South Mimms is the best service station on the M25. It scores 8/10 on Off The Junction, a point clear of Cobham and Clacket Lane (both 7/10) and two clear of Thurrock (6/10). That puts us at odds with the crowd, which rates Cobham higher on both Google and Tripadvisor. Cobham is the newest of the M25 services and it is a behemoth with an an excellent selection of food but it lacks the charm, and calm, of South Mimms.

How the four compare

How the crowd rates them

Here is how our scores sit next to Google and Tripadvisor ratings as of 5 October 2026. Clacket Lane’s Google rating is for the eastbound listing, and its Tripadvisor rating is still to be added. Tripadvisor lists South Mimms and Thurrock as restaurants and Cobham as an attraction, so treat it as a rough guide.

Google puts Cobham first and Thurrock last, the same bottom spot as our ranking, with South Mimms and Clacket Lane close together in between. Tripadvisor puts them in the same order, with lower scores across the board. Where we differ from the crowd is in ranking South Mimms top, a point above Cobham, because of its position, the EV charging and the nature reserve out the back, none of which show up in a star rating. It also made the top five in the 2019 Motorway Services User Survey, while Transport Focus once named Thurrock the lowest-scoring service area in England, at 68% satisfaction.

Why South Mimms wins

You do have to fully leave the motorway to get to South Mimms, which puts some drivers off, but there is very little in it. The services are on the exit roundabout itself, so you are off, parked and back on again quickly. It sits right at the start of the A1(M), so it works just as well as a first or last stop for anyone heading north as it does for drivers going round the M25.

The choice of food is better than most: Starbucks, Pret A Manger, Subway, The Good Breakfast, Taco Bell, Burger King and KFC, plus a Pizza Express in its own building outside the main terminal. There is a Waitrose and a WH Smith too. The building itself is bright and airy with a big curved roof, and when we visited there was a yellow piano out on the concourse for anyone who fancied a go.

EV drivers are very well served. There is a large Applegreen Electric fast charge hub with bays numbered into the twenties, the newest rated up to 360kW, plus a Tesla Supercharger. If charging decides where you stop, this is one of the stronger sites on the M25.

Then there is the best thing about South Mimms, and almost nobody stopping here knows it is there. Walk up the side of the Pizza Express and a picnic area leads straight into Wash Lane Common, a proper nature reserve with a 500m easy-access trail along the Mimmshall Brook. If you have children in the car, or a dog, or you have simply been sat still for two hours, it is far better than another lap of the car park.

The other three

Cobham (7/10) has the widest selection of restaurant choices that we have ever seen at a service station. As well as a McDonald’s, the main court has Greggs, KFC, Starbucks and M&S, plus quirkier options like German Doner Kebab, El Mexicana and Chopstix. So if your family needs four separate meal options, Cobham is the stop for you. It also has a standalone Pizza Express and a sit-in Nando’s, and EV charging from Gridserve, Ionity and Tesla. Where better to have a cheeky Nando’s? If you want something quieter, come off at Junction 8 and take the A217 towards Reigate, where there is an Esso garage and a National Trust property at Reigate Hill.

Clacket Lane (7/10) is a well equipped stop with a good range of food outlets and a bright central atrium. It has a 24 hour McDonald’s, Chozen Noodle, Coco di Mama and Costa, plus a Costa Drive Thru if you don’t want to park. There is a large truck stop, a Days Inn and a picnic area with about 10 tables. It has plenty of parking space, but we did have to raise an eyebrow at a Mars bar costing more than a litre of petrol when we checked in October 2025. Godstone near Junction 6 is the cheaper alternative for fuel.

Thurrock (6/10) has a good range of food, with M&S Simply Food, Costa, Burger King, Greggs and KFC around a large tiled concourse, and genuinely strong EV provision from Gridserve and Tesla. But on paper it is barely a mile from the motorway and it doesn’t feel like it, and the long ramped walkway in from the car park is less welcome in the rain with children in tow. It does feel a bit tired. If all you need is fuel, Junction 28 is the better call.

The verdict

South Mimms gets 8/10. A strong range of food, a Waitrose, excellent EV charging and a nature reserve out the back make it the best stop on the M25, and having to leave the motorway completely is the only real mark against it. It barely costs you a minute.

Where to stop instead

South Mimms is the best service station on the M25, but the best stop isn’t always a service station. These junction stops sit close to the motorway and are worth considering, especially as Cobham and Clacket Lane are some of the priciest services in the country.

Near South Mimms

Junction 22, London Colney is 2.7 miles from South Mimms. There is a large retail park, a petrol station just off the junction at the first roundabout you come to, and a drive-through McDonald’s. Greggs and Burger King are about half a mile away, and Broad Colney Lakes Nature Reserve is just over a mile off if you need to stretch your legs.

Junction 24, Potters Bar is 2.6 miles the other side of South Mimms and one of the better-equipped exits on the M25. Tesco has fuel and a supermarket about 0.6 miles off, there are 38 places to eat and drink within two miles, starting with Cafe Brunch, and 7 EV charging points.

Instead of Cobham

Junction 8, Reigate has an Esso on the A217 about 0.6 miles from the junction. For a longer stop, Reigate Hill is a National Trust site about a mile and a half away, with a 19th century fort and a 21st century cafe.

Instead of Clacket Lane

Junction 6, Godstone has everything for a full stop. Shell is 0.4 miles off, the Flower Farm Tea Room is 0.8 miles away, and there is a Lidl about 1.8 miles out. If you need to charge instead, there is a Sevenoaks Supercharger about 1.6 miles from Junction 5, though that is a busy interchange rather than a natural place to break a journey.

Instead of Thurrock

Junction 28, Brentwood is much closer to the motorway, so you will be back on the M25 far quicker. There is an Esso 0.7 miles off, 32 places to eat and drink, 7 pubs and Co-op Food, with Weald Country Park about 1.2 miles away. Junction 29, Upminster is also worth a look if you are coming round anticlockwise, with an Esso 1.2 miles off and an M&S Simply Food a little further on. If you do end up at Thurrock, the McDonald’s at the Lakeside retail park next door is the best food option, but it can get very busy at peak times.

Read the full reviews

• South Mimms Services
• Cobham Services Review
• Clacket Lane Services Review
• Thurrock Services Review