OakTree Vegetarian Bistro in Southend-on-Sea

Very friendly and good Vegan restaurant.

So good that I forgot it was even vegan. Highly recommend for vegans/veggies in the area. I had the lasagne which was absolutely delicious and a good size, as well as a really nice glass of white. The whole menu looked tempting so I’ll definitely have to return and also have a look at desserts! The door did keep blowing open by our table on the very cold/windy/rainy night we went, but the service and atmosphere were otherwise lovely.

Love this vegan restaurant!! so many options and great food. Had the korean tofu noodle special and it was delicious! Cocktails were very nice too.

Perfect. Basically gourmet vegan food! We would highly recommend the Steak. Will be back soon!

Went for lunch after a long bike ride, the food was yummy and the staff were very helpful and attentive around my partner's gluten allergy.

Lovely restaurant with amazing food and service. The new menu is even better than before and has lovely options. I Love that there are many gluten free options too. The drinks are pretty good and the restaurant is kid friendly. One of the best options in the area. In the summer time the garden is also open, which is a huge plus

I recently visited oak tree, the food was lovely and all the staff were lovely but I found the manager, i’m not sure what her name is but she had red hair, to be quite abrupt with staff and was not at all presentable. I felt like she brought down the tone of the restaurant.

Second visit to Oak Tree, which was great. The staff were very friendly, attentive and accommodating (thanks for the menu option swap). The food was really good and we were happy with all three courses. "Mushroom" I would always recommend and would always have. The "Steak" was convincing and tasty. The "Sundae" dessert also hit the sweet spot, but the "Chocolate" was immensely good!

Easily as good as home cooked food absolutely great food stunning would recommend it to anyone vegan or not great cocktails and beers can't fault it in any way

Highly recommended. Very impressed by the menu and quality. Thank you

Grace and the team were amazing. Brilliant food and good vibes 🥦

We really enjoyed this vegan restaurant. The food was delicious and the presentation was spot on.

We have eaten at the Oak Tree since it opened and have enjoyed the food and service for a long time. Tonight however we was disappointed with the new menu. Some really popular dishes are gone and the new menu seems a little simple. The Risotto dish was absolutely tiny and should be labeled as a small plate dish or a starter as £14 is way too much to charge for the amount of food that came out. Hopefully some changes are made to the portion sizes and the new menu as we do enjoy eating there.

Absolutely trash. I took my pet rabbit and it wouldn't even eat their food

Lovely food and a great atmosphere. Staff are always very helpful and knowledgeable.

We visited Sunday 4th February 2024 as it was Louise's birthday. She has started an animal sanctuary in Billericay and we are all volunteers there. As usual, the food was excellent. So glad the roasts and mac cheese are back on the menu. Livia, Izzie and Pixie were our delightful servers/chefs and nothing was too much trouble for them. Thoroughly recommend this restaurant. Thank you Oak Tree. Xx

Visited today for the first time. We went for my partners birthday and we had such a lovely time ! We can’t wait to come back. Really welcoming staff, freshly made food and just had a fab time !

Great food coffee weakest item on menu

Some of the 1 star reviews on here are laughable and I feel the need to redress the balance. Unlike the reviewers from Australia and Ohio, I have actually been to this restaurant, including when I was a meat eater, and always enjoyed my visits here. The food is exemplory and non-vegan friends that have been along with us have always said how much they enjoyed themselves. Ignore the haters, this place is the best!

Staff was very rude and one berated me because they know that I eat meat and called me a murderer and literally threw my plate down and spilled my entire meal all over the table and I had to clean it up because I wasn't going to pay their outrageous prices for a meal and not eat it

Eaten here a few times great service and staff..

Have always loved eating here, however really disappointed to have had to send our food back twice tonight as it was stone cold. Really long wait as well which is understandable for freshly cooked food but this was nearly an hour ! When food finally came out third time it was ok and hot but nowhere near the usual standard. It's certainly not somewhere I'm going to rush back to.

