So after April 12 we were officially allowed to travel in the UK. It seemed like forever since I’d been anywhere except for walking in my local area (so over the walking), so we decided it was time for a post-lockdown getaway. Somewhere easily drivable and by the seaside where we could chill and eat great food (naturally). Whitstable in Kent came up as the answer to our questions. It’s on the coast and it’s famous for its seafood – particularly oysters and lobsters. And it’s less than a two-hour drive from South West London through an efficient web of interconnected motorways and highways. Perfect!
Of course, at the time of our visit, we still could only eat outdoors. So planning where to lunch on our way there was dictated by the need for outdoor space. A quick google and we set our app (how did we ever survive without navigation apps?) to steer us to The Ship Inn in Herne Bay. Set on the seafront it has a nice area at the side with sea views. We opted for a range of smaller dishes to share.
My choice was the seafood mix. In fact, as you will soon discover I think I ate little other than seafood on our getaway. This vibrant plate of king prawns, mussels and clams was served with the most delicious garlic butter – the kind you have to scoop up carefully so you can savour every drop.
The slow cooked beef brisket, horseradish and cheese croquettes were beautifully meaty, soft and creamy with just the right crunch.
Juicy buffalo chicken wings came coated in plenty of sauce and a blue cheese mayo.
Barbacoa beef tacos were served with pico de gallo, melted cheese and birria (a kind of tomato and chilli sauce). The tortilla was packed with tasty beef and had a healthy helping of jalapeños on the side.
The sheer joy of sitting overlooking the expansive ocean and eating food someone else had cooked and brought to us. Funny how I really appreciate everything so much more these post-lockdown days. Totally in full holiday mode we took the short drive to our staycation home – Whitstable.
Whitstable is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent, about five miles north of Canterbury. It’s a picturesque sort of place with a bustling harbour, long beaches to meander along, plenty of restaurants and bars and a unique mix of wonderful shops along the high street. Yes, we can shop again – more joy. We checked into The Lobster Pot – our lovely AirBnb fisherman’s cottage in the heart of the town (read more about that later) and then headed out to find some oysters. Because that’s what you do in Whitstable.
A short walk away through the harbour we discovered The Lobster Shack sitting overlooking the beach with stunning sea views across the Thames Estuary. Their oyster beds are right at the restaurant and you can watch freshly caught oysters being offloaded and prepared as you walk through to the restaurant. Oysters don’t get fresher than this. So we had a plateful! Delightful.
And while we were there we simply had to try the lobster, too. Well you would wouldn’t you? We chose the chorizo and chilli version. Rich and spicy.
Another lovely beachside eatery which we visited for lunch the next day is the famous local pub, The Old Neptune which dates back to the 19th century. It’s literally on the beach, and serves a good range of seafood. For their post-lockdown strategy The Old Neptune is serving everything in cardboard boxes with wooden cutlery which gives a real picnicky feel.
My box of mixed fish was very substantial with a combo of whitebait, calamari, scampi and tempura prawns. Served with two sauces, chips and salad. A proper seaside pub lunch.
Of course there would have to be cod and chips on offer, too. Fresh and tasty and served here by request with baked beans – real English fare.
On our way to the beach for lunch at Old Neptune we passed by The Smack Inn and its delightful courtyard which they’ve converted into beach huts. So we had to pop in there for some more local seaside delights – little bowls of cockles, mussels and whelks. I’d never had whelks before and can’t say they are my favourite thing. The mussels were good, though, and the cockles were tasty if a bit sandy.
On our wanderings we also passed by The Harbour Garden Cafe and made a pact to eat there. It’s overlooking the harbour (appropriately named then) and specialises in the freshest of seafood. Starting off with oysters again and wow these were some spectacular oysters. I could seriously sit there for hours just scoffing on oysters, my mouth is watering now as I write about them.
As luck would have it it’s crab season and I love a crab. So I ordered the whole steamed crab which came chilled with a side salad. But I’d spotted there was also a wedge salad on the menu (also love a wedge salad) so requested a switch. No problem at all it was done! Now this is possibly one of my favourite plates of food ever. The crab has been partly broken up to make for easier eating but you still need to get your hands dirty! Love the ceremony of all that – and it does make lunch go on on longer as you are just slower. And doesn’t it look beautiful. Happiness all round.
Then there was the Louisiana shrimp salad with Creole-spiced peeled prawns served on garden salad with a generous helping of Cajun mayo. Beautiful plump, juicy prawns and a mayo with a great tang. Another great dish.
And of course there’s the whole steamed lobster served with chips and garlic butter. No one should be expected to resist this. A large crustacean with plenty of meat to savour and the crispiest of chips.
We left the Harbour Garden in a total state of euphoria. Possibly helped by the fact that we enjoyed a fabulous bottle of Chapel Down (a local Kent vineyard) sparkling wine. Kent sure has a lot of great local produce to enjoy.
And some of it right on our doorstep. The New Inn pub was literally a few steps from our home – the perfect place to try some of the local beers (there are a lot of them to sample).
Okay, so through our whole April vigil in Whitstable we had to dine and drink outside. And it was one of the coldest Aprils on record (though thankfully there was hardly any rain). I was seriously impressed by the effort made by every establishment to make their customers as comfortable as possible. Wind screens, plastic gazebos, heaters all helped. With summer on its way I feel like I’ve done some great al fresco dining research as all these places would be even more fabulous on a warm, sunny day. I’ll be seriously dreaming of oysters and champagne in the sunshine – I may even just pop down for lunch – because I can now travel and it’s really not that far away.
Where to stay
We stayed at The Lobster Pot in Woodlawn Street, a delightful three-bedroom fisherman’s cottage just 100 yards from the Harbour and right on the edge of Harbour Street with its wide range of shops, restaurants and pubs.
We booked it through Airbnb. A beautiful cottage so conveniently located with a well-equipped kitchen, log burning fire and two large sofas in the open-plan living area and comfortable beds. The house has a real beach-side feel with lots of attention to detail (lobsters in various forms scattered throughout the cottage). The perfect place to stay in beautiful Whitstable for our first post-lockdown escape.
