Little Ships Restaurant & Café

Named for the iconic Little Ships that set sail for Dunkirk in 1940, this delightful venue is idyllically situated overlooking Ramsgate harbour and the sea beyond. The interior is airy and pleasantly atmospheric, painted a deep blue with wooden floors and pretty retro pendant lights. We were welcomed by the friendly staff and shown to a cosy table to peruse the menu. Though the à la carte was brimming with delectable options, we couldn’t resist the daily specials. After much discussion I chose sweet potato, butternut squash and rosemary soup and on such a cold, blustery day it was just the thing to warm me up. Thick and rich, the delightful soup came with crisp croutons and Parmesan cheese. My husband opted for sensational pâté en croute with pistachios, quince chutney and toasted local sourdough.

For mains we decided to make the most of our coastal location and both opted for satisfying seafood dishes. My husband chose fl aky beer-battered cod with chunky chips and homemade tartare sauce and was delighted by the light and crispy batter. I selected a delectably rich bouillabaisse of monkfi sh, clams, prawns and mussels, served with new potatoes and warm local sourdough. If you’ve never tried bouillabaisse before, I’d recommend visiting Little Ships for your first experience – you’ll struggle to find better.

Before enjoying our puddings we took the opportunity to look at the Little Ships memorabilia displayed throughout the restaurant. Standing out against the blue-green of the walls are black and white photographs, maps and even an old Dunkirk sign to bring the historical event to life. Above our table was the original front page of a newspaper from May 1940, which was a great talking point.

We finished our meal with two fabulous puddings and two cups of tea. My husband selected a scrumptious Bramley apple, blackberry and almond crumble with vanilla ice cream. I couldn’t resist the warm banana cake with indulgent caramel sauce. Both were so good they would have justifi ed a visit in their own right.