The Best Cafes in Kent, United Kingdom (2025)

This place is 10/10. Service = phenomenal. Super affordable and actually quite cheap for what you’re paying for. Atmosphere is homely with a separated area for working so that part of downstairs is more social. Great decor, great playlist. We both ordered the kimchi hash special. The really did the Korean influence justice (saying this as an East Asian person who has eaten too many minimal effort whitewashed token use of Asian ingredients in restaurants). Straight up delicious. They also take payment on order so it’s great if you need to rush off after. Breakfast and drink totalled to around £9 per person including an extra sausage added on for each of us

Fabulous brunch, as ever, from the friendly, helpful, attentive team at Cliffs. We love this place, with its relaxed, retro-vinyl vibe. No better place to relax and re-fuel, with the excellent choice of inventive breakfast and brunch dishes, and great coffee. The tamari mushrooms are to die for, and the veggie breakfast, just superb. The chill-out tables upstairs are ideal for friends and family get-togethers, the play area for toddlers is the ‘icing on the cake’. We’ll be back!

Great place for breakfast. The meaty is delicious and a big portion. Very fresh and so tasty!! The coffee is also great. Friendly and welcoming staff. The perfect place to bring a dog or sit and relax with a book. The downstairs is abit more crowded now that you can’t use upstairs but there is a nice sofa by the window.

Love it. Sweet staff, chilled atmosphere, Great coffee, gluten free treats, fresh and tasty breakfast/brunch! Recommend the big breakfast plates and the crumpet sliders.

I had the smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich on wholemeal bread, with a salad garnish. My friend had a scone, clotted cream and strawberry jam (other fruit ones available). Pot of tea and a coffee. The menu was nicely varied with some classic options such as Jacket potato, brie and bacon to name a few. Nice themed decorations about tea and cakes with teapots around the ceiling on a winding shelf. Friendly staff.

We love this little family run business and Russel and his family are so lovely such an amazing hidden gem in Ashford town. Great coffee and food... The cakes are amazing and we think they sell the best sausage roll around town.

Loved visiting here! Been here twice in the last month. Lovely friendly service and a great selection of food. Gluten free options too. Not keen on the foamy milkshakes but the coffee is delish! I’ve just revisited for my birthday and OH MY GOD the afternoon tea is amazing!!!! Literally so much for all displayed lovely! The taste is incredible and the staff work tirelessly to ensure the customers are happy! My favourite place ever!! Don’t delay!!! Go and Visit and see for yourself :)

Quite good english breakfast for 6£, tasty oats, super friendly staff!

Lovely vegan breakfast 😀 Will certainly be going back again. Friendly staff and a great selection of vegan cakes too! Dog friendly also which always gets bonus points in my opinion! Highly recommend.

We all had a lovely afternoon tea at Baskervilles Coffee House. The traditional tea had a good selection of savoury and sweet treats. The child's tea also had a good selection, having changed the sandwich fillings to known favourites. Our dog certainly enjoyed her afternoon tea too and it was great to be able to give her something designed for her instead of snuffling our sausage rolls. The staff were really happy, polite and chatty. This is a wonderful little coffee shop and a great place to visit if you want to sit with your dog.

A far cry from a truckers café, this local coffee house offers a cosy seating area with a modest menu. The interior is well decorated. There is a standard selection of hot items with a range of cakes that also cater to vegan requirements. Parking is easily found on the road, or it's a walk away for local residents who tend to come here and socialise in small groups. Prices are what you would expect.

Came here with my two dogs on the second day of the opening under the new owner. Love the decor. Dog bowls on the floor, free dog treats and tables and chairs outside with lovely throws to use. I had a really tasty jacket potato and a beautiful home made cake. Has a good selection of gluten free and vegan options of savoury and sweet items. Throughly recommend

Beautifully cooked Christmas lunch. As usual, the food was lovely, the fresh veg always goes down well, gravy is divine and roast pots, lush. Try the roast pork, it's divine.

Gorgeous family run home cooked food , never been disappointed, prefect servings all freshly cooked

We visited yesterday and it was a wonderful experience! The ladies are absolutely lovely and was so nice to be able to have a chat and them be happy to engage! The ice cream was delicious! So was the homemade tart! Thank you for a lovely service and we will be back again!

Dining at the Parlour is always a delightful experience, and even after 10 years, it remains as exceptional as ever. Kelly and her daughter manage the front of the house, while Glen, a seasoned chef with a history of working in top Kentish Pubs, including the Old Coach & Horses, The Compasses at Crundale, The Chapter Arms at Chartham Hatch, and the George at Newnham, runs the kitchen. It's a family-run business with a strong family ethos. Glen sources all food locally and prepares it with care. Years ago, he transformed an ice cream parlour into the charming venue it is today, complete with original 1930s artwork on the walls. The menu ranges from ice creams, coffee, and homemade cakes to wholesome dishes reminiscent of childhood favorites, catering to all tastes and budgets. The parlour, situated on the outskirts of Birchington's bustling high street, is a popular spot for both locals and visitors, offering limited roadside parking. After an extensive refurbishment, they've reopened, ready to welcome both new and returning patrons. On my recent visit from Canterbury with a friend, a former patron of the Old Coach & Horses, we hadn't booked, but they graciously accommodated us. I messaged Glen en-route. I savoured the Slow Roasted Belly of Pork with crispy crackling and apple puree, accompanied by roast potatoes and vegetables, all brought together with a rich gravy reduction that was simply divine. My friend opted for the Sausage and Mash with Mustard Gravy, which was also perfectly prepared with a flavourful onion gravy. To finish I had a dark truffle chocolate torte dessert with sprinkles of frozen raspberries, and a raspberry swirl ice-cream, it was delicious. As others have said you got to eat here if you want the best in Birchington in my humble opinion. Well done to Glen and the family for keeping up the best standards.

