Dining in and around Ramsgate

At Easter we spent a week in Ramsgate self-catering in this gorgeous apartment. It was freezing cold, but a few of those days were vividly sunny. We didn't mind, though. We'd taken plenty of games, DVDs, goodies we'd picked up at The Goods Shed in Canterbury and were able to pop out to Waitrose a few minutes' walk away. We'd also made some restaurant bookings and were excited about trying out local restaurants and, of course, there'd be fish and chips. We weren't disappointed. What's more when we were there a few weeks ago over the Whitsun bank holiday, we returned to a couple of favourites and made some new discoveries.

Age & Sons, Ramsgate
I love this place! I've been three times now – twice over Easter and again recently at Whitsun and each time eaten deliciously imaginative seasonal local food. Age & Sons is what's written on the side of the building, an old wine warehouse – Page & Sons is how it should appear, but the 'p' is missing. The team behind it is led by Toby Leigh, nephew of Rowley, who cooks with a similarly respectful hands-off style, allowing the ingredients to shine. On our last visit a particular starter blew me away – local asparagus with parmesan panne cotta (which included meadow wort I believe). It was inspired. This was followed by some rather splendid lamb from their Sunday lunch menu: £15 for three courses; they charged £10 for this dish and my starter was £5.50. (My only slight gripe is that they could do more to tweak dishes for children, rather than limiting them to the standard menu – however, I mentioned this to Toby as we were leaving and it sounds like they're taking this on board.)

Wyatt & Jones, Broadstairs
This restaurant had only been open a few weeks when we visited it at Easter for Sunday lunch. Wyatt & Jones is open all day as a café, bar and restaurant and occupies a prime spot near the beach in Broadstairs. Like Age & Sons, it focuses on local produce, prepared simply and stylishly. We nibbled some anchovy toast and brawn and pickles before tucking into our roasts. Here children can enjoy a 'mini roast' for £6 which went down as well as our grown up versions – we had excellent chicken and beef with vegetables to share served family style. As the non-driver, my pale ale from the Ramsgate brewer Gadds, was a tasty local compliment to the hearty food.

While we're still in Broadstairs, around the corner we passed an amazing looking second-hand bookshop that was serving all manner of Kentish goodies. We didn't go inside (next time), but did take some pictures. Another time.

Bon Appetit, Ramsgate
This little restaurant is one of several cafés and restaurants on a pretty parade overlooking the waterfront. We stopped off for lunch and tried some of the day's specials – fish pie, steak and a child's portion of the steak dish served with bread and with a couple of glasses of wine this came to a bargain £34. Our daughter's dish was a mere £2.95 and with that kind of generous good will, we'll certainly be going back to this cute and well located little bistro.

The Royal Harbour Brasserie
This was a real surprise. From the outside it looks like a beached tanker or World War 2 relic at the end of the harbour pier, but go inside and you'll find an enthusiastically run bar/café/restaurant serving well prepared fish and seafood, as well as a broad range of dishes often featuring local produce. It's open all day (except Mondays) and after a pleasurable stroll it offers spectacular views of the marina and town or turn the other way and gaze out to sea. After a long lunch at Age & Sons and a relaxing spell on the beach, it was ideal for early evening drinks and some small plates. On a previous visit on a freezing cold April day it was a cosy refuge with hot drinks and cakes. A good all-rounder.

Peter's Fish Factory, Ramsgate
Right down on the front in Harbour Parade, this is an award-winning classic old seaside chippy. It's easy to spot from its eccentric crenelated facade and the long queues that form most times of day. They even have a cheeky favourite of mine – mushy pea fritters! Apparently during the summer season they get through three tons of potatoes a week – potatoes that are grown nearby in Sandwich.

