Had a truely wonderful experience at this lovely restaurant in Broadstairs Stark. The tasting menu was superb we enjoyed every course can’t wait to visit again soon highly recommended its charming atmosphere & staff were amazing good wines to complement the dishes.
Jo S
A tiny and rather eccentric little place with only a few tables, in the hands of a chef who really does know what he's doing. For us it was nearly five stars - there were a couple of courses on the tasting menu (the duck liver parfait and the final dessert course that was some sort of concoction of chocolate, miso ice cream and fig) were heavenly. Some of the others didn't *quite* hit the spot for us though - they were certainly ambitious in their texture and flavour combinations but, we felt, maybe more 'interesting' than fully successful. I guess that's part of being a top chef at this level of course - you do need to try stuff out. It's a unique experience all round though, with a set of wines to match the courses (which we didn't go for, though most others were seeming to). Not cheap but certainly less than you might pay for similar food at other Michelin-starred restaurants. If you are in the area, do go - but get in quick as it looks like they plan to move the business to Essex later in 2024.
J H
Visiting family in the area and they were keen we dined here. All I can say is wow. Fantastic food, service and atmosphere.
Jo M
If you are lucky enough and can get yourself a table @starkbroadstairs I can not recommend it enough! The most wonderful food, just sublime, and being able to watch Ben make it right next to you makes it so magical. I loved everything about STARK, it oozes personality from the decor, to the tableware to the amazing playlist. Cause it's so small you feel very privileged to be there! The team are just brilliant but so humble in their brilliance! It's a foodies heaven!
Ajm11111
Stark, with a small rough-hewn dining area and smaller open kitchen, has none of the pretentions of traditional 'fine dining'. The food, however, is astonishing - complex, beautifully cooked and perfectly balanced with some unusual combinations. By some way the best restaurant in Kent.
Rob007Kent_UK
We dined at Dos, Stark’s former sister restaurant a couple of years ago and vowed to return to dine at its slightly larger sister which was just down the road. Having secured a much coveted reservation around two months ago, we were shocked to discover that our booking was in potential jeopardy as a result of the restaurant experiencing a major water leak which had resulted in bookings earlier in the week being cancelled. Sophie emailed to give us as much notice of this as possible and to confirm that an update would follow shortly. Much to our relief we received an email the following morning to confirm that the leak had been fixed although the matching wines would be unavailable as it hadn’t been possible to place a wine order which left a limited number of pairing wines. Full marks for excellent communication, keeping us informed and managing expectations. The restaurant is located in a residential part of Broadstairs just a few doors down from No. 1 Oscar Road (a beautiful little wine bar which is a great spot for pre-dinner drinks and the former location of Dos). Access is gained by knocking at the front door. This is a very intimate dining experience with all the tables in very close proximity. There are just five tables (1 x 4 and 4 x 2). The restaurant (which feels like someone’s front room) has an eclectic mosaic made from stickers covering the ceiling, exposed brick walls with gorillaz album and dark wooden tables with colourful vinyl covered chairs. It’s quirky, but stylish. A varied playlist provided some great and much needed background music. The kitchen is open plan so you can watch Ben hard at work. It’s quite incredible that so many different beautifully presented dishes emanate from such a small, confined space. Dining is from a ‘mystery’ six course tasting menu served to all customers with optional wine pairings. The menu changes weekly and so you literally have no idea what you will be eating in advance. We knew from reading the information on the website and online reviews that dietary requirements, dislikes or allergies could not be catered for so if you are a fussy eater or selective about your food this isn’t a restaurant for you. The tasting menu comprised a good selection of dishes - duck liver parfait, gurnard and prawns, lamb, Wagyu beef, goat curd and a chocolate dessert. Each and every course was beautifully presented and clearly involved incredible skills in their creation. The tastes, flavours and textures were sublime and really excited the palate. The service was good with just the one staff member outside of the kitchen. Having to retain our cutlery between courses was slightly odd but I guessed it saves on the washing-up! We enjoyed a good selection of wines including the Rose Takoli Rosado, Gran Cerdo Blanco and the Chilean Metic Merlot which were all moderately priced. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner here especially after such a long wait – thank you Ben and Sophie for a very memorable dining experience.
