The Lane, Deal CT14 7AF

If knock-out burgers and next-level cupcakes are your thing, The Lane will be for you. Since opening in 2014, the venue has firmly established itself as a cafe selling delicious homemade cakes by day and a much-talked-about restaurant and cocktail bar by night. On top of that, owners Chris Vidler and Anna Murray, who have lived and worked in Australia and New Zealand, host regular networking gatherings, the occasional speed-dating night and events to simply celebrate food such as Oktoberfest and Great British Beef Week. TripAdvisor rates The Lane as one of the top three restaurants in Deal.
www.thelanedeal.co.uk

Dovorian, Dover CT17 9AB

A bustling cafe and restaurant close to Dover’s town centre precinct providing solid and value-for-money meals. The fuel-giving breakfast is an ideal start to the day, before a Saturday morning’s shopping or starting a day’s work. If you’re eating before a long journey, it is close to Dover Priory Station and the Priory Road car park. There are plenty of lighter meals for a hot summer’s day and an outside terrace. The restaurant has a varied menu, with seafood as a speciality and it caters for vegetarians. The food is freshly cooked and quickly served . There's also a fish and chip takeaway service.
Call 01304 204505

The Pilot Dungeness TN29 9NJ

It’s a long journey for most but always one worth making. Tucked away in the far corner of the remotest and flattest part of Kent, the Pilot in Dungeness is best known for serving fish and chips in one of the county’s most striking and unusual seaside settings. The pub perfect place to rest after a long walk around the stunning landscape of Romney Marsh. There’s much more to the menu than fish and it caters for the full meat eating – and non-meat eating – spectrum, with everything from shoulder of Romney lamb to vegan stew and dumplings. Just don’t expect to do any hill-walking afterwards.
www.thepilotdungeness.co.uk

Blooms, Folkestone CT20 1RW

At the foot of the Old High Street in Folkestone, Blooms is one of the newest eateries in the Creative Quarter. Already it has become the go-to place for cocktails and one of the town’s classiest venues to dine. The family-owned business serves a range of Mediterranean dishes with seasonal specials and prides itself on serving locally-caught fish by the Folkestone trawlers. The varied menu makes happy reading, even for the fussy eater or those with specific tastes. The modern and simplistic decor inside gives the place a sophisticated feel – and the outdoor seating in warmer weather is great for sitting back and relaxing while looking at the scenic harbour.
www.bloomsfolkestone.com

Djangos, Folkestone CT20 1EY

Folkestoners are no strangers to the friendly faces at Djangos, but the cosy cafe is an underrated gem of the town. Its irresistible homemade chilli is a must try and the all-day-breakfast includes everything you want from a fry-up. But the petit bistro-come-jazz cafe has much more to offer with a huge menu to suit everyone from breakfast to dinner. Choose anything from an Indonesian-style paella to incredible Vietnamese pork skewers. Djangos is a brilliant blend of world food, unique style and homely comfort. The prices are great, the food is delicious and the staff are fabulous. Don’t miss it.
www.facebook.com/DjangosCafeBar

The Samuel Peto, Folkestone CT20 1EY

Hidden below Folkestone’s main shopping area just a stone’s throw from the top of the town’s Old High Street, the Samuel Peto is a Wetherspoon’s with a difference. In a converted Baptist church, you’re never rushed and the menu is vast and varied. It’s a pub full of character with stained-glass windows lining the painted sky ceiling and wooden fittings. You can get away from the busy bar in the quiet upper gallery, reached by climbing a quaint wrought iron staircase. It offers the normal Wetherspoon’s menu – the food and wide-range of drink is always good value – and the popular all-day brunch is well worth a try. In Rendezvous Street, alongside Djangos (see above listing).
www.jdwetherspoon.com

