The Acorn Pie & Mash in Southend-on-Sea

This is honestly the best restaurant we've been to in years! The food was delicious with very generous serving of gravy and beans for a more than reasonable price! Our server (a lady with dyed hair and possibly in her 20s) was super kind and went beyond her job giving us other vegan recommendations and was so lovely to talk to. Only wish we lived close so we could visit here more often! Wouldn't mind if the prices were higher as it is so good!

Fantastic little pie shop and fully vegan too! Portions are very healthy indeed and the daily specials make it hard not to go back every day!

Happened to stumble upon this place whilst walking from Hadleigh Castle to Leigh and so pleased we went in! The pies are so delicious and completely vegan, good portion sizes and really reasonably priced. Relaxed atmosphere and the girls serving us were super friendly. I’ll definitely be heading there again in the future to try a different pie filling!

Really good food, I'm more often than not a meat eater and I loved the 'chicken' and mushroom pie with gravy, mash and peas. ( would probably leave the doughnut next time round though )

What a find. We were passing through Leigh on Sea on our way to friends for my wife's birthday, and were looking for lunch. What a surprise to see a vegan pie and mash shop. I used to enjoy pie and mash as a meat eater but now fully vegan, I can still savour the experience. Knowing that we would be eating a lot that evening, we shared the Lebanese; roasted aubergine, tomato and chick pea. It was absolutely wonderful, and a shame we didn't have one each. But we will be returning with meat eating friends. They can have the vegan chicken and mushroom or steak and ale. Although it is a 45-minute drive from home, it is well worth it.

Place looked great from google reviews and inside was packed so had high hopes. Sat down near the window, girl serving walked past us a couple of times so I had to ask for menus. We then sat for 15-20 mins waiting for our orders to be taken but were completely ignored. Girl then took orders from another couple who arrived after us and went back to the kitchen. I kept looking over at the counter to try and hint subtlely but nothing... so we left as were quite annoyed and disappointed :( It was very busy with only one guy doing food and one girl doing orders, but the place is so small I couldn’t believe she just ignored us. Probably not a great idea to leave two teenagers in charge of a cafe. Food coming out looked great, just a shame we didn’t get to try it!!

Booked for two in advance. Given a wobbly table and left hanging for far too long. In the meanwhile a couple came and was offered a ridiculous place to sit. (bar stalls and a plank of wood to put drinks and to eat from) They walked out. Called waitress over to order and was told what we wanted from their menu was not available and other choices was off the menu too. So we said not to worry and left. A great shame.

Really friendly staff and amazing pies!

Had a lovely meal here. Shame we are not more local. Your shakes are amazing.

Jess and Natasha were super friendly at The Acorn and the unbelievably vegan pie's were delish! Would highly recommend. Also very welcoming to dogs!

A lovely afternoon / evening at the acorn. Me and my sister arrived with her newborn and my Dog and we felt so welcome and made at home in the acorn. It is really cosy and feels very Christmassy. The apple pie and ice cream was so delicious and the waitress Jess was So lovely and friendly. We will be back soon for sure. Definitely recommend after or before a walk for a stop in old Leigh.

Visited this evening and found the Acorn to be a Lovely Cosy Cafe serving delicious vegan food and drinks. I had the Apple Pie & Ice-Cream which was amazing! The atmosphere is really relaxed and the staff are very friendly. Thanks! X

Have been to the big sister restaurant the oak and liked it. The acorn is even better. Basic pie and mash menu but all vegan. We had the fake chicken pie which was amazing. Generous portions. Nice atmosphere. Friendly staff. Highly recommended

Absolutely lovely! Everything is cooked fresh and it was well worth the wait. I myself am not vegan but I do like food and do not be put off if you are not vegan. You simply would not know unless you were told. We'll definitely be back.

Amazing food - the pies are amazing and you really cannot tell that they are vegan! Also tried some of their cakes which were equally as delicious and they have a good selection of soft drinks, hot drinks and alcohol. They also let dogs come into the restaurant which was great! Only one criticism I have is how hot it gets in there when the suns out - it was like a greenhouse. Lovely food and lovely service though.

