The Windshack in Thanet

Watery ice cream - yuck. Unfortunately I think the proprietors forgot to add the ice cream powder to the liquid today. Within 30seconds of having the cones the “ice cream” was melting and it was very watery tasting. It is advertised as Jersey ice cream which surely means it should be creamy?

I’m sure the food was nice but unfortunately the woman’s attitude to my questions about allergens made it quite an unpleasant experience. She clearly had no interest in serving me, despite the fact I was spending £15 on chips for other people, even calling to the girls on the till to serve other people. This was pre-midday so it’s not even like it was busy or I was taking up her staffs’ time with my questions to find something safe for me to eat. To add- there were items they couldn’t even provide ingredients. Inevitably I sat and watched my family eat chips. We’ve eaten here in the past but won’t be again.

Visited today for lunch with the family. Friendly staff, lovely clean tables and quick service. Food was lovely and hot, tasty too. Definitely recommend

The best place for bacon butties and coffee in Minnis Bay. On the beach And they do great cheesy chips too.

We had fish and chips here on the Easter Bank holiday weekend. I have to say it was probably the best fish and chips we have ever eaten. Crispy light batter on the fish (which was of excellent quality) and perfect chips. The portion was very large and pretty well beat all of us who ordered it. Not the cheapest but you get what you pay for and it was certainly very good value. Our daughter had a child portion of chicken nuggets which was also very nicely cooked and very good quality.

Shame about the attitude of staff as it is such a great spot. Staff seem disinterested and rude and not willing to greet newcomers / tourists nor are keen for business. We attempted to enter through their usual pre Covid entrance that we last used a couple of years ago, not knowing any differently and were rudely told to go to the outside window (as though we should be aware that this existed despite the open door and lack of signage to state otherwise). There are ways of saying these things politely but obviously for some, politeness doesn’t come naturally. For this reason during our stay we will instead be heading to the cafe next to the car park / bike hire for our morning coffees who couldn’t be more welcoming and friendly and whose coffee is sublime and bacon baps are far superior!

Little café on the beach, set away from the crowds that gather at the cafes by the car park. Friendly service and good quality food. They have their own seating, but loads of places to sit around - the beach or just behind the café a grassed area with lots of benches and great views. Will visit again.

Stop off for ice cream . Tasty ice cream . One way system for Covid. Set on promenade .next to beach huts. Easy to miss

Fantastic ice cream 🍦 great bacon bap . Sarah’s whippy ice creams are fabulous! I stopped for a bacon bap and it was great ( crispy bacon 🥓 ) yum 😋

We discovered the wind shack by chance in the summer of 2018 and have taken every chance we’ve had to return for their wonderful fish and amazing chips in a fantastic setting, reasonably priced too. We have taken friends on several occasions who heartily agree. Sad to see poor reviews. DEFINATELY worth 5 stars in my book.

I don't normally write reviews however I was so unimpressed by the service at The Windshack I felt I had to! We purchased, among other things, a hot chocolate and some chips. When I asked for an additional cup to put the hot chocolate cup in, as it was far too hot for my 10 year old nephew to hold, I was told not really! We then proceeded to have another customer lean over us (during social distancing) as the man in the shack wanted his emptys, unfortunately the slightly inebriated man dropped his empty pimms can onto our chips (we're not even meant to stand by each other and I don't fancy sharing body fluids with a stranger) the lady in the shack just shrugged and motioned for us to take the chips. Needless to say I will not be going back - shame as I love supporting local businesses!

Stuck up manageress made the visit most uncomfortable. I don’t know what she thinks she is running, but a Michelin starred restaurant it most certainly is not, and her attitude needs to be adjusted accordingly. Can’t even serve basic beach cafe fare without an issue. Also you just cannot rely on any opening hours as they seem to close and open to suit their own whim. Plenty of other places to go, so suggest you do just that and avoid wasting your time going here. It will no doubt be closed in any case...

