Cafe des Amis in Canterbury

Perfect thanks for a great experience I didn't get the waitresses name she has coloured hair and she was amazing and a credit to your team she was efficient and helpful and very attentive keep her!!! 😀

Visited for many years. I have to get my Des fix every few months. I love it. Danielle served us, if she’s in we always try and get her to take our order. Keep up the good work guys!

Quite nice food, the staff are a quite rude on numerous occasions. The atmosphere is very nice.

Stingy with the nachos and guacamole comes as an extra! Otherwise very nice.

By far this was the best Mexican restaurant I have been to. We ordered nachos and Calamari to start and fajitas and veggie chilli for mains. My partner who is vegetarian had as many options as I had. Food was unreal, great atmosphere and not expensive at all. We went on a Monday night and were lucky we booked, every other restaurant in town was empty other than this place. Will be returning everytime I even go close to Canterbury.

Great service, wonderful food, lovely atmosphere

This is the best meal I’ve had in Canterbury and I understand why this restaurant has lasted so long. It’s one of the busiest restaurants too so you do have to book (it was packed even on a dreary February weekday ). The decor is colourful and wonderfully eccentric. Every member of the staff was warm and friendly despite the fact that they were very busy. I ordered a chicken fajita which came with generous, fresh portions of everything and deliciously cooked chicken. It’s worth noting that although the menu shows fajita for two that can also do single portions on request (I nearly didn’t have one at all because I don’t know this). Other members in the party all complemented the food. Overall it was excellent and I strongly recommend it.

Delicious food, very crowded, but worth the wait

My friends nachos came with no guacamole, she didn’t enjoy the meal. The tostado- never ordered one before & never will again. Roasted Mediterranean veg?! Er?…Hard sweet potato (?) & barely roasted ‘anything’ . It was surrounded by a strange sauce, supposed to be green pepper.- not good. Amidst this was one lonely cube of feta with a blob of pesto on it- it did not work, it was horrible, don’t order it.

The perfect place for an evening out

Came in for dinner on Saturday night so it was busy but the service was still great, food arrived super quickly and everything was delicious. The pork belly fajitas to share were our favourite, the pork was sizzling hot and super tender. Would also recommend the pork belly enchiladas.

This restaurant is my favorite in Canterbury. As a Mexican living in UK This is the best authentic Latin food in Kent. I wish the ceviche came with a corn tostada (like the picture) I ask for the tostadas and filled it with ceviche guacamole 😋. The food is exquisite and the drinks are tasty. Must go restaurant.

This place is AMAZING!! it has the BEST food in Canterbury, can be a little noisy at times but you don't feel out of place, I should know as I suffer from anxiety in some restaurants due to atmosphere etc. My favourite dine in location. On a sidenote. If you order nacho starter, order 2 portions. They're not big enough for 2 people! That's my only gripe with them tbf...we'll done Cafe des Amis.

We visited in 26/03/24 for my husbands birthday and everything was perfect. We have visited this restaurant about 5/6 times in the past year, and we are never disappointed. We had the nachos and calamari as a starter and the duck fajitas as a main, this was our first time trying the duck and I think will be our repeat order from now on😍so crispy and juicy! The service was spot on and efficient. Our drinks and meals came out fast as well. 10/10 thanks to all the staff for being so helpful and polite!

The restaurant was packed at 6:30 on a Friday evening and there was a good buzz of chatter throughout. Booking is a necessity! The food, as always, was excellent and arrived promptly without feeling rushed. Starters of gambas & trio of ceviche followed by pollo verde & duck mole, all of which were delicious. Very good service from our waitress Ruth.

Fantastic place, one of my favourite restaurants in Canterbury. Service is very friendly, food is exceptional. Menu varies between visits but never disappoints. Pork belly tacos are sublime but the duck taquitos are a personal favourite. Very reasonably priced for the quality you receive.

Some of the best Mexican food I’ve experienced. Went here after high recommendations and was not disappointed! Amazing variation on the type of fajita and brilliantly cooked meat! Can’t rate the Yucatan pork belly enough! Wow!

