The Best Restaurants in Barfrestone, Kent, United Kingdom (2025)

Lovely friendly pub with a fantastic selection of ales and ciders. Gadds Black Pearl on tap made me a very happy man indeed. Owners were very welcoming. I will be back.

Wonderful place. Amazing friendly landlord and Landlady. Great selection of drinks. Lovely decor and good community spirit.

Jay is a friendly, old school landlord who knows his craft and has a great range of exceptionally well kept ales and an even longer list of local ciders. My good friend, who lives in Dover, has been telling me for ages what a great little pub this is and I wasn't disappointed when he finally took me there. I just wished I had this kind of place on my doorstep.

Lovely welcoming micropub with a selection of three cask ales available. They cater for cider drinkers too but I came just for the beer. The beer is very reasonably priced. At £4 a pint it is cheaper than the two other pubs I visited. I will come again on my next visit to Dover.

Wow - what a treat! We stayed for the weekend at the gatehouse and enjoyed dinner on saturday night and a roast on Sunday. The food was great and the rooms / main house are beautiful and comfortable spaces. We were so well looked after by all the staff, in particular by Lia and the restaurant staff. We were visiting with our 1-year old who was made to feel very welcome. I would really recommend Updown for a getaway weekend - great for relaxing and recharging in the countryside, and enjoying some great food and cocktails. Thanks for having us - we will be back!

A genuinely friendly welcome and service can improve the dullest of venues, but Updown isn't dull. We visited for just one night and weren't able to take full advantage of the gardens, but appreciated the ambience that must be excellent in balmier times. The rooms were spotless and well supplied and we enjoyed the library and bar areas also; we just needed a longer stay to exploit all the facilites. Dinner was superb, as was the continental breakfast. One star was deducted (because there's no half) for additional service charges at food and drinks. Like another reviewer I'd prefer to tip separately.

lovely short break close to DEAL, first time we had visited and glad we chose the Updown Hotel to stay. Easy parking and a nice place to just chill. We were in one of the cottages which was lovely. The staff were really nice and friendly although the chef could perhaps have taken a few happy pills as he didn't engage with any of the guests which is a shame. It was very busy in the restaurant for dinner which they must have been pleased about as it was a Wednesday evening. We would recommend it and would happily go there again and recommend to friends. Wednesday night was steak night but I made the wrong choice as mine was a bit chewy so I didn't do it justice.

Went today for a Sunday roast. Probably one of the nicest roasts I've had in a pub and reasonably priced too. Food cooked to perfection, with a good selection of vegetables. Unfortunately too full to manage a dessert

A lovely homely place. It's quite out of the way but worth the visit. We all had different dishes, and no-one was disappointed. Good portion sizes and worth the money. Cheesecake excellent. Will visit again when in the area.

First time visiting the Chance and certainly won't be the last. Staff were very accommodating as we phoned and explained we were running late for our booking (sorry again!). Absolutely fantastic food, thoroughly enjoyed my burger and the kids loved the huge chips. Lovely, big portions but unfortunately no room for pudding on this occasion. Have recommended go family and we hope to all visit again soon... albeit on time! Thank you for a great lunch.

My wife and I recently met friends for lunch here, and I'm so glad they recommended it—it was delightful. We both ordered the pot roast beef with creamy mash and vegetables, and it was fantastic. The beef was tender, falling apart effortlessly, while the mash had a rich, buttery flavor. For dessert, I tried the gypsy tart, which was light, melted in the mouth, and perfectly balanced without being overly sweet. The staff were attentive and friendly throughout our visit. This quaint pub, with its charming garden, is definitely worth a visit

Always good to sit n sip a pint after a walk with the dog..

Haven’t been here in 15 years, still a really nice pub. Welcomed when walked in, good selection of beers, open fire, nice atmosphere, lots of seating and clean

Good old fashioned pub with good atmosphere

I had a fantastic dining experience at Marquis of Granby! The food was absolutely delicious. I was lucky enough to try a few of the small bites as well as a starter. The Camembert and cranberry was my favourite and the pork belly bites were incredible. I also started with the special butternut squash soup, which was rich and flavorful and for the main course, I enjoyed a really tasty burger. The setting and environment were lovely, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The service was excellent, and the overall vibe was delightful. Highly recommend!

The inn is great, we stopped for lunch and both had the roast beef (which was delicious), we also each had a starter which were also excellent. The staff were friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. It is dog friendly and he was made to feel welcome. The beer was also very good.

Came here for my birthday lunch. Food was amazing, high quality and beautifully presented. Staff were friendly and helpful. The prices might seem steep but it is worth every penny

Went for Sunday roast, it is one of our favourite launches. Slightly disappointed that the beef was a little tough, however, the rest of the meal (as usual) was faultless. Excellent staff, wonderful ambience and we left 'stuffed' due to the partaking in the enticing starters & sweets on the menu. We will be back (we have also stayed overnight on special occasions and can thoroughly recommend doing that too).

We had a fabulous night enjoying the Christmas menu 18/12. 8 adults. All the food was perfect, hot, tasty and plenty. The staff were friendly, happy and it was a great evening and really good value. Will definitely go back

I had an absolutely fantastic experience at The Smugglers pub and restaurant in St. Margaret's at Cliff! The food was delicious, and the Sunday Roast Special with its generous portions, fresh vegetables, and delightful horseradish, apple, and cranberry sauces left me positively surprised. The friendly and relaxed atmosphere inside made the dining experience even more enjoyable. The staff were truly brilliant - attentive, friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Even though it was a random choice during our journey from Dover to Deal, it turned out to be an excellent one. I can't wait to return when I'm in the area again, and I highly recommend this place to everyone!

