The Fordwich Arms Restaurant

Excellent food in a comfortable setting. Unlike other Michelin taster menus I’ve had, with this one I didn’t feel out of place. Some restaurants go over the top with the protocols and service level, that make the whole thing feel fake, but at The Fordwich, you’re in a pub…with people having a beer at the bar, so it all feels a bit more normal. The food is outstanding and the service is the right level of attentive and professional, without making you feel like you’re somewhere you shouldn’t be. The sommelier led us through the wine pairings, educating us, but (again) not feeling like he was patronising us. It’s expensive, for sure, but for a special occasion and when we don’t go out spending £100 a time on average food all the time, spending a bit more on a whole afternoon activity seems value for money to me.

+4

An amazing meal. Well worth the trek out from Canterbury. Spectacular presentation, inventive dishes, super friendly service. Tasteful dried flower arrangements everywhere, including a table sized piece hanging down from the ceiling. Outstanding wine pairings. Not cheap but a wonderful special occasion place.

+6

We have dined here for a special occasion. The fire place was on and it added to overall atmosphere. We went for a longer menu. It was one of the best meals of our lives. Especially the lobster was just amazing. Every little piece was perfectly executed and balanced. Oysters were delicious as well. And the wine selection is very extensive.

+6

We had an amazing lunch at this beautiful Michelin starred pub. The food, atmosphere and service were great. We did the al a carte which is 3 courses with snacks and bread for £75. Between the three of us, we got a different starter, main and dessert each to share which was a great decision to try different dishes. My favourites were the lobster (supplement), scallop, hake and venison. Sam looked after us and was super friendly and knowledgeable.

+6

Finest Dining Experience of my life (and I've had a few). I've been lucky enough through work to eat at some pretty amazing places. Gavroche and The Square being two examples. Having just finished a very busy period of work, I took my wife and daughter to The Fordwich last Sunday for a lazy late lunch at 4pm. We sat outside on the terrace next to the river, in the shade of a tree, while the sun blazed down around us. We then spent the next 3 hours being spoilt rotten and served some of the most delicious food imaginable while the river meandered quietly by. It was bliss. Perfection. The last time we came (for my Birthday in December) it was cold, dark, with driving rain. Inside was impossibly cosy, with food to match. This time we had blazing sun and sat by the river. My point is no matter when you come, you will have an experience you'll never forget. What a fabulous restaurant, run by fabulous staff, in a fabulous location.

What an experience. 1st Michelin star restaurant we have been to and it did not disappoint. My daughter and son-in-law visit high end, Michelin restaurants a lot more than us and they said it was the best they have had. Well done to the team at The Fordwich Arms. Of course we had the taster menu. It was delicious. My wife wouldn't choose fish on any menu but she loved those dishes the best especially the oyster. We visited the Fordwich Arms about 20 years ago with my in-laws and it was great then. Pub hasn't changed much which is great. It has kept its old world charm. Service was lovely. Thank you. The Cooper's

+6

An incredible experience, all round. The service, food and atmosphere were outstanding. I love the fact that this restaurant doesn't have a 'stuffy' vibe. It's top class but in a relaxed way. Will definitely be going back.

+1

Really tasty food and the staff were really friendly and accommodating! 100% recommend and can't wait to come back.

What an amazing culinary experience! Excellent Food! Excellent Service! Excellent Value! £45 for the set menu which ended up being six courses, every course cooked and presented to perfection! Best ever dining experience! Thank you 🙏🏻

+4

Fordwich is a really beautiful small town, and the restaurant is equally impressive. There is parking onsite, but due to a road closure you’ll need to find roadside parking nearby, which wasn’t an issue for us. As the weather was so nice, they were serving outside on the patio, which was really nice. The service is absolutely fantastic and everyone was friendly. As for the food, it’s absolutely faultless. Each dish is so cleverly executed, beautifully presented, and packed with flavour. When we paid the bill, we really thought it was good value. It’s an exceptional dining experience and we can’t wait to go back.

Really loved our experience here. Had the Sunday roast and was definitely full by the end of the meal.

Today we had lunch at the Fordwich arms. The food , service and surroundings were excellent. We had the A la cart menu selection and were very please with the selection on offer and the quality of the food. We highly recommend this restaurant and believe it offers great vale for money.

