
The Coast Inn
Quick info
About The Coast Inn
The Coast Inn is a family restaurant on Coast Rd in Colchester, offering English and seafood dishes in a room with wooden floors and leather settees. The menu runs to 89 dishes, including seafood chowder and fish and chips, with deep-fried brie served with cranberry sauce and salad. Beer is available from the bar, which also provides condiments, napkins and water. Reservations are recommended, and the restaurant opens daily. A car park sits out front, and a patio supports outdoor dining. Visitors with mobility needs can use the step-free, wheelchair-accessible entrance, while families with young children have access to high chairs. Dogs are welcome downstairs or outside. A fireplace adds warmth to the space.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
- ParkingFree of charge street parking · Free parking lot · Paid parking lot
- AccessibilityHas wheelchair-accessible car park · Has wheelchair-accessible entrance · Has wheelchair-accessible seating
- Good for kidsGood for kids · High chairs available · Has kids' menu
- DietaryServes vegan dishes · Serves vegetarian dishes
Menu & Prices
89 dishes · mains £4–62- Tiger Prawns Cooked In Chilli, Coriander Prawn Butter£9.95
- Seafood Chowder With Crusty Bread£8.00
- Nduja Mussels, Tomato, Parsley & Crusty Bread£11.00
- Fried Brie With Salad & Cranberry Sauce£9.00
- Bruschetta, Tomato, Onion, Pesto & Balsamic On Sourdough£8.00
- Wholetail Scampi, Chips & Homemade Tartare Sauce£17.00
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention fish and chips, deep-fried brie, seafood chowder and skate.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention fish and chips, deep-fried brie, seafood chowder and skate.
Customer Review Summary
Diners most often single out the seafood at The Coast Inn, with repeated praise for the skate, fish and chips, and fish of the day as standout dishes, described as fresh, tasty, and generously portioned. The deep-fried brie and seafood chowder also earn frequent mention for their quality and preparation. The atmosphere, both inside and on the outdoor seating, is widely noted as pleasant and well-kept, with many highlighting the relaxed, family-friendly environment and the good beer selection. Service is commonly called efficient and friendly, though a few note delays during busy periods, with one reporting a near-hour wait for mains and another citing the lack of table service, requiring trips to the bar for basics like water or condiments. One reviewer describes a roasted pepper and tomato soup as overwhelmingly sweet, while another reports being unable to finish the large skate portion. A separate diner warns of an unexpected parking fine after using the pub’s car park without providing a registration number, as no signs or instructions were visible. Several suggest booking ahead due to high demand.
Customer Review Summary
Diners most often single out the seafood at The Coast Inn, with repeated praise for the skate, fish and chips, and fish of the day as standout dishes, described as fresh, tasty, and generously portioned. The deep-fried brie and seafood chowder also earn frequent mention for their quality and preparation. The atmosphere, both inside and on the outdoor seating, is widely noted as pleasant and well-kept, with many highlighting the relaxed, family-friendly environment and the good beer selection. Service is commonly called efficient and friendly, though a few note delays during busy periods, with one reporting a near-hour wait for mains and another citing the lack of table service, requiring trips to the bar for basics like water or condiments. One reviewer describes a roasted pepper and tomato soup as overwhelmingly sweet, while another reports being unable to finish the large skate portion. A separate diner warns of an unexpected parking fine after using the pub’s car park without providing a registration number, as no signs or instructions were visible. Several suggest booking ahead due to high demand.
Featured reviews
- saffron leijs
“Always my favourite place to go when visiting Mersea. The most delicious fresh sea food and lovely atmosphere sitting outside. Service is perfect and quick!”
- eresjake
“Stopped in for a pint with a mate, parked in the car park out front and a week later mate got a parking fine for parking in the pubs car park. We were never told or asked to give reg number, no signs saying to do so, nothing at all. Parking …”
- Fluffysocks Meow
“I had such a lovely evening at The Coast Inn. I started with the deep-fried brie, which was absolutely amazing—perfectly cooked in a light, crispy batter and served with cranberry sauce and a fresh salad. It was honestly one of the best …”
- Andrei Hirjoi
“Stopped by for breakfast during a break from work and it was absolutely amazing. The food was delicious, the staff were polite and welcoming, and the whole atmosphere transformed my 30 minute break into a little holiday by the sea. Highly recommend!”
- Mel M
“We had a very tasty lunch before heading home. Food was of good quality but could do with a bit more seasoning.”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Highlights
“Local meats and seafood prepared simply in a smart venue with wooden floors and leather settees.”
- Has fireplace
- Has great beer selection
- Serves great coffee
- Serves great dessert
- Has great tea selection
- Has great wine list
Amenities
- Has wheelchair-accessible car park
- Free of charge street parking
- Accepts reservations
- Has outdoor seating
- Dogs allowed
- Serves dine-in
Show more amenities
- Good for kids
- Serves vegan dishes
- Has bar on site
- Casual
- On-site services available
- Serves beer
- Offerings· 10
- Serves alcohol
- Serves cocktails
- Serves coffee
- Serves healthy options
- Serves late-night food
- Quick bite
- Serves small plates
- Serves spirits
- Serves vegetarian dishes
- Serves wine
- Facilities· 1
- Has toilet
- Crowd· 2
- Good for groups
- Popular with tourists
- Accessibility· 3
- Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Has wheelchair-accessible seating
- Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
- Dining options· 8
- Serves breakfast
- Serves brunch
- Serves lunch
- Serves dinner
- Has catering
- Serves dessert
- Has seating
- Has table service
- Atmosphere· 3
- Cosy
- Romantic
- Trendy
- Pet-friendly· 2
- Dogs allowed inside
- Dogs allowed outside
- Planning· 3
- Brunch reservations recommended
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Highlights· 7
- Has fireplace
- Has great beer selection
- Serves great coffee
- Serves great dessert
- Has great tea selection
- Has great wine list
- Has live music
- Popular for· 3
- Popular for lunch
- Popular for dinner
- Good for solo dining
- Parking· 3
- Free parking lot
- Paid parking lot
- Paid street parking
- Family-friendly· 2
- High chairs available
- Has kids' menu
Location
How The Coast Inn compares to nearby restaurants
- The Coast Inn · This shop4.51,541 reviews
Mentioned in reviews: fish and chips, deep-fried brie, seafood chowder
- 318 reviews7 mi
Mentioned in reviews: table-top bbq grilling, buffet spread variety, mango kheer and sevaiya kheer
- 311 reviews7.9 mi
Mentioned in reviews: meze platter, lamb chops, kofte
The Coast Inn This shop | BBQ Lounge and Shisha | Doga Restaurant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5(1,541) | 4.6(318) | 4.4(311) | |
| Price | £20–30 | £20–40 | £20–30 |
| Distance | — | 7 mi | 7.9 mi |
| Open today | |||
| Vegan options | ✓ | — | — |
| Vegetarian options | ✓ | — | — |
How this listing is sourced
- Where the data comes from
- Name, address, hours, contact details, amenities, ratings and review counts come from the business's publicly available profile data — not from the owner and not from paid submissions.
- How it stays current
- Every listing is re-checked on a recurring crawl, and anything reported as wrong is corrected at the source rather than patched on the page.
- How it is ranked
- Placement is never sold. Every business on the page is ordered and compared using the same public signals, so an owner cannot pay to move up.
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