and accommodating".
One on Tripadvisor said: "Went here this evening to see what it was like and was warmly greeted by the staff and seated very quickly.
"The staff were very friendly and attentive, the wines were really good and the Sunday roast was one of the best we’ve ever had.
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"I’m very fussy when it comes to roast dinners and honestly, it was insane! We will certainly be back!"
Another reads: "Great lunch with friends.
"From our reception when we arrived to our departure, all the staff were friendly and helpful, the food was great, atmosphere was relaxed. I’m sure we will be back."
