WHAT TO EAT IN DEAL, KENT
If you’re fond of seafood and salty air...
As much as I’d love to be writing to you from the seaside in this heatwave, specifically Deal, where I spent a dreamy Bank Holiday last August with my girlfriends eating pints of prawns overlooking the beach and picking berries from Felderland farm…the universe had other (more stationary) plans for me right now. So instead, I’m passing the mic to one of my absolute favourite people, Kate Carruthers.
I’m both excited to publish today’s newsletter and also a bit lost as to what to say by way of an update. It’s been a really challenging time since my bike accident and unfortunately I still cannot walk, a month on. With the right care and physio I should be able to weight bear soon and even hobble around my kitchen which I am desperate to do because all I want to do is write recipes for When In Rome!
I had a big day on Friday. It started with a long-awaited hospital appointment, where I was told I’ll need surgery - cue some hormonal, sleep-deprived, heatwave-induced sobbing.
From there, I went straight to the final day of our Ottolenghi cookbook shoot. It’s a project I’ve been working on with the team for the past year and a half, though I haven’t been able to cook any of my recipes during the last month’s shoot because of the damn leg. Feeling a bit guilty for not being more hands-on, I still wanted to show up, thank everyone, and raise a celebratory glass at the end of the day.
Although I haven’t been working full-time at Ottolenghi for a few months now, it wasn’t until we wrapped this project that it really felt like I could turn the page and begin this new chapter. I’ve returned to freelance life!
I am very grateful for the friendships I’ve made at Ottolenghi. Kate is pure sunshine, a lover of life, good people, and good times. She joined me in Málaga to help kick off my very first (and favourite) Substack travel guide, and today she’s back to take you around Deal, a place she has been visiting all her life.
Okay Kate, hang tight while I dig out some cute pics and then it’s over to you for the guide... Milli x
WHAT TO EAT IN DEAL, KENT
Walking along Middle Street, the cottages go back several hundred years, and so do the legends and stories (even if the smugglers and pirates have now been replaced by tourists and day-trippers). The seagulls still operate their sophisticated protection racket around anyone foolish enough to eat chips in public, the germ-ridden arcade still claims victims, and the same ten fishermen still work the pier regardless of weather or season. There are just some new faces now - chefs and artists who've carved out their own little kingdoms in this beautifully bonkers corner of Kent.
I've been coming to Deal - this small seaside town in Kent, about 9 miles from Dover - since I was small, back when my grandparents lived in a house that smelled permanently of salty air and Mansion Polish. My grandad spent his retirement shuttling between Savers and Nationwide, convinced his pension was physically stored in coins in a vault under the bank. Every few days he'd pop in to check it was all still there. Eventually, the staff stopped trying to explain modern banking and would just confirm that yes, his money was safely locked away, thank you Mr. Carruthers, see you tomorrow.
I've been coming back more often since those days, with friends from London. The high street that used to peddle ancient VHS collections, camping chairs and wind breakers has grown around the edges (FT even dubbed it Hackney-on-sea). But it's done so without sacrificing any of the lunacy that made it worth visiting in the first place.
Here are all the top spots and a few tips for your visit….
PRACTICAL STUFF
Getting there: Fast train from London to St Pancras (1hr 23mins). Station is 5 minutes from the high street. If driving, parking is free on most residential streets but gets mental in summer.
When to go: May, June and September are ideal - warm enough for swims but without the crowds. Avoid peak summer weekends unless you enjoy queues and wildly expensive accommodation. That said, winter weekends can be gorgeous too, as long as you pack layers and lean into the wind. A day trip is definitely doable: Saturdays are the best, with the amazing market in the morning (CT14 6BE) and live music dotted along the High Street in the evening.
Small print: Most places take card now, but old-school spots prefer cash (especially the fish & chip shops). The wind is always stronger than you think. Low tide means more beach for walking; high tide means bigger waves if you're brave enough to swim. Lots of places close early or don't open at all. Plan accordingly!
FISH & CHIPS
It would be totally unfair to claim that all the best fish and chips come from Deal. Everyone’s got their favourite chippy, usually because someone they trust told them it was the one, and now they’d defend it to the death. This is the fish and chip hierarchy I’ve had imprinted on me over the years. Please respect it.
Seaview Fish and Chips
The Strand, Deal CT14 7DP - £9 for FnC
Fresh fish from Hythe every morning, oil changed religiously, and portions so generous you'll need a tactical eating plan. Get the haddock, ask for extra salt, and make the 50-step pilgrimage to the pier. The pier is weirdly safer from seagull attacks - no scientific proof, just years of successful consumption.
Middle Street Fish Bar
Middle Street, Deal CT14 6HZ - CASH ONLY! - £9 for a large haddock and chips
This place shows up in all the guidebooks, so it pulls big queues - but honestly, it’s a bit too greasy for me. That said, the giant mugs of tea do nudge it into second place in the fish and chip hierarchy. Go here if Seaview’s queue is unbearable.
Walmer Fish & Chips
36 The Strand, Walmer, Deal CT14 7DX - £9 for a large haddock and chips
About 2km down the beach in Walmer, this one’s a bit quieter if everywhere in Deal is heaving. The batter stays crisp, so it’s become my go-to for a take-home chippy. The menu warns that “all items should be consumed as part of a balanced diet,” which has the power to guilt-trip you into ordering mushy peas. Don’t fall for it.