Posted: 22nd May 2019
Whitstable Bay's Top Six Places to Eat Outside
Fresh air, Spring sunshine, a pint of your favourite beer, and a good pub lunch. Is there anything better? We list our top six go-to places for outdoor dining.
1. The Royal, Tankerton
The Royal boasts an enviable position at the top of Tankerton Slopes, overlooking the sea. When the sun is shining, its large garden is the perfect place for alfresco drinking and dining.
You’ll be spoilt for choice with the delicious menu offering a range of nibbles, open sandwiches, pub classics and gourmet burgers, along with daily specials. Food is available from noon to 9.30pm Monday to Saturday and from noon to 9pm on Sunday. The family-friendly pub also offers a children’s menu.
2. The Minnis Bay, Birchington
Overlooking one of the best beaches on the Kent coast, the Minnis Bay Bar & Brasserie is a great place to enjoy a meal while looking over the golden sands and out to sea.
The menu is classic British cuisine with a contemporary twist, and as one might expect from the coastal location, seafood is a speciality. There is also a pizza menu, veggie and vegan options, children’s menu and light bites. The Minnis is also open from 9am for coffee and breakfast by the sea.
3. Pier Five, Chatham Maritime
Pier Five is a contemporary bar and kitchen with an extensive range of craft beers and lagers, craft spirits and cocktails, as well as fresh artisan coffee. How about a game of shuffleboard?
The kitchen cooks up a delicious menu of gourmet burgers, Buddha bowls, flame-licked chicken and hand-stretched oven-baked pizzas. Take a seat outside on the terrace, and enjoy views across the marina while you dine. Food is served Monday to Thursday noon until 9pm, with brunch available from 9am at weekends.
4. The Boathouse, Yalding
Following an extensive redevelopment last year, the Boathouse at Yalding has a stylish new restaurant and al fresco dining area with stunning views across the River Medway. Fresh, hand-stretched stone-baked pizzas are a speciality, along with a range of light bites and pub classics.
There’s plenty to see and do within easy reach of the Boathouse. As well as being a popular spot for cycling and kayaking, it is also very close to the quirky Teapot Island.
5. Botany Bay Hotel, Kingsgate
Situated above a beautiful sandy beach with stunning cliffs, the Botany Bay Hotel in Kingsgate near Broadstairs is the perfect dining destination. With excellent food, magnificent sea views, and 30 beautifully decorated en-suite bedrooms, it’s the ideal escape from it all, whether for the weekend, or just for lunch by the sea.
On the menu you will find sandwiches, burgers, fresh fish and seafood, and chef-crafted modern British dishes with a focus on making the best of seasonal produce. They are also open for breakfast from 8am, should you fancy eggs benedict with a sea view.
6. Royal Albion Hotel, Broadstairs
The Royal Albion Hotel in the traditional Kentish seaside town of Broadstairs occupies an unrivalled seafront position, just a few steps from the sandy Viking Bay. Inside the 21-room hotel, there is a coffee lounge, bar and restaurant, with views across the harbour. Outside the multi-levelled terrace garden overlooks the beach, creating the perfect setting for dining in the fresh air.
The menu includes small plates, sandwiches, specials and pub classics, plus a dedicated young diners menu, making it the perfect lunch or dinner stop as part of a relaxing day beside the sea.
