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★★ Michelin££££Modern British

Start your night with a cocktail at this delightful neighbourhood restaurant that was once the village shop. There is no small amount of skill on display from the chefs, with dishes that are exquisitely crafted and deliver fabulous flavours and textures, be it an exceptional raviolo or glistening turbot. The very best ingredients from Kent’s larder are a feature, while the wine list looks further afield to up-and-coming regions such as Georgia, Croatia and Macedonia. Service comes from a charming team who work with pride and passion.

Fordwich Arms

★ Michelin£££Modern Cuisine

England’s smallest town is a pretty little place and this elegant Arts and Crafts-style building fits it perfectly. It sits in a delightful spot beside the river and its wisteria-covered terrace affords wonderful views. An impressive wood-topped bar and open fires welcome you in and the wood-panelled dining room bursts with charm. The cooking is modern, creative and sometimes playful but this is never at the expense of flavour, thanks to the excellent ingredients used to power dishes like South Coast turbot with a superb vin jaune and dashi butter sauce.

The Sportsman

★ Michelin£££Modern British

An inn has stood here since 1642 and The Sportsman’s reputation continues to bring diners from across the country to this windswept spot by the sea wall. The Thames Estuary provides wonderfully fresh fish and oysters, and the adjacent marshes, woodlands and soils provide meat, game and vegetables. While the place has a comfortingly traditional feel, the dishes mix old favourites (like pot-roast pork loin) with newer ideas. The cooking is assured and satisfying, with seamless flavour combinations and an understated level of complexity. Wooden cabins in the garden are available for a peaceful ni

Stark

★ Michelin££££Modern British

Having relocated from Broadstairs to Mersea Island, the family-run Stark has retained all of its intimacy, passion and enthusiasm. Chef Ben Crittenden works alone in the kitchen crafting a 6 course menu which acts as an ode to top-notch produce. Clever and refined flavour combinations are deployed with great precision to enhance already delicious ingredients like shh'annu lamb and prime quality cod – go for the well-constructed wine pairings to ease any indecision. Be sure to check the tide timetable when visiting to ensure The Strood isn't flooded.

Sargasso

必比登££Modern Cuisine

Housed inside a former boat shed on the harbour wall, Sargasso really does have the perfect seaside location. Watch the tide come in as you sit back and enjoy the seasonally changing menu, which – just like sister restaurant Brawn in London – puts quality produce front and centre. In this case, that means a bounty of delicious fresh seafood, offering clean, powerful flavours in each smartly pared-back dish. The menu is designed for sharing, allowing you to try as much as possible, while the wine list leans towards natural and biodynamic options.

🕐 Mo-Sa 12:00-21:30; Su 12:00-16:30

Histoire Ancienne

必比登€€Traditional Cuisine

This bistro nurtures its authentic vintage look, courtesy of banquette seating, mirrors and Art deco-style posters. Patrick Comte is at the helm, rolling out his tasty take on traditional seasonal dishes: snail persillade; egg bourguignonne and a buttery golden turnip; Angus faux-filet steak, gratin dauphinois with maroilles and béarnaise sauce; a Paris-Brest-style éclair with hazelnut ice cream… Indulgent cooking that hits the spot every time!

La Plage

必比登€€Modern Cuisine

This small hotel-restaurant in a coastal village between Cap Gris-Nez and Cap Blanc-Nez hits all the buttons for a meal on the Opal Coast. Young chef Solène Elliott, whose partner provides friendly service, concocts a tempting seafood-centric menu (sea bream, mackerel, pollack), but not only. Among her delicious and beautifully plated dishes, you may find a velvety soup of white asparagus, caramelised onions, black garlic and fried bread; Licques poultry, mashed potato with cancoillotte cheese, Morteau sausage and braised endive…

Updown Farmhouse

£££Regional Cuisine

Hidden in the heart of the glorious Kent countryside, this delightful 17C farmhouse has been lovingly restored by its owners, and in the garden you'll find a charming, vine-laden conservatory restaurant with rustic décor. There are Italian influences aplenty on the menu, with dishes like ossobuco and crab tagliolini, alongside many cooked over an open fire and steak night on Wednesday. The gardens stretch over 7 acres in total, with individually styled bedrooms spread about the place.

