Anyone who knows Whitstable / eating options there, over here please…

[EssentialHummus]

We’re driving down to the Kent coast tomorrow and want to break for an early lunch in Whitstable (open to other ideas too). I can’t gauge how busy it’ll be (half term is over right?) and I’m looking for somewhere casual where we can just walk in / take something away and sit by a beach or harbour.

One of us rolls his eyes at the idea of fish and chips, dislikes most pubs but otherwise open to everything.

One of us is pregnant and can’t have raw oysters but otherwise easy.

One of us is three and was frankly eyeing up a snail in the garden earlier so not too many constraints there .

Any ideas? I’ve found one slightly smart restaurant that takes only same-day bookings so that’s one option but I’d really like the equivalent of a shack on the beach if there is one. I saw something about Harbour Market?

We stayed at a nice hotel on the sea front and the food was good www.marinewhitstable.co.uk/home

We stayed in whitstable last weekend and it was rammed due to the bank hol. The chip shop on the high street had queues all the way down the road. The chip shop on Harbour street had a system where you phoned them from outside the shop to order (you couldn't go in) but the lines were engaged as everyone was standing outside phoning them. I don't know of any other chip shops (definitely a shortage!)

The nicer restaurants were all fully booked. We had a reservation at a pizza place called Sal & Pepe booked about a week before - you could try there, it was lovely. We were able to get into the Wetherspoons on the Sunday but that was about the only option! You might have more luck now that half term is over though.

Oh and Harbour market has some takeaway type stuff, they definitely had Thai food if that's an option?

Thanks all. Dances if Harbour Market has stalls that'll probably do us nicely.

If it's all absolutely heaving we'll just keep on driving I think. Fingers crossed not.

Samphire is lovely

It looks great @itbemay1, thank you!

The Lobster Shack 100%. Lots of options for everyone.

We love it! Enjoy

If you don't want anything to upmarket, think fish finger sarnies, burgers, paninis etc theres a great little place next to the yacht/sailing club near the lifeboats. It's next to the sea, very popular with locals and very non pretentious...and is called Keiths. There's also a place on the hill as you walk from the harbour to the castle along the beach. Cant remember what it's called and has changed hands since I was last there. There's also the castle...not by the sea but lots of running around space.
Not sure if the market is open weekdays yet...

Crab and winkle is very good right in the harbour.

Thanks both. Yes, I think take away or very casual seating (assuming it isn’t rammed) is the way to go I think. I wish DH wasn’t so anti pubs, looks like there are some good ones!

@FizzyPink weirdly all the previous reviews for it are glowing but the ones from this May onwards are abysmal - not sure if something has changed or if a disgruntled reviewer has gone bananas.

It'll probably be busy despite being a work day, and parking is a bastard.

If you get stuck, try a la turka in the next town (Herne Bay). There's outdoor seating on the seafront and the food is lovely.

Lobster Shack mentioned earlier sounds like it will tick your boxes. Good food, right on the water and next to the pier, casual environment

@katscamel I can confirm that Keith’s was excellent. Thank you for that .

@EssentialHummus so glad you liked it. It's my fave place for coffee/chips in Whitstable...in fact one of my fave experiences was sitting under the tarpaulin he used to have up with a coffee and my kindle listening to the rain.
Ssssshhhhh though....don't tell everyone he's there or they'll all be going

Lobster Shack is great.