Absolutely banging place to get breakfast on the weekend! Me, my husband and my friends go here to grab breakfast while we're out on the bikes and always feel happy and safe parking up- with being able to keep an eye while we eat breakfast it relieves a lot of stress. Thanks for always doing a great breakfast 🥰

I'm glad the truck stop on the motorway was closed. The Airport cafe is only just over a mile from the roundabout, wide country road, and plenty of parking. Just had a full English, perfectly cooked and a decent mug of tea, in a proper mug not a paper tumbler. The staff are pleasant and professional. I'm now set up for the day and a long journey. Thanks, girls.! I'll be back. Sorry, no picture, I ate it all,! 28/2/22 Another most enjoyable breakfast. I'm just off the Eurotunnel, and this gives me time to contemplate driving on the other side of the road. 5/9/22 I remembered to take a photograph this time before demolishing the fare. Ok there is a couple of mouthfuls missing. Thanks girls. 1/3/23 Most excellent start to the day, and a warm welcome back into the uk. Keep up the good work. 7/9/23 Another delicious breakfast, and equally important a hot mug of tea. 5/9/24 Another successful visit. "Express breakfast" today, the bubble and squeak was a delicious addition, it comes recommended. Thanks girls, you've brightened my day.

This place is always buzzing and it deserves to be. Great selection of traditional options including all the usual fry up varieties alongside very good coffee and tea. The place is nicely decorated and furnished. A favourite spot to catch up with friends over breakfast.

Big Thumbs up from me 5⭐️ Great food, brilliant staff & loads of parking for trucks & car etc.

Nice cafe with good coffee and lovely sandwiches. Outside seating in sheltered area.

Lovely little campsite cafe very tidy and quiet when we visited. Food is good and plenty and prices are decent. Free parking is a bonus and there is space to explore!

1st visit but won’t be the last. Clean with friendly staff & large menu. We had the Lighter breakfast which was just right size for those who aren’t a manual worker anymore 😅👍 & a great price too. A hidden gem although a lot of regulars have already found it.

Had a couple of all day breakfasts, well cooked and quick. Very nice.

Great food cooked to perfection. Staff attentive and friendly. Nice price and worth every penny 👍

This café is our go to Cafe in Ashford! It's the best in my opinion! It's always good food, the staff are always helpful, friendly and willing to meet any demands or expectations. Sometimes some of the crowds outside or people that come in can ruin the atmosphere but overall, I enjoy going to this well run and well priced cafe and see myself continuing to visit.

We met other members of the family here yesterday, it was our first time. Food & service was really good & the staff was very polite & helpful. Would visit again perhaps when the weather is warmer.

If you are looking for a bargain - this isn't the place. If you are looking for quality, variety, exceptional customer service - this IS the place to come! Not only has the place got a fish monger, butcher, deli & cheese counter, it has a pizza parlour and a lovely café as well as a wide range of homemade frozen food and a little pet corner outside. The staff here are exceptional and very helpful. The food on sale, especially on the fresh side of things is expensive, for example a scotch egg is £2.75, however, it isn't a supermarket scotch egg! The products we purchased were of the highest quality and they are well worth the extra £! The staff were brilliant, certainly worth shouting about especially the young lady on the deli / cheese counter today who was so nice. Certainly revisiting - Thank You

A lovely cafe that serves a very good breakfast with totally fabulous coffee! Fast service, lovely clean cutlery ( no smears or water marks) and food was hot! Well done ladies will visit again soon! Highly recommended!

Ate here today for my wife’s birthday. Food was fantastic. Camembert to start, minted lamb pie and cheesecake. Everything was delicious, staff were really friendly. Will definitely come back!

Lovely food, staff were so attentive and polite. The best belly pork I had ever had (was on the special) Lovely decor looked so good this evening. Definitely return and recommend

Popped in for lunch and hadn't booked. They were fully booked with Christmas parties but found us a decent table. The food was divine and I highly recommend the risotto. Ellie was kind, smiley and attentive despite clearly battling the cold everyone has. This was a spontaneous visit for my Mum and I, she enjoyed the Scampi and chips. We were both very pleased with our impromptu visit, will recommend and definitely be back! Thank you Dukes Head!

My wife and I recently dined at the Dukes Head Pub, and it was an extraordinary culinary experience from start to finish. We both chose the roast lamb as our main course, and it was cooked to perfection. The tenderness of the meat and the rich flavors left us craving for more. For dessert, we indulged in a delightful assortment of sweet treats. The sticky toffee pudding was a heavenly concoction of warm, moist cake drenched in luscious toffee sauce, and it was a delightful way to end our meal. The treacle tart was a nostalgic and comforting dessert, with its sweet and gooey filling encased in a crisp pastry shell. It brought back memories of homemade treats from our childhood. Last but not least, the Banoffee pie was a revelation. The combination of creamy toffee, fresh bananas, and a buttery crust was a symphony of flavors and textures that danced on our taste buds. The service was impeccable, and the cozy ambiance of the pub added to the overall charm of our dining experience. We left with full hearts and satisfied palates, and we can't wait to return to the Dukes Head Pub for more culinary adventures. If you're looking for a memorable meal, this place is an absolute must-visit.