Royal Native Oyster Stores // www. whitstableoystercompany. com // Whitstable
No listing of seafood restaurants in Kent would be complete without the mention of the famous Whitstable Oyster Company’ s Royal Native Oyster Stores. And rightly so. The restaurant itself is located on the beach, so the views are guaranteed to be stunning. The Whitstable Oyster Company began in the 1400s, making it one of the oldest companies in Europe, so the people behind it know more than a little something about making great seafood dishes. Just a few of those dishes include chargrilled sardines; whole roast wild sea bass with garlic and rosemary; deep-fried local cod in beer batter with chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce; and, of course, a variety of different oysters.
Le Petit Poisson // www. lepetitpoisson. co. uk // Herne Bay
Recently reopened under new management, these are exciting times for the owners, staff and patrons of Le Petit Poisson. There are fantastic breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that all include amazingly fresh and locally caught fish, as well as other dishes for those who prefer something a little less sea and a little more land. If you like the sound of mussel linguine with a shellfish reduction; a fruit-de-mer platter of moules a la creme, prawns, mackerel, pan-fried salmon, panko-fried goujons and oysters; or local Dover sole with Kentish new potatoes and samphire, this is the place for you.
Whits of Walmer // www. whits. co. uk // Walmer
Whits of Walmer is both a fish restaurant and a French restaurant, and the combination of the two cuisines blends marvellously. The menu changes frequently so that the head chef and owner, Steve Whitney, is able to showcase the most seasonal produce available. What can you expect from his everchanging menu? Dishes include scallop, king prawn and crab risotto with saffron and scallop tempura; roast fillet of local brill with candied fennel, chorizo, local mussels, purple-sprouting broccoli, and Leigh-on-Sea cockle beurre blanc; and local crab salad with rouille, fennel jelly, avocado and gazpacho coulis.
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