FOOD + DRINK
FORDWICH ARMS
BY SAMANTHA READY
COMBINING HISTORIC CHARM WITH MODERN FINE DINING , DISCOVER THE RELAXED , COMFORTABLE AND WELCOMING APPROACH TO KENT ’ S MOST ACCLAIMED RESTAURANT SUCCESS STORY .
The irony of such a big name in the Kentish - and indeed country ’ s - dining scene being located in England ’ s smallest town is not lost on me . Fordwich is more one winding lane and you ’ re back out again than extensive rural bolthole ; a fact that simply adds to the Fordwich Arm ’ s charm . Located mere minutes from Canterbury , it ’ s now the poster child for quaint , historic Kent intertwined with epicurean adventure and it ’ s no secret that it has also been top of my dining wish list for a long time .
Nestled by the river , where a large terrace offers coveted riverside dining in the warmer months , the pub-come-fine-dining destination is a showstopper of heritage architectural wonder . Like many a Kentish rural enclave near the Roman mainstay of Canterbury , there has been an inn on the site for over 1,000 years . The current pub is a relative baby , dating back to the 1930s . Its incarnation now however is a truly nuanced and acclaimed affair .
The brainchild of The Observer ’ s Young Chef of the Year 2016 , Dan Smith , and his then fiancee , now wife , Natasha , the couple embarked on the notwithout-local-challenge endeavour in 2017 to create a comfortable and relaxed , yet utterly acclaimed dining experience , while still embracing the accessible ‘ boozer ’ for the locals . The latter have now , evidently , embraced the town ’ s jewel in the crown .
The duo appear to collect acclaim as a hobby ; placings in the Top 100 Restaurants of the Year , Top 50 Gastropubs , 3 AA Rosettes , and , of course , that coveted Michelin star which has taken pride of place since 2018 and which the team found out they had retained for yet another well-deserved year just days before my arrival . The reality , of course , is refined and developed kitchen expertise ( Dan ’ s notable stint under Arterton and as part of the team that secured the Clove Club ’ s Michelin star ; Natasha ’ s own acclaimed pastry skills harnessed at the then Michelin-starred Chapter One , as well as leading One Leicester Street ’ s Michelin-starred pastry kitchen ) combined with an unwavering passion for provenance and seasonality and a side order of theatrical flair .
A demonstration of how London restaurant training , experience , creativity , and vision can be harnessed in a rural idyll , the first notable impression , aside from the comfortable mix of locals sitting along the bar , is how the Fordwich Arms is a truly family affair .
Going beyond the obvious husband-wife ownership and management , and way beyond that unavoidable incestrious-ness that underpins the hospitality scene in Kent , there is an underlying sense of a true , open , family welcome . While some may attribute this to fact the dining room itself is a cosy affair of just 16- ish covers set in intimate tables of two or four , on plush sage-coloured banquette seating , aside the roaring fireplace , the reality is this is a team that have fully come together as one , who are all as passionate and proud of their ‘ home ’ as each other ( just watch the slightly wonky Insta footage of their latest Michelin star reveal to hear the real sense of love and pride ), and who go above and beyond to ensure every visitor , drinker and diner becomes part of the fabric of what makes this place as special as its menu .
We were greeted like long lost friends by the effervescent Jon Downs , the group ' s bar manager and cocktail creator . Leading us across the gorgeous parquet floor to our seats in the oak-panelled dining room , where the walls are adjourned with prints of the town in yesteryear and the shelves mix simple brass and earthenware that jostle for space with AA
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