I have been here 4 times and on the 3 previous occasions I would have given this a 5 star + review, however today I attended and was presented with the new menu which was disappointing to say the least. As a parent to a vegetarian and happy to embrace her life style this had become one of our favourite restaurants to spend time together, and as meat eater, a restaurant I championed to others. 5 of us dined today and as a collective we were disappointed with the new menu. The previous menu made eating vegan exciting. The other times we have attended we have always tried different dishes and every one of those was top class. This new menu however is boring and predictable, and lacks flavour. So disappointed and hope things from the old menu return soon. Despite this, the service and the sticky toffee pudding was great!!!

Great selection of vegan dishes. Been a few times and our non vegan guests always seem happy too. Good quality ingredients, love the home made seitan, very tender. It's our go to vegan restaurant when visiting family in the area.

The food was delicious and the service was amazing!

Lunch with family , food was excellent quality, good size portions- value for money and a great choice of meals. Relaxed atmosphere without feeling rushed to finish and move on so plenty of time to chat between courses without feeling your waiting ages for your food. Really enjoyed it . Highly recommend this restaurant for vegetarian and vegans . Thankyou for a lovely meal x

Amazing vegan food, this is our favourite restaurant 🌱💚

Been here many times. Always top quality food and service. Most recently I attended a fine dining night they put on and it was incredible. The place is beautifully decorated, there's a lovely outside area at the back for the warmer seasons. The staff a friendly and helpful too. Can't recommend highly enough!

My favourite place to go. It has a really nice atmosphere and the decor is perfect. The food is top notch. Never been disappointed in the many times I've visited. Highly recommend.

We were four people and all had the Christmas dinner - all of us were super pleased! The staff is incredibly friendly, big shoutout to the staff for the customer service. Good atmosphere and really great food, a lot for the money as well! Will definitely come again soon :)

A lovely vegan restaurant surprisingly bigger than it looks from the outside with a room at the back .good attentive service

One of our favourite vegan restaurants! We love it here. The menu is mouth-wateringly extensive and varied. The food is always of a high quality and tastes delicious. There is a nice selection of drinks too and the staff are always friendly and welcoming. Never had a bad meal here and we will keep coming back! Dogs are also allowed. 🐾

I'm pescatarian meaning I only eat white meat but predominantly vegetarian and was treated terribly when I asked for a pescatarian meal. Funny when management thinks they know it all lol I was in the uk may to June and happened upon your abode and assumed they'd cater for pescatarians but boy was I wrong.

Awful .bland.a bit dirty..and the owner is rude...say no to oaktree

Wonderful restaurant Fully booked most weekends for a reason Always worth booking

Lovely atmosphere, stunning garden and INCREDIBLE food!

At here last week and our food and service was fabulous. Not sure of the name of our waitress (blonde hair, red tips on the end- we had a great chat about hairdressers!) She could not do enough for us, and made the whole experience lovely. On top of that, the food was incredible! Thank you!

Having finally managed to secure a booking for my sons 30th birthday for 16 people, we arrived to find that we were not sat on one table, I appreciate it’s a small venue but it would have been nice to have been informed of this considering I had never been before only my son highly recommended it being a vegan. The service was incredibly slow, despite most if not all of the staff standing up by the bar, not doing to much! I will say the food was absolutely amazing and I could not fault them at all for that! But for the 3 hours we were there, only 1 drinks order was taken and no top up of the 1 water jug we was given! It’s a shame and I hope this feedback goes not as a negative but as instructive criticism.

Went here for a date night with my partner mid week as I don't eat meat and they're vegan. Honestly couldn't have been happier. The food was fantastic and the service was great, the team working here are lovely. Will be coming back!

Yet again, I cannot thank the Oak Tree enough for an amazing Birthday Meal. We had the most lovely evening and incredible service in the usual relaxed and super friendly setting that is the Oak Tree. In a group of 2 Vegans and 5-non, every single person thoroughly enjoyed their food and the lovely service. As a Vegan, I feel extremely lucky there is this gem of a restaurant I can take my non-vegan family and friends too, where I know they will have a lovely time and most importantly also thoroughly enjoy their food! This is the 3rd time and they always look forward to coming back whenever I suggest it. I would like to especially thank our waitress who really added to the evening, being so attentive and generally lovely! I would like to add how dog friendly the restaurant is and how nice it is to be able to bring the dog to meals, knowing she is so welcome (many belly rubs received) Thank you again Oak Tree!

