Located in the coastal town of Westgate-on-Sea in North Kent, Quince has earned a reputation for its excellent food and warm atmosphere. The restaurant is known for its focus on high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, and co-owners Ben Hughes and Rafael Lopez bring their vast experience to create exciting dishes that showcase both British and Mediterranean influences.
The décor at Quince is elegant yet cozy, with grey panelled walls, parquet floors and an open kitchen at the back of the restaurant. Tables are well spaced so you feel comfortable and don’t feel crammed in for the sake of seating capacity.
The restaurant has a strong emphasis on using local produce, with seafood sourced from day fishing boats in Kent, local meats and vegetables from nearby farms. The menu offers both à la carte and set menus, with the lunch set menu being reasonably priced.
Our meal began with an appetizer of cheese cubes on top of a bell pepper puree served in a small edible cone. It was very tasty and whet our appetite for the appetizers. We chose the pastrami with salsify and pickled walnut ketchup and the rabbit and ham terrine with pickled vegetables. The pastrami was delicious but the highlight of this dish was the ketchup which had a great flavour with a deep richness.
For the main course, we tried a vegetarian dish of Margate mushrooms with broccoli custard and hazelnut-cheddar pesto, and a dish of grilled flank steak with peperonata. The veggie dish was well seasoned, with the carrot puree adding a sweetness and another shade of green to the pesto and broccoli. The flank steak is an underrated cut, but the generous amount of beef fat gives it a rich meaty flavour and it’s not chewy as is often the case with this type of steak. The peperonata was sweet, and the peppers, onions and tomatoes made a nice accompaniment.
The meal finished off with a fantastic dessert – Basque cheesecake with deconstructed rhubarb crumble and a large toasted marshmallow with strawberries and custard. The cheesecake was smooth and creamy, perfectly balanced with the sharp rhubarb. The marshmallow is recommended for those with a sweet tooth, but again the combination of flavours and textures was perfect.
Service at Quince is very friendly and attentive, the staff are easy to chat to and the overall dining experience is relaxed and enjoyable. Quince is the perfect restaurant for anyone looking for high quality, inventive food in a comfortable atmosphere. The menu is constantly changing to reflect the freshest ingredients of the day, so two visits may not always be the same.