+2

We received a voucher for the Fordwich Arms tasting menu for Christmas from our daughters and had the meal yesterday evening. We also had the wine pairing. Every dish was wonderful. All the dishes were very flavourful and original. It is impossible to pick out a single one, but the chef seemed to have worked magic with all the seafood dishes. I was taken aback by them. The dessert, which was the Fordwich Arms take on a Snickers bar, was good fun. The wine parings were super and the sommelier (who was relatively new I understand) was pleasant and knowledgeable and gave a very detailed and clear description of the wine and its provenance and why he had chosen that particular wine for each dish. He made a substantial contribution to our enjoyment of the meal. It was a cold night, but there was a lovely big fire in the fireplace and we had a wonderful and relaxed time. I have a big appetite, but was really full at the end of the meal. If you are going to have the tasting menu, I recommend that you make sure you are pretty hungry when you arrive.

+3

Absolutely amazing food. Let’s be clear. Absolutely the best meal I’ve had in ages. But the service was too slow and the atmosphere was lacking. There was no background music until later in the evening so we could hear everything the staff said to the adjacent tables, which was somewhat annoying. But the food was incredible. It’s rare to see the bread and butter given its own course, but this was well deserved here. Delicious!

+3

One of the best meals of my life. My wife and I had the tasting menu for lunch on a gorgeous sunny June day. We sat outside by the river that was a picture itself. The food was fantastic and clearly locally sourced and the wine list had many local wines too, and were reasonable. Worth the trip from London, which is what we did, mainly for this meal!

+1

Revisited my favourite restaurant of 2024 for Valentine's 2026, and it was even better than before. Exceptional value for money for the level of cooking and service. How it doesn't have 2 Michelin Stars is a mystery bordering on criminal. The tasting menu was excellent and they subbed in an extra meat course to replace a fish course with no issue. They took their time and nothing was rushed which allowed every excellent course to be enjoyed in full. Everything was erring on the side of overly rich and highly seasoned, which is exactly what it should be. No bland or healthy dishes in sight. Have to say possibly the best wine pairing I've ever had, low flashy labels, high on wines that brought out the best in the food. The staff were fantastic as always, and getting a pint of Guinness from the front of restaurant pub is always a treat. Looking forward to coming back in the Spring.

The food tasted amazing and beautifully presented. The staff were very friendly and informative. We had the taster menu which I would highly recommend. I'll definitely be back. Thank you Fordwich Arms for a lovely evening.

+5

To begin with, the customer service was exceptional. The team thoughtfully arranged my flower collection the day prior and ensured we were seated at an excellent table for Valentine’s Day, which I greatly appreciated. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, creating a genuinely enjoyable dining experience, and the food was of a high standard throughout. I did encounter a small crab shell in one of the courses; however, as a chef myself, I understand that when working with fresh crustaceans, such occurrences can occasionally happen. Overall, it was a wonderful meal at a very well-managed restaurant. The staff should be proud of the experience they deliver.

+2

Sunday lunch with our 2 annoying kids. Staff couldn't have been more friendly and welcoming. Food was outstanding, breads, starters and snacks the best. Suspect the regular mains are more interesting than the roast menu but overall, incredible cooking and tons of food. Atmosphere blends a relaxing pub with attentive service very well. Call out for the playlist. Would love to come back

Absolutely delightful. A lunchtime visit for a birthday, we were greeted by friendly staff and promptly shown to our table. The dining area is cosy, had a log fire on the go and beautiful Christmas tree in the corner. We chose the vegetarian tasting menu, which was exquisite, as were the drinks (raspberry and peach Bellini, and amaretto sour). Cost-wise, it might be on the pricey side, but the quality of the food, drink, and the service made it all worthwhile.

Wow. What can I say? Absolutely stunning presentation, delicious food and very friendly staff. A Michelin star experience in a quaint village pub. A wedding party was in on the day we visited so we were given some free starters to apologise for the noise and wait - we hadn't noticed either! Have recommended to all of my friends and family, most of whom have already visited and given similarly excellent reviews.

We had the long tasting menu for £85 for my friend's birthday, and it was delicious! Very friendly service, the staff were great. We did chuckle when a tiny bit of salmon came on a massive slab of salt (all part of the fun). My advice is keep your whole afternoon free so you don't need to rush- we were there for 4 hrs. It is also a dog friendly in the pub section which is great :)

Another fantastic lunch at a great restaurant. What can I say the food is amazing. Hopefully the pictures will say it all.

