The House by Hilly Gant is a small, award-recognised restaurant on New Street in Braintree, known for seasonal British cooking, strong steaks, and a menu that suits both special occasions and relaxed weekend lunches.

If you like the idea of somewhere that feels a little tucked-away, with a calm, grown-up atmosphere and food that’s clearly built around quality ingredients, The House by Hilly Gant is one to keep on your list. It’s a compact restaurant in a listed house on New Street, close enough to town to feel convenient, but with a more “destination dining” feel once you’re inside. The way they talk about their cooking is grounded in seasonality and local sourcing, with ingredients coming from nearby farms and suppliers where possible.

The vibe is refined without being intimidating. It’s the sort of place that works brilliantly for dates, anniversaries and celebratory meals, but it also fits those simple “let’s go somewhere really good for dinner” plans where you don’t want a loud room or a rushed service. A smart casual approach makes sense here, especially if you’re visiting for dinner at the end of the week, when it’s clearly set up for a proper evening out.

A good way to understand what to expect is to look at how the menus are structured. There’s a Signature Menu for evening dining, a dedicated Sunday Lunch menu, a Vegan Menu that’s more than an afterthought, and a Saturday lunchtime format that includes a set experience for people who want a lively, celebratory lunch.

On the Signature Menu, the opening choices set the tone nicely. There are simple, high-quality pre-starters like warm focaccia with loaded oil, marinated olives, and toasted sourdough with a punchy butter and aged parmesan. From there, starters lean into rich, comforting flavours and strong technique. You’ll see their award-winning chicken liver parfait with red onion marmalade and brioche, a House Scotch egg with brown sauce, braised beef short rib and truffle arancini with tomato ragu and aged parmesan, and pan-fried king prawns with chilli, garlic, spring onion, lime aioli and toasted sourdough. There’s also a spiced parsnip soup with a garlic focaccia crouton for something warming and simple.

For mains, the menu naturally pulls your attention towards beef and classic British cooking. One standout option is the House chateaubriand, served to share, with sautéed mushrooms, confit tomato, hand-cut chips, peppercorn sauce and a rocket and sun-dried tomato salad, priced per 100g with staff confirming available weights. It’s a very “make a night of it” choice, ideal if you’re dining as a pair and want that centrepiece-style main.

If you’re planning a visit and want a simple ordering approach that tends to work well here, try this:

Start with something bread-based or olives if you want a gentle opening, especially if you’re meeting friends and want a slow start.

Choose one richer starter and one lighter starter across the table, for example the parfait alongside the prawns, so you get contrast.

If it’s a special occasion, consider sharing the chateaubriand, then add a side or two so the table feels generous without over-ordering.

Sundays are a different experience and very much their own event. The Sunday Lunch menu begins with starters like prawn and crayfish cocktail with Marie Rose sauce and smoked paprika, roasted tomato soup with feta and garlic croutons, smoked salmon with pickled shallots and chive crème fraiche, sautéed wild mushrooms with garlic and truffle cream, plus the beef short rib and truffle arancini that also appears on the main menu. On the sides list you’ll spot proper Sunday extras like pigs in blankets, red cabbage, seasonal veg, and a parmesan crumb cauliflower cheese, plus a more indulgent Yorkshire pudding option stuffed with ox cheek. It’s a strong choice if you want a roast-style lunch in a setting that feels a bit more special than the standard pub roast.

If you like the idea of a Saturday lunch with a bit of celebration built in, there’s a lunchtime special described as “Bottomless”, which includes two courses plus two hours of unlimited Prosecco and house lager for £39 per person, with terms and conditions applying. That’s one of those options that suits birthdays, small group catch-ups, and “let’s make it a proper Saturday” plans, especially because the restaurant also offers a bar service from noon until late on days it’s open.

Dietary options are handled better than you might expect for a fine-dining leaning venue. There is a dedicated Vegan Menu, and it clearly states that cheeses and creams use vegan substitutes. Vegan starters include white onion soup with truffle and sourdough, cauliflower wings with garlic emulsion, sriracha and sesame, and wild mushrooms with a garlic and truffle cream served with toasted sourdough. Vegan mains include wild mushroom risotto with truffle and rocket, plus a more elaborate cauliflower dish served with spiced smashed butter bean, mango purée, pomegranate and hazelnut. Vegetarian options are not stated as a separate menu, but vegan options are explicitly listed. Gluten-free options are not stated on the restaurant’s own menus shown here. Allergy details are signposted as a section on their site, but specific allergen rules are not stated in the menu text provided.

Location-wise, it’s right in central Braintree at 34 New Street, CM7 1ES. That puts you within easy reach of the High Street and the wider town centre, which is helpful for meeting friends or pairing dinner with a town-centre plan.

Parking is one of the most useful practical details they share. They state that free parking is available in Tesco’s car park, limited to 3 hours, and that you need a voucher to validate parking, so you should speak to a member of staff. They also note that parking is available directly outside the restaurant from 6pm and all day Sunday, which is handy if you’re visiting for dinner or Sunday lunch.

In terms of who it’s best for, The House by Hilly Gant is a strong fit if you’re after:

Date nights and anniversaries, where you want food that feels like an occasion

Smaller celebrations, especially if you like the idea of sharing a standout main

Sunday lunches with a bit more refinement and proper sides

Food-focused diners who enjoy seasonal British cooking and confident flavours

People who prefer a quieter, more intimate setting over a loud dining room

For booking and opening times, planning ahead is sensible. Monday is closed. Tuesday and Wednesday are dinner service 6pm to 9pm. Thursday and Friday offer lunch 12pm to 2pm and dinner 6pm to 9pm. Saturday offers lunch 12pm to 2pm and dinner from 5:45pm to 9:15pm. Sunday runs 12pm to 4:45pm. Booking is available, and the site encourages reservations via phone or email.

Final thoughts: this is a proper “book it, go, enjoy it” kind of restaurant. The menu reads like it’s designed for people who appreciate rich starters, confident sauces, excellent beef, and a well-structured dining experience, with a Sunday offering that can easily become a tradition. If you want somewhere in Braintree that feels special without feeling stiff, and you like seasonal British cooking with a polished edge, The House by Hilly Gant is a great one to try.

Food Types: Restaurant

Dining Type: Dine In

Area: Braintree, Braintree