526DeborahO
Had heard such great things about Stark and it didnt disappoint. Food was spectacular. We had the paired wines, all of which complimented the food amazingly well. Our waitress was fantastic. Very attentive. One of the best meals I've ever eaten. We had to book 2 months in advange but was so worth the wait. Will definitely be returning.
JP S
We've been meaning to go to Stark for ages, and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is relaxed and intimate - refreshingly unfussy. We were made to feel very welcome and were very well looked after. The tasting menu was amazing - we particularly enjoyed a dessert of goat curd, almond and fig, paired with a delicious Monbazillac. All in all, a wonderful evening!
Ciaran M
Went for second service on a very hot night. The place was like a sauna, the service was poor and the ambience was terrible. A long dinner service turned into a war of attrition. There was a race to see who could pay the bill first and get out. The food was good but not exceptional, the service was poor - I had to ask repeatedly for drinks, water was served without ice - and the ambience felt like nobody really wanted to be there. Broadstairs has a wealth of high quality eateries with exceptional food and service, they’ll be my goto for occasion nights in the future.
JN12345678
Came here for my fiancés birthday and it didn’t disappoint. A night to remember that’s for sure…Everything we were expecting, lots of small delicious dishes with plenty of watery green leaves for WhatsApp group with the lads. The only downside was it didn’t have a tv screen showing the boxing so had to wolf down the dishes, quickly drag the mrs to the nearest boozer only to find out the boxing fight was over so had it off with her in the street. Couple of double jab right hands done the job to put me in the horrors for the rest of the night. Both woke up feeling horrendous. so promised a few things including a walk round the lakes wen back home but all I could think of was dream team Saturday with the lads. Overall great trip, would do it again but maybe minus the alcohol. Margate you’ve been reet
Third visit and still amazing. Do yourself a favour and book a table - you will not regret it. Cannot honestly think of anything I would improve. Superb.
Luke258
Fantastic food by a fantastic chef. A brilliant tasting menu with a fine wine paring to go with We will visit again. Superb
Thurnham K
This has to be the most amazing food in Kent and now my favourite restaurant. I don’t usually get too excited about food, especially tasting menus where you are often overloaded with food. Each dish was exquisitely presented and each mouthful an explosion of flavours that all worked so extremely well together. Somebody asked me which was my favourite course and I really couldn’t choose - they’re all superb. I’m already looking forward to my next visit. Thank you so much.
Gary Bowdery
The food was wonderful, let's get that addressed immediately. The wine pairings were not.I read a review from a local critic saying that it was more like corner shop than fine dining... I agree completely. The wine let the meal down.The service was fine, as to be expected from only having one staff member outside the kitchen. Odd to have to keep your cutlery through the courses, but sustainable I suppose.You'll likely be aware there are only 5 tables, 4x 2 and 1x 4. However, what isn't clear is that one of the tables for two is up against the bar/kitchen so you're sat side by side instead of opposite.Having sat at the bar table, I had a reasonable view of the kitchen area, amazing that chef cooks all of the amazing food from such a small space and only a couple of electric induction hobs etc. However, it was also easy to see that it wasn't all that clean... The cupboard above the shelves was smeary and needed cleaning/polishing. I'm not saying it was dirty, but it definitely needed a spring clean.The music played was varied, from Eminem to Rihanna to Joan and the Jets etc. I certainly haven't been sworn at in a restaurant before, not a complaint! Just a quirk adding to the experience.I'm glad we visited and we had an enjoyable evening but I don't think I would hurry back, it's not the easiest place to reach and I'm on the fence as to whether it was worth the 2 hour journey each way.Vegetarian options: None available.. Do not waste your time attending. Not catered for.Kid-friendliness: Not suitableParking: Not a busy road, plenty of parking available on Oscar road and just round the corner tooWheelchair accessibility: Not suitableDietary restrictions: Not catered for at all. You get what you're given
Ian_Bradshaw_78
This was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The food was amazing and wine choices excellent. Service was great throughout. A wonderfully quirky venue full of character and charm.