We had a lovely experience at Cafe des Amis, the service was fast and friendly with a lovely atmosphere. The food was fresh and arrived quickly, the fajitas for two were more than enough with delicious fillings. Would definitely go back.

A few friends and I took a trip to this restaurant from a nearby town. We were running a bit late for our sitting and called ahead to advise. They were accommodating and placed our requested drinks on the table, ready for our arrival. A lovely touch. I try to get here at least once or twice per year and honestly, this place never misses! The starters and mains were delightful, moreover, the service was impeccable, which just created a lovely atmosphere. Dessert was cool too but we had to rush it to get back in time for the boxing 😅 Thanks, Cafe Des! This wasn't even my best experience here, yet, it's still worthy of 5 stars!

Excellent, very tasty food. Nachos, burritos and pollo verde great. Blue Moon beer to be recommended. Friendly, efficient service and very good atmosphere.

Went on a quiet day for a late lunch. Food was great. Staff were attentive, relaxed and friendly. Great cocktails!

Went here for a date and we love it here. Such a lovely Mexican place to eat. Bit on the pricey side but so worth it.

Lovely place, a little cramped. Very fast service

The seafood burrito was nice and the Virgin mojito tasty. The service was quick and the waiters and waitresses were very nice and friendly.

Really good food at reasonable price point for the quality, service was good. They fitted us in when we walked in despite being quite busy. Glad to see service charge wasn't automatically added - we lift a tip appreciating the experience.

It's was lovely, Food, Service, Atmosphere Perfect.

Once again we had a great meal here. The portions are just right, not overloaded so you feel like you've eaten an elephant and not bulked out with pointless salad. It's good to see a range of non alcoholic cocktails too. You have a 2 hour slot which is ample time for us. They clearly run a slick operation here but it's a good experience and just right for a birthday treat

Great lunch spot, lots of choice on the menu, some classic, some different and good drinks menu. Quirky decoration, nice ambience and service and loved sitting looking at the ancient Westgate while eating Mexican food.

Absolutely brilliant place, great atmosphere, food was amazing, mole pulled pork enchiladas were soooo good, better than the mole I had in Mexico!!!

Food is great - but waiter leaves a lot to be desired. Waiter is so dead pan and monotoned you get a more personable response to being a customer at McDonald’s …. Just left us waiting to pay for ages and doesn’t even say hello or thank you, makes us feel we won’t go back , shame

Lovely food but a bit cramped with the seating. Staff gave the impression they didn't really want to be there, which is such a shame.

Had a beautiful evening as Cafe Des, huge portions and delicious drinks, me and a friend had a wonderful time! Amazing service too from Millie and Emma, could not recommend enough

Had an excellent meal in Cafe Des Amis Friday evening. Upon entry you get the cosy, positively busy atmosphere. The selection of drinks is what brings this down to 4 stars. There isn’t a wide variety of spirits, only tequila or gin. Never the less the meal was super tasty and the amount of time between courses was perfect. Our waitress was really friendly and looked after us well for the duration. I am so glad we found this hidden gem, this really was a great meal in a great location. Would highly recommend.

We pre-booked and visited the Canterbury Restaurant last weekend with family. i was blown away by the service of Maddie, she couldn't do enough to help even though they were at full capacity..I shared steak Fajita and and my Son had steak meal. i did like the service, it was very quick but not rushed and really enjoyed the food quality, flavour and taste, plus drink.. i had Modello beer and really liked the taste of this, so much i am looking for it online to buy more for at home lol.... we will be back again "and soon" and highly recommend to anyone thinking of going here

Had the beef steak fajita. Very tasty, left very full

Visited for the first time and what a beautiful meal we had. It was so so good. Pulled lamb shoulder fajita for main with all the sides so you can make it yourself which visually looked stunning and tasted delicious. The deserts were so tasty as well and the presentation was faultless! Myself and my partner ate everything. We didn’t pre book but we was still accommodated and staff were very pleasant and friendly. Thankyou café des Amis for a lovely meal and evening. Will definitely be returning 👏🥰

Nice Mexican restaurant, just next to the walled gates of the city, good service, nice food, parking close by.

