Restaurants across Essex are enjoying the sweet taste of success after making it into the Good Food Guide for 2020.

Waitrose publishes the annual guide which outlines its foodie front runners across the British Isles.

A total of 11 establishments across the county have made it on to the list - including two which are new entries.

Elizabeth Carter, editor of The Good Food Guide, said: “Seven decades of publication have given The Good Food Guide a unique insight into eating out in Britain.

“And the more we conduct our lives online, the more we look for care, provenance and thoughtfulness – especially when it comes to food.

“With diners increasingly looking for flexible eating options and value for money, there has been a surge in inexpensive cafés and restaurants that rank quality of ingredients above all else.

“Small, owner-run dining rooms across the country provide clear examples of how they can and do work in direct opposition to the pizza-burger overload on the British high street.”

The Essex restaurants which made the list include:

The Sun Inn, Dedham

The Sun is a former coaching inn and dates back to the 15th century.

The menu varies throughout the month with produce off Mersea day boats, meat from rare breed animals, wild game in season and vegetables and fruit the morning they’re picked.

It is a partner restaurant with the Church Street Tavern.

Le Talbooth, Dedham

Le Tabooth is part of the Milsoms Hotel brand and sits beside the River Stour.

The menu includes “citrus cured hand dived scallops with dill gremolata, keta caviar and pickled ginger, or Thetford Forest venison carpaccio, mustard croquette, golden beetroot and apple.”

The Mistley Thorn, Mistley

Seafood is a speciality, with Mersea oysters available year-round and Colchester natives, when in season.

All-day Sunday lunch features roast Red Poll beef and other offerings such as Suffolk chicken, seafood and vegetarian and vegan offerings.

West Mersea Oyster Bar, West Mersea

It offers quality fresh fish and seafood dishes including the famed Colchester and Mersea oysters.

The oysters are bred in the creeks of West Mersea and then processed in the shed that is on the side of the restaurant.

Church Street Tavern, Colchester

Church Street Tavern opened in 2014 as a tavern with ground floor bar and lounge and first floor restaurant serving simple, freshly prepared, wholesome food.