Had a truely wonderful experience at this lovely restaurant in Broadstairs Stark. The tasting menu was superb we enjoyed every course can’t wait to visit again soon highly recommended its charming atmosphere & staff were amazing good wines to complement the dishes.
A tiny and rather eccentric little place with only a few tables, in the hands of a chef who really does know what he's doing. For us it was nearly five stars - there were a couple of courses on the tasting menu (the duck liver parfait and the final dessert course that was some sort of concoction of chocolate, miso ice cream and fig) were heavenly. Some of the others didn't *quite* hit the spot for us though - they were certainly ambitious in their texture and flavour combinations but, we felt, maybe more 'interesting' than fully successful. I guess that's part of being a top chef at this level of course - you do need to try stuff out. It's a unique experience all round though, with a set of wines to match the courses (which we didn't go for, though most others were seeming to). Not cheap but certainly less than you might pay for similar food at other Michelin-starred restaurants. If you are in the area, do go - but get in quick as it looks like they plan to move the business to Essex later in 2024.
Visiting family in the area and they were keen we dined here. All I can say is wow. Fantastic food, service and atmosphere.
If you are lucky enough and can get yourself a table @starkbroadstairs I can not recommend it enough! The most wonderful food, just sublime, and being able to watch Ben make it right next to you makes it so magical. I loved everything about STARK, it oozes personality from the decor, to the tableware to the amazing playlist. Cause it's so small you feel very privileged to be there! The team are just brilliant but so humble in their brilliance! It's a foodies heaven!
Stark, with a small rough-hewn dining area and smaller open kitchen, has none of the pretentions of traditional 'fine dining'. The food, however, is astonishing - complex, beautifully cooked and perfectly balanced with some unusual combinations. By some way the best restaurant in Kent.
We dined at Dos, Stark’s former sister restaurant a couple of years ago and vowed to return to dine at its slightly larger sister which was just down the road. Having secured a much coveted reservation around two months ago, we were shocked to discover that our booking was in potential jeopardy as a result of the restaurant experiencing a major water leak which had resulted in bookings earlier in the week being cancelled. Sophie emailed to give us as much notice of this as possible and to confirm that an update would follow shortly. Much to our relief we received an email the following morning to confirm that the leak had been fixed although the matching wines would be unavailable as it hadn’t been possible to place a wine order which left a limited number of pairing wines. Full marks for excellent communication, keeping us informed and managing expectations. The restaurant is located in a residential part of Broadstairs just a few doors down from No. 1 Oscar Road (a beautiful little wine bar which is a great spot for pre-dinner drinks and the former location of Dos). Access is gained by knocking at the front door. This is a very intimate dining experience with all the tables in very close proximity. There are just five tables (1 x 4 and 4 x 2). The restaurant (which feels like someone’s front room) has an eclectic mosaic made from stickers covering the ceiling, exposed brick walls with gorillaz album and dark wooden tables with colourful vinyl covered chairs. It’s quirky, but stylish. A varied playlist provided some great and much needed background music. The kitchen is open plan so you can watch Ben hard at work. It’s quite incredible that so many different beautifully presented dishes emanate from such a small, confined space. Dining is from a ‘mystery’ six course tasting menu served to all customers with optional wine pairings. The menu changes weekly and so you literally have no idea what you will be eating in advance. We knew from reading the information on the website and online reviews that dietary requirements, dislikes or allergies could not be catered for so if you are a fussy eater or selective about your food this isn’t a restaurant for you. The tasting menu comprised a good selection of dishes - duck liver parfait, gurnard and prawns, lamb, Wagyu beef, goat curd and a chocolate dessert. Each and every course was beautifully presented and clearly involved incredible skills in their creation. The tastes, flavours and textures were sublime and really excited the palate. The service was good with just the one staff member outside of the kitchen. Having to retain our cutlery between courses was slightly odd but I guessed it saves on the washing-up! We enjoyed a good selection of wines including the Rose Takoli Rosado, Gran Cerdo Blanco and the Chilean Metic Merlot which were all moderately priced. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner here especially after such a long wait – thank you Ben and Sophie for a very memorable dining experience.
