5 budget-friendly restaurants in Canterbury

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With a large student population that favours cheap eats, the ancient Kent cathedral city of Canterbury is home to several affordable restaurants that do a thriving trade.

(Photo: The Foundry Brew Pub)

One of the best things about Kent – often referred to as the Garden of England – is that you can get great produce for bargain prices. Even better is that this focus on local provenance translates into the region’s restaurant scene. One of the UK’s most historic cities, Canterbury, has a number of thriving eateries that make use of locally-sourced ingredients where you can eat well at low cost. Here are five of the best.

The Foundry

In a part of the world where Michelin-starred gastropubs are ten-a-penny, the Foundry offers blessed relief with its combination of delicious pub grub and affordable prices. The home of Canterbury Brewers, there’s also an excellent beer list, with craft keg and cask ales on tap, including many of its most popular home brews as well as other regional favourites. As you drink, the brewery’s stainless steel tuns, visible on the ground floor, offer a visual reminder of your pint’s provenance. As for the food, the menu features everything from light bites to hearty meals, including a sharing platter of pies and other pub classics such as bangers ‘n’ mash with ale gravy and home-baked gammon, egg and chips.

77 Stour Street

The Veg Box Cafe

(Photo: The Veg Box Cafe)

Amid the growing trend for vegan diets, simply going vegetarian feels almost like a throw-back nowadays. Nonetheless, for those not quite ready to give up all animal-derived food stuffs, there are still plenty of eating out options tailored to your preferences. In Canterbury, one of the best – and easiest on the wallet – is The Veg Box Café, an independently-run plant-based restaurant located in the heart of the city. The bright, casual eatery features wood tables and colourful décor, where diners can sit down to all-day veggie, vegan and organic dishes that make use of fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

17A Burgate

The Refectory Kitchen

A staple of the city’s foodie scene for several years now, this casual dining spot is a favourite with students seeking a restorative breakfast or brunch after a night on the town. Indeed, serving up delicious, homemade and locally-sourced food, together with great coffee and relaxed vibes, it’s little wonder that so many locals consider it their go-to hangover remedy. Their offering of exotic sandwich fillings such as chilli and garlic sausage, plus the fact that they smoke and cure their own bacon, add to the sense that this is a place that cares about its food – and the sore heads of its clients.

16 St. Dunstans Street

Tamago

(Photo: Tamago)

An enticing combination of Japanese soul food and friendly service makes Tamago popular with locals – and in particular Canterbury’s sizeable Asian community. Serving a wide range of feel-good dishes from ramen and bento boxes to small plates, they pride themselves on being a world away from the bland, standardised offerings of so many other Japanese-styled eateries in the UK. An informal eatery, you shouldn’t come here expecting fine dining, but rather authentic Japanese food, swiftly and smartly executed in a stylish setting.

64 Northgate

Azouma

A well-established family-run restaurant, Azouma specialises in cheaply-priced Middle Eastern and Moroccan dishes served in a traditional Arabic setting. The restaurant is decked out in authentic Moroccan style, transporting you from the olde-English landmarks and cobble-stoned streets just moments away into an atmosphere immersed in Middle Eastern culture. Eye-catching weekly belly dancing performances combined with delectable food featuring an array of spices and rich flavours create a veritable feast for the senses.

4 Church Street, Saint Paul’s

By Paul Joseph