FOOD + DRINK
insideTHE BUSINESS : A SUMMER OF RESTAURANT OPENINGS AT
FOLKESTONE HARBOUR ARM
FOLKESTONE HARBOUR HAS PROUDLY REVEALED THE IDENTITY OF TWO OF THE SIX NEW RESTAURANTS THAT ARE SLATED TO OPEN IN TIME FOR SUMMER 2023 , BOTH OF WHICH ARE BEING TAKEN ON BY INDEPENDENT BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ALREADY TRADE AT FOLKESTONE HARBOUR .
The former ferry port turned food-and-drink focused visitor attraction has rapidly become a beacon of regeneration on the South East coast , receiving more than two million visits last year , and is home to over 60 independent businesses . Visitors can explore a range of restaurants , bars , a thriving market , street-food style kiosks , an adventure golf course , a big screen and even a Champagne Bar in a functioning lighthouse .
The first two new restaurants are both set to open this spring and can be found at Harbourside ; the latest ambitious place-making project at Folkestone Harbour . Nestled onto the eastern side of the site , discover two impressive new spaces , both housed in upcycled shipping containers perched along the quayside . Boasting uninterrupted views across the English Channel with glimpses of France on the horizon , Folkestone Harbour has once again embraced its stunning natural environment to create a dining experience that is quite unlike anything else in Kent .
Each unit is larger than anything currently available on the site and will soon become home to two highly unique offerings . Each glass fronted with 40ft of bi-folding doors , the units are Folkestone Harbour ’ s biggest investment since the site was first redeveloped and reopened to the public in 2015 .
SAILBOX : FOLKESTONE ’ S NEW BRUNCH SPOT FROM THE TEAM BEHIND THE HARBOUR COFFEE CO .
Sailbox is Folkestone ’ s newest brunch spot and is an expansion and significant development of the Harbour Coffee Company ; an exceedingly popular coffee shop that has built a strong local following and an army of loyal fans . Right next door to the coffee shop , Sailbox will do everything the Harbour Coffee Company does so well , but this large new unit will allow them to do an awful lot more : in-house roasted coffee , quality produce and inventive new menu items .
After a small-scale brunch offering was trialled in 2022 at the Harbour Coffee Co ., the clear demand enabled Folkestone Harbour Arm to work closely with owner-operator Mark Babins to develop this new , exceptionally unique seaside dining experience . The ‘ brunch and beyond ’ menu also features seaside and pub classics that promise to “ offer food of a quality and standard that I would want to eat if I were going out ” says Mark , who also operates Sole Kitchen & The Fish Shack . This new space is going to be a must for visitors to Folkestone Harbour .
“ Each year we ’ ve grown and grown ,” adds Mark . “ It ’ s been quite staggering actually . The next thing with the harbour is that you really need to have space to sit down inside . This is a fantastic venue , whatever the weather , but sometimes you need to experience that weather from inside rather than out !”
With space for 60 inside and 150 outside across an expansive private seating area , Sailbox is set to become one of Kent ’ s top brunching spots at all times of year .
PORTENIO : A SLICE OF ARGENTINA IN KENT
Meaning a person from the port or harbour , Portenio will see a traditional Argentine wood-fire grill and steak restaurant open in Folkestone Harbour . Owner Paula Cambra , hailing from Argentina , promises to bring the exotic flavours , European heritage , and fierce colours of her homeland to her new space .
Previously operating as ‘ Minutas Al Paso ’, Paula ’ s authentic street food trailer has ventured around Folkestone Harbour , getting started on the historic Stade , before popping up in The Goods Yard and spending the summer of 2022 on the Harbour Arm . After a successful couple of years , Paula is now taking the next step and opening up her own , large-scale premises .
The star of the show will be la parrilla ; a massive grill that will create an unmistakable look , feel and smell as your imported Argentine steak arrives at your table on its very own tabletop grill . The menu at Portenio will feature many traditional Argentine dishes including picadas , empanadas , morcillas , humitas , and milanesas as well as an impressive wine list from the region .
Celebrating the opening , Paula said : “ Folkestone Harbour is the right place for me . I feel at home here ; it ’ s everything I am – quirky , adventurous , experimental . I feel comfortable and able to express who I am in the food that I serve here .”
Folkestone Harbour are incredibly excited to add Sailbox and Portenio to a growing list of over 60 independent businesses that call Folkestone Harbour home . Both businesses are due to be open this month .
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