Quince

££British Contemporary

Two alumni of The Goods Shed in Canterbury are behind this unfussy modern bistro, which is a hit with locals and tourists alike. The simple dish descriptions on the concise seasonal menu belie the depth of the dishes, which are made with high quality ingredients and come with distinct flavours and textures. Smooth service adds to the experience.

Angela's

££seafood

Set just off the esplanade is this understated little bistro with a fiercely local, responsible ethos – even the tables are made of compressed recycled plastic. With no meat on the menu, dishes are centred around well-sourced seafood, be it Dover sole with 'green sauce' or hake with tomatoes and capers. Simplicity is the key to the cooking, with the quality central ingredients allowed to shine thanks to just a few, well-judged accompaniments. The friendly service creates a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere.

🕐 Tu-Sa 12:00-14:30,17:45-22:00

Bottega Caruso

££coffee_shop

A former pub plays host to this sweet little osteria offering southern Italian fare, often using ingredients from the chef-owner's home region of Campania. There's a homespun charm to the place, so it's only right the hand-made pastas form the core of the menu. The rest of the simple, rustic cooking consists of small plates and snacks; look out for the 'polpette di pane al sugo', where bread has been used to fashion a 'meatball' of sorts. The same team run a deli a few doors down, which transforms into a wine bar at weekends that's ideal for a drink before or after dinner.

Sète

££Modern British

A characterful, bow-windowed former sweet shop is the home for this lovingly run restaurant located on the road between Margate and Broadstairs. In a fairly small space, the passionate team have managed to combine a restaurant, a wine bar and a bottle shop. The kitchen fuses some classical French techniques with a distinctly British, produce-driven approach, where nothing is overworked and the natural flavours of a few key ingredients are the driving force. The blackboard-written menu is ever-changing, but expect the likes of sea bass with creamy leeks, almonds and soy-pickled chilli.

Bridge Arms

££Modern British

In the charming village of Bridge, within the Nailbourne Valley, lies this 16th-century pub with low beams, roaring open fires and parquet floors – start in the characterful bar with a drink and a few snacks to share. The cooking follows the seasons and exhibits an appealing pared-back style, with the Josper grill used to good effect. Expect a wide range of refined pub classics, such as 28-day-aged sirloin, house-cured bacon chop, or steak and ale pie. If it's on the menu, don't miss the marmalade sponge cake. The set menu, served at certain times, is a steal.

Kebbells

££Seafood

Located right on the coast, in an area known as the jewel in Thanet's crown, this is the perfect spot for a seafood restaurant. The dining room is bedecked with a multitude of mirrors, a large open counter and shelves filled with jars of preserved goods and house-made chilli sauce. As with all good seafood eateries, the menu changes with the daily catch; all the prime ingredients are well-cooked and delivered in carefully balanced combinations. The cheery, relaxed staff run the place wonderfully, giving everything a personal touch.

Whitstable Oyster Company

£££Seafood

One of those wonderful restaurants that 'does what it says on the tin', this family-run spot does indeed specialise in Whitstable Oysters, produced right outside the restaurant in the family's own oyster farm. Fresh and pure, they are a must-order and are available in a number of ways including natural, 'Royale' and 'Rockefeller'. The rest of the menu is as seafood-centric as you'd expect, with minimal adornment applied to the latest catch, be that gilthead bream or Dover sole. A large terrace and tremendous views over the estuary are the icing on the cake.

Boys Hall

£££Traditional British

Built in 1616 for the Boys family, this charming old house has been sympathetically converted into a hotel with eye-catching features at every turn, plus lovely gardens and land. The restaurant sits in an extension to the main house and serves high-quality Kentish produce, in flavourful dishes such as hake with roasted cauliflower, caviar and butter sauce. Great wines, also from Kent, are available to pair with your food and, should you wish to grab a drink before dining, the grounds also house a pub with a terrace.

The West House

£££Modern British

One-time '80s rock drummer Graham Garrett has now been in the kitchen longer than he was on stage. His family run restaurant is in a great spot, located in a picturesque village and housed inside a 16th-century cottage with heavily timbered interiors. Graham's dishes are stripped down to show off his quality ingredients and years of technical experience; if you're lucky, you'll get the finely crafted parmesan churros as a snack. The wines are local, the service is as unfussy as the food and the bedrooms have stylish themes.

