When you feel like the world is letting you down, food will always be there for you.
And in case you want to eat your heart out, there are plenty of restaurants in Essex which are worth a visit.
In total 12 of the county's restaurants enjoyed a mention in this year's Michelin Guide being awarded either a bib gourmand or The Michelin Plate.
Those that made the list include:
Galvin Green Man, Great Waltham
Set in the beautiful Essex countryside, close to Great Waltham in a building dating back to 1341, Galvin Green Man was awarded the Bib Gourmand award for good quality, good value cooking.
It was even named the best pub in Essex in the National Pub and Bar Awards 2021.
The place offers panoramic views and an extensive garden, with a menu centred around locally sourced and seasonal ingredients.
It features British dishes as well as comforting pub restaurant classics.
The Pier, Harwich
Being part of the Milsoms Hotel branch, the Pier restaurant boasts a gin library which offers more than 100 gins across four shelves.
This is the perfect spot for seafood lovers, as the menu celebrates modern classics, exciting grill dishes, fresh fish and shellfish.
The restaurant was awarded the Michelin Plate award.
Church Street Tavern, Colchester
Church Street Tavern opened on February 2014 as a tavern with ground floor bar and lounge and first floor restaurant serving simple, freshly prepared, wholesome food.
It was also awarded the Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
Most of the ingredients do come from local (30 miles) farmers, growers and fish from inshore day boats on the Essex, Suffolk and South coast.
The beer, wine and other beverages are no different.
Cricketers, Clavering
This long-standing pub was once owned by Jamie Oliver's parents.
Guests can enjoy seared, sizzled or slow cooked meat or chargrilled, marinaded and pickled seafood.
The meat is butchered on site and pasta lovers must know the restaurant has its own authentic Italian pasta machine.
The Cricketers was awarded the Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
Flitch of Bacon, Dunmow
This is the only pub or restaurant in the whole world that bears this name, which celebrates an old folk ritual dating back to the 12th century, from which the prize was a flitch of bacon.
Nestled in the yale of the River Chelmer, the place offers locally sourced seasonal menus.
In winter, guests can cosy up in front of the log burner while enjoying the signature Flitch of Bacon dish - a concoction of cauliflower cream, maple glazed bacon and Granny Smith apples.
In 2018 the restaurant celebrated becoming Essex’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, just a few months after new owner Tim Allen took over.
But this year it was downgraded losing its star and instead being given a The Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
White Hart, Great Yeldham
The White Hart is a 15th century coaching inn set in beautiful countryside.
With both dining in the bar and in the exposed oak beam restaurant , visitors can enjoy a combination of traditional and contemporary cuisine.
It was handed the Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
The Sun Inn, Dedham
A proper coaching inn with an elm bar, an open beamed dining room and a snug oak panelled lounge all with open fires, the Sun was handed the Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
The menu varies throughout the month with produce off Mersea day boats, meat from rare breed animals, wild game in season and vegetables and fruit from East Anglia and around the UK.
It is a partner restaurant with the Church Street Tavern.
Le Talbooth, Dedham
Le Talbooth was established in 1952 and its picturesque setting beside the River Stour makes dining in Dedham an experience like no other.
The restaurant was awarded the Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
It boasts carefully designed and exquisitely presented food, including the Mersea Crab Tartlet with Avocado, preserved lemon and pickled radish, or English Asparagus with smoked egg mayonnaise and black garlic.
Food by John Lawson, Leigh on Sea
When John Lawson was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2015, he used food to support his ongoing recovery and this healthy-eating ethos highlights the cooking here.
The vision of the restaurant is: “Real food with a focus on creativity and flavour.”
The restaurant boasts sourcing organically grown vegetables and meat and was handed the Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
Haywards, Epping
With Head Chef, Jahdre Hayward’s, extensive CV and culinary knowledge the restaurant focuses on modern European cooking techniques.
Appealing dishes follow the seasons and flavours are well-balanced.
The restaurant was awarded the Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
The Windmill Chatham Green
Serving refined seasonal British food in a modernised, characterful pub, the Windmill was awarded the Bib Gourmand award for good quality, good value cooking.
The guide says: "Friendly young couple Mick and Lydia have transformed this whitewashed inn into a smart dining pub.
"Concise menus constantly evolve as the latest seasonal produce arrives. Dishes are refined versions of British and pub classics."
Rubino Kitchen, Heybridge
Situated on Chigborough Farm, this is a tiny, intimate restaurant – a former fisherman’s lodge – decorated with fishing memorabilia.
Flavour-packed cooking mixes English and Italian influences.
It was awarded the Michelin Plate award for good cooking.
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