A classic Braintree Chinese takeaway with a big crowd pleasing menu, The New Fountain House is a handy High Street option for collection or delivery, especially if you fancy crispy, saucy favourites alongside seafood and duck dishes.

The New Fountain House sits right on Braintree High Street at 130 High Street, CM7 1JZ, making it one of those takeaways that’s easy to fit into your week. Whether you’re grabbing food on the way home or ordering in for a proper sofa dinner, it’s set up to be straightforward. The venue is listed as a Chinese takeaway, and it’s described as being known for authentic style cooking and fresh seafood dishes, which is a nice clue that the menu goes beyond just the basic staples. It also holds a food hygiene rating of 5, which is reassuring for a regular takeaway option.

The overall vibe here is convenience first, but with plenty of choice. There’s online ordering through their own website, and the listing also mentions ordering via delivery platforms like Just Eat and Foodhub, so you’re not locked into one method. If you use Deliveroo, you’ll see the menu laid out in a very familiar, easy-to-browse structure, starters, soups, ribs, rice and noodle dishes, plus all the classic sections people expect from a British Chinese takeaway. It’s the sort of menu where you can keep things very traditional, or you can add a couple of “treat night” dishes and make it feel like more of an occasion.

If you’re deciding what to order, the easiest way to get the best experience is to build a spread with a mix of textures. Chinese takeaway is at its best when you’ve got something crispy, something saucy, something a bit punchy, and something comforting like rice or noodles to bring it all together.

A few items clearly sit in the “popular for a reason” category. Crispy aromatic duck with pancakes is shown as a top pick on Deliveroo, and it’s a brilliant centrepiece for sharing if you’re ordering for two or more. It turns your order into a proper table meal because everyone gets involved, pancakes, duck, and the usual build-your-own bite style. Crispy shredded chilli beef is another popular choice, which is ideal if you like that crispy, sticky, slightly spicy style dish that holds up well in delivery containers. Salt and pepper crispy chicken is also highlighted, and that’s a great one to add when you want something savoury and punchier to balance out sweeter sauces elsewhere in the order.

If you’re feeding one person and you want it all sorted in one go, set meals look like a big part of the offering. Deliveroo lists special set dinners, including an A1 set dinner for one person. Set meals are often the best “no thinking required” route when you want a little bit of everything without building the order piece by piece.

Beyond the popular picks, the menu categories give you a good sense of what The New Fountain House is built around. You’ve got chow mein dishes, rice noodle dishes, and rice dishes for the comforting base, plus separate sections for chicken, beef, pork, duck and seafood. That split is useful if you’re ordering for a mixed group because it makes it easy to get one dish per preference, rather than everybody having to compromise.

A few simple order builds, based on the menu structure and the popular items, can help you nail your first order.

For two people who want a proper takeaway feast at home:

Choose one sharing “centre” dish, aromatic duck with pancakes is perfect for this.

Add one crispy, punchy dish like salt and pepper crispy chicken.

Add one saucy classic from the sweet and sour section so there’s something familiar and comforting.

Pick one rice or chow mein dish as your main base, then add extra if you like leftovers.

For a family order:

Start with one guaranteed crowd pleaser from sweet and sour.

Add one chicken dish and one beef or pork dish so everyone has an option.

Add a big rice dish and a chow mein dish so the table feels full without over-ordering mains.

Add one starter item so it feels like a treat, crispy aromatic duck works brilliantly if it’s a special night, otherwise a starter plus ribs is a classic family takeaway combo.

For a group night in:

Go bigger on variety rather than portion size.

Pick three mains in different styles, for example one crispy and spicy, one sweet and sour, and one curry dish.

Add at least two bases, usually a rice dish and a chow mein dish, because that’s what keeps everyone happy when they’re sharing.

If you like the classics, the menu has all the familiar sections you’d expect, curry dishes, egg fu yung dishes, sweet and sour dishes, and chop suey dishes. That’s useful because it means you can order exactly the way you already like to order. If you’re someone who always gets egg fried rice and chow mein with a couple of mains, you’re covered. If you prefer curry sauce style dishes over sweet sauces, you’re covered too.

Dietary options are best handled carefully here because they aren’t clearly stated in the venue listing. Vegetarian options: Not stated. Vegan options: Not stated. Gluten free options: Not stated. Allergen information: Not stated. If you’re ordering for allergies or strict dietary requirements, it’s safest to contact them directly before placing the order and confirm what’s suitable.

Location-wise, being on the High Street makes it a convenient collection point. Parking is worth planning for though, as the listing states there is no onsite parking. The closest parking mentioned is George Yard and Tesco, which is handy because it gives you a clear fallback if you’re collecting by car and want to avoid circling the High Street. If you’re walking into town or already nearby, it’s an easy pickup.

Opening times are simple and consistent. The New Fountain House is closed on Mondays, then open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm to 10:30pm. That evening window suits most takeaway routines perfectly, weeknight dinners, Friday treats, and easy Sunday evenings. Payment methods listed include cash, credit or debit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, which is useful for quick collections.

For delivery, you’ll see different practical details depending on the platform, but on Deliveroo it shows a minimum order of £15 and a delivery fee of £2.50, with closing time displayed as 23:00 on that platform view. It’s worth using whichever ordering method you prefer and following the live details shown at checkout for your chosen service.

Overall, The New Fountain House is one of those dependable Braintree takeaways that works because it keeps things familiar, flexible, and easy. The menu is broad enough to please most households, with the popular crispy dishes, aromatic duck, sweet and sour classics, curry options, and plenty of rice and noodle choices to build a proper spread. If you plan your order around one standout sharer, one crispy dish, one saucy comfort option, and a solid base of rice or chow mein, you’ll get the best out of what this kind of Chinese takeaway is meant to be.

Food Types: Takeaway/Delivery; Chinese

Dining Type: Takeaway; Delivery

Area: Braintree, Braintree