Griggs, Hythe CT21 6HG

A scallop and bacon roll, salmon kedgeree or smoked haddock chowder, each for under a fiver, freshly cooked, eaten on a picnic table on the beach outside a fishmonger’s, just feet from where the fishing boats land their catch – what better way to start the day in style? Shuts early, so go for brunch, not lunch. Sadly not open on Sundays either (or Mondays). Fantastic display of fish and seafood is a feast for eyes and tastebuds. Visit soon, before the inevitable transformation from a quirky delight for locals to trendy venue for DFLs.
griggsofhytheuk.com

White Hart, Hythe CT21 5AJ

A selection of immaculately presented dishes are on offer at the White Hart ranging from succulent steaks to pizzas straight out of the wood-fired oven. Guests mulling over the option of à la carte dining or a set meal are all welcome at the pub in the middle of the High Street, which is home to locally sourced produce and beers. The menu has light bites and mains from fish suppers, baked pastas, pies and burgers to be followed by one of their homemade desserts or award-winning cheeses. Perhaps the most popular feature of the White Hart is its Sunday lunch menu and this is definitely something to be booked in advance.
www.thewhiteharthythe.com

Playa, Minster on Sea ME12 2NL

Considering Sheppey is an island, it has very few eateries which offer a sea view. One is the Playa bar and restaurant on The Leas at Minster. But even there, you have to be quick to grab a window seat. To the uninitiated, it is just a pub. But to one side is the restaurant where you can get a 9oz sirloin or ribeye steak for £16.95 (two for £24.95 on a Thursday with a bottle of house wine). The baked halibut wrapped in bacon goes down well. The Playa has a nice, comfy atmosphere with a big car park a stone’s throw from the beach.
www.the-playa.com

CCCP, Ramsgate CT11 7PP

Here's something you don't find many off in Kent - a Russian restaurant. Don’t let the sickle and hammer sign or soviet-style décor put you off, the food is well worth the trip! Serving a traditional beetroot, herring and carrot salad topped with onion and diced potato, the starters alone will leave you questioning your knowledge of Russian cuisine. For the main, try the chicken and layer roast potato dish, topped with a creamy mushroom sauce. Finish off with a traditional slice of Russian honey cake drizzled in- you guessed it - honey.
cccprestaurant.co.uk

Surin, Ramsgate CT11 8HA

Thai restaurants may be two a penny, but the Surin offers astonishing bang to the baht. It’s cheap and cheerful but with a freshness and verve you’d expect from a high-end London establishment. Chef and owner Damrong Garbutt has West End training, but it’s her home cooking learnt from her mother and grandmother in north east Thailand, near the Cambodian border, that really hits the spot. Cambodian and Laoitian dishes throw in an element of the unexpected and there are locally brewed house beers, blonde or dark, to complement the flavours. Among reviewers who have dug deep for sufficient superlatives to do justice to Surin is food writer Jay Rayner.

The Sportsman, Seasalter CT5 4BP

They describe themselves as a grotty rundown pub by the sea, but its reputation for outstanding food has earned the Sportsman at Seasalter a host of top awards. Run by head chef Stephen Harris and his brother Phil, the pub and restaurant has held a Michelin star since 2008, and are proud to say they let the land around them dictate what they cook. The a la carte menu regularly offers three meat and three fish main courses and they also offer daily tasting menus but be warned, it is worth booking well in advance to avoid disappointment.
thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk

Whitstable Produce Store CT5 1AJ

It’s not just about the food. Owners Steve and Amanda Jones – feted by Produced In Kent, Keep It In Kent and Small Business Saturday – champion Kentish produce and independent business. What’s more, their cafe-cum-shop exhibits paintings and prints by local artists. But with delights like breakfast sausage rolls (with added bacon and egg) plus brownies, cookies, fruit and cakes (Breton tart is a personal favourite) coffees, teas, fresh-fruit smoothies, beers and wines, the food is champion, as well. If it’s full, try the Horsebridge Arts Centre across the road – Steve has taken on running the cafe there, too.
whitstableproduce.co.uk