Pelosi's Ice Cream Parlour, Ramsgate
Just along from Peter's Fish Factory at 76 Harbour Parade is another classic establishment and, in this case, with a fabulous retro soda fountain interior well worth taking a look at in its own right. What's more the ice creams are great. So far, we can vouch for three flavours: rum and raisin, chocolate and the deliciously girly Turkish Delight (rose and chocolate). However, as I write this I've just noticed with dismay that the premises are up for sale. I sincerely hope someone enthusiastic acquires this Ramsgate gem and builds on the success of three generations of the Pelosi family.

Ramsgate: Regency elegance on the Kent coast

Until recently, to me, Ramsgate was just a lesser known Channel port, but a fleeting visit early last year radically changed this. We'd failed to get to France for Easter, so spent a couple of days exploring this corner of Kent and really liked what we saw. What's more, as it's so close to London, we've returned a couple of times since.

The big surprise with Ramsgate is the quality of the architecture, big sandy beaches and its bustling, scenic harbour – Britain's only royal harbour, a status granted to the town by George IV. Street names such as Nelson Crescent, Wellington Crescent and The Plains of Waterloo all obviously date from this period and elegant Georgian terraces shape the townscape. A century later local resident Pugin put his stamp on the town with his distinctive Grange and several other buildings. Blue plaques noting the town's many illustrious visitors punctuate the buildings and reveal just what a fashionable resort Ramsgate used to be. Over the years, fortunes have fluctuated for neighbouring Margate and Broadstairs, too, but things are definitely picking up and being only 75 minutes away from St Pancras on High Speed 1 means the so-called 'DFLs' (Down From London) will only get more numerous.

It's a great area for food and drink and I've already mentioned Canterbury's amazing Goods Shed in an earlier post. I'll be covering recommended local restaurants separately, but here are some pictures of Ramsgate basking in glorious sunshine at Whitsun.

The Goods Shed, Canterbury

Heading to the Kent coast for Easter, we stopped off at The Goods Shed in Canterbury for lunch and, as we were self-catering, to stock up on some food. The Goods Shed, situated next to Canterbury West station (and helpfully the high speed link to St Pancras), is a comprehensive farmers market featuring an array of local produce. It also houses Clive Barlow MW's Press Wine Services and beer specialist, The Bottle Shop. As it was Easter, there was also an eye-catching and groovy selection from local chocolate maker Kate-Beth March, but there were goodies at every turn. We stocked up on local vegetables and some excellent steak, and on our return journey picked up some beautifully fresh fish for supper back home in London.

You can also eat well at The Goods Shed Restaurant or at Patrick's Kitchen where we had our lunch, encouraging us to buy our drinks elsewhere to bring back to the table. All very communal. A generous glass of Cherverny for just £3 (from Press Wine Services) was delicious with my fish soup and its gutsy rouille sauce (plenty of garlic and saffron). And it was here that daughter Alice discovered her favourite Kentish tipple, Biddenden pear juice. Apparently, only food available at The Goods Shed is cooked here. Forget disappointing department store food halls, this is what food shopping should be all about and makes Canterbury and this corner of Kent an even more tempting day trip from London.

The Goods Shed
Station Road West
Canterbury
CT2 8AN
01227 459153
Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am–7pm; Sunday 10am–4pm

Foodie breaks: Kent – Whitstable

During our recent weekend in Kent we visited Whitstable twice. Firstly on the Saturday – cool and dreary, there seemed to be too many shops selling gifts or fancy children's ware and the town looked too cute for its own good. Nevertheless, we spent an enjoyable hour or so in a cosy café and managed to get a booking at Wheeler's Oyster Bar for the following day. This was my first time in Whitstable in more than 15 years and a lot has changed – it's fashionable now and knows it.

When we returned on the Sunday in vibrant sunshine it was quite different. Clutching a half-bottle of Sancerre from the off-licence across the road, we went straight to (unlicensed) Wheelers for an extravaganza of top-notch fish and seafood which we enjoyed perched on stools at the counter in the shop. Booking a table in the tiny rear dining room that seats 16 requires serious forward-planning (or a hefty dose of good luck). However, we were happy people watching in the front, witnessing a stream of smiling customers leaving with their delicious purchases, which has probably been the case since 1856 when Wheeler's was established.

