The Black PigFarm Cafe

The Black Pig Farm Cafe sits inside a converted barn on Chigborough Farm & Fisheries, 130 acres of arable land and fishing lakes on the edge of the Blackwater estuary outside Maldon. Paul and Sam Tallowin have managed the farm since 2006, alongside family members Pippa and Henry, building on fisheries first opened here in 1981 for trout and coarse fishing. The cafe serves an Aussie-influenced brunch menu from 9am, Wednesday to Sunday, using produce from local farms and fishermen, with Sunday roasts added through the winter months from November to February. Lambton and Jackson smoke salmon on the same site. Seating spreads between the barn interior and an outdoor area with a firepit, and dogs are welcome throughout. The farm borders an Essex Wildlife Trust reserve, and guests can walk the fishing lake paths before or after eating.