The White Hart Inn

Pubs come in many guises, from gritty boozers to smart dining rooms, but some straddle the roles of watering hole and restaurant with ease. Something about the White Hart – a strikingly renovated hostelry with rooms directly opposite West Mersea’s church – hits the bull’s eye. Its good looks certainly make it stand out from the crowd, with reporters much taken by the seaside colours and mid-century vibes of the bar/dining room, as well as the trump-card terrace. This is the latest in Piers Baker’s tight-knit group (alongside the Sun at Dedham and Church Street Tavern in Colchester), and it continues the theme of uncomplicated modern cooking and kind pricing. Oysters from the inter-tidal waters of the Blackwater Estuary (a couple of minutes' stroll from the pub) open the broadly appealing menu, which takes in everything from mussels with fries to dry-aged, grass-fed rump or ribeye steaks. Highlights of our visit were many and varied, ranging from a delicious tangle of local baby beetroot and gooseberries with Old Winchester cheese custard to tender venison haunch with runner beans, peas, grilled baby gem and girolles. Fish dishes also shine brightly – perhaps perfectly grilled mackerel fillets with cucumber and crème fraîche or crisp-skinned day-boat sea bass fillet with sweetcorn sauce, locally grown baby fennel and caponata. Desserts are a must, especially if Paris-Brest with raspberry and almond is on offer, while the rich Tosier chocolate torte flavoured with lime and served with salted-caramel ice cream and fresh cherries has the makings of a signature dish. There's praise, too, for the Sunday roasts, the friendliness of the staff, the array of cocktails and the well-assembled wine list – although wines have always been a big plus with this small, independent group.

2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence