Cafe du Soleil in Canterbury

Visited this restaurant twice during our recent stay nearby and was impressed both times. Food, service, ambience all first rate. A lovely dining experience.

Seriously disappointed in the quality of the seafood risotto. Overcooked and tasteless. As I said to the waitress when asked how the meal was. I said it was boring, it was just a mush. At £23 it should surpass a ready meal. Also, I would expect fresh prawns, not frozen (Easy to tell if they are watery) . Coincidentally, another in my party had the same, agreed that they only carried on eating sort of hoping it would improve. My mistake was not sending it back. Cafe de Soleil can certainly do better. And please don't add insult to injury with a voucher for a free beer for the NEXT visit.

Café Du Soleil was a delightful dining experience. The service was impeccable, and the food was outstanding. We thoroughly enjoyed the vegetable sharing platter, lamb, and beef.

Some girlfriends and I visited this lovely restaurant in Canterbury - we were fortunate that the weather was glorious so we could sit outside next to the river. The food was superb - fresh and clearly made on site. Good variety too - 2 of my friends enjoyed a "Sharing platter" which they said was delicious - with lots of food and a good variety. The staff were lovely - chatty and very helpful. Would real recommend a visit if you can

Wish I was there as I'm writing this review!! We booked a table just based on looking at the outside of this restaraunt in a really great Riverside location. The service, food and drinks were exception and it was hands down the best meal we had during our visit. We had a shared starter, the sharing platter (we enjoy tapas quite often so it suited us) and the basque cheesecake - it was all just amazing!! Think my boyfriend is still fantasising about the cheesecake with vanilla cream!

Just perfect in every way. Will eat here every time I am in Canterbury.

The food was good with a good variety of different dishes, service was a bit hit and miss, they were sometimes very attentive and then at other times it was very difficult to get any attention from anyone. The food did come out quickly although desserts and coffee took ages. They were hosting a magic show event on the day I was there and felt like maybe attention had been diverted to that. The atmosphere was not bad and didnt feel like you were seated too closely to others but it was a little lack lustre. For the money we spent it did not feel like good value but they did cater well for gluten free options which is why we chose to go there

A really great evening. All the staff are fantastic especially Eliza who looked after is really well and cannot be faulted. Other staff were also excellent, notably James and one or two others whose names are unknown! The menu had a great range and variety of dishes with making it almost too hard to choose! The shared platters and the mix and match worked really well and portion size was very generous. The place had very good atmosphere with plenty of space allowing us to talk as a group without too much background noise or feeling overcrowded. The booking process could not have been easier.

Lovely place especially in warm weather on the riverside terrace. My wife and I had the sharing menu with the spicy chicken which was very nice and my daughter had a pizza. Unfortunately the prices we were charged was to say the least extremely expensive. The drinks should be avoided when a gin costs £9.50 and then you are charged £3.50 extra for a little lemonade added to it. The staff were lovely and welcoming but we will not be returning.

Party of 11 fully catered for on the terrace. Food was tasty and well presented. Service was attentive. Patio heaters made it comfortable especially on a cold August evening.

Absolutely loved this restaurant. The food was amazing. I had the brisket and my wife had hake and they were so full of flavour. From starters to dessert, it was a pleasure.

Superb service- attentive and highly observant, without being at all intrusive. Dishes are full of strong, distinctive and interesting mixtures of flavour. Dishes were cooked and presented impeccably. Our second visit- six of us tried a wide variety of dishes, and it was all excellent.

Lovely spot in Canterbury on the river, the terrace is beautiful and a tranquil spot. So nice I visited 3 times in 1 week. Although I do wish they’d change the pasta of the day more often. Great service great food and great location!

First time going there. Would definitely go again.

We had a lovely time here. The lamb dish was our absolute favourite but the others were all very good as well. Would definitely recommend and can't wait to come back!

Une très belle adresse à recommander à CANTERBURY à côté du centre historique et des jardins Ecopark et Abott Mills. Accueil avec les sourires avec des jeunes et jolies serveuses. Excellent service avec un cadre superbe avec vue sur le canal si déjeuner à l'intérieur On accède par un petit pont pour aller manger à l'intérieur. Plats copieux et goutu, belle présentation. Mes parents, ma compagne et moi sommes régalés. Nous n'avons pas pu tout terminé donc doggy bag. Merci pour votre professionnalisme, la qualité des plats, le cadre et la transparence des prix. Un rare endroit où la cheffe de rang demande lors du paiement si cela ne dérange pas de payer optional service soit le pourboire. Merci pour tout, l'adresse incontournable pour très bien manger dans cette charmante ville historique. Admirez les photos. THANKS A LOT TO ALL THE STAFF and THE WAITRESS. AMAZING FOOD AND A LOT OF CHOICE OF WINES AND COKTAILS DRINKS. 👍❤️😉😘😍

Beautiful restaurant in a Mediterranean atmosphere. Friendly service. We ordered lamb and stewed beef. Both dishes were very tasty and beautifully presented. Friendly service.

