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

The Fordwich Arms Restaurant

4.8
4.8
97 Reviews
£41 and over
Gastro Pub
1647 King Street, Canterbury, Kent CT2 0DB

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 8 times today

About this restaurant

  • 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 pm–2:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Bar Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–10:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–7:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 6:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • 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
  • Neighborhood
    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

The Fordwich Arms Restaurant's menu was last updated 2024-07-06.

View menu on restaurant's website

What 97 people are saying

The Fordwich Arms Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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

    Great for fine wines

  • Kent

    Gastro Pub

  • Canterbury

    Best Overall

  • Canterbury

    Best Food

  • Canterbury

    Best Service

  • Canterbury

    Best Ambiance

  • Canterbury

    Best Value

  • Canterbury

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Canterbury

    Healthy

  • Canterbury

    Neighborhood gem

  • Canterbury

    Great for fine wines

  • Canterbury

    Romantic

  • Canterbury

    Good for special occasions

  • Canterbury

    Vegetarian-friendly

  • Canterbury

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Fordwich Arms Restaurant offers an exceptional dining experience, often described as "fantastic" and "absolutely incredible" with "outstanding food and service." Guests appreciate the "amazing quality" and "exquisite presentation," alongside a welcoming and cozy atmosphere. The tasting menu and wine pairings are highly praised, making it a must-visit for food enthusiasts.
97 Reviews

  1. Ross VIP

    Kent1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding! Highly recommend visiting this fantastic place.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Alan

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My favourite restaurant in the world - and I’ve been to some of the world’s best.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Julie

    Kent3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    If you haven’t yet been to the Fordwich Arms and you have the opportunity to, GO! This is my absolute favourite restaurant. Stylish, friendly, great service and fantastic food. What more is there to say? Thank you to the wonderful team for another fantastic meal.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Kim

    London1 review

    3.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Nice meal.Good beer.Standout no.Bit lacking in flavour.cordon bleu rich.Some nice textures but flavourwise…The soda bread and the rhubarb dessert were yummy as were the amuse bouches.The staff spoke as if from a script but did not know about the food beyond the obvious.They didn’t seem like food enthusiasts.There was a lot of detail in the food but we paid £200 when it was worth £80 tops.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Alka

    Birmingham3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Chose 3 course set menu which was good value, delicious vegetarian options, excellent staff

    Is this helpful?

  6. Alex

    Kent1 review

    3.0

    Dined on April 2, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Me and my partner went for a birthday meal. We did enjoy the meal and the food was excellent, however it was average if you are comparing the meal to other Michelin guide restaurants. I personally believe that if you spend £360 on a meal that only includes 2 alcoholic drinks (at £16 each) and a non alcoholic for £10, it should be perfect! That is what the Michelin guide is supposed to ensure. In our case we found the seasonality to be excellent and a great menu in terms of local ingredients. The style and presentation of the dishes was suitable. We did however find that the fish and meat course was too small (even for a tasting menu). Some of the plates were scratched or chipped and unfortunately the dessert was not thoroughly defrosted enough and the ice cream was crystallised. We can’t hold the restaurant accountable for lack of ambience but we were one of only two tables in the dining room and we were seated directly next to each other. All in all very good, a lot of work clearly goes into the food but some of the details could be refined considering the price.

    Is this helpful?

  7. David

    Jersey2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Friday dinner with family, celebrating a birthday…. From start to finish this was fantastic. Every aspect of the meal was perfectly executed, the staff were lovely, the food was so delicious and immaculately presented. We dine out a lot and love to try new places, at all ranges of affordability and class, and this is up there with the best we’ve had. Thanks to the FA for giving us such a great experience.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Alessandra

    London6 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on March 23, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Really not good. Sloppy service, bland food. The greeting process is farcical. Expensive tosh.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Alex

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    A truly fantastic meal. Every dish was exquisite, and the drinks too.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Joanna

    London12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous service and a fantastic tasting menu! First proper outing with a newborn and it was loud enough that the entire venue wasn't horrified with the baby's cries but not too loud so that we were able to have proper conversations. We very much enjoyed our visit!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Fordwich Arms Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 97 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 8 times today
Google Map for The Fordwich Arms Restaurant

1647 King Street, Canterbury, Kent CT2 0DB

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Canterbury
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Bar Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–10:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–7:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 6:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • 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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