The owners of a popular Kent restaurant are unveiling a new venture this month - an upmarket, French-inspired wine bar.

Those behind Barletta at the Turner Contemporary in Margate have branched out to launch a second establishment in nearby Cliftonville, which has just been named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world.

The new business, called Sète will open in Northdown Road on October 21.

Owners Natalia Berg, 37, and Jackson Ribbe, 34, say their shared passion for good food and drink is the driving force behind Sète.

Natalia told KentOnline the inspiration came from a gap in the market and a love of French culture.

"There aren't any wine bars in Margate, and there's two in Paris and one in London that I really really loved," she said.

"They were in smaller neighbourhoods, and centred around the community, not being in the epicentre of the city".

The pair say on their website: "We love to drink great wine and eat delicious food while hanging out with our friends and loved ones. So we created Sète.

"It is inspired by our admiration for the Parisian wine bar, the energy it adds to a neighbourhood and how it can bring people together."

The bar will begin by serving a selection of small plates and light bites, accompanied by mostly British and European wine.

Seasonal snacks will include cheeses and charcuterie meats including saucisson, pâté en croûte, and a tart of the day, made weekly by their pastry chef Emma Tillyer.

Natalia says the wine bar is only the first stage, with the site then developing a neighbourhood restaurant this winter, with plans for a garden seating area in spring 2023.

The partners have a combined 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, from New York to London, and have owned the Margate travelling pop-up Barletta since 2018, but this new venture is somewhat different.

"Sète is our first time having a place all on our own and we are so lucky to have been granted the lease to 238 Northdown Road," Natalia said.

"It's a place you can come to have a laugh and celebrate the good times."

Of the up-and-coming Northdown Road, Natalia said: "Its having a renaissance.

"We live in Cliftonville and so do all our friends, so we wanted to do something in the heart of the town."

This week, Cliftonville was named the eighth coolest neighbourhood in the world by Time Out magazine.

Trips around Europe have inspired both the businesses, with Barletta being named after a seaside town in Italy.

"This next space takes inspiration from our love of Parisian wine bars and cosy restaurants we visited in Saint-Remy-de-Provence," Natalia explained. "We settled on Sète - a coastal town in France."

Sète will be open from Thursday to Sunday.