I wanted to say thank you to all that were involved in helping us have the most wonderful wedding reception at Cafe Du Soleil. The communication leading up to the day was exceptional- you all answered my queries and worries promptly and overall put my mind at complete ease. You were all so flexible and helpful. On the day the staff were fantastic- everything went seamlessly. The food is still being talked about today and we are constantly getting compliments- with people saying it’s the best wedding food they’ve had! You went out of your way to help in every way you could, including looking after our cake and clearing away for us the next morning! We aim to come back to Canterbury yearly for our anniversary so really look forward to eating at Cafe Du Soleil for years and years come. It’s a truly special place.

I wanted to say thank you to all that were involved in helping us have the most wonderful wedding reception at Cafe Du Soleil. The communication leading up to the day was exceptional- you all answered my queries and worries promptly and overall put my mind at complete ease. You were all so flexible and helpful. On the day the staff were fantastic- everything went seamlessly. The food is still being talked about today and we are constantly getting compliments- with people saying it’s the best wedding food they’ve had! You went out of your way to help in every way you could, including looking after our cake and clearing away for us the next morning! We aim to come back to Canterbury yearly for our anniversary so really look forward to eating at Cafe Du Soleil for years and years come. It’s a truly special place.

Excellent food, staff really friendly and lovely decor. Great selection of drinks available, many many gins. Perfect for a meal as couples or friends

Very nice variation on the Italian bruschetta, delicious! Excellent lamb and, unfortunately, a bit to 'salty' carpaccio. Right atmosphere and polite personell, recommended!

Cozy and nice place, friendly and polite staff, excellent cuisine, including pizza

Lovely place in Canterbury on the water, so peaceful, lovely and kind service, the coffee was sooo good and we had a desert. Loved it!

Great pizza and nice atmosphere

Always get a good meal with great service here and it's noticeable how much busier they've managed to become since the current owners took over - 10/10 ❤👍

Small amount for price .tasty enough Tiramisu lacked everything Really disappointed..Sharing platter looked good Duck burger was apparently nice Staff very friendly Wouldn't rush back

Favourite food and service, thank you

Their Set Menu's are fantastic value for money. Every dish we received was amazing, combined with a fantastic service from all staff! Definitely recommend!

I attended a wedding breakfast here recently and was blown away by the quality of the food. Presentation was perfect, tasted fantastic and the staff who looked after us were so helpful and very professional .. could not find a single thing wrong .. what a great place to eat and have a large group meal .. you must go you won’t be disappointed xx

Very nice place close to river walk nice food prices good for city centre.

Tasty food and portion is huge, stuff is super friendly to explain the dishes and checking everything was alright, it was a great experience

Fantastic food and great service. A group of 20 of us went for the evening and the food was outstanding and came out really efficiently. Highly recommend this lovely place.

Excellent service, always friendly and attentive staff, food and cocktails are delicious. Great for a date night

Fantastic food & attentive service in a relaxed atmosphere! The "sharing feast" is a great customisable option if you're eating with someone else or a group.

I ate here in the function room. Fantastic experience, all the food was phenomenal. Highly recommend the Kentish Lamb.

We had lunch there yesterday and it was amazing, the best food in along time so will defiantly be going back soon. Our waiter Paul was also brilliant, very courteous and professional.

Food was very tasty. Had the beef carpaccio which was delicious and the lamb for main. Both very tasty, although the main is quite small for the price. We also had dessert which was a bit disappointing, the sticky toffee pudding was a let down. Was great to sit outside and have heating though.

The Pizza was one of the best I have had. I completely recommend.

Nice place, highly recommended 👏 👏

Great little restaurant. We enjoyed duck, beef brisket and the seafood risotto. All nicely done, washed down with a beer and wine.

Really lovely food and superb service

really cute interior and location! I had the ndjuda pizza it was delicious! They also do a really good vegan chickpea curry!

Great restaurant in Canterbury.

Such a brilliant date night. The paella was to die for and the whole atmosphere is so romantic. Can’t wait to go again.

