Taste of Kent Awards logo

2026

Kent Casual Food & Drink Experience of the Year

PLEASE NOTE: ALL NOMINATIONS REQUIRE APPROVAL BEFORE THEY APPEAR. IF YOU HAVE SUBMITTED A NOMINATION, IT WILL GO LIVE WITHIN 24 HOURS DURING MONDAY-FRIDAY WORKING HOURS.

Who should you vote for?

Think about the cafés, coffee shops, tea rooms and casual food spots in Kent that you find yourself going back to again and again. The ones with a genuine personality, brilliant food and drink, and a real commitment to sourcing locally. The places that feel like they're part of the community - not just passing through it.

We're looking for fixed-location casual venues where Kent produce features genuinely on the menu. Eligible businesses must operate from a consistent location at least two days a week or for at least six months of the year. This category doesn't include mobile traders who move between different markets or events each week. Venues must be open and trading during the judging period.

A nomination needs to be approved before it appears in the list -these are updated each working day.

Think about places that:

  • Serve great quality food and drink with a local flavour
  • Use and shout about Kent produce
  • Offer a brilliant, welcoming customer experience
  • Have a distinctive personality that makes them stand out

How does the judging work?

Your vote matters - but it's just the beginning. Once the public vote closes, the top ten venues are invited to submit further information about their use of Kent produce, local sourcing policy and commitment to the Kent food and drink community. An expert judging panel reviews both the public vote and the submissions to select three finalists. Those finalists are then mystery dined by professional researchers before a winner is chosen.

Judging criteria: Quality and consistency, creativity and distinctiveness, customer experience, service, use and promotion of Kent produce and value for money.

Vote for a Business

+ Nomination

363 Coffee Lounge

Walderslade Village

Algar Lodge Farm Shop & Cafe

Deal

Amalis Cafe

Canterbury

Bears Ice Cream Imaginarium

Whitstable

Bluebells Catering & Tea Room

Bluebell Hill, Chatham

Castle Street Coffee

Dover

Craft Brewed

Maidstone

The Drill Hall

Sandwich

Dulce's Patisserie

Sevenoaks

Enzo's kitchen & pizzeria

Sidcup

Everest Inn

113 Station Road Ashford

Follow the Swirl

Margate

Garage Coffee Roasters

Canterbury

Garage Coffee Roasters Herne Bay

Herne Bay

Garage Coffee Roasters Margate

The Sun Deck, Margate

Garage Coffee Roasters Whitstable

Whitstable

Gino's Neopolitan

Gravesend

Gravesend Burger Kiosk

Gravesend

Hathats Canterbury

Canterbury

Hathats Reculver

Reculver

Hathats Whitstable

Whitstable

Ide Hill Community Shop & Post Office

Ide HIll

Jaggers

Rochester

Junior’s Whitstable

Whitstable

Kin Coffee

Staplehurst

Lafayettes

Margate

Lily's Social Kitchen

Canterbury

Lole Wellness Cafe

Deal

Lower Ladysden Farm

Goudhurst

Macknade

Faversham

Myatts of Mockbeggar Farm Shop

Cliffe Woods

Olivia’s pizza & kitchen

Ramsgate

The Quay

Faversham

Salata

Ashford

Smokey Joe's

Herne Bay

Spadework

Offham

Stag - Coffee, Kitchen, Bar

Canterbury

Willows End Tea Room

Marden

Woodchurch Wine - Tasting & Dining Rooms

Woodchurch Kent

Yotes Court Vineyard

Mereworth