$$$$ • Europea moderna • Whitstable
The first evidence of an inn at the site dates back to 1642 but the surrounding area of Seasalter was entered in the Domesday Book as belonging to the kitchens of Canterbury Cathedral. Even then it was an area of food production, farmed by the monks, supplying produce for the influx of religious tourists after the murder of Thomas Beckett in 1170.We took over The Sportsman in November 1999 with the intention of serving good food in relaxed and informal surroundings. We have held a Michelin star since 2008.Following the monks’ example we let the area around the pub dictate what we cook. Behind us, the Thames Estuary, leading out to the North Sea, provides oysters and fish, and in front, marshland, woods and fertile soils give us meat, vegetables and game. We also grow some ingredients ourselves. A small kitchen garden and now polytunnels, mean we can cook with fruit and vegetables that benefit from being picked only moments before use.
