Essex is blessed to have many great eateries, but some have gone one step further and been named in the Michelin Guide.
The Michelin Guide is a prestigious series of guidebooks, published by the French tyre company Michelin, that rates restaurants and hotels globally, famous for its star system (one to three stars) for culinary excellence.
It is judged anonymously by inspectors on the quality of ingredients, flavour, technique, chef's personality, and consistency.
While Michelin stars rate the quality of food, the Michelin Guide recommends more broadly, covering entire cities and countries to highlight local dining establishments.
As well as stars, there are Bib Gourmands, named after the Michelin Man (Bibendum), which recognise restaurants offering good food at moderate prices.
Here are the 10 restaurants across Essex named in the Michelin Guide, with two having either a Michelin Star or a Bib Gourmand award.
Michelin restaurants in Essex you need to visit in 2026
Stark in East Mersea has Essex's only Michelin star, with the Galvin Green Man in Great Waltham, Chelmsford, having a Bib Gourmand award.
In total, there are 10 restaurants in Essex named in the Michelin Guide, which are:
- Food Leigh-On-Sea - Leigh
- Talbooth - Dedham
- The White Hart Inn - West Mersea
- Rubino Kitchen - Inworth
- Church Street Tavern - Colchester
- The Windmill - Little Waltham
- Galvin Green Man - Great Waltham
- Sun Inn - Dedham
- Stark - East Mersea
- Kintsu - Colchester
Kintsu in Colchester is the newest Essex addition to the Michelin Guide.
The fine dining restaurant announced its shock closure after four years in May of this year.
The restaurant was already honoured for its dishes with three AA rosettes and was previously featured in the Michelin Guide.
Due to the constant and increasing pressures, a “perfect storm” as owner Paul Wendholt called it, he decided to close the restaurant.
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However, in a surprise announcement on social media in August, just three months later, Kintsu announced it was reopening.
The restaurant's post stated: "After just over three months away and some much-needed time of rest, reflection, and re-balancing, we're coming back. With everything that once made us so great and more besides."
With it reopening, it was re-added to the Michelin Guide.