Lovely place for a drink or a meal. Food was good and served quickly. Great range of vegan hot and cold drinks. Parking not too far away but not on site. A little pricy but not outrageously . I would recommend.

Really impressed, I will definitely be recommending this restaurant to friends. Nice casual atmosphere and really friendly staff.

Nice little restaurant with an easy menu of Pie (£10) or Jacket Potatoes (£8) with a choice of 6 different Vegan fillings. I had a cheesy jacket potato which consisted of chunky broccoli and cauliflower in a creamy cheese sauce. It was served in an ethical disposable dish. It was very tasty and enjoyable. They also offer 'seitan' steak, and 'soya protein' fillings. There were a choice of three vegan cakes for dessert and a good choice of drinks. An enjoyable experience!!

had to try this while in the area , as such a novelty , vegan pie & mash shop !! What vegan could resist ? We were apparently too early for the daily special to be set up , so I opted for the chicken pie & the 2 others had the steak pie. I would have loved a glass of Prosseco which was on the menu , but they didn't have it !! My partner wasn't sure whether to have liquor or gravy so Kayleigh offered to put the liquor in a jug on the side so if he didnt like it she would get him gravy . Kayleigh was an amazing server , very helpful & friendly . The chicken pie was amazing . I did sample my partners steak pie , but it wasn't my taste , but both guys loved it . Other than no Prosseco my only complaint was the plates LOL It would be nice if they were proper plates so it looks a bit more special if u wanted to invite people who are not convinced on the vegan mode of eating to a nice lunch or dinner

The food was mega, one of the best pies I have ever had. Will be back.... the milkshake I had was perfect too. The service was spot on and was the pricing.

Loved our Sunday brunch! Huge portions and very tasty! We went on a day trip out of London to lovely Southend, and this was just a brilliant bonus!

Not too far from the station and the rest of the pubs/bars on the waterfront - this spot offers a very special all Vegan menu. Me and my colleagues visited this place a few weeks back after work and it was the best decision we made whilst stay in Leigh-on-Sea! The menu was split into Pies and Jacket potatoes - we all opted for pies. They were delicious! One thing that often puts me off from ordering vegan food is that anything involving pastry/bread/baking of anykind can often be very dry as the substitutes for milk/egg etc. don't always work well. However in this case they nailed it - it was an excellent pie from crust to filling! The pie pastry wasn't dry or overly flaky, and retained the filling and gravy very well. Portions were also generous and we struggled to finnish, all for just a tenner! I would also recommend the vegan milkshakes as they were very well made. This is an all around great pie place that I would reccommend to all, vegan or not!

Visited the Acorn today and had a great time! Wonderful jackets, pies, cakes and tea! Please visit - its definitely worth it!

Passed many times and popped in today for a takeaway ‘tester’. Went for the “Steak & Ale”. Pastry was undercooked and floury. Perfectly seasoned mash. Portion not great. Gravy and beans padded out. Didn’t feel worth the £10. Nice decor and position though.

Thought I'd try vegan as a meat eater! Don't hate me. Was surprised at how nice it all was and totally animal product free. I had a Lebanese pie and mash. My partner had a chicken version. I felt healthier with every bite. Both had fried onions on the rosemary mash, all of which was amazing. Had a bit of the chocolate cake after. Also very nice and gluten free. Loads of beers for choice too. Staff were friendly with top service. A brief menu for meals but all of them are done really well. Can't fault it.

A truly great place to go and get a slice of history that has been brought up to date with veganism. Great choices of pies and all so delicious that you will need to go back and try them all.

This is fantastic. Love the food and friendly staff. Will definitely will be returning

Just a short walk from Leigh train station across the foot bridge from Old Leigh. Great choice of vegan pies + daily special and not a soggy bottom in sight! Proper mash Peas or beans? Gravy or liquor? Such a novelty to have vegan liquor And talking about liquor, great local booze to wash it down And the staff are brilliant

Visited the Acorn pie and mash shop today and had an lovely meal. It was a pleasure to come to a restaurant and know i could just order anything I wanted and it would all be vegan. I had the bacon and mushroom pie, mash, peas and gravy. I was curious to see how the 'bacon' tasted! ....it was lovely. Friends had the chicken and mushroom pies and much the same experience... Amazingly tasty, well filled and the mash was creamy. I challenge any meat eater to come along and try it out...If any where is going to prove to you that a vegan diet is definitely as tasty as a 'meaty' one...this is the place!

