Best restaurants in Kent

Looking for the best places to eat in Kent? Local expert Rosie Birkett has shared her must-visit recommendations, from small plates in Margate to Michelin-starred restaurants.

For more exciting restaurants and weekend ideas for food lovers, check out our best UK city breaks, best pubs with rooms and foodie day trips from London by train. Also discover more of the best restaurants in Cornwall, best restaurants in Bristol and best restaurants in Cambridge.

Best restaurants in Kent

The Pig at Bridge Place, Bridge

In verdant countryside just outside of the village of Bridge (under one hour from London) is The Pig group’s Kentish outpost: a historic, stately red brick house with a debaucherous past as a rock venue that hosted bands including Led Zeppelin and the Kinks. Its colourful history plays into its present day charm – a quirky, labyrinthine hotel with plushly decorated bedrooms, beautifully restored period features and quirky nooks. An impressive kitchen garden forms the backbone of the restaurant’s ‘25 mile menu’, with delights including Kitchen Garden Fritters with Herb Mayo, or Tamworth Pork Collar with ‘0 Mile’ Mushrooms and Mustard Sauce, plus wood fired pizzas from the outdoor kitchen.
thepighotel.com/at-bridge-place/

Sargasso, Margate

Sargasso has become one of the most sought after places to nab a table in Margate’s increasingly exciting food scene, preferably outside and overlooking the harbour at sunset. With a glass of lively natural wine from the extensive list, and a plate of salt cod fritters and aioli, squint and it’s giving more Sicily than Thanet vibes. That’s down to the laser-focused sourcing of owners Ed Wilson and Josie Stead, known for their lauded restaurant Brawn in East London, where interesting, low-intervention wines and plates of impeccably-procured ingredients sing. Here chef William Gleave (previously of Bright and P Franco) executes a menu that hones in on fish and seafood, with plates like slip sole and seaweed butter and the iconic squid sandwich in brioche. sargasso.bar

Fordwich Arms, Fordwich

This Michelin-starred restaurant, set in a rambling old pub in Fordwich – Britain’s smallest town – ranks among the county’s most consistent and exciting culinary players. Married chef owners Daniel Smith and pastry chef Natasha, who between them have worked at The Clove Club and Chapter One, craft menus that balance comfort with creativity. Expect chicken liver parfait with local ice cider and warm doughnuts, or South Coast turbot with swede, monk’s beard and vin jaune sauce. Choose from tasting or à la carte menus (from £85), then linger on the sunny, wisteria-draped terrace overlooking the River Stour. fordwicharms.co.uk

Hide and Fox, Saltwood

Head to Hide and Fox in Saltwood, Hythe: Kent’s only two-Michelin starred restaurant for gastronomic tasting menus of precisely cooked, inventively crafted dishes. Chef owner Alistair Barsby has returned to his Kentish roots after many
illustrious years cheffing all around, (notably at Gidleigh Park with Michael Caines), and together with sommelier wife Alice Bussi, the couple are creating something special in a charming former village shop. Pristine Kent produce defines the five and eight course tasting menus where classical flavour pairings are energised with modern twists in dishes like Longland duck with plum tart, cabbage and Szechuan pepper, and native lobster with veal sweatbreads, salted lemon and lemon verbena. hideandfox.co.uk

Bottega Caruso, Margate

This homely Italian restaurant and deli in Margate’s Old Town began as a stall slinging handmade pasta at The Goods Shed (see entry) and is now hailed for serving some of the most authentic Italian food in Kent – if not the UK. We first tipped it in 2017, and we stand by it as a must-visit. Run by chef Simona, from Foglianise near Naples, and her husband Harry Ryder, it’s usually fully booked, so reserve – and arrive hungry. Start at the wine bar next door before indulging in polpette di pane al sugo, spaghetti con cozze e zucchine, and other shareable plates, then stock up on mozzarella and pasta from the deli. bottegacaruso.com

Angela’s, Margate

Few restaurants in the UK are as focused on respecting the planet and supply chain as this small seafood restaurant with rooms on the Kent coast, sister to Dory’s, a raw bar and wine shop overlooking the beach. Working with local fishermen, producers and its own cooperative farm for fruit and veg, this place is doing its darndest to remove plastic from its business, while providing a sumptuous, seafood-focused dining experience. Upstairs you can book a beautiful room to spend the night, enjoying all the same eco-conscious design displayed in the restaurant with its recycled plastic furniture, and downstairs feast on such fishy delights as poached oysters with trout roe, and monkfish with fennel and bisque. angelasofmargate.com

