This seaside town, in easy reach of London, should be top of your list for a day out, with its idyllic sand beach and high street packed with independent shops and seafood restaurants
A charming town less than an hour from London offers that classic seaside escape with a thriving high street and golden sand beach.
The summer months certainly warrant a trip to the beach, and luckily for us, there are some pretty coastal towns and resorts all within easy reach by a direct train from London. One particular destination that sits just a 45-minute train journey away is the coastal town of Leigh-on-Sea in Essex.
While the city of Southend-on-Sea is often in the spotlight, Leigh-on-Sea, also known as Leigh, shouldn’t be missed, and it’s packed with character. There are ample galleries, eateries, pubs and shops to explore against the sea air, alongside its golden-sand beach in a place that has been named as one of the best and happiest places to live in England.
Bell Wharf Beach is the local hotspot in Leigh-on-Sea, offering an idyllic setting with golden sands, bobbing boats and is bordered by cobbled lanes. It’s conveniently positioned just a 10-minute walk from the train station, and while it may be small, there are some top-rated seafood restaurants nearby for that quintessential seaside escape with fewer crowds.
One standout is Osborne’s Bros Café, famed for its cooked cockles, which saw it scoop up the 2021 British Food Awards in the Fish & Seafood category. The seafood and crab eatery also serves up fresh seafood platters, prawn sandwiches, and even jellied eels.
Elsewhere, there’s the traditional-style pub, Ye Olde Smack, with a terrace that overlooks the Thames Estuary for those coastal vistas with a pint and hearty meal in hand. Yet, to really soak up the sun-soaked rays, it’s worth a visit to the family-run restaurant and pub, The Peterboat, which has a huge beer garden and a mouthwatering menu of seafood dishes, from their signature cockle chowder to a classic fish pie.
One holidaymaker hailed The Peterboat for its “exceptional fresh seafood with unbeatable estuary views” on TripAdvisor. They said: “Perched right by the water in Leigh-on-Sea, the atmosphere is vibrant and quintessentially coastal. I ordered a selection of their fresh seafood, and every dish was cooked to perfection, packed with flavour, and wonderfully fresh.”
Adding to its traditional seaside charm, there’s Sara’s Tea Garden, a tearoom which serves up cream tea, cakes and bakes in its pretty outdoor setting. The Hatch is another noteworthy spot, a trendy cafe that serves brunch, cakes and coffee, along with scoops of its locally made soft serve ice cream – perfect for those balmy days.
Inside, there’s an ancient Southend Pier train that evokes childhood memories for its visitors. And after a coffee stop, there’s plenty of galleries to wander around in Leigh-on-Sea, including Old Leigh Studios Gallery and Two Tree Gallery, or it’s pretty enough to simply stroll along its cobbled lanes.
Elsewhere, its high street is brimming with independent shops, and locals strive to support them through their own support groups. There’s the children’s clothing store, Hoboken Kids, the delightful book shop, Leigh Gallery Books, Greens Health Foods and even the independent Ugo’s Pizza Bar, which only adds to the reasons to take a trip to Leigh-on-Sea this summer.
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