Southend eating divides cleanly between the seafront — fish and chips, ice cream, donuts and arcade food, all of which is part of the experience — and Old Leigh at the western edge of the city, which has the much better restaurants. The Sand Bar on the Old Leigh waterfront does excellent fresh fish and the cocklers' traditional pint of cockles. Osborne Bros and The Boatyard, both on the same wharf, are reliable. Inland in the centre of Southend, Pipe of Port (a long-standing wine bar) and Sapore di Mare (Italian) are the steadier dinner options. For the canonical Southend chip-shop experience, look no further than the seafront.