Birchington, Mediterranean Restaurant Guide

2022 Review: In a “great” harbourside setting, chef Craig Mather’s collaboration with hotelier James Thomas namechecks the heroic homespun flotilla of the Dunkirk evacuation, also echoed in the decor. The food, mostly sourced within 30 miles of the restaurant, is reliably “solid”, not least the “lovely fresh catch of the day with interesting saucing”.

You get “the Mediterranean diet writ large” at this “relaxed, informal, spacious and friendly” outfit opened in 2000 by cook Nikki Billington and her partner Paul Watson, originally in their own home. It’s “the perfect place for a leisurely lunch, with delicious and mostly healthy cooking” including “the freshest tapas fish dishes”, along with “professional and charming service” that ensures “every visit feels memorable and special”.

2021 Review: “Quirky – but does it for us”, this atmospheric cellar close to the cathedral has long been popular for its “good quality, authentic Moroccan food” and Moorish décor, complemented by Andalusian tapas (classified as ‘light’, ‘medium’ or ‘rich’) and paella.

Ignore the Gallic name – this “busy, bustling and friendly” outfit in Westgate in fact deals in “excellent” Mexican fare and is “just such a happy place” where “the atmosphere sizzles” as much as the fajitas; the “long-established” venture (“it’s been going since 1987 and hasn’t lost its spark…in fact it just gets better and better”) has a namesake sibling in Paia, Hawaii, and is also related to Canterbury’s Café du Soleil.

A “great new local” set up by Ben Hughes and Rafael Lopez, both grads of Canterbury’s The Goods Shed, and which has gained “rapid Michelin recognition” (having made it into the 2023 guide since launching in May 2022). The owners’ British and Spanish backgrounds inform the “brilliant” modern bistro cooking, enriched by high-quality ingredients and “attentive service”.

“Primarily a fish restaurant, but one with excellent vegetarian and vegan options, and weekend brunches, all with a Mediterranean vibe, from Michelin-trained chef Craig Mather”: one reporter neatly summarises the virtues of this “reasonably priced” and “laidback” bistro, of recent vintage; sit on the sunny terrace for “al fresco dining with views across Viking Bay”.