View along Beach Street in Deal, Kent, the UK. Photo / Getty Images
Londoners can’t stop raving about Deal, the coastal town in Kent that’s only a 90-minute train journey from the capital. Better yet, it’s virtually unknown, writes Kate Wickers
I think it’s true to say that when Qantas featured Deal, Kent, in its airline magazine as one of 23 places to visit in 2023, no one was quite as surprised as the Dealites, as the residents are charmingly known. Not so very long ago no one had heard of this seaside town (only 13km from the white cliffs of Dover), but now it is one of the UK’s most stylish coastal getaways, aided by a high-speed rail link from London St Pancras.
It was 12 years ago that I fell in love with Deal’s 1930s seafront shelters that look like flying saucers, and its no-frills concrete pier lined with fishermen wearily throwing back dogfish. The glistening pebble beach is lined with a rainbow of pastel-shaded 17th-century fishermen’s cottages and grand Victorian abodes, and the award-winning High Street is the stuff of every small town’s dreams, packed with stylish eateries, shops and delis.
The place may look sedate today, but don’t be fooled because it was once packed with taverns and brothels, with such a villainous reputation that in 1784, Prime Minister William Pitt sent soldiers in to burn the smugglers’ boats. Scratch the surface and you’ll still find tunnels and secret hiding places that run from house to house in what is now Deal’s conservation area, and in the 600-year-old Ship Inn, old men sit nursing pints, still happy to spin a yarn about the feuds and murders of their ancestors.
Updown, a 17th-century farmhouse boutique hotel, opened on the outskirts of town in 2022 to provide another much-needed stylish accommodation option in the area (before that The Rose Hotel in High Street was flying a lone flag for elegant lodgings). “Make yourself at home” is the heartfelt invitation from owners Ruth Leigh and Oli Brown who aren’t bothered if there’s mud on your Hunter wellies when you arrive for dinner after exploring their 7 acres.
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I’m in room one (of seven in the main house) with pistachio green walls and views through Georgian windows to the side of the house and the conservatory lawn dotted with fruit trees, best enjoyed from the super king bed knee deep in velvet Designer Guild cushions. On the grounds you’ll find The Cottage and a brand-new family suite.
Previously the founder of Duck Duck Goose in Brixton, London, chef Oli has had top UK food critics in the palm of his hand since opening (and a queue of well-known chefs lining up to do guest stints). His menu changes weekly, but what is steadfast is the hearty Italian focus, with an emphasis on hyper-seasonality rather than buying every single item locally. The pasta is divine and made fresh each day, and anything that has been slow-cooked in the wood-burning oven is guaranteed to be a treat. On Sundays, there’s no messing with a classic English roast dinner, including the best cauliflower cheese you’ll ever eat.
Deal is at its buzziest on Saturdays when Deal Town Market is in session selling local and French cheeses, artisan breads, homemade cakes, vintage clothes, bric-a-brac, flowers, and Kent’s finest fruit and veg. As you browse, munch on a slice of artisan cake from Eat and Mess, which isn’t afraid to dabble with unusual flavours such as meadowsweet and almond with roasted strawberry.
My top picks along the High Street are Will & Yates for beautifully curated artworks and homeware, from reproduction 18th-century French match-strikers to crustacean-inspired ceramics to shingle roof painted timber bird houses (so beautiful, you’ll want to ship home); The Hoxton Store for extravagant (yet affordable) items like feather dusters and French soap; and Mileage, housed in an Edwardian stable block and chock-full of unique pieces, lovingly handmade or restored.
Art lovers should head to Taylor-Jones & Son Gallery where there’s no pressure to buy as you enjoy an eclectic collection of contemporary artworks, such Christine Hodson’s mixed media scenes of Kent’s towns and white cliffs; and Richard Taylor-Jones’ own minimalist seascape photography. Also pop into the Don’t Walk Walk Gallery, owned by artist Ned Horenz-Kelly, which offers an eclectic “punk rock” collection including Ned’s stirring landscape paintings and pencil drawings by Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves).
If the weather is kind, pick up a gourmet picnic (think Perello olives and ciabatta with mackerel and house-pickled cucumber) from grocers Arno & Co and head to the beach, from where you can keep an eye out for grey seals swimming back to their colony at nearby Pegwell Bay. If not, then stroll along Deal’s brutalist concrete pier (the last to be built in the UK, in 1957). At the end you’ll find The Deal Pier Kitchen, which is perfect for both summer evening sunsets and stormy winter nights, with its 40km views across the silvery-blue channel to France.
A coastal cycle is perhaps the loveliest way to spend the afternoon, and bikes can be hired from Cafe Hut 55 (£18/$37 for a half day). The seaside-hugging path takes you past wild gardens filled with red valerian, to the stripy beach huts at Kingsdown, location of lovely pub The Zetland Arms (where your phone might welcome you to France), which has recently been taken over by the excellent team at The Rose (if you’re visiting at lunchtime, enjoy a bowl of steaming mussels). Or cycle in the other direction along the prom, through pastureland and past golf courses, to the sleepy medieval town of Sandwich.
A pre-dinner drink is mood and season-dependent, from a gooseberry margarita in The Rose’s secret garden, to a glass of bordeaux in Le Pinardier (a snug, candle-lit wine bar, with occasional live music) to Smuggler’s Records, a pleasingly chaotic vinyl shop/bar (serving beer by from local Deal brewery Time & Tide), and DJs providing spontaneous sets. For anyone over 40, the place is guaranteed to whisk you back to your teenage years.
If you’re not dining at Updown (and you’ll want to for at least one evening of your stay), head to Frog & Scot where the emphasis is on serving what is local and seasonal, with veg often dug up from The Captain’s Garden, a volunteer-led kitchen garden initiative. You’ll find a menu of small plates for sharing (around half let the veg do the talking) and the fouee (warmed stuffed pitta breads) are outstanding, especially when filled with pork belly (from Deal’s organic butcher The Black Pig). Don’t ignore the bar snacks either, because these are perfect to add in — try the whipped cod’s roe with pickles, and radish. Newest on Deal’s dining scene is The Blue Pelican, a much-admired Japanese restaurant in a Georgian seafront house, with yoga rooms above.
Finally, save time for a poke around Deal’s pleasingly spooky bijoux Tudor castle, built in perfect symmetry in the shape of a Tudor rose by Henry VIII in 1539. En route from France to meet husband-to-be Henry for the first time, poor Anne of Cleaves stayed here while the builders were still in. From the cannon-decked battlements there are great sea views, but inside is where the castle is at its best.
Rooms at Updown start at £190/ $393, including breakfast.
Updown hosts regular special events, and new for 2024 is the Kent Wine Fair on June 22. updownfarmhouse.com
Three services an hour run from London St Pancras to Deal (two require one change). southeasternrailway.co.uk
For more things to do in the UK, go to visitbritain.com/en
This suburb is skipped in favour of flashier spots, but shouldn't be discounted.