Canterbury eats better than its medieval image suggests. The city sits in the Garden of England, with orchards, hop gardens and vineyards in the surrounding countryside and the oyster beds of Whitstable on the coast, and a large student population keeps the lanes lively with independent cafes and casual restaurants. Here is how to plan meals around your sightseeing without tying yourself to a fixed itinerary.
Start with the oysters
Whitstable is the food destination of the area, fifteen minutes from Canterbury by car and a short train ride from Canterbury West. The town built its name on native oysters, and you can eat them at the Whitstable Oyster Company, Wheelers Oyster Bar and the Forge Oyster Shack, or buy seafood from the huts along the working harbour and eat it on the quayside. Oysters are traditionally eaten in months with an R in them, which makes autumn and winter the classic season, and they pair well with local beer and crusty bread. For a special meal, The Sportsman at Seasalter, a pub with a Michelin star, needs booking well ahead.
Eat on the High Street and in the lanes
Inside the city, the main streets are lined with cafes, pubs and restaurants, and the trick is to eat away from the busiest corners by the cathedral gate. Walk a few minutes along the High Street toward Westgate Towers, where restaurants and bars give way to quieter corners, or explore the lanes around the Marlowe Theatre. For a drink with a view, the bar in Westgate Towers has a terrace overlooking the river, and the hotels add their own options, such as the brasserie and champagne bar at ABode Canterbury and the restaurant and bar at The Falstaff Hotel. The Canterbury Tales Experience finishes in a medieval-style tavern where you can taste mead, which is a fun way to end the story.
Picnics and cafes
The cheapest and often the nicest lunch is a picnic. Buy bread, cheese and fruit on the High Street, and eat it in Westgate Gardens beside the river, in Dane John Gardens below the mound or in the churchyard at St Martin's. Dane John has a cafe in the gardens if you prefer to sit down, and Reculver Country Park has a cafe near the towers for a coastal lunch. Many cafes close mid-afternoon, so lunch earlier than you might at home, and check evening hours before you fix a dinner plan.
What to drink
Kent is known for English sparkling wine, cider, ale and soft fruit juices, and you will see local labels in pubs and shops. Pubs in timber-framed buildings are a Canterbury pleasure, and a pint by a fireplace after a winter walk is hard to beat. If you want to learn about food and drink with a guide, ask at the visitor information desk in the Beaney about current walking and tasting tours, since offerings change from season to season.
Match meals to the day
After Evensong at the cathedral, a quiet dinner in the lanes is the natural finish, and it is worth booking at weekends and around Christmas. On a Whitstable day, arrive for a late lunch so that you can walk to Tankerton before sunset and be back in Canterbury for a light supper. Before a castle day, eat a proper breakfast, since Dover Castle and Leeds Castle both have cafes but long queues at peak times. Families will find children's menus widely available and casual places are used to buggies.
Where to stay for food
If you want dinner on site, choose ABode Canterbury for its brasserie and champagne bar or The Falstaff Hotel for its restaurant, terrace and garden. Canterbury Cathedral Lodge has a restaurant in the Precincts, and The Pilgrims Hotel has a bar and cafe on The Friars. Breakfast terms differ between hotels, with some including a continental breakfast and others charging extra, so check your rate before you book.
Practical tips
Book ahead for Friday and Saturday dinners, for Sunday lunch and for the weeks around Christmas, when pubs and restaurants fill with office parties and visitors. Ask about dietary needs when you reserve, as many kitchens are used to vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free requests but menus change with the seasons. Check kitchen closing times before you settle in for a late drink, since some pubs stop serving food early in the evening. If you are driving to Whitstable, plan a designated driver or take the train, so that the oysters and local beer can be enjoyed at leisure.