Portion size has improved since my last visit

This place is amazing; food perfect, service impeccable. I've been a veggie for 35 plus years, I've eaten in many differing vegetarian restaurants and this is truly the greatest food I've been served. Only criticism would be the stools we were sat on were a little uncomfortable for me, having short legs I suppose! Can't wait to return.

Amazing food and such friendly staff. Wish there were more restaurants like this near me. Hope to go back one day ❤️

Fantastic!! Always five stars. 💚💚💚💚💚

Had a lovely meal, food was excellent, reasonably priced and the staff were very accommodating and welcoming All in all a fantastic night, great value and we will be coming back

Came here on the 8th of October for a birthday celebration afternoon tea. The place was very welcoming and the two young woman were polite, proficient and made the whole experience enjoyable. The sandwiches, cake and scones were exquisite and all Vegan. The pace of service was relaxed and matched the relaxed Sunday afternoon we spent there. We will be back soon for a vegan breakfast and a walk along the beach. Thank you!😎

Best vegan restaurants I have ever been. Dog friendly with amazing stuff and super delicious food.

Group of 4 friends, food was gorgeous as usual. Staff really friendly (but not OTT). Recommend the “surf and turf” and cheeze cake is so good. Will be back soon

We finally got to try this beautiful restaurant for our Anniversary! The food was AMAZING, the service was incredible and we will most certainly be going back 🥰♥️

Absolutely stunning restaurant! Travelled over an hour to try this place and it was well worth it. The service from the moment we stepped into this beautifully decorated place was fantastic. We were enjoying our drinks and ordering food within 10 minutes of sitting down. Friendly service, relaxed atmosphere and great food....not much more you could want whilst out for a meal.

A pity the plates weren't warmed before serving the food. Service a bit slow, we were seated for over 30 mins before our drinks order was taken.

First time visit, took my teenage kids. As a meat eater I was pleasantly surprised by the food - taste, textures and variety. Will definitely be visiting again. Staff top notch too.

Very tasty food would highly recommend.

Great restaurant. Even my meat eating partner had the meat alternatives and said is was so delicious and we would definitely go back again!

The food was absolutely outstanding but more importantly the service was five star and the vibe perfect. Thank you for welcoming our family and feeding us so well

Great healthy vegan cuisine. Los of choice and reasonably priced. Proffessional friendly service. Great alternative for your non vegan friends. They will love it!

Great food in a great setting. The variety of options are good. Kids also enjoyed their chips and nuggets. Staff are very friendly. Will be coming back again soon!

There were 14 of us and everyone really enjoyed their meal (1st time at vegan restaurant for many of us and amazed at the huge menu choices!). Special praise for Olivia who served us with a smile and made us welcome. Will definitely go again.

We have been vegan for 3 years and have eaten at many vegan restaurants, this is the best one I’ve ever been to. Dishes we haven’t had for years we are suddenly able to eat again such as prawns and calamari. Amazing, highly recommend!

I wouldn't return after our experience today. I booked a table for 3 and was surprised to be sat at a high counter on stools. This was uncomfortable and probably ok for a drink but not appropriate for a sit down lunch. The food was over seasoned with salt to the extent that the chips and garlic bread were inedible. To be fair after pointing this out another portion (with no seasoning at all!) Was supplied. Not to be repeated

I wouldn't return after our experience today. I booked a table for 3 and was surprised to be sat at a high counter on stools. This was uncomfortable and probably ok for a drink but not appropriate for a sit down lunch. The food was over seasoned with salt to the extent that the chips and garlic bread were inedible. To be fair after pointing this out another portion (with no seasoning at all!) Was supplied. Not to be repeated

Really enjoyable experience. Food is excellent service very good. Different areas with different feel to them. Would definitely recommend

Disappointed 4 things we ordered were not available. This was at 7.30 on a Saturday evening when there were few customers. We had particularly wanted to try the redefine meat as one of our party was not vegan but none of them were available. Nor the garlic mushrooms,nor chai latte

Absolutely beautiful food! I love being able to enjoy so many different vegan options.

