A NEW restaurant and a cafe has opened at the end of Southend Pier as part of a fresh drive to offer “new and exciting experiences” for residents and daytrippers. 

Lazy Jacks cafe and the Offshore restaurant boast picturesque views of the Thames Estuary after opening in the Royal Pavilion on the pierhead ahead of the Easter weekend.

The move comes just days after Southend was named Pier of the Year by the National Piers Society, a huge accolade for the 1.3-mile landmark.

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Lazy Jacks has a wide selection of light bits including cheesy chips, sandwiches, teas, and coffee.

Next door is Offshore, an 80-seater restaurant offering a vibrant menu from a full English breakfast to pizzas, katsu chicken curry, and a selection of tasty puddings.

It also has a licensed bar with a selection of beers, ciders, spirits, and cocktails including Sharp’s award-winning Offshore lager on draught.

Both the new eateries cater for vegetarians and vegans.

Scott Dolling, director of culture and tourism at Southend Council, said: “Our Royal Pavilion at the end of Southend Pier is now home to two exciting new eateries - Lazy Jacks cafe and the Offshore restaurant.

“I am delighted to see them both open in time for the Easter bank holiday weekend, offering visitors a great selection of food and drink.

“The pier is more popular than ever, having welcomed 412,300 visitors last year -  the highest number of visitors ever recorded in a single year - and the pier has just been crowned Pier of the Year 2023 by the National Piers Society.

“But we are determined to continue offering new and exciting events and experiences on our pier and the addition of Lazy Jacks and Offshore, our upcoming Easter Egg Hunt, crazy golf, two electric trains, and planned visiting ships over the coming months, means there are many new reasons to visit the nation’s official best pier.”

Lazy Jacks and Offshore are now open and operate between 10.30am and 5pm.

There is also an outdoor decking area seating for between 80 to 100 people which offers views of the estuary.