The story
In the historic town of Fordwich, officially England’s smallest town, the Fordwich Arms has become one of the country’s finest dining destinations. Set beside the River Stour, this charming pub features a 1930s bar and an oak-panelled dining room with three open fires. Since Daniel and Natasha Smith took ownership in 2017, the pub has earned a Michelin star for its high-quality cooking, firmly establishing it as a destination for Modern British cuisine.
The seasonal menus celebrate provenance and the very best of Kentish produce, sourced directly from local farms and suppliers. Chef Dan Smith’s cooking is refined yet approachable, served in a relaxed pub setting. Guests can choose from an A’La carte menu or a tasting menu, with dishes such as hay-smoked confit chalk stream trout, roasted hand-dived Orkney scallop, and Hereford beef with Roscoff onion, pickled walnut and morel. For dessert, the warm chocolate tart with salted sea buckthorn caramel and pistachio ice cream is a standout.
During the summer months, the riverside terrace offers an idyllic setting for lunch or dinner. The pub also serves a Sunday roast, featuring Hereford beef, Gloucester Old Spot pork, and a Black Bomber pithivier, all served with classic accompaniments. With its welcoming atmosphere and exceptional food, the Fordwich Arms is a true gem in the Kent countryside.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
The name suggests a pub, but the Fordwich Arms is more like a restaurant with a bar attached (drinkers are welcome) and is viewed locally as a place to go for a treat. Its setting beside the river Stour is particular attractive and the fine, brick-built 1930s building delivers an atmospheric interior of wood floors, dark panelling and open fires. Daniel Smith’s kitchen has strong credentials, a nose for sharp seasonal partnerships and there are some very good things to eat – although a few items, such as the claggy apple tart with hazelnuts and Calvados, we would rather not sample again. The menu covers all bases, with a no-choice set lunch, a fixed-price carte and, for those with cash to splash, an eight-course taster – plus a roast on Sundays. It’s all rather tweezered and tasteful, but there is much to enjoy: the home-baked bread is excellent, and our early winter lunch delivered a brace of strong starters ranging from a rich duck liver parfait draped with a translucent sheet of Brännland ice cider jelly and accompanied by a pair of warm mini-doughnuts (something of a signature dish) to nuggets of corn-fed chicken in a chicken consommé with a dollop of chestnut purée. Forthright flavours were evident in the mains, too – from a spin on Middle White pork with dabs of black garlic, cubes of nashi pear and kale to a beautiful piece of line-caught turbot. While service shows a general air of warm-heartedness, the food is delivered with stiff-necked formality – it would be nice to see it lighten up. When it comes to wine, a weighty all-embracing list offers good choice by the glass.
3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
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