A beautiful seaside town has been dubbed as "one of the UK's coolest places" as celebrity chefs have been flocking to the area. Broadstairs in Kent has long been a popular holiday destination due to its majestic white chalk cliffs and golden sandy beaches. It was said to be a favourite for Charles Dickens who sometimes stopped in the town to write.

Its Central Viking Bay is home to children rides and beach huts while the rural Botany Bay boasts photogenic chalk stacks. Meanwhile independent shops line the original Victorian streets and alleyways.

Broadstairs has also garnered an impressive reputation for foodies with smart restaurants, quaint cafes, and the iconic pink marble ice cream parlour, Morelli's, which has been scooping ice cream for over nine decades. However, in recent years its trendy neighbour Margate has seen a culinary explosion, particularly with venues aiming at a younger market.

Broadstairs meanwhile has been favoured by those wanting the seaside experience, reports The I. Masterchef finalist Tony Rodd was due to open a restaurant in Margate, but soon decided Broadstairs would be a better option for his business.

Rodd says the more relaxed diners in Broadstairs meant he decided to open Fifteen Square Metres in the town. He said: "We love Margate, but it's a much younger crowd. We decided that Broadstairs was more suited to my wife and I, both in our midforties with a slightly slower lifestyle than 15 years ago."

Tomas Eriksson decided to open his small plates restaurant, Bar Ingo, in Broadstairs because it has "so much to offer". He says business can guarantee a "cool view" whether it be the "beach or the curious streets".

Rodd also appreciates the scenery of Broadstairs. He says he can leave his restaurant at the end of a night, "turn left" and he's at the sea, something that makes him feel "10 times better" than in London.

Restauranter Billy Stock, who made waves with French restaurant Sète, has also recently opened in Broadstairs. He now has a long-term pop-up in the Neptunes Hall pub with his southern-fried chicken venture.

Stock's work at Sete was praised by food critic Grace Dent. In the Guardian, she wrote: "Stock is plainly a very good cook who adds breathtaking depth to even the simplest dishes."

Broadstairs was voted the 20th "coolest place to live" by a national survey conducted by Naturecan in 2023. Overall, Polperro in Cornwall came out on top, followed by Wells-Next-The-Sea in second place and Buckinghamshire's Marlow taking third.

The town itself has also gone down a treat with reviewers on Tripadvisor. One wrote: "Fantastic beaches - very clean. You can walk right along the front and there is a lift at one end!"

Another wrote: "The warm June weather was a great opportunity for a day out in Broadstairs with our six year old Granddaughter . With plenty of sand to dig and an inviting sea it was ideal. Good fish and chips bought in the quaint own (little changed from the 1950's) and delicious icecream made the day."