Muddy Stilettos 2023 Kent finalists announced, including Rocksalt, Leo & Sage, The Dog and The Old Bank

The finalists of this year’s Muddy Stilettos Kent awards have been announced – revealing which restaurants, pubs and cafes have received the most votes from residents.

With just five finalists in each category, it is down to the public to decide who wins the coveted regional award.

The best restaurant finalists are Rocksalt in Folkestone, Buoy and Oyster in Margate, The Old Bank in Westerham, Hide and Fox in Hythe and The Counter in Rusthall.

In the best cafe category, there are Leo & Sage in Ashford, Fringe & Ginge in Canterbury, Juliets in Tunbridge Wells, Daily Bread in Rusthall and Hut 55 in Deal.

Meanwhile, the best destination pub features The Dog in Wingham, The Kentish Hare in Bidborough, The Tiger Inn in Stowting, Five Bells Inn in East Brabourne and The Samuel Palmer in Shoreham.

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Muddy Stilettos bosses have thanked the people of Kent for giving their backing to so many local businesses.

They stated online: “A massive thank you for taking the time to support your awesome local businesses this year – more people than ever nominated in the first round of the awards and, frankly, the response has blown our socks off.

“There can only be five finalists in each category and it’s up to YOU to decide who wins the coveted regional award.

“Each regional winner will also be considered for the first ever National Muddy Awards to find the ‘best of the best’ across all 28 Muddy counties – so there’s even more reason to show your support this year!”

Voting will close for the awards at midnight on Sunday, June 4.

Muddy Stilettos was founded in 2011 as a way for journalist Hero Brown to find out what there was to do in her new home in Buckinghamshire after moving out of London.

The awards are now in their 11th year.

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Below are finalists in each category:

Best Art Gallery

Fourth Wall (Folkestone)

Under the Rainbow Events, Bluewater (Dartford)

Lilford Gallery (Canterbury)

Artique Gallery (Tunbridge Wells)

Don’t Walk Walk (Deal)

Best Bar

Porto Wine Bar (Whitstable)

REIGN Bar & Lounge (Broadstairs)

The Pilot Beach Bar (Folkestone)

Fuggles Beer Café (Tunbridge Wells)

Life on High (Sevenoaks)

Best Beauty Salon

Beauty Lounge (Whitstable)

Royal Wells Beauty (Tunbridge Wells)

Mrs Page Aesthetics (Ashford)

The Hart Spa (Sevenoaks)

Skin & Beauty Clinic (Tenterden)

Best Bookshop

The Folkestone Bookshop (Folkestone)

The Classroom Children’s Bookshop (Westgate-on-Sea)

Sevenoaks Bookshop (Sevenoaks)

Catching Lives (Canterbury)

Tales on Market St. (Faversham)

Best Boutique Stay

The Rose (Deal)

Elmley Nature Reserve (Isle of Sheppey)

The Marquis of Granby (Alkham)

The Leicester Arms (Penshurst)

Frasers of Egerton (Ashford)

Best Bridal Store

Together Forever Bridal Boutique (Dartford)

Vicki’s Bridal Boutique (Tenterden)

Bridal Boutique at Chilham (Chilham)

Bijou Bridal Studio (Sandwich)

Isabella Grace Bridal (Ashford)

Best Café

Leo & Sage (Ashford)

Fringe & Ginge (Canterbury)

Juliets (Tunbridge Wells)

Daily Bread (Rusthall)

Hut 55 (Deal)

Best Children’s Business

Kent Academy of Musical Theatre (Maidstone)

Moo Like a Monkey (Folkestone)

Once Upon a Wish Events (Tunbridge Wells)

Cocoon & Bloom (Maidstone)

Slap ‘n’ Dash (Hawkhurst)

Best Day Spa

Sheldon Spa (Faversham)

Granary Spa (Great Chart)

Green Farm Kent (Ashford)

Reynolds Retreat (Sevenoaks)

Rowhill Grange (Wilmington)

Best Destination Pub

The Dog at Wingham (Wingham)

The Kentish Hare (Bidborough)

The Tiger Inn (Stowting)

Five Bells Inn (East Brabourne)