Lovely dog friendly caffe great in summer lovely bacon great bacon sarnie and coffee visited very frequently in summer but not open so long in winter months probably due to lack of visitors on beach and inside facilities very small for bad weather unfortunately but can’t wait for the spring to return to our regular spot lovely people very friendly

We noticed this place on our walk, unfortunately just after visiting the large pub establishment, looked very inviting and looking at reviews will definitely look in next time, not a big place but has a nice setting

My husband and I breakfast here. I had a BLT and my husband had a full English. It was all cooked perfectly and all very good produce. The service was excellent, well done to the young blond lady. Very polite and goes above and beyond. Great location a must visit.

Just what you need for your day on the beach or when you’ve cycled down the beach path from Reculver - a little hut serving mugs of tea, toasted sandwiches and scampi and chips, along side a small range of beach paraphernalia.The scampi and chicken nuggets weren’t the best we’d ever had, but the staff are lovely and welcoming and the location is great.It seems quite hidden away among the beach huts; a large orange windsock marks the spot.

We paid an impromptu visit to lovely Minnis Bay and came across this little café amongst the beach huts as we strolled along the prom. The owner was really friendly and cooked us some tasty cod and chips. There’s seating on a sheltered deck, a little seating inside, or a few picnic tables down below on the prom, which is where we enjoyed our meal. Cash only I think, and flexible opening hours according to weather and passing trade.

We went the day it opened at Easter. Although mid afternoon we asked if we could have the full breakfast. Which they did and it was excellent. Good quality ingredients served by lovely people. We sat outside in the sunshine and it could have been the height of summer. It is licensed which is an added bonus and the menu is excellent and varied. The Chips served in a plastic seaside bucket is inspired. We will definitely be back

We love this place, whatever the weather, a cool beer, hot chocolate, coffee and the best fish and chips. All with a lovely view over Minnis Bay.

Get your chips for the beach and enjoy a good cup of tea. Friendly local Cafe to suit the beach goers

Best place to enjoy beautiful sunsets with great staff. Really great food and especially good now you can get wine and beer

Really good coffee in this fab situation.It had been a long time since I had visited here and was not disappointed.Friendly staff, fab coffee and good selection of food.If you want a more traditional british seaside lunch experience along this beach then this is the place for you.Will be back often.

Perfect for lunch after a spot of windsurfing. The Windshack may be small, but they offer quite a bit in the way of food and drink. The burgers and baguettes hit the spot for five of us after about 1.5 hours on the water. Service was very prompt and friendly, and dogs are welcomed. Cash only.

I decided to visit this little food outlet after reading the good reviews.

This beach cafe is a must if you're at Minnis Bay. Whether we just pop in for a coffee, or decide to have lunch, the staff are friendly and helpful. All the food and drinks are of high quality, and it's hard to believe what variety of goods and products are available in such a small premises. All food is prepared to order, so don't be in a rush if they're busy (10 min wait for us - not McDonald's speed, but hardly a waste of life).

Friendly and for a small beachside establishment, very good menu and price. Highly recommended. Locals love it and It's better than the Minnis which although refurbished is pricey and bland.

Very tasty cod and chips this evening - good service, great views and well worth a visit Highly recommended.

Siempre es agradable para una parada para tomar café y un tentempié con una vista fabulosa en la playa. Excelente comida con productos locales frescos. El personal es servicial y acogedor, y lo mejor de todo, los perros son bienvenidos, a menudo dadas una galleta así! ! Es mucho mejor cuando tienes un servicio personal con personas que se preocupan por sus clientes. Bien vale la pena visitar!

Brilliant cafe & bar,friendly owners,very welcoming to us & our dog. Dog friendly beach further along. Food excellent & good portions,value for money.

Nos fuimos de Londres en una mañana soleada de martes a ir en una aventura mini. No tenía idea de adónde íbamos. Terminamos en la Bahía Minnis andando por el paseo marítimo de la playa. Estaba a unos 11. 45 de la mañana cuando nos tropezamos con el Windshack. Después de una deliberación poco decidimos almorzar allí.

A lovely little cafe serving breakfast, sandwiches, panninis, and burgers. Super location on the beach and a very friendly proprietor

¡Perfecto! Patatas fritas encantador lleno, bacalao y fenomenal paninis. Helada morretti y selección de cervezas y vinos. Bonito desayuno saliendo demasiado, los asientos exteriores y vistas fantásticas. Selección de cosas poco agradable junto al mar. Le traiga a los niños la próxima vez por una ración de patatas fritas. Sin duda mucho mejor relación calidad-precio y orientada hacia los usuarios de playa que su vecino junto al mar.

