The Royal Hotel is one of the most significant buildings in Southend-on-Sea, built in 1791, it’s a listed building steeped in history. Back in the early 1800s, the hotel was frequented by royalty and leading societal figures… If only walls could talk! Its period features and charm make it an important building of Southend, along with other Victorian delights such as Southend Pier and the iconic Kursaal building.
In October 2015, The Royal Hotel underwent a huge refurbishment and all thanks to the Garrett family. They took over the shabby (not so chic) premises, left for disrepair, and turned it into a decadent à la carte restaurant, lounge and cocktail bar. The grand unveiling of this painstaking refurbishment — which still retains many original features — took place earlier this year when The Royal Hotel opened it’s doors to the public.
I’ve walked past many times since the refurbishment, and seen the chandeliers shimmering in the light, and to my delight, I had the pleasure of visiting the Royal Hotel for myself last weekend. It was truly a Sunday well spent, sampling some of their finest dishes and sipping on delicious cocktails with my Dad, Alan.
3 Courses of Splendour
We were seated in the bright and airy ballroom by wonderfully attentive waiting staff and were able to browse the menu whilst looking out of the beautiful sash windows to an epic sea view.
Our food was delicious to say the very least, for starters I tried the wild mushroom fricassee on toasted garlic and rosemary focaccia bread, whilst my Dad sampled the chicken and herb liver pate served with caramelised onion jam and mixed breads.
For mains, I had a colourful concoction of spicy cous cous stuffed tomato with Welsh rarebit and herb crusted poach egg, which was utterly flawless, my dad went for the more traditional lamb Sunday roast, which came with generous side portions of fresh broccoli, green beans and cauliflower cheese, he was extremely happy with his choice.
For dessert, we indulged further, I opted for the chocolate brownie, mint chocolate ice cream, and pistachio praline, whilst my Dad tried the sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce, Jack Daniels and Fudge ice cream in a brandy snap basket, both of which were heavenly! I love chocolate and have a seriously sweet tooth, so for me, this was ultimately my favourite course.
It’s no wonder the food was so tasty given that The Royal Hotel have appointed an award-winning Head Chef, taking their menus to a whole new level, and hands down beating any other restaurant in Southend.
Cocktails on a Sunday… why not?
After our three courses, we were taken down to the cocktail bar to enjoy more sea views in a cosy yet classic setting. I really enjoyed the atmosphere in the bar, and found it fascinating to watch the cocktails being made from scratch. The cocktails are far from mediocre, they’re painstakingly put together with the finest detail ensuring the very best of flavours. I tried the creamy and indulgent Amaretto Sour cocktail and my Dad went for a fresh and minty Mojito. It was such a great way to wind down on a Sunday.
Score out of 10…
A definite 10 out of 10! Simply delicious food in a stunning setting, not to mention the sophisticated atmosphere and efficient staff. It’s great to see a family with vision, restore a beautiful building to its former glory, complete with such elegance and grandeur.
If you’re thinking of dining at the Royal Hotel, I would certainly recommend taking the opportunity to visit this fabulous establishment, it’s a real treat and a great way to spend the afternoon or evening. As for me, I’m already planning my next visit, this time to try the afternoon tea and I can’t wait!
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