I took a friend for her birthday. We visited on a Friday evening and opted for the 6 course tasting menu with wine pairing. Food was delicious; very well presented, spot on flavours and technically excellent cooking. The wine pairings were novel and complemented the food perfectly. Service was good; friendly yet not too intrusive. There were long delays between some courses which we did not mind but this was not acknowledged by the team. Overall a great experience and I’m looking forward to returning soon.

We’ve been coming to Haywards for almost ten years now and despite many changes to staff in the kitchen and front of house the standards have never dropped. Under the guidance of owners Amanda and Jahdre they have still manage to produce amazing food with friendly and professional service. Our latest visit was Saturday lunchtime where on arrival we received a lovely welcome from Amanda before she escorted us to our customary table 10. After a little catch up she told us that Jahdre had created for us a special menu that would showcase all the new dishes on the menu. This was a fabulous gesture and one we gladly accepted. We started with homemade Granary Sourdough bread and a selection of snacks including a cauliflower cheese veloute , harissa arancini , goat’s cheese and tomato canneloni. This led us to out first course a Chicken and Ham Hock Terrine with celeriac remoulade , toasted brioche and a homemade piccalilli. This was followed by the Fillet of Pollock with a crab bisque , hispi cabbage. and parsnips. Both dishes were an absolute delight and the flavours complimented each other perfectly. Amanda paired the courses with a Framingham 2021 Riesling from New Zealand. We now moved onto the main course which was a heavenly and rich Braised Pork Cheek with a white bean cassoulet and gremolata topped with a piece of pork crackling. This was paired with a Grand Garant 2020 Fleurie from France. We decided to follow this with a Cheese Course. We then finished with dessert which was a Chocolate Mousse with mascarpone sorbet , coffee cremaux and lime gel a twist on a tiramisu. The pairing for this dessert was a beautiful Australian Muscat from the Rosewood Vineyards that tasted like a light pedro ximinez. Apparently we wasn’t finished there as chef Jahdre sent out an Orange Soufflé with grand marnier caramel and cinnamon ice cream. This was a delight and the flavour combinations worked perfectly together. A coffee and petit fours brought to an end another fabulous dining experience at Haywards with fantastic food , perfect wine pairings and great service. If i ever needed another reason why i think this is the best restaurant in Essex then today’s visit did everything to enhance that. Looking forward to many more visits this year which will at some point include our 150th. Thank You Amanda and Jahdre for a fantastic lunch and look forward to seeing you again soon.

We had the most amazing experience at Hayward’s this weekend. I booked the dinner and accommodation package for my husbands birthday months ago. Since booking, I have had to go on a strict diet for medical reasons. I contacted Hayward’s and they went above and beyond what I had expected by creating a fully bespoke menu for myself, meaning I didn’t miss out on anything and you would never have known the food had been adapted. My husbands food was incredible as well. The service on the night was impeccable, our glasses were never empty and little touches such as the waitress’s ensuring the tables were clean after each course did not go unnoticed. We would highly recommend visiting this family run business and we will be back for definite.

An asset to the area - excellent food, staff and setting. We cannot wait to return. The brown sugar tart was one of the best desserts I have ever tasted.

My new favourite Essex restaurant. Given the generally low culinary standards in the county this may not sound like much of a compliment, but this place must be a serious contender for a Michelin star. Excellent cooking, generous portions, and superb service. We will definitely be back.

It was our first visit to Haywards, but it won’t be our last. The food was fantastic and the service impeccable. Friendly but not intrusive. Informative about the different components of each dish and each dish, incl the many ‘greetings from the kitchen’, were a feat for the eyes and tastebuds.

Visited Saturday night with my wife and had the four course taster menu which was delicious! Service was excellent and the atmosphere flowed along with the very nice Epping wine. Will certainly be visiting again!

Enjoyable experience. Service was exceptional. Food, very tasty and displayed well, except for the vegetables. In a pot, not in keeping with their style.

This is such a wonderful, exceptional place. The food is outstanding and the service impeccable. If I could, I’d go to all their events. Truly one of my favourite places to eat and I’m so fortunate that it’s in Epping where I live.

