Places to eat in Dover

Whether you’re after freshly caught fish from The Hythe Bay Seafood Restaurant or want to try some boundary breaking Indian cuisine at Cinnamon Island, the best restaurants in Dover are all well located for either a relaxed lunchtime meal during a day of sightseeing, or a luxury dinner before a night out on the town.

For a mean cup of coffee head to the Mean Bean Coffee Shop on Biggin Street near Dover Bus Station. Always providing a warm welcome, the team here serve up good old-fashioned food and drinks to satisfy hungry stomachs. The menu is simple but delicious with baguettes, soups and homemade cakes all up for grabs. Make sure you pop upstairs to check out the photo gallery that showcases work by local photographers and artists, which is updated every couple of weeks.

If you’re up early and are hankering for a full English, look no further than White Cliffs Café. A two-minute walk from Dover Town Hall, this unassuming café serves up one of the best breakfasts in the area. It’s reasonably priced too, and has exceptional views out over the East Ferry Terminal. If you’re not in the market for breakfast, you can tuck into British classics like gammon and egg and shepherd’s pie if you visit later in the day.

With a more contemporary feel, Eva’s Café is all about fresh ingredients and home cooked dishes. Open until 10pm, this quaint café just down the road from Charlton Shopping Centre serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everything here is cooked to order and the menu is diverse, ranging from cheese toasties and paninis to sirloin steak and crispy beer-battered cod. If you visit on a Sunday, you’d be mad not to order the roast dinner – with all the trimmings, of course – and as Eva’s Café is fully licensed, you can wash it all down with a cold beer.

La Salle Verte Coffee Shop, opposite the Roman Painted House, is a great place to grab an energising cup of coffee while you’re sightseeing in Dover. Couple your hot drink with a slice of mouthwatering homemade cake and take in the laid-back atmosphere of this cosy little venue. If you happen to be in the area on a hot day, take advantage of the seated area at the back of the café which is surrounded by beautiful and colourful potted plants.

Just a minute’s walk from La Salle Verte is The Honey Pot Café, a charming venue serving hot and cold food throughout the day. The ‘Super Breakfast’ is popular with locals and will be sure to keep you going if you’re set for a long day exploring the local area. A proper full English, it comes with sausage, bacon, beans, toast, eggs, hash browns and black pudding – all for just over a fiver. If it’s a light bite you’re after, they also serve toasted teacakes, salads, sandwiches and great quality tea and coffee.

Situated at St Margaret's Bay is The Pines Garden Tea Room, a hidden gem that offers classic afternoon tea. Set in the stunning grounds of The Pine Garden, you can sample one of their famously large cakes or scones surrounded by the beautiful Dover scenery. A lot of the ingredients used to make the food here is grown in-house, so the food is guaranteed to taste fresh and delicious.

The Dover Farmers’ Market is a small, but perfectly formed, market situated in the heart of the town. Held in Biggin Hall – next door to Dover Town Hall – it’s a fantastic place to get hold of fresh produce farmed right in the Dover countryside. The event prides itself on offering ‘locally grown healthy food’ and that’s exactly what you get. From raw milk and pasture-raised chicken to homemade jams and goat’s milk soap, there are lots of unique products available here that you can’t get anywhere else. Held on the fourth Sunday of the month, you’ll find the stalls open for business from 10am–2pm.