I won't lie by not mentioning that I was a little apprehensive by how empty the restaurant had been when I arrived, but I was greeted very warmly upon arrival and when the food arrived I was really blown away - it was simple but very well executed which is everything pie and mash should be. I shall definitely be returning!

Absolutely love this place. Really tasty vegan foods ... really pleasant staff 👍

Was expecting traditional pie and mash with a vegan filling, it was much more than that

Pies were delicious 🙂 Staff were lovely 🙂

Lovely pies, had the steak with mash peas and gravy. Lush. Generous portions, completely stuffed 😊

Nice atmosphere and fantastic food. I eat meat but didn't miss it at all in the pies which were some of the best I've ever had, so much flavour in the filling and the pastry was excellent.

Great pies and friendly staff. Nice cakes too!

Lovely! Freshly cooked on the premises. Decent portions and friendly service.

It's a bit of a novelty. A vegan pie and mash shop. And it is very nice. Excellent gravy, peas, mash and pastry. The pie filling was fine but not as nice as the rest imo.

As always very nice food and great service. Good comes out nice and hot and the deserts are amazing. A nice calm environment which I believe allow you to take dogs in which is nice after a walk along leigh beach. Everything is available for eat in or takeaway too. Nice to have a vegan only restaurant so you don't have to search the whole menu for a little 've' ;-)

Top Pie and Mash Simple menu delivered well. Lovely staff and great location Good selection of local ales as well

We went to the pie & mash restaurant excited to see what a vegan version was like. The menu had about six different option pies, and come with peas or baked beans, liqueur or gravy. The pies were great and the service fantastic. Thanks!

When we visit the UK, we sometimes get the urge to eat pie and mash. As we don't eat meat, the choices can be somewhat limited. That's why we were quite excited to hear about The Acorn Pie and Mash. Following on from the huge success of it's sister veggie restaurant, The Oaktree, in Leigh Road, this eaterie has now embarked on putting it's own 'mark' on the traditional British pie and mash.

Best pie and mash I've had! Thanks for the takeaway option. I took our omni in-laws, and they are still raving about the Thai pie!

Nice staff.Good coffee.Meatless pie a bit bland. We found the lack of fresh air due to no opening windows was a bit stuffy but would go again.

Really good, had the 'steak' and ale pie and enjoyed it very much, the place itself is small but lovely, my only gripe would be the parking situation, not their fault but that's why I knocked a star off. Food was Excellent and came away with cake for later.

Excellent vegan food and drinks

Great food, relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff.

Lovely choice of vegan pies and deserts. Local ale was good too. Will come back.

Came last night after wanting to come here since I heard it was reopening from the deli to a pie and mash shop, been following them on social media every step of the way!

Very nice. Pleasant atmosphere. Food was small and tasty. Great coffee too. No opening windows so quite hot even on a windy day. Would go again.

Popped in here with the dog and enjoyed a lovely coffee and a cookie! Service with a smile Looking forward to popping back

How vegan food should be, a little pricey but such good food in such a nice location will always come at a premium. One of my favourite haunts.

I have had several meals here and whilst not a vegan myself, i thoroughly recommend the food as I have enjoyed all food we have had there. A good location near the old town .The service has always been fast and friendly and I partilcary love the latte coffee made with oat meal milk .I believe they have recently applied for alcohol licence .

Wish there were more places like this. Great service and food. Look forward to coming here again

I've driven past so often and thought that I must give it a try... today I did and am only sorry I didnt do so sooner! It was so incredibly tasty! We each had a 'tofu chilli dog', washed down with 3 cups of coffee between us and two slices of coffee and hazlenut cake... absolutely gorgeous... I simply can't fault it and will 100% be visiting again!! Oh, all that for just under £30 too!