Loveley little place with lots of planters and unique paintings and decorations. The food was okay . After asking the waitress confirmed their chicken was halal . I would recommend ordering nachos as We enjoyed the nachos most. Staff are friendly, lovely ambient, and recommend sitting by the window 😍 they have little outdoor sitting area aswell that had lovele Westgate view and Westgate gardens by the lovely river but open mainly during the summer time .

Having a lovely dinner at this place.

This place is very popular, but it's coasting on its popularity, and the quality and value now aren't as good as other nearby places in town. Service is welcoming and quick. Food plentiful and OK but not great. Seating is compact to the point of overcrowding, which makes it very noisy, and the open kitchen means that the cooking smells are unpleasantly overpowering.

The food and service is incredible as always

Delicious food, great service and lovely atmosphere

A visit on a Saturday night , very busy (so book in advance) Good service, very good food, the steak we had was exceptional as good as any Hawksmoor,and reasonable pricing.If I'm into nit picking, background music a little noisy,and the tables a bit squeezed in. An establishment I will visit again

I'm so perturbed and confused by the good reviews? We went today and found the food to be average at best, the service to be very slow, and the atmosphere to be very claustrophobic and loud - if you're into very loud, crowded spaces and aren't a vegetarian maybe it's a good spot?

Absolutely incredible lamb fajitas!!!

Didn't get a table in time and no easy online way to book, was denied ordering dessert as the table was available only for a specific amount of time. I wish they told me this at the very start and mentioned we order in one go.

Hadn't been to Cafe Des Amis in over ten years and we were pleasantly surprised that the food and service altered as good as the last time we were there. We had nachos and calamari for starters and both were very good. I would highly recommend the nachos with the beef topping. For mains it was a mix of fajitas (chicken) and burritos (fish and pulled pork). Everyone loved their mains and all found it very tasty. We ended by sharing some churros and again the food was brilliant. Portions are very generous. Service was friendly and fast. We were there for a few hours and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Would highly recommend.

Great food, but apparently tacos are exactly the same thing as fajitas, who knew!

Had a lovely dinner here last year and was some of the best food I have had in a long long time.

The food was pretty good although I had heard it was supposed to be like a mexican/french fusion place when in reality it's pretty much just standard mexican food with like one duck a l'orange dish thrown in the mix.

Like many adverts in town do not bother contacting people back who write in or in go into the restaurant asking about the job. Though the kitchen porter advert has been in the window for months... Very good food there but do not bother applying for a job there.

Wow! Fabulous ingredients, great service

Lovely restaurant right next to Canterbury's Westgate. Lots of Mexican themed dishes to tantalise your palate, which are beautifully presented and delicious. However, it's not cheap, Canterbury prices, but you're also paying for excellent quality food and superb service. Students get a large discount.

We ordered a large nachos between 4, which were great to nibble on while we waited for our fajitas. We all had sizzling chicken fajitas, which were amazing! A whole mini breast per tortilla was served with all the usual accompaniments. Tips: Book early to avoid disappointment and ask for a table away from the entrance. Will definitely go back!

Cannot recommend highly enough. Great value, great food, great staff and excellent service all round ensuring that a great time was had by all. Definitely booking again. Well done to everyone

Not fancy or affordable BUT lovely food. Cafe Des (the locals shorthand) is always busy and still popular after years of reliability and great taste. With the exception of a few uncomfortable tables, it's pleasant to be in, and has great fun art. The staff are swift, as table turnover is high, but helpful and generous. Still a solid no brainer choice when a group can't agree, Cafe Des always pleases.

Lovely restaurant with a great vibe. Food is mostly delicious and very well presented. My pulled pork enchiladas were very tasty, but the pork belly tacos were a little disappointing due to having an overpowering odd aftertaste. My main gripe with this place is that the price charged for what you get is extortionate. I’ve had as good or better Mexican food London for less than this place charges. Nice place, good food overall, but not worth 40 quid for some tacos and beer.

Very difficult to get reservations as it's a popular place. Great food but can get a bit noisy due to it being packed. Pork tacos were amazing!

Despite the restaurant being full to capacity we were looked after really well. It was our work Xmas dinner and they knew exactly who had ordered what ☺️ The food was absolutely delicious and there are a lovely choice of drinks available. All in all we had the best time. I have been to Cafe des Amis many times and it is always spot on.

Great food, friendly service - what more do you need. Convenient location, not far from Railway Station

This is the second time I've been here (I don't live in the area) and it was as good as the first. Hands down the best mexican restaurant ive tried, it's my favourite cuisine so I've tried a few! The food service and decor is top tier. I will always come back if I'm visiting Canterbury!

Fabulous food, not your typical Mexican - lovely twists and added flavours that make this place special. Been wanting to go for ages and can’t believe it took me so long. Will be back soon.

A really lovely evening at Cafe de Amis for a birthday treat. Food delicious and cocktails even better! We visited about 4 years ago passing through the area and thoroughly enjoyed then, revisited this evening for a tasty meal out! Service amazing. The manager was really friendly and accommodating when my young son knocked his drink everywhere. Thank you x

Dear Sir/ Madam, My partner and I attended your restaurant yesterday afternoon around 4pm. We had not a booking but your helpful manager found as a table. We were given menus, and couldn't see a gluten free option, so I went to the manager and he supplied one. At this point I must point out that my partner is a Celiac and is very gluton intolerant indeed. We were really pleased that you had a large extensive menu. We choose large Nachos to share, which were lovely, but we both stated they tasted like the real thing. We then had fajitas to share with steak strips. My partner had the gluten free ones, which we could see. These were lovely too. We throughly enjoyed the meal and payed the bill of £95.00. We then left but almost straight away my partner felt really sick, and really needed a toilet quickly as her stomach had reacted to gluten. We managed to get to a toilet, but she was extremely ill and hence we had to get home and so our day was ruined. We know she was giving gluten by her reaction and we think your restaurant gave us the wrong Nachos. This is a serious matter as a person whom is extremely gluten intolerant can be extremely ill or in some cases worse. I am informing you of this matter because it needs addressing in case it happens again.

Brilliant place , food great, great atmosphere, service was spot on. Love it

Had a fantastic, delicious meal here, enjoyed by the whole family. Great service from staff, not too much attention and not too little. They've got it spot on. Will definitely return. A great all round experience 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

A really lively Mexican themed restaurant in a beautiful, historic part of Canterbury. Just look out for that burrito the next day!

Our favourite restaurant in Canterbury! Amazing food, great staff, and a lovely hidden gem just off the high street. We recommend it to anybody that visits!

Fantastic meal again at Cafe des Amis. I am gluten free and dairy free and they were fantastic with ensuring I didn't feel like I was missing out. The food was amazing, all our table thoroughly enjoyed their food. It was delicious, perfect temperature, well presented and perfect portion size, if anything was too much food for us! But we ate it all as was so good. Normally I begrudge having to order GF and DF meals, but honestly I did not feel like I was missing out. The staff were attentive without being over bearing and had a lovely conversation about our evening and the menu. I have been visiting for years and there is many reasons for that.

First visit to this restaurant absolutely lovely. Service, food all excellent. Great atmosphere, too, really buzzing.

Consistent excellent food full of flavor, high quality ingredients in a super cosy setting with attentive service. It’s our favorite restaurant since moving to Canterbury 4 years ago. The happy hour from 5-6pm is excellent too. We had two courses (vegans catered for very nicely) frozen margaritas, wine by the glass and a lovely tequila for £70!

A hidden gem! Honestly the ambience is incredible, vegan food was amazing!! I was expecting it to be sub-par but honestly, the pan fried mushroom fajita was unreal!! Went for my mums birthday and the service was just flawless, they brought out her cake and...

Once again our visit was nothing short of spectacular! This is now our fourth visit and the food blows us away every time. The service was super friendly and efficient, even when the restaurant was completely full! We went on a Tuesday evening thinking it...

Great food and service! They accommodated 14 of us on one table - well done to the staff! Great dinner for my mums 60th Birthday celebrations. Thank you.