Had heard such great things about Stark and it didnt disappoint. Food was spectacular. We had the paired wines, all of which complimented the food amazingly well. Our waitress was fantastic. Very attentive. One of the best meals I've ever eaten. We had to book 2 months in advange but was so worth the wait. Will definitely be returning.
We've been meaning to go to Stark for ages, and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is relaxed and intimate - refreshingly unfussy. We were made to feel very welcome and were very well looked after. The tasting menu was amazing - we particularly enjoyed a dessert of goat curd, almond and fig, paired with a delicious Monbazillac. All in all, a wonderful evening!
Went for second service on a very hot night. The place was like a sauna, the service was poor and the ambience was terrible. A long dinner service turned into a war of attrition. There was a race to see who could pay the bill first and get out. The food was good but not exceptional, the service was poor - I had to ask repeatedly for drinks, water was served without ice - and the ambience felt like nobody really wanted to be there. Broadstairs has a wealth of high quality eateries with exceptional food and service, they’ll be my goto for occasion nights in the future.
Came here for my fiancés birthday and it didn’t disappoint. A night to remember that’s for sure…Everything we were expecting, lots of small delicious dishes with plenty of watery green leaves for WhatsApp group with the lads. The only downside was it didn’t have a tv screen showing the boxing so had to wolf down the dishes, quickly drag the mrs to the nearest boozer only to find out the boxing fight was over so had it off with her in the street. Couple of double jab right hands done the job to put me in the horrors for the rest of the night. Both woke up feeling horrendous. so promised a few things including a walk round the lakes wen back home but all I could think of was dream team Saturday with the lads. Overall great trip, would do it again but maybe minus the alcohol. Margate you’ve been reet
Restaurantji Recommends
Third visit and still amazing. Do yourself a favour and book a table - you will not regret it. Cannot honestly think of anything I would improve. Superb.
Fantastic food by a fantastic chef. A brilliant tasting menu with a fine wine paring to go with We will visit again. Superb
This has to be the most amazing food in Kent and now my favourite restaurant. I don’t usually get too excited about food, especially tasting menus where you are often overloaded with food. Each dish was exquisitely presented and each mouthful an explosion of flavours that all worked so extremely well together. Somebody asked me which was my favourite course and I really couldn’t choose - they’re all superb. I’m already looking forward to my next visit. Thank you so much.
The food was wonderful, let's get that addressed immediately. The wine pairings were not.I read a review from a local critic saying that it was more like corner shop than fine dining... I agree completely. The wine let the meal down.The service was fine, as to be expected from only having one staff member outside the kitchen. Odd to have to keep your cutlery through the courses, but sustainable I suppose.You'll likely be aware there are only 5 tables, 4x 2 and 1x 4. However, what isn't clear is that one of the tables for two is up against the bar/kitchen so you're sat side by side instead of opposite.Having sat at the bar table, I had a reasonable view of the kitchen area, amazing that chef cooks all of the amazing food from such a small space and only a couple of electric induction hobs etc. However, it was also easy to see that it wasn't all that clean... The cupboard above the shelves was smeary and needed cleaning/polishing. I'm not saying it was dirty, but it definitely needed a spring clean.The music played was varied, from Eminem to Rihanna to Joan and the Jets etc. I certainly haven't been sworn at in a restaurant before, not a complaint! Just a quirk adding to the experience.I'm glad we visited and we had an enjoyable evening but I don't think I would hurry back, it's not the easiest place to reach and I'm on the fence as to whether it was worth the 2 hour journey each way.Vegetarian options: None available.. Do not waste your time attending. Not catered for.Kid-friendliness: Not suitableParking: Not a busy road, plenty of parking available on Oscar road and just round the corner tooWheelchair accessibility: Not suitableDietary restrictions: Not catered for at all. You get what you're given
This was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The food was amazing and wine choices excellent. Service was great throughout. A wonderfully quirky venue full of character and charm.