Easy to see why it is Michelin acclaimed. We had the 6 course tasting menu with Paired wines. Really lovely food and great service (drinks always refilled), I wouldn’t say I loved every wine as much I did each course, but I did finish every one. The decor wasn’t what we expected for the location, but had a great evening.

Where to begin… fantastic food, wine and service! Eaten here multiple times, both in the main dining room and the private room (the stables). The food is always exceptional and delicate, perfectly matched with wine if you request that, would always recommend to any gastronomer. Lovely, friendly and attentive staffs would highly recommend!

Brilliant! One of the best Michelin star restaurants we have eaten at. Warm, friendly service, delicious food and wine, great price point. They happily amended my menu to not include ingredients I didn’t like. They even gave me two puddings instead of one, as I wanted to try the other option - for free. Highly recommend, and we'll be back!

Tried haywards for the first time last night, the food and service was amazing. Every dish was cooked to perfection. We had the taster menu, even my slightly fussy 14 year old daughter cleaned her plate on every single course and described the food as stunning. Service was spot on, very attentive but not intrusive at all. We will definitely return.

Came for a tasting menu with wine pairing and had a thoroughly amazing night. All six courses were perfectly seasoned and delicate. The fish course that night was superb. Having had quite a few tasting menus in restaurants that already have Michelin stars, I can safely say this place, the staff (Amanda! you are amazing) and the chef have what it takes. We were taken care of from start to finish and I won't forget the experience. All the best and we will be back!!

Fantastic evening as usually. Service is always great and the food never fails to impress. Can't wait to come back again.

5 stars for food and service. The food is delicious and beautifully presented. They always offer us vegetarian and pescatarian options. The amuse bouche were delicious and creative. Service is attentive. Its a lovely place to eat!

Found a piece of METAL in my food. Visited in April for my birthday, booked by my friend for the six course tasting menu. I received my fourth course and I was chewing when suddenly I bit into something very hard and my teeth started aching. When I spat it out I saw it was a METAL HOOK. I showed the manager what I had found and told them that my teeth were aching- she then went into the kitchen and upon return told me it was from the kitchen utensils. She had said it has never happened before and that I won’t find another one in the remains of my plate trying to reassure me. She said she could make me another one if I wished. I asked for another plate as this is something that should have been insisted to me rather than trying to persuade a customer to finish a meal they had found metal in. It doesn’t matter to me as a paying customer whether it was the first time that has happened as the point is it HAPPENED to me and could have been extremely severe if I had swallowed it! No discount was offered and we were still charged and still paid for all six courses- even the one I had found metal in. It is not the job of the customer to tell the manager they are not happy with paying for a course they found metal in and caused their teeth to ache (this is common sense) which is why we did not sit there telling them we are not happy about paying for the dish we found metal in/debating with them. No gesture of goodwill was offered, not even a drink. Will not be returning due to this poor service and traumatic experience which is a shame as after reading the reviews I was very excited to visit. For someone who enjoys fine dining and goes regularly, I have never had an experience where I have found metal in my food and then paid the full amount at the end, leaving with toothache due to the fault of the restaurant. I’ve never found metal in my food even at cheaper restaurants. Do better when you face situations like this no matter how rare/often they occur!!!

We have been living in Epping for 7 years now, and I cannot believe we took this long to visit Haywards. What a gem! The restaurant is cozy and intimate without feeling stuffy. The staff are most professional, but very welcoming and familiar. The produce is amazing quality and all of our dishes were deliciously assembled with great care. Lovely taste combinations and plates as pretty as a picture. Do yourself a favour and go to Haywards to celebrate a special occasion - you won't regret it.

A truly wonderful lunch at Hayward’s - every course was so well thought out and it was all absolutely delicious. The food is in a fine dining style, but the restaurant and the staff meant the experience felt relaxed and unpretentious. These are people who clearly love to serve people good food. We will definitely be back!

Thanks so much for making our 40th wedding anniversary private dining experience magical. Brilliant food, excellent service and a lovely environment made for a really special time for our family and friends. Our cousin said "it was the best vegan meal" she'd ever had. Thanks for the attention to detail and alternative catering.