You must book here as it is so popular and you probably won’t get the chance to experience it otherwise. The food was absolutely delicious! We had the rib-eye steak fajitas and they were cooked to perfection! The whole meal was just so tasty and...

Amazing food and service! Gluten free options amazing. Staff were fab and accommodating for my husbands birthday celebrations, will defo be back! Place was obviously popular as it was packed.

Even though we now live many miles from this lovely restaurant we still dream of their delicious food regularly! By far the best Mexican restaurant we have tried in the entirety of the UK and we LOVE mexican food! When we found ourselves travelling through the lovely city of Canterbury a few weeks ago, we couldn’t help but stop just to return to Cafe Des Amis. We had the same food we always had when we lived in Canterbury and were once again blown away. The cocktails are always delicious too! 10/10! Definitely visit here if you find yourselves in the area!

Always been one of my favourite restaurants . Friendly staff ,good food Set in a lovely medieval building

Tasted lovely- nice mix of ingredients- beautifully presented- great service- quirky decor and great atmosphere Recommend salmon

Great atmosphere, and tasty food!

Brilliant Atmosphere, great food and good price! Would definitely recommend it.Xx

Always love eating here,fajitas just yummy

Fantastic place! We shared the sizzling steak fajitas and it was utterly delicious

Great food we went for lunch, but in the evenings it's gets full so best too book ahead

We really enjoyed our meal here. The duck fajitas were super tasty and lovely to share. Our desserts were also really delicious. The service was very friendly and welcoming but it felt as though they could have done with one more person. They were very...

Lovely Mexican. Friendly staff and great food!

For once I cant fault this place. Service, food and drinks all fantastic. Staff accommodating. Toilets clean. The prawn in garlic butter were perfection as was the pork belly tacos Amazing range of tequilas we opted for the £12 shot and it was worth it too. But i do have a couple of tweaks, give customers a finger bowl with the garlic prawns. Some spilt water on the table wasn't cleaned up also. I'd love to see crispy fish taco on the menu too but now I'm nit picking. All in all, amazing and will be back soon.

Stunning food, my favourite place

The seafood paella was an absolute belter! Definitely the best in flavour and style in the whole of canterbury! Large variety of food options and with student discount!

Consistently great value. Wonderful food and excellent service

I've been coming to this restaurant for over twenty years and it has consistently provided not only outstanding food, but also friendly service, beautiful decor and beautiful female staff!! I am a nachos connoisseur and HONESTLY , these are the best nachos I've had anywhere in the world. In my opinion, the best mexican restaurant is Tijuana tex med in Ibiza, but the nachos there ARE NOT AS GOOD as Cafe Des Amis. It beggars belief how fantastic the food is in Cafe Des Amis, but do not take my word for it, go find out for yourself. It's just awesome. I cannot recommend it enough.

Delicious food and great service. My only complaint is the music was a little too loud so it was a bit hard to hear conversation but I will definitely come here again!

Always love this place. You really cant go wrong here. The menu the food the drinks.. Great! You certainly won't be disappointed.

Fantastic familiar cafe, trully recommend!

Brilliant place. Best Mexican outside of Mexico!

Came here for lunch today and had an amazing meal! We were served by Milly who was really nice and helpful. We had fajitas and would recommend to anyone who visits as they were lovely.

Went for lunch here last Saturday and it was amazing! Such nice food and frozen cocktails! By far one of the best restaurants in Canterbury. We were served by a lady with pink hair and tattoos and she was so lovely and attentive.

Always a friendly welcome at this popular Mexican restaurant. Food and drink options are good and reasonably priced. Very tasty food in decent portions.

First time dining here. Ordered a mix of starters. Prawns in a buttery sauce were a highlight. Loaded nachos and duck tacos were also great. The main of steak fajitas was chunky pieces of beef tender enough for wraps. Desserts were great with churros and...

We showed up on a Friday night without a reservation and the waiting staff were so friendly and made every effort to accommodate us. The food was delicious, highly recommend the trio of ceviches and mushroom fajitas. Lively and vibrant atmosphere.