The best restaurants serving Mediterranean food in England

We dined at Zufa today, and while the food itself was enjoyable, our overall experience was unfortunately overshadowed by poor customer service. The issue arose when we were charged £6 for extra sauces, something quite unusual for a Lebanese restaurant. Typically, bread and sauces are served generously, but in this case, despite being a table of four, we were only given one portion. When we inquired about this charge, the manager was extremely rude and dismissive, which was disappointing. To make matters worse, when we politely asked for the service charge to be removed due to the poor handling of the situation, the manager reacted unprofessionally, claiming that we were "attacking" her, something that was entirely untrue and frankly an overreaction. It’s a shame because the food was good, but the unwelcoming attitude of the manager left a bad taste in our mouths. A restaurant experience is about more than just food, and unfortunately, Zufa fell short in that regard.

I’ve been a few times now and love the food every single time! The decor/aesthetic is lovely, the menu choices are vast and there’s always a good amount of diners without it being too overcrowded. The last time I went they had opened up the outside area for Al fresco dining in good weather - nice touch. Food-wise, I’m yet to get past the Guvec. It’s soooo good! I had the Prawn Guvec the first two times I visited and branched out to the Lamb Guvec for my 3rd visit. With bulgar wheat every time. My other half has had the meat grill and my Dad’s had the prawn and salmon shish - and they’ve loved it all. Good portion sizes too. Maybe one day I will try something else other than the Guvec!

Excellent place, good food, good service.

The food was delicious, we had the Tia Rose onion which was lovely! All our main courses were amazing too. Not the fastest service, but it didn't matter as it was well worth it when it arrived, and the staff were lovely. Definitely recommend Tia's! 😁

All you can eat tapas what a great idea! We loved this pretty restaurant. Great food particularly the lamb chops and garlic prawns. Great cocktails.

Everything was immaculate. Delicious food, great atmosphere, and excellent service. Couldn't recommend this place enough!

We went for dinner with friends, and the ambiance was nice. The food was quite good, especially the starters. The service was a bit busy but it was worth the wait.

Took my wife here for a treat and was really surprised how fresh and tasty the food was. I haven’t visited this restaurant before but will definitely be back

Went for lunch and had the chicken and bacon dish from the specials board and my wife had prawns both were superb. Quiet atmosphere and good service , will definitely go back soon.

Fantastic food service and atmosphere. Really enjoyed a chilled evening with brilliant food

Couldn’t have more helpful with the menu choices and such happy staff, recommend wholeheartedly to everyone 😎

My partner booked this place for our anniversary, thinking it’d feel like a piece of Spain. The restaurant was packed — everyone chatting over tapas, sipping wine, thinking they were in Barcelona. But to me, it felt like a very British version of Spain: clean, well-run, and expensive. £8 for patatas bravas made with British potatoes sums it up. It looked right, it ticked all the boxes, but it didn’t feel right. Still, if you’ve never been to Spain, maybe it’s enough. For me, it was just a reminder of how far home really is.

We love dining here, the service is friendly and superb, the food is always exceptional and plentiful, great wine and beer too! We never leave hungry… the fact they are always busy speaks for itself.

With Southend having limited options for halal dining, this is a good choice. The experience the first time I visited was a nice. The food is decent, and the staff on shift were very friendly and welcoming, leaving me wanting to come back. However, my second visit was less impressive. I went with a group of 15 to celebrate my brother's birthday, and the server seemed visibly irritated, both in his facial expressions and tone of voice. Despite this, I wouldn't discourage others from visiting, as the server might have just had a bad day. Overall, I think it's worth trying for a casual meal.

Absolutely spot on. Lovely food. Mixed grill..sauces made in house. Lovely jubbly 👌