Very satisfying dinner on all aspects

Went to a 70th birthday party at the restaurant. Food was excellent and good service. We were upstairs which was spacious and full of character with oak beams everywhere. Would definitely visit again.

Absolutely exceptional - one of the nicest meals we've had anywhere! The food was so delicious and beautifully presented, the service was exquisite and the atmosphere was wonderful. They catered so well for our big group and the set menu was exceptional value and incredibly tasty, everyone was so impressed and we had a fantastic time and hope to return

Lovely restaurant, great food and fantastic service

Easy to do booking online. Follow up confirmation and reminder day before. Not keen initially on the 2hrs rule but didn't affect our beautiful meal and drinks. Staff very attentive it was my sons birthday and added a special touch when bringing out the dessert. Thankyou it's touches like that make tge experience more enjoyable and will definitely be returning. Thankyou

A group of 60 of us visited Cafe du Soleil on a work trip to Canterbury. When booking, the staff were responsive and helpful, and on the day they went above and beyond to make sure everyone was catered for, even when we added additional guests on the day. I would highly recommend this restaurant and will be sure to return if I come back to Canterbury with family or friends.

Fantastic to eat outside on a warm day. Nice atmosphere inside. I had a perfectly roasted hake and a gorgeous Basque cheesecake. Very good, fast service.

It was a fine Monday evening, so if you wish to eat outside, I would suggest booking if you can. We dined inside which is our preference and although busy, we were not overcrowded nor deafened by noise. I am hearing restricted and a noisy environment is difficult for me. The food: excellent! We had a sharing platter which was like a middle Eastern mezze. More than enough for two. I can recommend it. The service was unobtrusive and the waiting staff charming.

Popped in for a drink, very nice sat by the river.

Friendly staff. Ordered children's pizza as not hungry. Nice ambience.

The food was exceptional! The best food I ate in the UK! We had dinner at this place with the family and ordered lamb pastrami, baked chicken, salad with goat cheese and browine. I entered the restaurant by chance and discovered a paradise for the taste buds. The atmosphere and the people who took care of the service completed our extraordinarily beautiful experience! A surprisingly pleasant place for us, where we spent a memorable evening. We will definitely come back. Thank you!

It was the best meal, the best food, service and atmosphere. 5 stars for sure

I think the portions in this restaurant are quite large. The three of us ordered two appetizers and couldn't finish the three main dishes. I ordered grilled eggplant as an appetizer. The eggplant was grilled to a crispy surface, with cheese in the middle, and tomato sauce on the side to balance it out. I also ordered the chicken Caesar salad, which was a huge portion! The chicken alone is very solid and large, and every vegetable leaf is covered with salad dressing. The stewed pork is really tender, with moderate fatness and leanness. It also comes with a little stewed rice. The disadvantage is that it is a bit salty. The seafood stew had a big shrimp and a lot of mussels, but the rice had no flavor and felt a bit bland in the end. I haven't tried the duck meat, but my friend said it was delicious and tender. The overall portions were a bit large, maybe two main dishes would have been enough, but the meals were all delicious and the environment was comfortable.

Its a fabulous little gem. Get tired if seeing reviews that very high and when you go it disappoints !! This never fails to deliver on 2 seprarate visits over 6 years apart equally good. Server we had was one of the best ever attentive friendly enthusiastic. The food asian style unusual amongst a varied italian style had was perfectly cooked standout great atmosphere . Top notch

Great service and tasty food! Recommend the Nduja pizza. Shared a pizza and a salad among 2 and were satisfied.

The second time I came, the quality was as good as ever👍🏻The crispy octopus as an appetizer was so delicious that it saved my mood, and the pizza was traditionally grilled, very Italian. The choice of music in the restaurant is also very tasteful

A lovely casual place with good food and attentive service.

Cosy restaurant on the river with amazing food and very friendly staff! We had pizza (wood-fired) and roast pork belly which were both really delicious.

I tried the pizza and the salad with calamari and I loved it, the portions are generous, I was completely satisfied

I went to a private family dinner,the staff were lovely looked after everybody and the food was excellent

Amazing food, friendly and responsive staff, nice drink selection, would recommend =)

Quirky place. Various priced menus.Has an upstairs room for functions but not suitable for those with mobility issues.Seating downstairs quite close together. Interior decor nicely done.Car Park outside. Food average but tasty,service tip expected. No pressure once seated. Booking a must.

Very good staff who kindly accommodated us on a Friday evening. Delish food, good wine and lovely dessert.

Great food. Great service. The chairs are uncomfortable and too low for the tables.

Good variety on the menu but rather expensive

Very nice place for dinner, service very professional and nice!

