A Caffeinated Day Trip to Leigh-on-Sea

Last Saturday, I took a day trip to Leigh-on-Sea: a new-to-me seaside destination that's just a 45-minute train journey from London. Once a busy fishing port, Leigh has stacks of character with its cobbled streets, historic buildings and wide array of wonderful restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as some great specialty coffee spots and a lovely sandy beach. Just be sure to check the tide times if you fancy a swim!

When I put together my guide to the best day trips from London recently, I noticed that the coastal destinations were all 90 minutes to two hours by train from London. So, when I saw a Time Out article a few days later highlighting a seaside town less than an hour away, I was intrigued — and started planning my own visit to Leigh-on-Sea.

Leigh is about 40 miles east of London, close to Southend on the north bank of the Thames Estuary in Essex. The town's origins date back to Medieval times and it has a long history of ship-building. Local legend has it that The Mayflower was built or repaired here before it set sail to the New World, although Harwich seems to have a stronger claim. There's still a pub in its honour on the high street.

My journey to Leigh involved my first visit to Fenchurch Street Station (unless Monopoly games count). An off-peak day return ticket to Leigh costs £18.50, although I paid £12.50 with my Network Railcard. After passing through Limehouse, the train followed the District Line route to Barking and before long we were in the countryside. 

When I left the station at Leigh-on-Sea, I wondered if there had been a typo. There was no sea in sight, just grassy dunes and stranded sailboats. Was it meant to read Leigh-on-Lea? After checking the tide times, I realised that the tide was way out and I'd have to wait until later in the afternoon for a better sea view. People were still walking along the Golden Sand at Bell Wharf Beach and paddling in a tidal pool.

Instead, I explored the town, wandering along the quaint, cobbled High Street with its myriad pubs and seafood shacks and the Leigh Heritage Centre. I climbed up Church Hill, a steep lane that reminded me of Rye in Sussex. At the top, I reached Broadway, where many of Leigh's independent boutiques and eateries are located. It was the brunching hour and Leigh was bustling!

As always, my first priority was coffee. I made a beeline to Little Fin, a specialty coffee shop that roasts its own coffee nearby in Southend. The cosy café was busy when I arrived, but I got a seat at the window and then went to order from the friendly baristas. 

They had two espressos: a natural Mexican and their Maratona blend of coffees from Brazil and Honduras. My piccolo with the latter was impeccably brewed and tasted smooth and sweet. They also sell retail bags of coffee beans — had I not already been fully stocked, I would have gone for the Nicaraguan Blueberry Candy, which they were also using in their cold brew! 

My next coffee stop was Cult Coffee & Tattoos on Leigh Road. I can't personally speak for the tattoos but the coffee is excellent! The café itself is beautifully designed with a terrazzo marble counter, a gallery wall full of art and rustic wooden tables. It got super-busy just after I'd ordered so I was glad to get a seat.

They had Allpress espresso beans in the hopper, but I'd spotted a natural Ethiopian coffee from Dark Arts as the guest filter. I had it as a pourover and it was delicious, with juicy peach and pineapple notes as it cooled.

My lunch destination was just a few doors down. Food was recently taken over by Liam Lingwood and Jemma Cooper and the small, cosy restaurant has already been Michelin-listed. It's the kind of neighbourhood restaurant everyone would love to have in their neighbourhood, with warm service and exceptional cooking.

I had the excellent value Menu Du Jour, which was £35 for three courses; the seven-course tasting menu is just £60. Produce is locally sourced and the menu changes seasonally. I started with a haddock fishcake and then the pork wellington. It came with apple ketchup, creamed kale and a spicy sauce; the flavours were spot on. Their homemade gluten-free bread with cashew and marmite butter was amazing! I just about saved room for dessert: peaches with milk ice cream, pistachio and white chocolate.

After lunch, I browsed in the many boutiques and antiques shops on Leigh Road, before strolling to Southend, three miles east. 

The weather was only OK at this point so instead of walking along the world's longest pleasure pier, I headed back to Leigh along the seafront, accompanied by penguins! By this point, the tide was much higher and I had a paddle in the sea at Chalkwell Beach.

Back in Leigh and the High Street had come alive. People were spilling out of the pubs and eateries, making the best of a warm-ish and rain-free evening by the sea. It was certainly a change from the sleepier Saturday morning vibes I'd seen by the port.

By then, it was time to get my train home and I was back at Fenchurch Street in less time than it takes me to get to many places in London! Leigh-on-Sea is now firmly on my day trip radar. Next time, I'll have to time my visit better with the tides — and hopefully also with some warmer, sunnier weather!

How to get to Leigh-on-Sea: C2C trains run regularly from London Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street. The journey takes 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the train.

Where to eat and drink: *Food, Osborne's, Ugo's Pizza, Frank's, Vino Vero, The Mayflower, The Peterboat.

Specialty coffee and brunch spots: *Little Fin, *Cult Coffee & Tattoos, North, Toppers & Toast, Piggy Went to Market.

Shops: Read on Sea, The Local Merchants OtherLetters, Heatherbie, Ursula & Odette, Morley's Music, Lenny's Coffee & Books (Westcliff).

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