Blue Strawberry Bistrot

The quality of fare and service is always spot on. Our go to place if you wish to guarantee a good meal.

I’m a Chelmsford boy born and bred, and while I now live in New York my parents still live there, and The Blue Strawberry and The Dog & Gun are our two life long staples for high quality food, in a friendly and quaint environment. To give you an idea of their style, on the last visit (the day before I flew back to the US after a holiday in Essex) with my parents we were having pre-​dinner drinks in the bar, the staff overheard us discussing this as my farewell meal for that trip, and when the desert arrived they had written Bön Voyage in chocolate around the rim of the plate… now that’s a personal touch which made our day!!!
The things we like about the service: When making a booking they only take your first name for the personal touch; the same staff have worked there for years which means they must enjoy it and be well looked after, this reflects in their friendly and fun approach to their customers; there has never been a mistake made over our order and food arrives are a very good pace, not too fast, not too slow; we have never been rushed in or out of the restaurant, if you want to wait in the open bar area for all your guests to arrive before sitting down then that’s not a problem; if you want to sit at the table chatting after you’ve paid your bill then that doesn’t seem an issue either.
The food is a great selection of traditional British comfort food, mixed with a good blend of other cultures, making a great al la carte selection but all served in generous sized portions that leave you just the right amount of ‘full’ afterwards :-)
The price is naturally higher than your average chain restaurant for both the individuality and quality of the location, but not exceptionally high. We use it for special occasion eating like birthdays, visiting friends, last meal after a holiday before I fly back to US, etc.
Slight cons are that you need to book 4 to 6 weeks in advance if you want to guarantee a Saturday evening table and at least a week in advance for most other evenings, and on site parking is limited, although there is a formal arrangement to park in the pub car park 100 yards further up the road.

My boyfriend took me here for a surprise Valentine’s day lunch this year and what a treat!
Very welcoming from the entry to the bar with the hops draped from the ceiling, to the intimate and cosy restaurant. Even though the place was packed service was still polite and friendly, though a little erratic at times but didn’t feel frantic, just a lovely buzz. I’m vegetarian and was very happy with what I had and the vegetable side dishes were both generous and delicious too. The classic champagne cocktail was just perfect for the day.
It was absolutely pouring down with rain but snug and warm inside with the service, food, drinks, cosiness, service and of course, my table companion made it a meal to remember. I look forward to a return.

Sunday lunch with friends and the first time I have been there for many years (I was previously not impressed).
Greeting and service was great although the waiter seemed a little stressed (!). The food was excellent, nicely timed between courses and fairly reasonably priced although the wine was a little expensive for my tastes.
Agree with other reviewers that it is a great place to go for a friendly, informal celebration; bags of charm and worth the advance booking.

So worth the visit! considering that the English countryside is full of gastro-​pubs this is just a wonderful, quaint restaurant/​bistro. Nice wine list, delicious food, attentive service. Perfect for a romantic date or a group. There is also a lovely outdoor patio!
The dessert I had was heavenly… but really all dishes were delicious. definitely up to par with London restaurants I have frequented!

i have been to the blue strawberry a few times now and absolutely love it. there is a warm and friendly welcome, a good selection of drinks and cocktails and the food is just superb the place has a really nice ambience about it and the staff are eager to ensure you have a good dining experience. it’s not cheap but for a special occasion this is a fantastic place to go.

What a wonderful find. About 60 miles east of London, if you are on this side of the country definitely check it out. Quaint décor throughout, covered outside dining area. Nice bar area and small rooms which are perfect for intimate group gatherings. The fare is bistro. I started with local asparagus with hollandaise and parmesan shavings. Followed it up with a whole sole, «grilled» to perfection. Then finished with a crème brûlée. Had a pleasant Pinot Noir along with. Service was attentive. I had not expected to find such a wonderful place out where it is. Worth the 20 mile drive from Warley.

I had the most amazing pudding there loved every little bit: D

We went to the Blue Strawberry for Valentines night 2011. The food was very good service also good and generally cannot find fault on a night when they were under pressure. So for someone who moans a lot, well done and we look forward to visiting again and recomending you.

Michelin standard food and service in the middle of nowhere in essex… Fantastic and good prices as well

This is ithout doubt one of my favourite restaurants in Essex. The food is of the highest standard going.
The service is always first class and friendly.
Book to avoid disappointment.

The Blue Strawberry Bistrot is just off the A12 in the village of Hatfield Peverel.
From the outside the building is not that impressive but as you pull into the car park you see the rear which has a sizeable patio area with a water feature and some very nice plants.
The inside is lovely. The main restaurant is all old beams, open fires, lots of interesting pictures on the walls, antiques etc. The walls themselves are painted a terracota shade and it makes for a very cosy comfortable feel. The tableclothes and napkins are immaculate and the chairs very comfortable.
The main room opens into a victorian conservatory which is obviously much lighter so not as cosy but still nice.
The food, although expensive, is delicious. Their menu has a good selection although I was very disappointed that as Sunday lunchtime there is no vegetarian main dish option. All their other menus for lunchtimes and evenings have several vegetarian options.
This restaurant is not an everyday place to eat, well not for me anyway, but for special treats, birthdays, anniversaries, Valentines Day!

This restaurant has a great reputation and because of this you do need to book well in advance. I am a fussy eater and found the menu a little bit fancy but saying that they did let me have my sauce separate as I was unsure if I would like it. My husband who eats everything loved his meal. A little pricey but the quality and atmosphere made the meal feel special. Definatley somewhere to go if you want to treat that special someone or celebrate.

I live very close to this restaurant. It has an excellent reputation locally and is regarded as somewhere you take someone special for a special treat. I actually took my boyfriend there for his last birthday and if we can we will book a table in the restaurant for our wedding reception. The food is outstanding as is the restaurant service. My only advice would be to go in confident as one of the barmen can be a bit snooty and don’t expect too much privacy as the tables can be close. But by the time you leave those are very minor points in a great dining experience.
If you book on Fridays/​Saturdays you may not have your table for the night. This is possible if you book six weeks ahead and specify that is what you want.

I live about 30 miles away from this restaurant but used to live near and was a regular diner. If you fancy a trip out then this is the place for you. There are plenty of good walk around here, visit the water works near Maldon for a lovely walk then come back and dine here. I am a real foodie, I love cooking as much as I love eating. You will be in for a culinary treat when you visit here (it is a must) When you arrive you will be seated by the bar and served an apéritif, It has a very warm sophisticated feel to it here. They offer a set lunch which is excellent value for money but you can also choose from the ala carte menu. There is not a single thing that I have eaten here that I didn’t love. The chef is passionate and it certainly shows at the table. If I want to treat somebody, then this is always my first choice. I can’t rave about this place enough. Please try it, you won’t be disappointed.

Wonderful tasty food.
Great Service.
Attractive ambience.
Sunday Lunch — £21.50 for 3 courses