Seasalter, Fish & Seafood Restaurant Guide

Sole and much-loved survivor of a long-lost chain, the first ever Wheeler’s (est. 1856) is still going strong in these “tiny” and adorably quaint premises. They don’t just deliver “excellent oysters (some with a Japanese spin) but fabulous fish dishes” too, including those parlayed through the excellent tasting menu. Add in the reasonable prices (you can BYO for a small corkage fee, and there’s an offy – literally ‘The Offy’, opposite) and “booking is a must” – though if you can’t bag a table you can always take the mollusc party away with you to enjoy on the beach.

“A Whitstable jewel!” – “You can taste the sea in every dish of oysters, mussels, sole or plaice” which are the hallmarks of this landmark operation in a “fantastic location on the beach”. “The ambience is open, friendly and serious about food”, although “service can be a bit hit and miss” when it’s busy – which it very often is. Top Menu Tip – “even the desserts are good”.

“Bravo!” – “Everything always seems to work so well at Stephen Harris’s exceptionally popular spot in the north Kent marshes”. It’s one of the top-20 most commented-on destinations in our annual diners’ poll and also one of the best liked, inspiring nothing but the most enthusiastic comments from diners. “The ideal thing to do is take a good walk along the beach beforehand to get the appetite brimming with anticipation”. Thereafter, “it’s the combination of relaxed atmosphere and stellar cooking that makes for an unforgettable visit”. It helps that “nowhere in London can get close to the sort of quality vs price ratio here”, even though there’s no longer an à la carte option and the only choice now is the “memorable five-course tasting menu” for “£80 per person”: “food that’s exquisite and beautifully presented, not at all ostentatious”. “You really feel that everything is thoughtfully and lovingly prepared and the service is always with a smile”. “The rooms are pretty excellent too”. Top Menu Top – “superb local produce – Whitstable oysters, saltmarsh lamb, seaweed buttered slip sole – are cleverly accompanied by delicacies from further afield, such as Lobster, Old Winchester cheese, or Avruga Caviar. The wine list, personally selected by the host, is composed of classic quality wines, so generously priced, they constitute the best quality to value ratio I have seen in a British restaurant”. (“It’s been my favourite restaurant anywhere in the UK, and even further afield, for the past 20 years and I feel blessed that it is only a few miles along the coast from where I live”).