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Places to Eat (and Work) in Folkestone – A Food Lover’s Guide for Future Chefs 

5 February 2026
If you’re studying Catering at our College, or thinking about a future in the food industry, Folkestone is the perfect place. Find out why.

If you’re studying Catering at our College, or thinking about a future in the food industry, Folkestone is the perfect place. 

Folkestone isn’t just a seaside town. Over the past few years, it’s become a foodie hotspot, full of exciting restaurants, cafés and street-food stalls. That means more places to get inspired, more chances to gain experience and more local businesses looking for young talent. 

Whether you dream of becoming a chef, running your own catering or food business, baking pastries or working in fine dining, Folkestone has loads of opportunities to help you get started. 

Why Folkestone is great for Catering students 

Folkestone’s food scene is growing fast. Areas like the Harbour Arm, the Old High Street and the Creative Quarter are packed with independent food businesses that offer something different. 

For catering students, this means: 

  • More places to explore different food styles and cuisines 
  • More opportunities for part-time jobs and work experience 
  • More local employers looking for motivated young people 
  • Real inspiration for your college coursework 

It’s the ideal place to learn your skills and to start thinking about your future.

Fish and poached egg dish being cut by a knife and fork on a plate.

Great places to eat and get inspired 

Here are just a few popular spots around Folkestone that show how creative and exciting the local food scene is: 

Harbour Arm food stalls 

The Harbour Arm is a must-visit for food lovers for locals, Londoners and tourists. You’ll find everything from burgers and loaded fries like Cluck and Cow and The Meat Shack to seafood like Fish Shack and Shesells Seashells, desserts like Coffee Folkes and international street food like Cavells, Greek Street and The Mompling House . It’s a great place to see how street-food businesses run and a popular spot for seasonal jobs too. 

Steep Street Coffee House 

A cool café on the Old High Street, known for great coffee, cakes and brunch. Perfect inspiration if you’re interested in baking, café culture or front-of-house work. 

Little Rock 

A popular restaurant, Little Rock serves pizza and Mediterranean-style dishes. A great example of how simple food, done well, can be very successful. 

L&B Restaurants 

L&B Restaurants is a group of seven diverse concepts, all based in the coastal town of Folkestone. Including popular eateries and bar spots like Market Square, The Pullman, The Harbour Inn and Luben. For students, L&B venues aren’t just great places to eat, they’re also places you might find part-time work, kitchen experience or front-of-house roles as you start building your catering and hospitality skills. 

Rocksalt 

One of Folkestone’s best-known restaurants, serving high-quality seafood. Ideal inspiration for students interested in fine dining and professional kitchens. 

dining area set up in the Rocksalt restaurant with wooden chairs and tables.

Where could you work? 

Many local food businesses around Folkestone are happy to take on young people as: 

  • Kitchen assistants 
  • Front-of-house staff 
  • Baristas 
  • Commis chefs 
  • Weekend or holiday staff 

These roles are perfect for building confidence, learning how a working kitchen runs and boosting your CV. 

Top tip: 
If you see a place you like, pop in with a short CV and ask politely if they’re looking for staff or work-experience students. Having a friendly and confident approach goes a long way. 

Thinking about a career in Catering? 

The catering and hospitality industry is huge and offers lots of different career paths, such as: 

  • Chef or pastry chef 
  • Restaurant or café manager 
  • Baker 
  • Food stylist 
  • Street food business owner 
  • Events caterer 
  • Hotel or cruise ship catering 

You don’t need to have everything figured out yet. Many people start with a College course, get some work experience, and discover what area of food they enjoy most. 

Two students with catering hat and apron on whisking eggs in a metal bowl, smiling.

Start your journey at EKC Folkestone College 

If you love food and enjoy working with your hands, a catering course at EKC Folkestone College could be the perfect next step.  

Studying a Catering and Hospitality course gives you the practical skills and knowledge employers are looking for, including: 

  • Food preparation and cooking techniques 
  • Health and safety and food hygiene 
  • Teamwork and communication 
  • Time management and organisation 
  • Professional behaviour in the workplace 

When you combine what you learn at College with local work experience in restaurants or cafés, you make yourself far more employable. 

You’ll learn practical skills in professional kitchens, work with experienced tutors and prepare for future jobs in the catering and hospitality industry. 

With Folkestone’s growing food scene right on your doorstep, there’s never been a better time to start. 

So next time you’re out eating in Folkestone, don’t just enjoy the food, study it. Think about how it’s made, how it’s presented and how the business runs. One day, it could be your food on that plate.