An award-winning food chain has confirmed the opening date of its latest restaurant in the county.

Wagamama, which serves Asian food based on Japanese cuisine, is to open its latest Kent branch at Dockside Shopping Outlet in Chatham from May 13.

The brand has eateries at Bluewater, Maidstone, Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells and expanded its restaurant at the Ashford Designer Outlet last year.

Known for casual dining on bench seating, the branch will be the first to come to the Medway Towns.

Speaking earlier this year, Wagamama chief executive Thomas Heier said: “Our teams have done an excellent job in continuing to elevate our guest experience and we very much look forward to welcoming more guests to our benches as we head into 2024."

Mr Heier adds the past 12 months have been an “exciting year” for the company, with the launch of new dishes on a Korean-inspired menu including vegan corn dogs, or K-dogs, and hot pots and rice bowls.

The diner at Dockside will be joined by Italian restaurant, Zizzi.

Both will fill spaces at the units formerly occupied by Villagios and The Real China.

Schroders Capital’s real estate owns the site, and the company's portfolio manager, Eleanor Jukes, added in September: “Wagamama and Zizzi are strong additions to Chatham Waterside that will be popular with the local community, drive footfall and complement the existing tenant mix.

“The nature of both the brands is testament to the quality of the scheme and marks the completion of the transformation of Chatham Waterside following the closure of themed attraction Dickens World.”

Meanwhile, Marc Sherman, speaking on behalf of Wagamama, said: “We are delighted to have secured a new unit in this location at Chatham Maritime and we thank Schroders Capital for working with us and we look forward to opening our new restaurant soon.’’

The pan-Asian restaurant will trade from 11am until 10pm from Monday to Thursdays, as well as on Sundays.

It will also serve customers from 11am to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

The restaurant will be one of 10 new Wagamamas to open this year across the UK.

The move will create 500 jobs for roles including kitchen porters, waiters, chefs and general managers.

Wagamama, which has now made half of its menu meat-free, has more than 170 restaurants across the UK after first launching in Bloomsbury, London back in 1992.

It also trades in more than 20 countries across the globe.