Cafe du Soleil in Canterbury

Top marks for the wonderful service, decor, ambience & food except for the pizza. The pizzas here come with thick crusts & you can buy dips to dip the crusts into. However to make sure the crusts don't get overcooked the middle of the pizza is floppy. On this occasion my husbands pizza had a burnt black crust with a floppy middle. However apart from the pizza the other dishes the rest of us had - calamari, hake & vegetable chichpea curry were very tasty.

We were in Canterbury for three days for a celebration. We were looking for somewhere to eat and the menu and ambiance looked attractive. We were not disappointed. We decided to have a shared plate with a carafe of red wine - it was excellent and very filling - lots of different flavours to taste. The staff were very attentive and pleasant. It was a memorable night out.

A lovely and filling lunch with refreshing cocktails. The service was amazing, our waitress Eliza gave great attention to detail and made our dining experience spectacular. The sharing platter was plenty and delicious.

Lovely restaurant Megan was my server, and was super helpful nothing was too much, food was delicious my visit was short notice as I had some clients cancelled at the last minute from my Canterbury Ghost Tour! We booked last minute. We had a sharing platter Buttered chicken and Chilli chicken and I had a pepperoni pizza! Service was outstanding and staff overall were very helpful! All food cooked to order all food freshly prepared and cooked!

Had another fantastic meal here! The food was absolutely delicious—starting with the beautifully prepared beef carpaccio, which was fresh and full of flavor. The vegan curry was a standout, rich and aromatic, proving that plant-based options can be just as satisfying. Great to find some brilliant vegan options locally. To top it all off, the cheesecake was the perfect balance of creamy and indulgent. A special mention to Megan, our server, who was brilliant as always. Her bubbly personality and lovely smile made the experience even more enjoyable. Great food and even better service—can’t wait to come back!

Visited as a group of 8. Lovely location near Westgate Tower by the river. Incredible food - amazing pizza. Service exceptional. 10/10 Have booked to return.

Well. In brief, the best beef carpaccio I've ever had, seafood risotto bursting with (non-turdy) flavours, and a ricotta cheesecake that I'd willingly have fought to the death for. It's the first time I've eaten here, and as soon as I can get the house remortgaged I'll come back. Definitely one of the finest dining scenarios for miles around. Do it. Sell an organ if you have to but for god's sake eat here. [Edited to clarify: 'non-turdy' flavours is a poke at the state of our shorelines which are being systematically poisoned with human effluent by companies who'd rather pay the fines than fix the infrastructure, because it's cheaper. I probably could have left it out, to be fair.]

Fabulous pizzas and lots of other good stuff on the menu

Great place, great staff, great food!

Wonderful meal with friendly and accommodating staff .

Very nice food and great customer service overall it was nice experience

My first visit, friendly professional staff. Chose the rib eye steak for a lunch time meal. Omg so it was cooked to perfection, and the green peppercorn sauce was tge best I have ever tried definitely not a bought packet mix. I have no hesitation in recommending a visit Thank you for a fantastic valentines lunch time

Visited with three friends and the food was lovely. Great atmosphere and friendly, efficient staff. 100% Recommend! Beetroot and goats cheese salad was amazing!

Outstanding service and amazing food. Tasty hake, perfect risotto, delicious carpaccio. We had a top notch service by lovely Harriet. Highly recommended.

A lovely spot just by the river - does amazing value set menu as well as al la carte. The beef capaccio is fab, as are the wood fired pizzas and the duck.

Excellent food! We recommend the duck burger, the salmon salad and the stick toffee pudding and cheesecake. Great service from Charlotte.

Fantastic birthday celebrations! Wonderful food and great service. Highly recommended 😋

A gem in Canterbury’s crown, this friendly little independent, offers spot on service, staff who recognise frequent customers and delightful food and hospitality. Both this and Cafe des Amis, its sister restaurant, are my ‘go to’ venues, offering a varied menu for all tastes, great offers, quaffable house wines and a very happy, Happy Hour. I’ve never had less than top quality from these lovely people

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal there last night. The service was excellent and both the main course and the dessert were delicious. I would recommend Cafe du Soleil to anyone

Great place for a large group to have a meal. Very good food. I would recommend anything on the menu. Friendly service

Amazing service. Didn't get the staffs names unfortunately but was welcomed upon entry and provided with recommendations throughout Recommend

Really great service this evening! Food was lovely and staff very attentive. -Rori x

We came in on a Monday night and it was busier than expected for a Monday in Jan… we had the same waitress as last time Laura who was fantastic and advised on the local area. We had a sharing feast which was too much so no room for dessert. Will be back next time we’re in canterbury! Thanks Laura and team for a great experience - iechyd da!

A bit of a wait but good food and good service. The restaurant looks amazing too

Lovely restaurant, nice waitress, highly recommend!

Food was good, service was good, all good. If you have allergies don't take umbridge at the lack of choice on the menu. Let them know and they'll produce an alternative menu with plenty of choice. Late 2024 update: still as good as ever. One of the best places to eat in the Canterbury area

The food is absolutely amazing here ! Lovely staff too. 10/10 ☺️

Fabulous. Lovely choice of Gluten Free food which as a Ceoliac is important for me. Lovely food! I had steak burger and chips which was just amazing! Would go again

With its excellent service and tasty menu choices, this lovely, independent, local is a regular choice for me. Along with Cafe des Amis, this restaurant is my number one choice any time. Love the rump steak burger and chocolate and coconut ganache pudding ❤️

We read the great reviews about this place and decided to go and eat there on a cold Tuesday evening. What a lovely friendly welcome, from the minute we stepped in we felt pampered and looked after. The service, food and wine were all first class and definitely exceeded our expectation.. The place was buzzing lovely and warm and a really nice place to be. Situated by the river//moat it looked very inviting. We had the sharing platter which was delicious and a little different which made it so nice. We could have stayed there all evening but had an early start exploring Canterbury so were feeling quite tired. We initially walked around and looked at a few other places and this seemed to be by far the most welcoming. Would return if ever we are next in Canterbury

Very nice place to eat. Good food.

