Church Street Tavern
Colchester, Essex
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Dip away from the busyness of Colchester’s North Hill, to find this popular spot in the city centre – yes, the historic town became a city in May 2022. The Church Street Tavern is rightly popular, comfortable in its well-worn skin, and provides happily for loyal regulars and passing trade. Casual temptations might include a heaped bowl of mussels and skinny fries, or jaw-defying toasties, or a simple pasta with tomato sauce pepped up with chilli, olives, capers and garlic. Step things up a notch with a starter of chicken livers in a tarragon-freshened cream sauce with bright young broad beans and a crisp potato terrine, or summery buffalo mozzarella with courgette, pea and coriander pesto. Salt cod flakes just as it should on top of a butter bean, chorizo and tomato ragù – a dish that also accommodates tenderly grilled squid and sings lustily of Mediterranean sunshine. Gentler perhaps is the catch of the day, served with a peerless accompaniment of peas, clams, samphire, a simple saffron sauce and buttered new potatoes. Strawberry mousse and poppyseed shortbread makes for an easy-going finale. Linger over cocktails or enjoy the well-annotated wine list with its welcome 375ml carafe offers – maybe the ‘plush, textural, sultry’ notes of a Distant Noises Pinot Noir from Australia’s distant Yarra Valley will take your fancy.
