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RestaurantsKentFolkestoneCT19

Breaking news

August 31, 2022: November 2021: Mark Sargeant has departed the business.

survey result

Summary

£73
  £££
4
Very Good
3
Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Great seafood (much of it local)” and “an ideal position overlooking Folkestone’s old harbour" make this sleek glass-fronted restaurant “a perfect spot for lunch by the sea” (“the upstairs wine terrace is lovely when the sun is out”). Launched 15 years ago as part of Saga billionaire Sir Roger De Haan’s regeneration of Folkestone, it enjoys a “loyal following” under head chef Akos Mate.

Summary

£67
  £££
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

For “brilliant fish” in a “stunning setting by the harbour”, look no further than this curved modern restaurant – opened in 2011 by Sir Roger De Haan, Saga billionaire and Folkestone philanthropist – which has by all accounts recovered from a blip in standards when founding chef Mark Sargeant left a couple of year ago. New head chef Akos Mate’s “delicious” food makes it a “seaside restaurant to seal that deal – business conversations are not distracted but enhanced by the professionalism of the service”. There’s a new upstairs wine bar with its own menu, including a strong oyster selection.

Summary

£66
  £££
2
Average
2
Average
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

This stunning curved modern restaurant was opened in 2011 by Saga billionaire Sir Roger De Haan and his son Josh, and won widespread acclaim for its seafood under founding chef Mark Sargeant. But since Mark’s departure in late 2021, ratings have softened a little – “the food is a bit up and down and on the pricey side to cater for the London crowd, but it has an ideal position overlooking the water and the harbour arm”.

Summary

£63
  £££
3
Good
2
Average
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“A fabulous seaside site by the harbour” helps guarantee custom as this well-known fish restaurant, which opened in June 2011, and is one of the more commented-on restaurants in Kent. It continues to spark a large volume of interest and praise for its “beautifully presented and well-executed seafood dishes” (“the fish is caught locally, so super fresh and tasty”). Since founding chef Mark Sargeant left the business last year, however, it’s taken slightly more flak generally: nothing grievous, but reports of service that “can be a little hit and miss”, or food that’s “edible but instantly forgettable” and “on the pricey side”.

For 35 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

Have you eaten at Rocksalt?

4-5 Fishmarket, Folkestone, CT19 6AA

Restaurant details

Highchair,Menu,Portions
Yes
24
No dress code
100

Rocksalt Restaurant Diner Reviews

Reviews of Rocksalt Restaurant in CT19, Folkestone by users of Hardens.com. Also see the editors review of Rocksalt restaurant.
David B
Stunning setting by the harbour in Folkesto...
Reviewed 5 months, 11 days ago

"Stunning setting by the harbour in Folkestone, usually excellent fish with acceptable alternatives for non-fish lovers"

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What the Newspaper Critics are saying

The Times

Giles Coren had a jolly lunch with Jan Leeming (remember her from TV? She was one of Giles’s schoolboy crushes) overlooking rain-lashed Folkestone harbour at a restaurant that opened 15 years ago, although he struggled to be enthusiastic about the cooking.

“My fish soup was fine (although was that thickly grated factory cheese with the toast really gruyère? My Spidey sense said ‘supermarket mousetrap’)”, while lemon sole on the bone was “fried a couple of minutes too long”, although Giles insisted it was “good”.

As for the skin-on fries, they were “hot and crispy but didn’t have their skin on and weren’t really fries. Nor were they cut in house; this is a medium-sized restaurant group now and they don’t tend to do things like that.” Oh dear.

Giles Coren - 2026-03-01

Prices

Availability 2 courses 3 courses coffee included service included
Dinner £32.50 £39.00

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Pudding
£14.80 £34.50 £9.50
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £28.00
Filter Coffee £0.00
Extras  
Bread £5.50
Service 12.50%
4-5 Fishmarket, Folkestone, CT19 6AA
Opening hours
Monday12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm
Tuesday12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm
Wednesday12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm
Thursday12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm
Friday12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑9:15 pm
Saturday12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑9:15 pm
Sunday12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm

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