Excellent food, as ever, at Cafe du Soleil. Family members gathered for lunch there yesterday to remember our Dad, who would have been 100 that day (he lived to 98) and to raise a toast to him at what was one of his favourite restaurants. Dad was in a wheelchair in the latter years of his life and, taking him to Cafe du Soleil for lunches, he was always welcomed and well looked after by staff members. Yesterday we found the service to be similarly exemplary; two of our party had to leave because of my brother's health condition and the staff couldn't have been more accommodating - boxing up their meals for them, and just making things easy for us all. So I'd like to praise both food and service at Cafe du Soleil as both were excellent; our late Dad, there with us in spirit, would have wholeheartedly agreed.

My experience at Cafe du Soleil was absolutely incredible! The food was phenomenal - every dish was bursting with flavour and cooked to perfection! The chefs definitely know what they are doing! It was just amazing! But what a truly made our evening unforgettable was our server, Megan. She was so friendly, chatty, and welcoming, making us feel right at home from the moment we sat down. Her positive energy and genuine care for her guests were unmatched, she recommended some wonderful dishes and paired some incredible wine with them, absolutely nailing the combination. Megan is such an asset to this already brilliant restaurant, and her amazing service added a special touch to an already fantastic meal! Highly recommend this place - ask for Megan if you can!

Best pizza in Canterbury! I had the anchovy capers and olives, but added mozzarella and fresh chilli!!! Great service too!

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.

Delicious food in a great location. Excellent service and a lovely evening.

We used Cafe Du Soleil for a large group meal. Their function room was perfect for over 50 people. The staff were very well organised and prepared for a large group, with pre-ordering system that really works. Having our own bar helped with keeping on top of the awkward money situation we get in other venues. Food was lovely. Would highly recommend for a group venue.

Very good all round service and food

Got the Mushroom Fettuccine, a Gin Cocktail with elderflower and shared a sticky toffee pudding. The food was so good, with good portions that were not too large. The sticky toffee pudding was heavenly! The service and ambience were also excellent, our servers were quick to give us recommendations and were warm and friendly. Would definitely come back when we are in Canterbury again!

We sat outside under the heaters and beside the stream. In spite of being the only ones outside the servers were responsive and attentive. The food was nice but did not blow us away. For the price we were very happy with our lunch.

Definitely one of the must visit restaurants in Canterbury. Top notch food with brilliant customer service. Will recommend the chicken caesar salad and homemade fettuccine. The food is reasonably priced and comes in great portions. The sticky toffee and pecan pudding with vanilla ice cream is simply delicious. Absolutely worth the hype!

Maybe, just maybe, if this review might score thousands of likes (so please do! For your own good 😇) they might put the CHICKEN SALTIMBOCA back on the menu. I’ve loved fine dining my entire life and it might be the best combo of flavours ever to touch my palate. It was so good, we immediately rebooked to eat it again the day after and we were just as surprised all over again. It might not be the sexiest thing on the menu, but it sure is worth to be there as a forever signature dish. I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to cross the channel just to be able to order it once more (or twice 😅). Please join me to raise awareness and, if you get the chance, to try it for yourself! Please do join me in my quest to raise awareness, at the chef’s discretion. (Foto for visibility purposes)

Great service highly recommend fantastic food 👌

Very pleasant early evening family meal.

We love this place. Have always enjoyed Cafe Des Amis too, but this is just as good, if not better. We had a private event for my dad's 80th a while back and yesterday we went for my wife's birthday. Both times the food and service were outstanding. Definitely one of our favourite places to eat in Canterbury. We'll definitely be back.

The lamb was delicious. Fantastic service and atmosphere.

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.

Really enjoyed it. Food was really good, the service was great, will definitely go again.

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

Really lovely food - Bee our waitress was fantastic and a delight to have her looking after us! All round yummy food and great atmosphere!

Went to Canterbury and found this lovely restaurant by the river. Sat outside and all I can say is wow. Special set menu Monday - Friday in the day, very reasonable for the quality. Had one of the best beef carpaccio’s I’ve eaten (best was in Paris) and then a cracking nduja/salami wood fired pizza that I only just finished… shame to waste amazing food. One of the nicest menu’s I’ve seen in a while… fancied everything. The service also gets a special mention (lady with the smile and braces) couldn’t have done more for us and you can tell they had been trained well. Highly recommend if you come to Canterbury… inside good vibes and good music. Best to book especially at weekends. Happy Eating :)

Really friendly service and the food was delicious.

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!

Very nice service and good food for a reasonable price.

Lovely dinner by the canal.with great friends, food was really nice we sit on the terrace which was nice but inside is also this venue is lovely with an open plan kitchen, having a lovely meal here is a great pleasure.food is very tasty, I do recomend this place and if we around for sure we visit again.Thank you.

They had one of the best duck confit I'd ever tried in my life. Everything in the duck confit dish was perfect. The pizza was amazing. The side ratatouille was miss though.

We had a shared feast and a basque cheesecake for dinner on Sunday. Everything was perfect: food, service, atmosphere! Great choice of dishes for any taste and dietary requirements. Location is also amazing. I guess, in good weather the outdoor seating next to the river is wonderful.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

Great restaurant in Canterbury.

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

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