Samphire
4 High Street Whitstable Kent CT5 1BQ
Samphire is one of Whitstable's favourite restaurants, offering imaginative Modern British cuisine with a neighbourhood vibe right in the centre of town. The welcoming, relaxed and pretty space, twinkling with fairy lights and with a posy of flowers on each table, encourages you to take it easy – order a glass of wine, sit back, and relax. The seasonal menus focus on creative dishes using very local ingredients, some of them foraged: a simple fish pie is delicious, as is the slow-roast belly pork, while fishcakes made with cockles and sea trout are packed with wonderful, subtle flavours, and the wild garlic soup is to die for. Dinner costs can mount up, due to the quality of the food on offer – and portions aren't huge – but it's also a lovely spot for a brunch (try the Eggs Forestiere, a tasty veggie concoction of poached eggs, wilted spinach, braised field mushrooms and bearnaise sauce) or lunch – and they serve coffee and cakes all day. A real gem.