Gorgeous vegan food, my partner is a meat eater and he said the vegan burger was one of the tastiest he’s ever had.

Food average, nice decor, found the staff member rude on my first visit. Won't visit again.

I looooove The Oak Tree Restaurant so much!! This time I had the Bao Buns and Surf and Turf with the new Redefine '3D printed' meat and it was incredible!!! The atmosphere is always welcoming and cosy and the staff are super super lovely! 10000% recommend!!

A friend introduced me to this total gem and now I find any excuse I can to go back here. Food is amazing, service is great, lovely outdoor patio area. Would highly recommend and will definitely be back

I'm not vegan but that didn't make a difference the food was tasty and value for money

My first experience of a vegan restaurant I was really impressed. Food was great, very flavoursome and beautifully presented. Restaurant has a nice vibe and staff are really friendly 👌

Terrible food and service. This restaurant gives vegan food a bad name. Went to complain the next day and faced a manager who was then verbally abusive. I would avoid this place if you are looking for a good meal. It was on the 16th July 2016 for a hen party. Maybe you remember it now. I don't make up stories.

Beautiful food excellent service! Would have given more for atmosphere but it was very quiet the night we visited. Staff were absolutely lovely. Going back for rest of menu soon as possible.

First vegan restaurant we've been to. Good selection of dishes and lot's of realistic looking/tasting meat substitutes. Even the 'prawns' looked good in the surf n turf. I had the tofu salad which was a good portion and sauce was tasty and not too spicy. Had dessert after - recommend the hazelnut chocolate cake, was massive! Also very soft and nice icing. There's a small courtyard which is nice in the good weather.

I'd usually give this place 5 stars but today my friend and I were really disappointed. We both walked in and virtually every single table was free including the well advertised "garden area." We were told we couldn't come in because of "bookings" all evening and it was only a Wednesday night! They could easily have let us sit down. For this reason I will likely not return for a while as I've never had to book to get in before.

Nice locale, vegan food is good for what it is. However this place mocks people online who for health reasons cannot convert to the vegan lifestyle. Seriously so unprofessional.

Absolutely delicious food and a wonderful atmosphere paired with a lovely and welcoming service. Went with my parents and the restaurant definitely made our evening. There where so many options for us as vegeterians that it was hard to choose just one dish and upon arrival the food was fresh and well cooked and seasoned. The apple crumble was amazing and came with some biscuits on the side which I found to be a really sweet gesture. Definitely will be coming back! :)

Epic! Amazing food. Very flavoursome. As a non-vegan was blown away at how good the food tasted. Definitely the place to go if you want to sample what a vegan lifestyle may have to offer. Whatever you have make sure you leave room for a dessert!

Delicious meal with mixture of vegetarians and non, everyone thought everything was delicious

I took my wife here as she is a vegan and really wanted to go to an all vegan restaurant. The food was really nice and well presented. The outside eating area was really nice and relaxing with nice chilled music. We would definitely recommend and I'm sure we'll return even though it's a hour drive.

My fav place to visit in Southend!! Great food, lovely service and a beautiful garden!

Great restaurant. Always have a lovely time when I visit here. Food is delicious and staff are always friendly. Wish I lived closer so I could come here more often.

Love the oak tree wish there were more places like this a gem of a place.

First visit and really enjoyed the vegan food. Awesome customer service and very reasonably priced dishes. The food was fresh and really tasty. Recommend to all Thank you for a lovely evening.

I've been to these restaurant many times, food was nice. However this time I have experienced completely different, the food was cold, very small potions and my paratha was completely burned and there is no apology after my complaint. My replacement paratha was still raw dough in the middle.

Absolutely love it here. The food is incredible and the staff are so friendly - added bonus that it is dog friendly and there is a lovely little garden out the back. Highly recommend to anyone, vegan or not!

