insideKENT Magazine Issue 145 - May 2024 | Page 106

FOOD + DRINK
The Celeb Restaurant Guide Kent cont ... of Italy to Kent . Speaking to our very own esteemed publication , insideKENT , Gregg said : “ I have found a fantastic little Italian restaurant in Tunbridge Wells called La Follia . It ’ s a brilliantly scruffy little place run by an Italian husband and wife that serves proper , proper Italian food .”
A family business that ’ s been pulling in the punters since 2016 , Sara Velutti wrote about her and her partner Antionio ’ s journey on the restaurant ’ s website , sharing : “ Tunbridge Wells instantly inspired me and it felt like home straight away . I love bringing my influence from Italy and creating a real experience for every one of our customers that walks through the door .” @ la _ follia _ tw
The White Lion , Tenterden None other than seriously swoon-worthy , award-winning A-lister Tom Hardy was spotted in Tenterden ’ s White Lion pub back in 2019 enjoying a meal with his wife , actress Charlotte Riley . Best known for roles in The Revenant , Peaky Blinders and Legend , Tom kept a low profile wearing a baseball cap and dark sunglasses while celebrating his birthday there with pizza and a group of close friends . whiteliontenterden . com
The Sportsman , Seasalter Very fittingly , none other than former England captain and Spurs legend Gary Lineker is partial to dinner at this Whitstable gastropub . Previously tweeting : “ Had as good a lunch as I ’ ve ever had here on Saturday . Well played @ Sportsmankent thoroughly deserved .”, the Walkers crisps poster boy also dined at the pub just hours before it was named National Restaurant of the Year and Gastropub of the Year at the Estrella National Restaurant Awards back in 2018 . thesportsmanseasalter . co . uk
Britannia Inn , Dungeness OK , we know this isn ’ t strictly a restaurant , but this Dungeness pub that serves food as well as excellent pints has become an unlikely celebrity hotspot . Since licensee Richard Davis took over seven years ago , not only has he seen Grammy-winning artists , BAFTA-nominated actors and footballers pop in for a drink , he ’ s had to impose a ‘ no selfies ’ rule , so they don ’ t get bothered while doing so - something he thinks has helped attract big names for a visit .
Comedian Micky Flanagan is the latest in a long line of famous faces spotted at the Romney Marsh pub , having visited back in September 2022 to stage promotional material for his tour in the pub ’ s sizeable garden . Other well-known names to have rocked up for a refreshment are comedian and conservationist Bill Oddie , actors Lindsey Coulson , Geoff Bell and George Irving , radio DJ Zoe Ball , Peter Andre , Suggs , Christopher Eccleston , and , the biggest of them all , none other than Ed Sheeran and his wife Cherry Seaborn who are now popular faces in the area having bought and converted an old 1880 ’ s railway carriage along the coast in summer 2022 . “ It ’ s not the sort of place you expect to see someone famous , so when you do , it can raise eyebrows , but Ed Sheeran came in unrecognised for four visits ,” says Richard . “ On the surface he ’ s got this scruffy ginger face and he ’ s got one of those faces that blends in . I ’ d say word does spread around that we ’ ve got a nice , respectful pub down here that welcomes anyone without making them uncomfortable .” britanniadungeness . co . uk
Deal Pier Kitchen , Deal Model , actress and television presenter Nancy Sorrell recently took to social media to heap praise on the Deal Pier Kitchen after she enjoyed an Easter lunch there , deeming her poke bowl “ the best yummy salad ” she ’ d ever eaten . It makes sense that she shared the picture with her 31,700 Instagram followers as she and her comedian husband Vic Reeves live in Charing , near Ashford . dealpierkitchen . com
Rocksalt , Folkestone Reports that Hollywood royalty Johnny Depp himself ate at Folkestone ’ s Rocksalt while filming Into the Woods at Dover Castle are sadly unsubstantiated , but we like to imagine him happily tucking into a plate of pan-fried Rye Bay skate wing while gazing out over the English Channel . Possibly sharing a table with Rochester ’ s own Kelly Brook , who posted pictures of herself and some friends eating at the acclaimed the seafood restaurant on Instagram back in
Deal Pier Kitchen
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