Swan Wine Kitchen

££Modern British

This rustic, modern restaurant sits above the shop in the Chapel Down vineyard and boasts a cosy lounge and a lovely rooftop terrace with views over the vines. It’s run by a friendly team and, naturally, wines from the vineyard play a big role. Each dish on the daily menu comes with a suggested pairing, while the full wine list shows off their impressive range of both still and sparkling options. In the kitchen, the chefs produce ambitious modern dishes with a British heart that push local ingredients to the fore.

Food Leigh-On-Sea

£££Modern Cuisine

In a charming little seaside town, tucked away among the shops, is this narrow restaurant with a rustic look, that's given a cosy vibe by the friendly, engaging manner in which it's run. The creative, eye-catching dishes are full of flavour and focus on wellbeing and ingredient provenance. The format changes depending on when you visit, with tasting menus in the evening, a 'menu du jour' at lunchtime and a roast lunch on Sundays. Vegan diners are catered for too, with plant-based options at all times.

Harry's at The Gallivant

££French

Located inside boutique hotel The Gallivant, Harry’s bears all the same hallmarks of discrete seaside elegance. Think comfortable rattan armchairs, tables covered with fine linen and exotic plants giving a greenhouse vibe; guided by a charming team, you will instantly feel at ease here. The cooking is classically French through and through, from traditional terrine to rabbit with mustard sauce via beef Bourguignon – all underpinned by strong produce and textbook technique from an experienced chef.

Aquar'aile

€€Seafood

This pleasant top-floor restaurant boasts a peerless panoramic view over the Strait of Dover and the English coast… it is like something you would expect to see in a painting! The food showcases locally caught fish: lobster casserole, sea bass in a salt crust, sole meunière. To be washed down with a good wine chosen from a list carefully curated by the proprietor.

The Stile Bridge

££Fusion

You'll receive a warm welcome at this well-run roadside pub where vintage charm blends with contemporary cool. The extensive menu is rooted in top-quality British ingredients, but the eclectic dish influences come from all over the world, from France to Thailand, the Mediterranean to Latin America. Whichever country has provided the inspiration, the cooking will be generous in both size and flavour, combining several complementing elements in one dish. The sharing steaks are a feature if you're dining with friends.

The Union Rye

££Modern Cuisine

The charming town of Rye is a destination in itself, and wandering through its steep cobbled streets, you will be happy to stumble upon this converted historic pub to recharge your batteries. Its refurbishment has left it more as a restaurant – one with a rustic, slightly bohemian style – but you can still smell the centuries of welcoming wood fires that have blazed in its antique fireplaces. The cooking casts an appealingly wide net, taking in influences from Cantonese (char siu monkfish skewers) to classical French (chocolate delice with boozy prunes).

Le Grand Bleu

€€Modern Cuisine

The chef, Matthieu Colin, puts the experience he gained in Michelin-starred establishments to good use. In a lovely contemporary interior, he continues to pay tribute to local fishing, but also brings local produce into creative dishes that thrive on originality: cod with seafood condiments, grapefruit, crozets, spiced fennel. Friendly and efficient service.

Tillingham

£££Modern British

Nestled deep in the countryside is this 70-acre farm and wine estate with a shop, a café, a tasting room and stylish bedrooms in its former hop barn. The restaurant, occupying converted farm buildings, has a rustic, airy quality with large windows overlooking the vines – as it gets busier, a terrific buzz fills the room. The ingredient-driven cooking focuses on pure, fresh flavours, available from a fixed-price, three-course lunch menu or an à la carte of sharing plates at dinner. The wine list includes their own low-intervention selection.

The White Hart Inn

££Modern Cuisine

A stone’s throw from the coast, this spacious modernised pub is a bright, colourful spot featuring a parquet floor, a maritime mural and bright blue chairs. The wide-ranging menu offers confidently executed dishes with bold, punchy flavours and the occasional modern twist – exemplified by options such as roast pigeon with a creative blackberry and black pudding sauce. If the weather is good, head for the sunny courtyard terrace; it’s also well worth staying over in one of the comfy bedrooms.