East Kent is the UK’s new gastronomic hotspot, according to the Good Food Guide.

The region his risen through the ranks dramatically in recent years when it comes to providing first rate grub.

Good Food Guide (GFG) consulting editor Elizabeth Carter said more and more top venues are emerging in the area, particularly around Canterbury, Faversham and Whitstable.

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“If you’d asked me how Kent was doing in comparison to the rest of the country a few years ago, I’d have said ‘not very well’.

“But now it’s really holding its head up. It’s finally putting itself on the food map.

“You’ve got great, fresh produce in a really beautiful part of the county, and a big restaurant culture has built up here.”

Ms Carter, who lives near Canterbury, said Michelin star restaurants like Reads in Faversham and The Sportsman in Seasalter had helped to ‘breed’ a catalogue of good local chefs, who were now returning to the area to start their own businesses.

And more often than not, it’s the local pubs that boast some of the best grub around.

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The guide lists The Three Mariners at Oare, The Carpenter’s Arms at Eastling and GFG’s UK pub newcomer of the year The Yew Tree Inn at Barfreston as top examples of traditional Kentish pubs with winning menus and atmosphere.

Ms Carter also singled out the Shepherd Neame brewery as having a ‘very encouraging attitude towards getting good chefs to pick up leases in their pubs’.

“People are looking for that casual ambience and not necessarily that three-course meal,” she explained.

“Somewhere you can just wear your jeans, have a few drinks and bite to eat.

“The key is affordable eating, and Kent does represent good value for money.”