If you’re looking for tasty food, cold drinks and a buzzing vibe to go with the summer weather, a sizzling street food market could be just the ticket.

Kent is home to a handful of hotspots where you can pick up juicy burgers, artisan bakes, luxury desserts and more. Here’s where you can find them…

COACHWORKS, Ashford

Made from a cluster of former industrial buildings, this indoor-outdoor space is now a thriving hub of food, drink and live events. You can grab chicken wings, burgers, Greek wraps, seafood and more from the vendors, and wash it all down with a drink from the Coachworks Bar and, during the summer months, the Yard Bar is also open. There are often bands and DJs playing, and you might even catch some live comedy while you visit.

Details: Open at Dover Place in Ashford. Free entry. Find out more here.

HARBOUR ARM, Folkestone

This coastal destination recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and it’s certainly grown since it first opened on Folkestone’s seafront in 2015. The harbour is filled with huts and pop-up stalls selling lots of tasty food, including ice cream, smash burgers, loaded potatoes, grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza and dumplings. There’s also sit-in restaurants, a games bar, market stalls and adventure golf. The summer is a great time to visit as there’s a free outdoor screen showing films and sports events and live music every weekend.

Details: Open at Harbour Approach Road in Folkestone. Free entry. Find out more here.

HATCH, Gravesend

This indoor market could easily be thought of as Kent’s answer to Boxpark. It’s filled with black tables and benches, multiple TV screens and music playing over the speakers, and when there’s an event, like a beer festival or live sports, the place is packed with punters. The traders sell a great selection of street food, with everything from Japanese noodles and Thai curry to freshly cooked pizza and spicy nachos. If you fancy a pint of craft beer to go with your food, you can visit the German-style Bierkeller bar and bottle shop.

Read our review of the Little Sombrero at Hatch here.

Details: Open at High Street in Gravesend. Free entry. Find out more here.

MACKNADE, Faversham

For most of the year, Macknade is known for its farm shop and cosy cafe. However, during the summer, the outdoor space is transformed into a street food village, serving a selection of dishes from Kent-based vendors. The bites on offer include tacos, crepes, curries, pizzas and burgers, and there’s also cocktails, wine and beer from the Wild Box Bar. The outdoor stage hosts musicians every weekend and, during the school holidays, there will be children’s workshops and cooking classes.

Read our review of the outdoor Food Village at Macknade here.

Details: Open at Selling Road in Faversham. Free entry. Find out more here.

THE OLD KENT MARKET, Margate

Housed inside the distinctive red building, which was once the site of the old Parade Cinema, this vibrant indoor market is home to some quirky places to eat and drink. There’s a double-decker bus serving Thai food, one of the smallest pubs in the UK that can only fit six people at a time and a red-and-white striped stall selling vegan hot dogs. You can also get inked at Pricking Thumbs tattoo parlour, go bargain hunting at Fester's Finds or find something unusual for your home at the Nook of Shadows.

Read our review of Tic’s Bus Cafe at the Old Kent Market here.

Details: Open at Fort Hill in Margate. Free entry. Find out more here.

WHITSTABLE HARBOUR

It’s a popular tourist destination in the summer, but if you can brave the crowds, Whitstable’s busy harbour is the perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon. When you’ve finished sunbathing on the beach or crabbing in the rock pools, you can visit the wooden huts lining the shore and pick up pizza, chips, cakes, pies and sandwiches from the traders. Of course, no trip to Whitstable would be complete without a taste of fresh seafood, in particular the town’s famous oysters, which are available from several spots along the seafront.

Details: Open at the South Quay Shed and Harbour Market in Whitstable. Free entry.