From chef Mark Stubbs's menu, we chose several small plates including crab cake and other inspired and beautifully executed dishes such as smoked haddock with kedgeree scotch egg, scallops with pork and apple, and Thai style soup with prawn tempura. Imaginative touches included the blue cheese croutons in the salad that accompanied the crab cake and the drizzle of apple sauce.

We didn't have space for any of the desserts but I have included a picture of the menu here as it looked so interesting. Next time.

After lunch we strolled around Whitstable in the sunshine where so many people were making the most of the good weather. If we hadn't eaten earlier, we'd have been spoiled for choice. We left feeling reassured that Whitstable hadn't lost too much of its saline windswept charm.

Foodie breaks: Kent – The Linen Shed

Back in the summer we had a short break in Suffolk, but a couple of weeks ago we ventured southeast to Kent for an indulgent weekend away. We had a Saturday night reservation at Michelin-starred The Sportsman in Seasalter and had arranged to stay at The Linen Shed boutique bed and breakfast in Boughton-under-Blean on the old A2 between Faversham and Canterbury, inland from Whitstable.

As we weren't sure of our arrival time on the Friday night, our hosts at The Linen Shed, Vickie Miles and Graham Hassan, suggested The Queen's Head pub in the village, Shepherd Neame Food Pub of the Year. This part of Kent is very much 'The Garden of England', an area that bristles with pride for local ingredients, and the pub even uses produce from its own farm. My home-made burger and chips with the chef's ketchup were tasty and comforting, but husband Nathan had one of the specials, braised veal which was meltingly unctuous. Our bottle of Fontodi Chianti Classico 2008 hit the spot with both dishes.

After our first night in The French Room (with emperor-sized bed and adjoining shower room), Saturday began with Vickie's spectacular breakfast. After tea and granola bites in the lounge, we were treated to a full English in the glamorous shabby chic dining room. Vickie, who's professional background includes being a private chef, cooks everything to order, and our spread included a wonderfully crisp rosti potato and creamed mushrooms, as well as excellent local bacon and sausages and single varietal apple juice. Classy condiments included truffle salt and flavoured olive oils.

After breakfast we headed into nearby Faversham to nose around antique and junk shops and admire the handsome, medieval high street. We got back in the car and drove along the coast to Whitstable where we stopped for tea and cake and a browse through the papers in a cosy café – perfect for a cold, dreary afternoon. We'd deliberately skipped lunch as we were saving ourselves for dinner.

We returned to The Linen Shed to relax for a while and freshen up before enjoying an early evening drink with our hosts and the other couple who were staying there. Vickie's delicious nibbles included little biscuits topped with mature cheddar and pear mostarda. We then headed out for the evening to The Sportsman, a 15 minute taxi ride away. We had an amazing meal which I've written about here.

The next morning we aimed for a lighter breakfast – pancakes with bacon and maple syrup for me, but Nathan couldn't resist the full English again. In fine weather breakfast can be served on the terrace, overlooking the old gypsy caravan in the garden. We'd managed to secure a booking at Wheeler's in Whitstable for lunch, so, having packed our bags, we departed in bright sunshine. (I've written more about this here.)

Less than a couple of hours from north London, this part of Kent is ideal for a relaxing weekend break. Apart from some cottage rentals and the Hotel Continental in Whitstable with its converted fisherman's huts, there isn't much accommodation available, so the three guest rooms at The Linen Shed get booked up well in advance. And while you're in the area, don't forget to check out Macknade Fine Foods the 'Fortnum's of Faversham' – a farm shop that sells an eye-popping array of goodies from around the world, as well as local seasonal specialities. It's difficult not to go mad in there – we drove back to London with plenty of Christmas goodies.

The Linen Shed
Tel 01227 752271
bookings@thelinenshed.com