I had my hen party at the oak tree with us all getting afternoon tea. It was absolutely brilliant, the food was amazing, the staff were great and the garden is beautiful. Everyone said they would definitely be back and that included all our non vegan guests. Oak tree couldn't have done anymore... Fantastic ❤️

One of our favourite restaurants in Leigh-on-sea. I've never had a bad meal there. Delicious and creative vegan food.

Excellent vegan food, plentiful portions, premises very clean.

We visited on a bank holiday Sunday and was a bit disappointed there were no roasts available. We ordered several of the small plates and all were fantastic. The service was great. We were given an option to sit in the garden and immediately brought a big jug of water which we really appreciated. Spent a good hour and a half nibbling on the dishes and chatting. Can’t wait to go back!

I was a a regular customer since it opened until the day I posted a review in which I mentioned that the size of the meals seemed to have suddenly shrunk dramatically. The owner replied that my meal was so large that I had to take the excess food away in a doggy bag! This was a ridiculous lie 😂; I grew up poor, we cleaned our plates out of necessity, never left anything on plates, and I have NEVER asked for a doggy bag in my life. So, Mr/Mrs/ Ms Oak Tree owner, you lost a loyal customer due to your rude, untruthful response. And that is a shame, because it is a lovely vegan venue, but I got rudely ridiculed for telling the truth, that the size of the portions had suddenly shrunk by about 50%!!

Absolutely fantastic meal ,very tasty and well presented Lovely restaurant we will definitely be eating there again soon and I also love the fact you can take your fur baby with you

Amazing wee place. Best oat milk cappuccino I’ve ever tasted and the Satay curry, even when reheated at home, was lovely. Really cool staff too.

The Oaktree is my favourite restaurant. The portions are big, and this makes it great value. If you look at the prices before seeing the portion sizes, you may find it expensive but I can assure you the prices are correct for the portion sizes. My favourite starter is the Bao Buns and although the Chana Dal Paratha looks absolutely amazing and I say to myself I will try that next time, I can never give up the Bao Buns when I visit! Edit: Yet again I visited but couldn't give them up! For mains, it's either of the curries or the noddle dishes/pad thai. Edit: Had the Pad Thai, very filling, very flavoursome. Highly recommend!!! Whatever you do, do not walk past this place. Go in, and indulge!

For religious purposes I occasionally take on a full Vegan diet. My partner (a carnivore!), found this gem for one of our date nights. The food here is I N C R E DI B LE ! So good it will make you double check that its actually vegan. The hotdogs were scarily similar to the real thing and tasted absolutely delicious. The garlic mushrooms and bao buns were also lovely. We have now been here several times, even when I have no need to be a vegan.

Went with my non-vegan brother and sister-in-law, I had a ‘Big plate’, brother had two ‘Small plates’ and SIL had a dessert. We all really enjoyed the food which was very tasty. I had a satay curry, bro. Had garlic mushrooms and “chicken” drumsticks and SIL had apple pie. Portion sizes were good. We would all definetely go back again, even the non-vegans. It was cold outside when we went but the outdoor space looks nice for when the weather perks up.

The oak tree vegan food is always good The service was good The atmosphere was lively

I Had a fantastic meal today at this restaurant with my wife and daughter the young waitress “I didn’t get her name was so so helpful I would differently go back again very happy with the service she gave us many thanks guys

Enjoyed our lunch here. Fantastic to have healthy and tasty vegan choices. Good service. Front door needs a self-closing catch as it kept being left open, creating a draft.

From the inside to the outside decking, the environment and vibe is relaxing and warming. You can taste the love put into the food with every mouthful. We had seafood (vegan) and the fish and chips were just like the real thing! It’s incredible The decorations and music are on point too!! Visit this hidden gem!

What a wonderful spot. Incredible Vegan food and a really buzzy atmosphere. We came on a Thursday evening and they had live music (Joe was very good!!) We had a selection of the small plates and they certainly didn't disappoint. Not the fastest in the world but who cares when you are relaxing and enjoying your evening Cant wait to come back