Good food. Decent coffee rear addition to the old leigh where slowly but surely there is more reason to take a stroll down there.

As usual the food was amazing & service prompt & very polite

Lovely vegan breakfast. We bought some items from the shop as well. Nice friendly staff. We will return.

Great food and drinks, friendly staff. Picked up a tasty lunch for the next couple of days from the deli section.

If you go vegan make sure to visit here or for meat free days .

lovely coffee and cake. service with a smile too!

We only had shakes but they were lovely, the staff were friendly, there is a freezer full of vegan goodies, a chiller and store goods. The seating is comfortable and I basically can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu. It was a bit pricey but that doesn't bother me if it's good food.

Great selection of totally vegan lunches, cakes and drinks. Everything seems to be prepared freshly in front of the diners. There are also deli bits and bobs to buy - including some unusual things not readily available elsewhere. Service is not fast which is understandable given the fresh preparation but in my opinion there is an opportunity to clear finished plates more promptly. Having said that I look forward to going back again for the great food.

Lovely food in a small little veggie cafe, would go again when in the area

What a nice little find, a cafe on the corner in a popular area in Leigh, with large front windows so you can see life going by, perch stools in the window to watch the world. Obviously a popular little cafe too as doing a good trade and quite busy. Tasty menu/drinks and also selling a selection of goodies not able to buy elsewhere. Worth a visit.

Great little cafe with lots of yummy vegan options. The walnut and pear salad is amazing!

Fantastic yummy salad made to my needs and allowances.😍 came to the rescue with only fish n chips in sight.

This is such a little gem of a place. Lovely decor, really friendly staff (special mentions to Kayleigh, Ellen and Polly). Great food for a light lunch or mid-morning snack. Love their coronation "chicken". Staff recommend oat milk as a diary substitute and I really wouldn't know the difference. Dogs allowed so great for my morning walks.

I am not a vegan but the food provided was excellent and I really enjoyed it .

Just enjoyed a very nice cup of Coffee ☕️ here. Very pleasant atmosphere. Will try some of their food on our next visit. We are staying locally for 5 nights.

Delicious food & cake and great for getting any groceries and sauces without having going to the supermarket

Excellent place for a light lunch or tea/coffee and cake. They sell all vegan goods too

Amazing! Great staff and amazing food. Worth a travel and dog friendly!

Great vegan snacks and ambience

I love coming here for their lovely sandwiches! Love their cakes and all their cheeses available to buy. Best place to stock up on vegan goodies!!

I have been to the Acorn Deli around 6 or 7 times now, and am never disappointed by the food and drinks available here, as well as the wide variety of vegan products on sale.

Great flavours and options, friendly service and a short distance from the seafront.

Fresh, tasty vegan cafe and deli. Had the veggie sausage sandwich. Lovely fresh bread, tasty sausages and tangy onion relish . Coupled with a latte made with oat milk. Big selection of alternative non dairy mills. Modern, clean look and friendly staff. Top marks!

The Acorn Veggie deli is a real hidden gem down in old leigh. The decor is stylish and the staff are super friendly. They have a great selection of vegan products for sale as well as beautiful food to eat in or takeaway. The vegan 'coronation chicken' sandwich is a firm favourite! lovely coffee too!

Great little veggie cafe with friendly staff and a range of product sales.

Only came in for takeaway cake and coffee but what an adorable place! Love all the stock they have in, I love the Oatly Barista Oat Milk and it is so hard to find in the local shops and supermarkets, good to know they sell it here! Had a slice of the vegan mint chocolate cake - was delicious and not too sweet! Lovely and clean and tidy inside. Cant wait to come back for a proper lunch or breakfast.

Not over impressed with the stock at this deli. Very little tofu, just the usual Couldron which is available in Tesco. Quite pricy too. Toilet not overly clean either. Tea and peanut butter on toast was nice.

Really nice place. The food is good and staff very friendly and helpful.