Found this last Saturday. We'd come to watch the sunset.Very friendly staff. Great view of the bay. Excellent cod and chips.

After being told at The Minis Bay that we could not have breakfast at 11.00 in the morning, we wandered along the front where we stumbled upon The Windshack.After a brief shall-we-or-shan't-we moment, we wandered inside, ordered two breakfasts, and took a table outside on the front while we waited.We were rewarded with two excellent full English Breakfasts, cooked on a griddle, complete with Korkers sausages, toast, and mugs of tea and coffee, at around half the price of breakfast in The Minis - had they been bothered to cook it for us.Throw in the view, and there is simply nothing not to like.We will return; Highly Recommended.

We went here for lunch today: the weather was marvellous and that clearly helped. The food was good and prices very competitive. Not haut cuisine, but between us we had a sausage bagette, scrambled egg with smoked salmon and fish & chips with mushy peas. The smoked salmon was particularly delicious! Would definitely go back!

We all know the staff there... It is super friendly and serves excellent food... Locally sourced and fresh... They now also have a licence for alcohol... All the family visit regularly... Definitely a place we will always go to... Possibly the best battered fish I have ever had... In fact it is!... I cannot recommend this place enough... If you fancy a breakfast baguette... Fish and chips... A swift pint or a glass of vino...don't miss it if you're down the beach.

Bypassed the newly refurbished minnis to give this place a go, mainly due to the sandwich board positioned on the prom exclaiming 'deeeelicious cheesy chips'First thing we noticed was that the sunniest side of the decking was not being used, also, the beach huts were so intrusive once sitting, that the enviable seaside position was irrelevant because all you could see was the back of the huts!This really should have been our cue to try somewhere else but we pressed on.I ordered 2 quarter pounders with cheesy chips and 2 lattes...over £18 so was expecting great things.....Should have guessed they may not have been up to scratch when I heard the ping of the microwave!The burger roll was a nice floured one but the burger was lost inside of it and unfortunately, there was very little flavour.The chips, whilst described as 'cheesy' had so little cheese as to be indiscernible, these were also tasteless, I had to smother them in salt and vinegar. The lattes were nice but came in takeaway cups, which whilst understandable for walking, were not acceptable for sitting eating a meal that is served on regular crockery.All in all, given the poor view, mediocre food and high prices, we will not be revisiting, which is a shame because it could be so much better

Used loads, always welcome and god for beach drinks and snacks. They will try to sort you out and meet your needs.

We were glad to stop off for a bite when we went for a beach walk with a an older person and two young-uns. The location is amazing, the food was spot on and the service great. Just the sort of place you need on a beach.

This is a welcome addition to the bay, but it just doesn't quite work. It's a lovely place to sit on a sunny day but expensive watery tea ( does tea ever work in take away cups) wipes out the credit. So it's only ok as a desperation stop. Hope the staff and the goods improve as its a great place to sit.

Just stopped for a sit down and a coffee, looking across the the sea, watching the sea birds and across the beach watching the wagtails.

How many places do you know of where you can get an Al Fresco drink/meal virtually 365 days of the year?! Stop for a hot choc on Boxing Day whilst walking the dog, order a yummy burger & chips when you're sitting up on the grass on a summer's day or enjoy a cold cider or nicely chilled Chardonnay on Friday or Saturday eve in the summer whilst watching the sun goes down! And if you're a dog lover, you'll meet so many delightful people with their wagging tailed companions! Dougle and Sarah have created a really unique gem- simple, civilised,unpretentious and yet special!

Had lunch after a cycle ride , sat on a sunny terrace , food was cheap and quite good , unfortunately they had run out of cod and bacon , but then it was bank holiday Monday , but they are right on the sea ! My son had the bucket of chips with an added sausage and lived it , by far the best thing he's had this summer ha ha , and he gets to keep the brand new bucket to make a sandcastle .

Does exactly what it says on the tinSuper cute and themed Clean and tidyLovely; friendly cafe (licenced too) that serves a great range of food and drink especially concidering its sizeView is outstanding tooWill most definatly come again Perfect too for families and couples

Eine nette, saubere Strandbar mit frisch zubereitetem Essen. Optimal für die Getränkeversorgung am Strand. Sehr empfehlenswert die "Chips in the bucket".

We stopped for coffee and a bucket of chips. It was a lovely little shop selling cakes and fast food but also beach toys for kids. The atmosphere is friendly as are the staff in the shop.. After we'd finished the chips she told us we could keep the bucket. A boon if you have a young child in the group, we didn't but I used it to pick up a few shells.Will go again.

An enjoyable stop along the front. Dog walkers were here in numbers. A joint venture now and Friday evening specials are relaxing. The shack is now licensed so a beer and bite on a sunny Friday evening is recommended. Expect a great view of a Turner sunset.

We had sandwiches and chips here this afternoon. The staff were very friendly and our food was ready within about five minutes. Portions were generous and the 'bucket of chips' really is just that! A lovely sunny day helped and we'll certainly come back here again.

Great little find on the sea wall at minis bay, very friendly owners who put customer care second to none, scrambled eggs and salmon are fantastic and the fish is lovely.if your down this way pop in, you wont be disapointed with this great find.

Just a great place to have coffee and a seaside snack. Stopped here on many a dog walk as complimentary biscuits always offered for our always grateful beagle. Great views out across the bay as the Shack sits directly on the prom. You wouldn't wear your high heels or your best brouges, but if you're in your walking boots or your flipflops then you're in the right place.

You don't need to bring a fortune with you as all the food available is homemade and super fresh. I never been disappointed either with the large breakfast selection, lunch cooked to order, or tea & superb cakes.

After our breezy walk along the sea wall we returned to thecwindshack for brunch. Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for me and breakfast baguette for my husband. Delicious. Highly recommend this place.

Went here for a late lunch and found the service friendly and accommodating. The chips were some of the best I had tasted in a long time.

Every time I have had a coffee at the Windshack the staff have been friendly and the coffee was great The views over Minnis Bay are Wonderful too I will be back next time I am in Birchington

Great breakfast and very friendly service, on a lovely sunny morning we couldn't have asked for more.

The Windshack is a surprising gem. A beautiful view - situated directly overlooking the beach where there is always something to watch. Regattas, kite surfing, every kind of beach activity, so entertaining. But it's not just for a lovely cup of coffee, the food is excellent. We take all of our guests there for breakfast or lunch. Their crayfish baguettes are delicious as are their authentic fish & chips. Breakfast can be a feast or a simple bacon buttie. Tea in the afternoon with home made cake or hot chocolate, a particular favourite with our Grandchildren. After a bike ride or a walk the Windshack is a welcoming, sight for a bucket of ice cream! The owner is delightful and all the staff helpful and courteous.

Great place to unwind, great staff very friendly and accommodating. Bucket of chips by the beach! What's not to like?

A handy little shack for dog walkers as it is conveniently on the promenade and is very dog-friendly. Food is average and, as seems to be the case with most outdoor facilities these days, you have to brave the fag-brigade if you want to enjoy the sea views.

This is a great place for a coffee and or snack and ice cream after a walk on the beach. They do freshly ground coffee, and you can sit looking out at the sea in winter or outside on one of their decks when the weathers good. Friendly service and good quality food and drink. Also, dog friendly (we don't have dogs but nice to see them when we go there)!

So, you done the walk from Herne Bay along the cliff top and through Reculver Country Park till you reached Reculver Towers then took the north sea wall path to Minnis Bay. With the six miles plus under your belt you reach the row of beach huts at Minnis and there, halfway alond their length lies the welcoming sight of the Windshack - a real oasis - and are you ever ready for a coffee and something tasty; and that's exactly what you'll get. Perhaps if there's a bunch of you you might fancy trying the bucket of ice cream with the appropriate amount of spoons. Sit outside if nice and take in the view - Minnis has to be one of the best beaches in Thanet, if not the Kent coast.An ameniable and helpful staff will get you sorted and you will not want to move off quickly but when you do it will be replenished and happy!