"A Clove Club alumnus won a Michelin star here in ten months — book the tasting six weeks ahead to mark an anniversary."
About The Fordwich Arms
Book online, and book early: the dining room seats about fifty-five and the weekend tasting slots go first. Daniel and Natasha Smith took the keys to a fading riverside pub in Fordwich — officially England's smallest town — in 2017, and the kitchen won a Michelin star in the 2019 Guide, inside ten months. Releases open weeks ahead on the restaurant's own site; there is no Resy or Tock back door, so the trick is the email list and a midweek date.
The address is King Street, by the River Stour, fifteen minutes' drive from the centre of Canterbury — you need a car or a taxi, this is not a post-cathedral walk-in. The 1933 building has an oak-panelled room and three open fires; in summer the terrace over the water opens up. Ask for a window table by the Stour for warm months, a fireside table from October on.
The Kitchen
Daniel Smith trained at London's Clove Club before bringing that precision to a Kent pub, and it shows on the plate. The test dish is the chicken liver parfait: dusted with beetroot powder, poured with a Sauternes sauce, served with warm doughnuts — if that lands, the rest of the menu will. The malt sourdough and treacle soda bread with home-churned butter is the other calling card. Game and south-coast fish carry the mains; Andy Hayler rated the hake with fino-sherry butter 17/20 on his 2024 visit and scored the meal 16/20 overall.
The tasting menu runs £110 a head, with pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan and even a pork version on request. The £45 set lunch is the value play — same kitchen, half the outlay, far easier to book midweek.
The Room
Conversation-easy, not hushed. The oak-panelled room runs warm and low-lit, with three open fires doing the work in winter and tables spaced for talk rather than elbows. Dress is smart casual — no jacket rule, but Fordwich regulars turn up sharper than the word "pub" suggests. Service is drilled but unstuffy. For two people who want to hear each other, request a corner table away from the bar pass.
Best for an anniversary
Book this room for an anniversary because the drive makes it an occasion, the £110 tasting takes the ordering decision off the table, and the riverside terrace or fireside corner gives you somewhere to linger over the cheque. Tell the floor it's an anniversary when you book — they pace the courses and will mark the dessert. For a coastal alternative, the Smiths' other star, The Bridge Arms, and Stephen Harris's The Sportsman both sit in the full Canterbury dining guide.
Not for
Not for a spontaneous night or a walk-in — it is fifteen minutes out of the city, the room is small, and weekend tasting tables are gone weeks ahead. If you want to wander in after the cathedral, this is the wrong booking.
Frequently Asked
Is The Fordwich Arms worth it?
Yes, if you book ahead and treat it as a destination rather than a pub stop. Daniel Smith's one-star kitchen delivers real technique — the chicken liver parfait with Sauternes and warm doughnuts is worth the table on its own — and the £110 tasting reads fair against city stars. Just don't expect a casual meal; this is fine dining in a pub shell, and the fifteen-minute drive is part of the deal.
How hard is it to book The Fordwich Arms?
Moderately hard, and timing is everything. Tables release weeks ahead on the restaurant's own website — there is no Resy or OpenTable shortcut — and Friday and Saturday tasting slots vanish first. Join the email list, target a midweek dinner or the set lunch, and book roughly six weeks out for a weekend. The room only seats about fifty-five.
What is the dress code at The Fordwich Arms?
Smart casual, with no formal jacket requirement. It is still a pub building, so a collared shirt and decent shoes will never be turned away, but Fordwich regulars dress sharper than the setting implies. For an anniversary or a client dinner, lean toward the smart end — the cooking and the prices both warrant it.
What should I order at The Fordwich Arms?
Start with the chicken liver parfait with Sauternes sauce and warm doughnuts, the kitchen's signature, and don't skip the malt sourdough and treacle soda bread with home-churned butter. From there, follow the south-coast fish — the hake with fino-sherry butter is a high point — and the Kentish game in season. The £110 tasting menu sequences the best of it for you.
Is The Fordwich Arms good for an anniversary?
Yes — it is one of the strongest anniversary tables in Kent. Book the tasting menu, request a window seat over the Stour in summer or a fireside corner in winter, and tell the team it is a celebration so they pace the meal and mark the dessert. Browse more options in our Canterbury dining guide.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at The Fordwich Arms
Booking via the restaurant. Tasting menu and set lunch released in advance; weekends fill early.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
AddressKing Street, Fordwich, Canterbury CT2 0DB
NeighbourhoodFordwich, by the River Stour
ChefDaniel Smith (ex-Clove Club)
CuisineModern British
PriceTasting £110pp; set lunch ~£45
RecognitionOne Michelin Star (2019)
Dress CodeSmart casual
Seating~55; oak-panelled room, riverside terrace
ReservationDirect site; ~6 weeks for weekends