Lovely atmosphere, delicious food and great cakes

Have just realised that despite probably eating at the Acorn close to a hundred times now, I haven’t left a review. Absolutely love it! It’s my favourite place to eat and has overtaken the Oaktree simply because the staff and the food is just so good.

A nice place to sit in and eat, both me and my partner both got sandwiches, unfortunately we were both disappointed with these choices and found them quite bland with not a lot of flavour, also in the salad and coleslaw included with the sandwiches, would be willing to go back and try something else in the future hopefully better next time!

So so so good! My meat eating friends love the acorn too.

We stopped in for a coffee after walking along the seafront from Southend and found it to be fantastic. I opted for a hot chocolate which I liked so much I bought another one to drink on the walk back, as did my friends who I was walking with. Although I didn't eat anything myself I was very tempted as everything in their looked apertising.

I popped in for a takeaway lunch. Nothing really stood out as exciting on the menu. I ended up choosing a ‘tuna’ and sweetcorn sandwich. I also wanted a bottle of water but they didn’t have any available.

I have been here several times with my vegan daughter and her likewise husband who introduced me to this really nice cafe.The food is delicious, especially the fake coronation chicken sandwiches which are hugely filled. Everything is freshly prepared in a very efficient manner and the place although smallish has a very friendly and chilled feel. There is plenty of seating but Leigh High Street (the old town) is right opposite so grab a takeout and sit on the seafront. The Acorn is always fairly busy and I hope it is successful because it is refreshing to have a vegan deli who's food is so tasty. The coffee is equally nice. There is a good selection of provisions on sale like juices and dried pasta, too.

This is a lovely little place so glad I visited! Employees were very nice and helpful with food arriving quickly even during a busy time of day. As a vegetarian I was very happy with the selection and ordered a cucumber and vegan cream cheese sandwich. It was all beautifully presented with a side salad and coleslaw and tasted so nice too! Will definitely be returning soon

Loved it. It is a very cosy and warm atmosphere inside. The girls who served were very nice, too. Food was very tasty. The only thing I did not like is that the whole order came at once. I highly recommend the place.

Totally worth a visit, happy to have dogs visit too, recomded.

We visited in a group of 3 on a Friday afternoon, wasn't busy when we arrived so got a table but it quickly filled up after and seemed there wasn't enough room for everyone. We ordered 2 hot drinks, a pasty, a brownie, some toast and a veggie chilli jacket. All the food was relatively lovely, hot chocolate was nice, pasty was ok but a bit bland. But was a bit open mouthed when the whole bill came to £25! Brownie and pasty at £4 each despite small portions... Although it's nice to have somewhere local and good for veggies/vegan options.

Lovely little cafe, we had a mixture of sandwiches and jacket potatoes. Fillings we delicious. Also tried the cheese pasty which was amazing. Would be lovely to see some more exciting bits on the menu, even turmeric latte or fresh mint tea. Vegan food has come such a long way, theres huge amounts of variety, would be lovely to see it celebrated!

Greeeeeeat. Awesome vegan food. And deli

Everything was so tasty! In love with the sausage rolls here. Staff were helpful and friendly. Will definitely be coming back.

Amazing food. A vegan experience that you can relax in, knowing that there will be no "surprises". Their sandwiches are the best thing after a long run, and as for the vegan wagon wheels, well....

What a lovely place! I recently visited for the first time and was so impressed. They have just about every different type of milk you could want so there is something to suit everyone. I had a latte with oatly and a coronation "chicken" sandwich. The sarnie comes with salad and coleslaw and the portions are huge and excellent value for money. I think the thing that really sets the Acorn apart though is their deli shop. To be able to have lunch and grab the essentials (and an odd treat) is just such a great idea. The staff are lovely and very knowledgable. I really cannot fault it.

I was very excited to see we had a new veggie deli opening up near to my home. I'm not a Vegan but love all food and especially love trying new things. I've been to the Acorn twice now and both times left a little disappointed and uninspired. Its a very pleasant deli, nice style, clean and welcoming, however i thought the menu was a bit simple, basics I would of loved to been wowed by some new fresh veggie dishes, not just jackets, salads and sarnies.