8 High Street
Whitstable CT5 2BQ
Wheelers is a bit of a hidden gem in Whitstable. It’s been here for over 150 years but in spite of the pink exterior and its prime position on the High Street it’s easy to walk past and not realise the gourmet delights that go on inside. At first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just a seafood bar with a couple of stalls to sit on while sampling Whitstable’s native oysters or a dressed crab. But behind the compact shop front is an equally tiny restaurant where chef Mark Stubbs rustles up some wonderful fish dishes.
We were recently treated to Sunday lunch here and were served some deliciously warm foccacia bread topped with sweet roasted onions & cherry tomatoes while we sampled our BYO wine (the restaurant is not licensed) and waited for our order. The place was full to the brim but as there are only a dozen or so covers, it’s not hard to do. The dining room is very quirky and you almost feel like you’re in a Victorian parlour with dark wood furniture and trinkets dotted around the room. It’s a bit of a squash and the chairs aren’t the most comfortable but I think that’s all part of the charm.
My starter was a bowl of sweet, tender king scallops served with asparagus and broad beans covered in a buttery fish sauce. John chose a peppery mussel chowder with tiny puy lentils, topped with a crisp, deep-fried skate cheek. My main course was hake with light & fluffy chorizo dumplings, potted brown shrimps and a mussel sauce served on a bed of leeks. John had monkfish served with tiger prawns and spicy laksa noodles. As I mentioned, this level of cooking is not what you expect from the olde worlde exterior.
Our shared pudding of rich, dark chocolate tart served with salted caramel and malted milk ice cream left as much of an impression as the rest of the meal. Tables are often hard to come by at this pint-sized restaurant but with food of this quality, you can see why.