Angelas Gurnard, celeriac, wild garlic copy

The Cooks Tale, Canterbury

Endorsed by legendary Indian chef Cyrus Todiwala, who’s previously collaborated with its award-winning chef Dev Biswal, this restaurant close to Canterbury Cathedral offers guests a fascinating journey into the cuisine of Odisha in Eastern India. Drawing on Biswal’s heritage, the menu presents delicious modern interpretations of his home region’s staples (think fish cooked in banana leaf, delicately spiced lentil and rice dishes, a fondness for yoghurt) alongside more familiar dishes. Opting for one of his famous Odiya Thalis is a good start: I love the mackerel curry and soft shell crab. Cookery classes and immersive food trips to Odisha are another part of Biswal’s drive to share his love of his culinary heritage from this corner of Kent. thecookstale.co.uk

Gilda Bakery, Bishopsbourne

So named after founder Jon Warren’s love for the sensationally simple Spanish pintxo of anchovy, pickled pepper and green olive – Gilda is an excellent artisan bakery similarly dedicated to the transformation of humble ingredients into something mesmerising. Set in the countryside of Bishopsbourne, near Bridge, you can watch the bakers chatting and crafting laminated pastries and organic sourdoughs as you queue for your bread and cinnamon rolls. gildabakery.com

Tallow Restaurant, Southborough

Bold, comforting flavours and classical cookery with a generous grating of creativity is the MO at Tallow, a sleek, family-run restaurant in Southborough, near Tunbridge Wells. With previous experience at the much-loved Compasses Inn in Crundale, married owners Robert Taylor and Donna know hospitality, and whether you’re sitting upstairs at the intimate, 8-seat Chef’s Table watching Rob at work, or downstairs in the main dining room, Donna and her team will make you feel very well looked after. Swoon over indulgent, seasonal dishes like lobster arancini with pickled cucumber, or roast loin of venison with preserved cherries and celeriac. tallowrestaurant.co.uk

The Blue Pelican, Deal

This Japanese small plates restaurant from the visionary couple behind Deal’s lauded food-led boutique hotel The Rose occupies a Georgian townhouse overlooking the sea, and its jewel-box, chequerboard-floored dining room is one of the best places to eat in Deal. Chef Luke Green, who manned the stove at The Rose before opening this cooked in Japan for years, and his unique, utterly mesmerising menu nods to Japanese Izakaya and robata traditions: think umami-rich broths crowned by rustling tempura mushrooms; juicy pork katsu with bitter leaves and sesame dressing or seared squid with Tokyo turnips and pomelo. thebluepelican.co.uk

The Goods Shed, Canterbury

It’s impossible to visit this local food haven without leaving with an enviable haul of some of Kent’s finest local, seasonal and artisanal produce. And while this historic railway freight storage shed is more than a restaurant, with a distinctive menu drawing on the top tier produce of the farmer’s market, butchery, fish monger and cheese and charcuterie producers under its vaulted roof, this place is a favourite haunt for a delicious lunch or twinkly dinner. Imagine plates of venison scrumpets with pickled walnut; Wigmore cheese with celery, apple and lovage and roast pork shoulder with celeriac, purple sprouting broccoli and anchoïde. Also hit Wild Goose for hedgerow inspired cocktails and tasty small plates, beautifully imagined by talented local chef Lucy Varley. thegoodsshed.co.uk

The Sportsman, Seasalter

Having opened in 1999 and won a Michelin star for its cooking nine years later, Stephen Harris’ legendary pub on the Seasalter sea wall is renowned for retaining the spirit of a no-nonsense inn, whilst serving up gourmet tasting menus that make you weak at the knees. He and partner Emma Read conjure a very special atmosphere in the dining room, overlooking the wild, surrounding marshland, and the kitchen’s remit celebrates the Kentish terroir, Harris going as far as to use foraged seaweed and sea salt for his famous slipsole in seaweed butter. The food at the Sportsman is pure pleasure, and with a midweek tasting menu on offer for £55, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more memorable or better-value lunch option in Kent. thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk