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Welcome to The Fordwich Arms - The Fordwich Arms Restaurant, Canterbury, Kent

The Fordwich Arms Restaurant

4.8
4.8
75 Reviews
£41 and over
Gastro Pub

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2 people
19:00
Booked 11 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for fine wines
The Michelin Starred, Fordwich Arms, located in the smallest town in England, dates as far back as 1828. Draped in ivory and wisteria in the most picturesque location over looking the Great River Stour, the perfect setting for an idyllic summers lunch. Boasting open fireplaces for the colder winter months, creating a cosy and welcoming ambiance.
Daniel and Natasha Smith took over The Fordwich Arms in 2017 and were awarded a Michelin Star within the first year, as well as being in the top 100 gastro pubs in the UK, multiple culinary awards, notable wine awards and various other accredits, a testament to their hair work and talent.
The seasonal menus focus on provenance, showcasing the best of local Kentish ingredients, sourced directly from local farms and producers. Dan's cooking is accomplished yet approachable, served in a relaxed pub environment with a choice of a la carte or tasting menus.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    Gastro Pub, English
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sat 12:00–14:30 Sun 12:00–17:00 Bar Wed–Sat 12:00–22:30 Sun 12:00–19:00 Dinner Wed–Sat 18:00–21:30
  • Phone number
    01227 286690
  • Website
    https://www.fordwicharms.co.uk/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Daniel Smith
  • Private party facilities
    For smaller events we offer a private hire of our dining room and in warmer months our idyllic terrace, for either lunchtime 12-5 or dinner 6 - close, which seats a maximum of 33 guests. For larger parties we offer exclusive venue hire which seats a maximum of 63 guests across our two rooms. Please email us for further information.
  • Location
    1647 King Street, Canterbury, Kent CT2 0DB
  • Area
    Canterbury
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    You can reach Sturry by train or from both the number 8 and 6 buses. Follow the signage for Fordwich. Once over the Bridge, follow the road around past The George and Dragon and head straight down toward The Town Hall where The Fordwich Arms is directly opposite.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 75 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

  • Kent

    Best Food

  • Kent

    Great for fine wines

  • Kent

    Gastro Pub

  • Canterbury

    Best Overall

  • Canterbury

    Best Food

  • Canterbury

    Best Service

  • Canterbury

    Best Ambience

  • Canterbury

    Best Value

  • Canterbury

    Good for business meals

  • Canterbury

    Innovative

  • Canterbury

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Canterbury

    Healthy

  • Canterbury

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Canterbury

    Great for fine wines

  • Canterbury

    Good for special occasions

  • Canterbury

    Lively

  • Canterbury

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Fordwich Arms offers an exceptional dining experience, celebrated for "stunning food," "incredible value," and "attentive service." With a Michelin star, their tasting menus deliver "exquisite" dishes, meticulously paired wines, and a cozy atmosphere. While some mention noise and seating issues, the overall consensus is of "outstanding" culinary delight, perfect for special occasions.

75 Reviews

  1. Charlotte

    VIP

    Kent

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a beautiful place and a fancy menu that actually tastes good! This is the second time I have been to the Fordwich Arms and both times the food and the service have been second to none. You can get a beautiful fine dining type experience for £250 (including a couple of drinks) that rivals some of the top London restaurants. FIVE STARS

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  2. James

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing lunch, was great to be able to take our dog in with us. We all felt very comfortable as soon we walked through the door, food was faultless as was the service. Already looking forward to my next visit

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  3. Kelly

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I just love the understated elegance of this place. The food is exquisite, service is discreet yet attentive, the vibe is informal yet classy. We had the tasting menu, which was course after course of beautifully presented, creatively flavoured and making use of delicious local ingredients. I hope the Fordwich Arms continues to thrive and that I get to eat there many, many more times.

    Is this helpful?

  4. James

    New York City

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on 7 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a fantastic evening. Great food and service and an open fire too! Loved it and hope to return.

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  5. Maureen

    Kent

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 7 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a delightful lunch. From the minute we walked in we were made welcome. The service could not be faulted and the food is incredibly delicious: so well balanced and executed. This is without a doubt our favourite place to eat. We look forward to returning.

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  6. Sandy

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 5 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The whole experience was truly memorable. Only possible view was that the main course (lamb) was far too small.

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  7. Natalie

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 2 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Faultless and fantastic, as always. Our favourite restaurant and happy place. The service and food are incredible, a must visit.

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  8. Louise

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 1 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another exquisite lunch at the Fordwich Arms. A wonderful experience from beginning to end. We had the tasting menu with wine pairing. The food was absolutely stunning and the pairing was explained in perfect detail. Top notch!

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  9. megan

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 30 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another fantastic meal. The set lunch which is great value and every course delicious.

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  10. Karen

    South Wales

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 26 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We had the tasting menu which did not disappoint. Every dish was explained and were delicious. If I could fault anything it would be it can get quite loud in the dining area, I assume because of all the hard surfaces however this would not deter me from going to the Fordwich Arms again, Jolly well done :-D

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FAQs

The Fordwich Arms Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 75 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 11 times today
Google Map for The Fordwich Arms Restaurant

1647 King Street, Canterbury, Kent CT2 0DB

Additional information

  • Area
    Canterbury
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sat 12:00–14:30 Sun 12:00–17:00 Bar Wed–Sat 12:00–22:30 Sun 12:00–19:00 Dinner Wed–Sat 18:00–21:30
  • Price
    £41 and over
  • Cuisines
    Gastro Pub, English
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    You can reach Sturry by train or from both the number 8 and 6 buses. Follow the signage for Fordwich. Once over the Bridge, follow the road around past The George and Dragon and head straight down toward The Town Hall where The Fordwich Arms is directly opposite.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Daniel Smith
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.fordwicharms.co.uk/
  • Phone number
    01227 286690
  • Private party facilities
    For smaller events we offer a private hire of our dining room and in warmer months our idyllic terrace, for either lunchtime 12-5 or dinner 6 - close, which seats a maximum of 33 guests. For larger parties we offer exclusive venue hire which seats a maximum of 63 guests across our two rooms. Please email us for further information.
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