The Samuel Palmer (Shoreham)

Best Family Attraction

Wingham Wildlife Park (Wingham)

Huckleberry Woods (Faversham)

Alpaca Annie (Romney Marsh)

Hever Castle & Gardens (Hever)

Betteshanger Country Park (Deal)

Best Farmshop/Deli

The Little Marden Farm Shop (Marden)

Frankie’s Farmshop (Staplehurst)

Groombridge Farm Shop (Groombridge)

Macknade (Faversham)

The Goods Shed (Canterbury)

Best Fitness Instructor

Emma Jeffery, Postnatal Personal Trainer (Hildenborough)

Tom Jarrett, Brigade Fitness (Marden)

Charlotte Shaw, Top to Toe Fitness (Faversham)

Sarah Gorman, Blendfit (Tunbridge Wells)

Holly Finch, One Life Health & Fitness (Canterbury)

Best Florist

Anemone Blue Florist (Ashford)

Coco & Bloom (West Malling)

Flower & Glory (Sevenoaks)

The Cove (Tunbridge Wells)

Vinetta Flower Gallery (Maidstone)

Best Hair Salon

The Gallery (Southborough)

Blond-E Hair Salon (Sittingbourne)

Sister Joan (Margate)

We Are Salon (Ramsgate)

The Carriage Hair Studio (Benenden)

Best Hotel/Inn

The PIG – at Bridge (Canterbury)

Hythe Imperial Hotel (Hythe)

The Cave Hotel (Canterbury)

Eastwell Manor (Ashford)

The Falstaff Hotel (Canterbury)

Best Lifestyle Store

Platform (Canterbury)

Made in Ashford (Ashford)

Luxe Vida (Tunbridge Wells)

Rock Paper Scissors (Canterbury)

Gift Edition (Sevenoaks)

Best Jeweller

Justine Cullen Jewellery (Ashford)

Fitzgerald Jewellers (Canterbury)

RAW Copenhagen (Tunbridge Wells)

Navette Jewellery Studio (Ashford)

Rikke Line (Goudhurst)

Best Local Food/Drink Producer

Turners Cider (Marden)

Tankerton Smokeshed (Whitstable)

Wilmshurst Bakery (Wingham)

Canterbury Cider (Canterbury)

Goupie (Goudhurst)

Best New Lifestyle Start Up

The Rock Inn (Chiddingstone)

Raffman & Huckster (Tenterden)

Dorothy & Marshall (Bromley)

Basil & Co (Whitstable)

Chomp (Tunbridge Wells)

Best Restaurant

Rocksalt (Folkestone)

Buoy and Oyster (Margate)

The Old Bank (Westerham)

Hide and Fox (Hythe)

The Counter (Rusthall)

Best Sustainable Lifestyle Business

The Glasshouse (Cranbrook)

Zilch – Zero Waste (Tonbridge)

Gaia Homeware (Westerham)

The Eco Pantry (Sevenoaks)

Bare Bazaar (Ashford)

Best Theatre/Arts Venue

Trinity Theatre (Tunbridge Wells)

The Malthouse Theatre (Canterbury)

E M Forster Theatre (Tonbridge)

The Marlowe Theatre (Canterbury)

Leas Cliff Hall (Folkestone)

Best Wedding Photographer

Lauren Potter Photography (Ashford)

Matt Cook Photography (Deal)

Victoria Green Photography (Tonbridge)

Emily Brown Photography (Paddock Wood)

Simon Hawkins (Faversham)

Best Wedding Venues

The Night Yard (Canterbury)

The Buttery & Glasshouse (Wrotham)

Cooling Castle Barn (Rochester)

The Beacon (Rusthall)

The Orangery (Maidstone)

Best Women’s Fashion

Tamarisk (Deal)

Kitch (Tunbridge Wells)

Odyl (Cranbrook)

Dressed by Dee (West Malling)

The Beehive (Ashford)

Best Yoga/Pilates Studio

Bora Pilates Studio (Tunbridge Wells)

Flow Yoga Studio (Tunbridge Wells)

The Quaives Yoga (Canterbury)

My Times Pilates (Penshurst)

The Yoga House (Tunbridge Wells)