Really enjoyed the atmosphere and delicious food 👌

Delicious food and a great English atmosphere 👌

High quality food & all delicious. Staff are exceptional and very knowledgeable

Birthday night out for me with friends and did we laugh (yes) In part due to the great company, relaxing ambiance,v great food and mainly the refreshing friendly service, thank you 👏

Great service!! We visited Valentines night. It was expensive, but great food and service! Thank you. 💚💜

Great food and service, parking is a little problematic

Is it in Canterbury Cathedral walking back to the train station? Looking for some player to have some lunch, and we found this restaurant. we could not be happier that we found it because it was fantastic and the service was wonderful. The staff was friendly and it was a perfect place for a rainy day. I’m sure it’s even nicer when you’re outside and it’s sunny, but it was wonderful and a great way to finish our trip to Canterbury. 👍🏼

Very relaxed atmosphere, with staff really on the ball. The quality of the food was outstanding - most enjoyable! Polpette di pesci and chicken saltimbocca.

A lovely meal and only lost a star as it was a bit brightly lit. The service was fantastic though and the truffle mac n cheese was so good! Kids are welcome but don’t expect crayons and a menu to colour in like the pizza chains. My 7 year old had her own pens and pad so was very happy in between wolfing down her pizza.

A nice place by the river with a nice decor and interior. It has a nice and fancy environment with an open kitchen and bar that you can look into. However, I do believe that the prices do not reflect the quality of the food. £16 for a cheese pizza is particularly pricy, also £16 for plain vegetable pasta, the food itself was not ‘bad’ as such, just did not taste exceptional which was expected given the prices I paid, as well as £3.70 for a single glass of Pepsi ! The restaurant was not busy when we visited, but the service was not fast whatsoever, whenever something was requested we would watch as the waiter stood around doing menial tasks whilst still waiting for service. The waiter was also not polite or pleasant, not rude but just did not make it a comfortable environment and would often make snarky reactions to our orders etc. when the bill came an automatic 10% service charge was also added.

Absolutely delicious. Waiters were knowledgeable and attentive. Food was just stunning. Beautiful location. Popular even on a Monday night so book on advance

The food is ok but the service is terrible. The one of the stuff just Keep interrupting when we trying sing happy birthday to my friend for pay the bill. And when she trying to clean the table, the food falling down of my trousers and she trying to pretend seeing nothing. We actually feel so bad cuz we coming here just for my best friend birthday and we haven’t seen each a while. 🙁

Really enjoyed our meal here. Great food, service and atmosphere

This place lacks any identity: the menu is all over the place and seems just random it’s also very £££. The fake plants are tacky and should be removed ….im not paying £35 for a steak sitting next to a cheap ikea plastic plant ,come on!

I had my 40th birthday here 27.01.2024 great food, even better service. Freddie who served us was fantastic.

I just want to say we came in yesterday and the food was amazing. Lovely service felt very welcome, will be back in again very soon 😊 Thank you!!

Can't fault this place. Great service, by friendly knowledgeable staff, I have especially enjoyed the chicken saltimbocca and the brisket dishes....and the wine menu has not disappointed either!

Just can't fault this place. OK, so it may not be cheap, but if you want cheap, go elsewhere. If you're after an affordable high quantity meal in a convivial environment, attentive but not obtrusive staff, an insightful menu with a great wine list, then this is where to go.

Best restaurant ever! Everything was just perfect

Food was excellent, served by two lovely English waitresses. All 3 courses really nice. My only criticism is that the piped music was a little loud .

Amazing atmosphere, very kind and friendly waitresses, food is just amazing, brisket is awesome, won't be disappointed. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes too.

Fantastic place to enjoy food with a great ambience. Service was excellent with promptness. Highly recommend

Great food, friendly atmosphere and really nice staff. Thanks for a lovely evening!

We were only in Canterbury for a couple of days and tried this restaurant. It had a rather more extensive menu than the, rather a lot of, pizza and pasta places we looked at. The food was excellent and was accompanied by very charming and good service. The only tip is reduce the sauce with the Kentish Lamb. More of a jus would be better.

Lovely little place for dinner, reasonably priced and with a lovely atmosphere

Really exceptional food, great service and lovely ambience.

Fantastic food and wine and great service. We were in the upper room for a private function and it was a lovely venue.

Booked this restaurant on recommendation from a work colleague and didn't disappoint. Will recommend to others and definitely return.

A very exclusive restaurant.. Great quality and portions that are just enough for a day/ night out..

Great service for a Xmas do. Nice sushi starter.