A survey has named Kent the joint best place for food and drink along the UK\u2019s coastline.<\/p>\n
Broadstairs, Deal, Folkestone and Whitstable all received five stars for their culinary offerings from consumer champion magazine Which?.<\/p>\n
Broadstairs was named the South East\u2019s top destination for coastal food and drink<\/p>\n
Cornwall was the only county other than Kent to also have four towns – Falmouth, Looe, Padstow, and St Ives – scoring the highest grades for food and drink.<\/p>\n
The researchers were particularly impressed with Broadstairs, which came out on top overall for the south east region, even trumping the likes of Brighton.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the selection, senior researcher and writer, Trevor Baker, says: \u201cThis old-fashioned seaside town, once a favourite of Charles Dickens, has Kent\u2019s best beaches – as well as some of the best food on the south east coast.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndependent restaurants look out over the fishing boats and sea views that once charmed Dickens.<\/p>\n
\u201cBroadstairs becomes busy in the summer (parking got just one out of five stars), but walk along the coast and you\u2019ll find lots of smaller, secluded bays where you can enjoy a bit more peace and quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Broadstairs is home to Fifteen Square Metres, run by husband and wife team Becky and Tony Rodd, who was a Masterchef finalist<\/p>\n
Alongside the top marks for food and drink, Broadstairs also scored four stars for its beaches. Its overall score of 75% narrowly beat Lymington in Hampshire for the best spot in the south east.<\/p>\n
Deal had an overall score of 71%, Whistable 66% and Folkestone 65% in the round-up by Which?<\/a>.<\/p>\n