Exceptional food and service, and sitting on the terrace by the river added to the overall experience as well. I’d favour fish dishes over meat, the flavour balance was stand out

Was staying close by in Canterbury and decided to book this restaurant for their tasting menu. It was outstanding! Honestly would recommend this restaurant to anyone. My partner always talks about this place ever since we visited.

All round one of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time; at least 4 of the tasting menu courses were truly exceptional but the raw Orkney scallop was the stand out dish for us and one that I’ll remember for a very long time. Also highly recommend the wine pairing which was of a very high quality with generous pours.

Excellent tasting menu with helpful and knowledgeable staff, the only downside was that we were the only table in the middle surrounded by all the others so it was a little loud. It is ofcourse expensive so not an every day meal but worth it if you feel like splashing out.

We visited as a joint birthday treat and have to say that it absolutely lived up to the expectations that we both had, not cheap by any stretch of but absolutely fantastic. The meal was stunning, we had the a la carte menu which was complemented beautifully by the extras that were provided. The bread that was bought out was amazing - you could have done with that on every course to mop up all the fantastic sauces. The only good that we felt was not up to the level of the rest was the mince pie beignet served at the end of the meal. We both felt that this was a little doughy, with the mincemeat providing a grainy experience in the mouth, which wasn't the most pleasant. You also could not taste the fact that it was supposed to be a mince pie filling. That aside, the food was absolutely amazing and the surroundings intimate with attentive staff. Heartily recommend

Outstanding food in a formal but relaxed atmosphere. Wood panelled dining room not cramped with an open fire and soothing ambience. Attentive friendly service.

This is not so much a meal but more an experience. The service and food are on par with some of the best I've tasted. I know it's good when they're able to make a vegetarian dish appealing!

On of the best meals I’ve ever had. Excellent presentation, delicious and very interesting food and attentive staff. I can see why they are holding a Michelin star.

Just sublime! Really inspired cooking that leads the English culinary scene into the future. Refined, elegant, lightly dishes, an effective and knowledgeable service team, an interesting wine list. The ambiance is cool and directly rooted to English pub tradition. Our only suggestion is that we would welcome the use of sous plats.

Easily one of the best restaurants I have been to. And I’ve been to a lot. Not cheap but then why would it be.. it’s amazing.

I had the pleasure of having my wedding celebration at The Fordwich Arms. Wow! The staff were brilliant nothing too much trouble. And the food was out of this world. I must a huge thank you to all for making our day👏🏼

The tasting menu is the best meal I’ve had. Perfection from start to finish — brilliant staff and charming dining room (especially with the fireplace going). Will return and recommend!

The Fordwich Arms is exceptional. We ducked in from the dark to a roaring fire and a cozy atmosphere. The building is stunning, but it’s the technical detail in the kitchen that really stands out. We had the vegetarian tasting menu and it was a joy… intricate, precise, and clever. We love it.

On this occasion I have reviewed in a moderate way for two reasons. The wait to be served for the main course was 1 1/2 hours. The location other the table was too close to the gents toilet. Every time it was used there was a distinct smell of the urinals during the meal and talking. Apart from the above the food was fine tasty and plenty of it. We were kept well topped up with drinks as requested. The staff were great and did their best.

Tonight we popped into the other Michelin star pub near to our base, The Fordwich Arms, I. England’s smallest town of Fordwich. This pub offers a seasonal menu focus on provenance, showcasing the best of local Kentish ingredients, sourced directly from local farms and producers. We opted for the a la carte tonight. I went for the BBQ lobster, grape & spiced butter sauce , not worth the £25 extra cost. However, the raw Orkney scallop was a hit around the table. Shame only one of us ordered it. Only negative was the slow service and plates left on table for too long. Having to wait 30 mins between mains and deserts with plates still on the table was unacceptable. Due to the time of our pickup by taxi we had to rush the last course.

Modern European grub. Highlight was the bacon fat butter & beef fat old fashioned

We visited yesterday for the first time, menu was okay, pretty run of the mill for a 1 star. (I’ve worked in several in London and Gold Coast) Food hygiene must be abysmal, as multiple members our large party got very violent food poisoning despite having different courses. Service was shocking, male manager on shift all but ignored us, at multiple points we had run out of water with no one attentive enough to ask if we’d like another bottle other than Cece. The food runners were lovely and offered the only hospitality we really had from the team. We did call today to settle this with staff directly but they didn’t seem to care. Owner would do well to keep an eye on this team because they are fumbling, big time.