The Sportsman

It’s picked up a sackful of awards in recent years, but The Sportsman “hasn’t been spoiled by its celebrity” – so writes a fan of this unlikely Michelin-starred roadside pub overlooking the bleak Kent marshes.

We reckon the best way to arrive is to walk along the coast from nearby Whitstable – this way, you’ll have worked up an appetite for portions that “aren’t too stingy”. Don’t just drop in on the offchance, however; such is The Sportsman’s fame that tables should be booked far in advance, especially at the weekend.

Shabby-chic interiors, mismatched farmhouse furnishings, blackboard menus and real ales set the proper-pub tone and you’re still expected to order at the bar, but congenial laid-back service adds to the charm of the place and the cooking is never less than “sublime”.

Maverick chef Stephen Harris is a champion of local sourcing and self-sufficiency who bakes bread, cures fish, churns butter and even produces his own sea salt. Yes, it may sound “weird” and homespun, but the food hits the heights without ever seeming overly fussy.

We’re fans of the memorable book-in-advance tasting menu (a procession of pitch-perfect seasonal delicacies), but the daily carte also yields pleasures aplenty. Given the pub’s location right by the Thames Estuary, fish and seafood is a strength. The local Whitstable oysters are served on the shell as natives while rocks are poached with apple and seaweed or pickled cucumber and avruga caviar. Thornback ray comes with brown butter, cockles and sherry vinegar dressing, while braised turbot gets a mussel and bacon tartare.

Meat isn’t neglected, though. Smoked maple-cured pork loin with chorizo sauce, roast saddle of lamb with mint sauce and roast chicken with sausage and truffle cream sauce make it feel like Sunday lunch whatever day of the week it is.

For afters, there might be a nostalgic combo of jasmine-tea junket with rosehip syrup or a textbook raspberry soufflé with ripple ice cream. A final word on value from one reader: “you may not be getting the luxury and style that many starred restaurants provide, but you aren’t paying for it either”.

The Sportsman, based just outside the small seaside village of Seasalter, may not look like much from the outside but is in fact widely regarded as one of the UK’s finest gastropubs. Having held a Michelin star since 2008, the pub serves a menu of classic British food in a relaxed environment. Set in what feels like the middle of nowhere, The Sportsman gives guests a real sense of escape and also maintains the cosy feeling of a traditional country pub. This makes it a glorious spot to enjoy chef Steven Harris’s bold plates of food.

The outside of the large pub is painted white, with a large conservatory dining area running around two sides of the building. The interiors however, are far more rustic with large wooden tables surrounded by a variety of mismatching chairs spread out around the bar area and menus written up on a blackboard.

The Sportsman offers three different food menus: an a la carte, a daily 5-course tasting menu, and a longer full tasting menu which needs to be ordered in advance. The a la carte menu begins with starters such as salt baked celeriac, apple and fresh cheese, and slip sole grilled in seaweed butter, as well as a choice of local oysters. When it comes to main course options, expect big dishes like roast saddle of lamb with mint sauce, and roast chicken with sausage and truffle cream sauce. Whereas seafood dishes might include roast gurnard fillet with bouillabaisse sauce and green olive tapenade. If you have room for dessert, you might be tempted by the warm chocolate mousse with salted caramel and milk sorbet.

The food is of course accompanied by an extensive list of wines by both the bottle and glass, as well as a huge selection of local ales, spirits and soft drinks.