Pre-booked table, atmosphere was great,very cosy place. Staff very friendly and helpful,took our drink orders after about 5 mins of sitting down,then another 10 mins for the menu orders to b taken. Food came out hot, plenty on the plate,very nice Sunday roast dinner, afters board had plenty of variety also. I would defo recommend this place people's .

This is a lovely pub with warm friendly staff and good food. Be aware that it gets very busy at weekends so you’ll want to go there before six in to get a seat and should probably book for food. We didn’t have that problem as we were there on a Tuesday but it was still popular. The portions are very generous and my fajitas and quesadillas were both tasty. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the tortillas were homemade. My cousins enjoyed his ribs (the sauce could have be richer or sweeter for his taste). Overall a really good experience made even nicer by the friendly chatty staff. Strongly recommended-would be very happy to go back.

Had some lovely burgers recently, freshly cooked , some of the nicest we've had for a long while . Quiet and peaceful on a Monday evening. Will go again!

We stopped there for one night on our way to Dover ferry. Superb service, food and people. Even the locals were fun. They let us park all night for free as we ate in the pub. Highly recommended

Fantastic little stopover on the way to Dover in our campervan. We were made very welcome by the staff and locals. Nice little carpark. Didn't get a chance to try the food but it looks great! Thanks for a warm welcome.

Lovely country pub stopped off on our way to Dover Ferry. Great service lovely people and dog friendly.

Quiet and peaceful place, close to the port of Dover. We have been there 3 times now, always nice to come back. Service for breakfast is super nice. Rooms are simple, but pretty and comfortable. We always love to come back. Even Netflix available

Really surprised by this pub, excellent menu, superbly presented, not your usual 'pub grub'. Pretty well-kept sunny garden with plenty of seating. Great for couples, families and even large groups of friends. The large car park to the side makes this an ideal place for a stop at a traditional country pub. Will definitely be back.

Stayed here the night before catching the euro shuttle. Great location, really nice room and the staff were fantastic. Fitted us in nicely for dinner which was served quickly considering it was a busy night. A hassle free pleasant stay which was made better by the lady's that ran the Bar/restaurant. Would recommend.

What can I say......stayed at 4 different places in last 10 days and this is exemplary!!!!! Absolutely fantastic from pub to room to breakfast. Staff were so friendly and nothing too much. I hesitated to post this because I want to make sure I can stay next time I'm heading for Dover 🤣

Super rest6. Great food, nice views, amazing decor, they just need to train the waitress' to be a little bit more professional. They are very flexible and allow you to change the sides for your meal without a problem. We went twice in one week.

Loved this place, I had the fish and chips and it was by far the best fish and chips I've had!!! The décor is very quaint and the staff are super friendly. The price of the food and drinks are very good compared to portion size and quality of the meal. I will definitely visit here again!!!

If you are in the neighbourhood I highly recommend this restaurant. The food was to die for. The service was top notch. And the ambience cannot be beat. I had the chicken breast, melt in your mouth good. Gregg had the lamb shank and it was awesome.

I have not ONE bad thing to say about this place, it is our lunch spot of choice every Saturday. As a pub-loving vegan, and partner veggie, we find it hard to find interesting options to eat out, but this place has obviously put a lot of thought into their menu! They even have vegan chicken options in place of meat which I rarely see. And re the place itself, the staff are incredibly welcoming, attentive and friendly, even when the place is busy. They are also really helpful with any changes we ask for with our meals. It is incredibly dog-friendly, they've even brought over biscuits and water for us :) They are also very child/baby friendly which is important to note, having just had a HORRENDOUS experience at a different Kentish pub which claimed to be child-friendly (and evidently was far from it). The place is super cosy inside for winter, which is perfect for anyone who struggles with the sensory overload of brightness (🙋‍♀️) and is decorated with loads of eccentric bits and bobs, we see something new every time. MASSIVE garden outside with HEATERS, which is truly such a gem for places these days. I honestly don't get some of these negative reviews, some people shouldn't eat out. People complaining about 'fatty cheese'?? Sorry, what? Saying the lasagne wasn't made fresh? Do they understand it takes hours to make a lasagne? (The veggie lasagne is actually so delicious too). And the pièce de résistance for me, moaning that they can't be seated for food when the place is at full capacity for food...I am genuinely confused. Anyway, do yourself a service and go here.

Great stay at the royal oak : the room and bed were extremely cosy ; complimentary breakfast was good and the regular patrons welcoming. We were able to store our bicycles in the backyard. Highly recommend for bikepackers.

Rooms look like they’ve recently been refurbished, lovely decor and cosy rooms. Coffee machine and lovely shower. Free parking although it’s limited so a bit difficult in a large car, there’s other parking nearby though. Breakfast in the morning was lovely and the pub is really pleasant for an evening tipple. Bed comfy although slightly small and room 1 was very noisy (potentially from kitchen dishwasher below). Other than that, ideal stay and would recommend!

Fantastic little pub. Eve meal and breakfast beautiful. Room really nice for our 1 night stay. Staff very nice, especially Carol the chef....thankyou