Cool Place of the Day: The Sportsman, Kent

Every day, a new place to discover or explore from coolplaces.co.uk

They call themselves "a grotty, rundown pub by the sea", and given the bleakness and isolation of its setting, on the quiet coastal road between Whitstable and Faversham, you could be forgiven for thinking they were right.

But this unassuming-looking pub has in fact held a Michelin star since 2008, and although it’s really not much to look from the outside, it does serve outstandingly good food – though, not, thankfully, at Michelin-star prices, in an interior that retains its relaxed pubbiness throughout.

The food is not at all fussy either, making use of nearby produce, including lamb from the surrounding salt marshes, local oysters and excellent local pork. There’s also always good fresh fish – try the seared thornback ray, brown butter, cockles and sherry vinegar, which often features on the regularly changing menu. You can order a la carte or be guided by owner-chef Steve Harris and order the multi-course tasting menu, for up to six people at one table – a bargain at £45 a head. The wine list, too, is thoughtfully put together and not too pricey.

There's only one drawback to the Sportsman: in the 10 years or so it's been here it's become a victim of its own success, picking up multiple awards (most recently the best restaurant in the UK according to Restaurant magazine), the result being you have to book months in advance to get a table on a weekend. This is a big shame, because it’s the sort of joint you would love to just drop into when you’re hungry. But it’s worth the wait – not only for the food, but also for the genuinely relaxed ambience and service. See if you can get in next Thursday, when Whitstable’s annual Oyster Festival gets underway.

Cool Places is a website from the creators of Rough Guides and Cool Camping, suggesting the best places to stay, eat, drink and shop in Britain (coolplaces.co.uk)