One of Kent’s leading Italian restaurants is the latest to receive a prestigious culinary award.

Basil and Co in Tankerton, near Whitstable, has been awarded an AA Rosette – two years after moving into the area.

Hannah Basile, who runs the restaurant with her husband Sammy and parents Keith and Tracie Smith, said she was “absolutely thrilled”.

“This is a truly spectacular achievement for us,” she told KentOnline.

“As a small family-run business, an award like this really does mean so much to us as we work tirelessly to make sure we do everything we can to set our restaurant apart.

“It’s a difficult time for hospitality, and we know there are so many amazing restaurants out there, so we just want to thank every single person who has supported us on our journey from day one: family, friends, our wonderful customers and, of course, our fantastic staff.

“We are most certainly going to be celebrating the end of 2025 as a Rosette Star restaurant.”

AA rosettes are a highly sought-after award in the hotel and restaurant industry.

Those boasting the mark are described as: “Excellent restaurants that aim for and achieve higher standards and better consistency.

“A greater precision is apparent in the cooking, and there will be obvious attention to the selection of quality ingredients.”

The family-run restaurant started life as a street food company in September 2019, but quickly gained momentum and by January the following year, Basil and Co had the keys to 10 High Street, Herne Bay.

At the time, it held first place on TripAdvisor with five stars and 223 out of 238 diners branding it ‘excellent’.

However, it lost this status when it relocated to Tankerton in April 2023, as the site doesn’t allow businesses to carry reviews over.

Since then, it has shot back up the charts to third place, with 348 out of 368 customers giving it top marks.