Old Boat Cafe in Maidstone

A peaceful spot, with super coffee, freshly cooked food and incredibly friendly staff. Thank you. Keep doing what you are doing!

Surprised how good the coffe was here. Served by a delightful girl who may have still been in her teens. I drank it on a bench in front of the boat, which is moored on the River Medway between two noisy road bridges. It somehow managed to be a moment of tranquillity, despite being in the middle of one of the most hectic traffic interchanges I've seen in my life.

Lovely place to grab a coffee and sit alongside the river using the tables and chairs provided for patrons. Bacon and sausage baps are lovely too!

Wasn’t very impressed with the service, ordered 3 drinks and received them an hour before the food arrived. When the food eventually arrived the order was totally wrong, so ended up paying for more and getting less. Won’t be going back.

This spot is fab place to watch the world go by with a coffee and a little snack. Lots of homemade food and the coffee is good quality! Would defo recommend.

What could be more delightful than being by the riverside basking in the sunshine with a lovely dayscape, fresh prepared, wholesome and tasty food, personal service and very good coffee and cake all at a reasonable price? Certainly one of my favourite spots in Maidstone on a warm day.

The old boat cafe is a great place to stop for a coffee along the canal. There are plenty of seats outside to sit and enjoy it or a lovely path by the canal so you can walk as you enjoy your drink. The staff were friendly and the coffees were great too.

Great location, friendly staff, and lovely food. I was on a nice walk along the river and discovered this gem, I thus ordered a coffee, cake and food (cauliflower pie), everything arrived promptly; looked well presented and tastes delicious. I brought some of their duck food also, to feed a group that were passing through. The staff were very welcoming and friendly, would certainly recommend!

We on a. covid restricted, visit to my daughter decided to meet close to the canal (beautiful restful and relaxing) where we happened across this perfect gem. Looking at the (varied) menu I decided I'd love a steak pie with horseradish .However the rest of the family opted for lighter bites choosing baguettes (brie and bacon/sausage ) not to look too greedy ,I opted for a sausage and bacon one . Sadly (sic) they were between deliveries and didn't have stock of sufficient baguettes for all of us, ( they did restock whilst we sat and ate) so being a true gentleman I had to sadly :-) make do with the steak pie.It was the best pie I've ever had the pleasure to munch (and I do eat a lot of pies) It had a slightly short pastry case with a real feel that it had been hand made with real care .The filling was lightly teased with horseradish so not overpowering at all. All served with a salad of mixed lettuce . We washed this feast down with their great Lattes and cups of Earl Grey whilst the kids finished up the blueberry and carrot cakes . Loved the flavoured posh pops fizzy drinks too fantastic flavour mixes too the ginger and chilli was my favourite .What a nice place to pause and relax and just watch the canal boats canoes and small yachts saunter by. definitely will come back .

I went to the cafe which I've been to several times before lockdown, not often as it's fairly expensive for me, and this time I wanted to use the public loos so I was comfortable before I started going through the menu as it was lunch time. I asked what was going on with the toilets s they had the bar gates open but not the actual doors & the lady serving basically advised I had to order before I used the toilets because of "Covid" (Note t this point that the toilets in the Star Arcade have been open for quite some time so in my view Covid was't the reason.) I did explain I needed to use the toilets before ordering but it was after that I was told they didn't want Joe Public using them. (Like there's another reason apart from fishing to be on that stretch of the Medway.) So I just left. I wont be going back again. I won't be recommending them any time soon. Morally questionable in my view & definitely humiliating.

Enjoyed sitting by the river for coffee and very good cake on a sunny morning, away from the hustle and bustle of traffic above. My husband returned for a coffee in the late afternoon (long story) with our ancient labrador, and the owners were so kind.

Even though its only there part of the year, I go here every week during my lunch to meet up with my friend, owners are lovely and so welcoming, would recommend to all, their hufkins and jacket spuds are to die for.

Always have delicious coffee and cakes. A great place to stop when dog walking and have a friendly expereince. Vegan options, too.

I like a good cup of coffee and a natter and the old boat is exactly the kinda place for great food amazing staff always happy to see people even just to say hi . Just a shame they are not there all year around

This place is amazing. It was my first visit today, only wish I'd made the effort to go before. Great food, great service. Nice choice of food and drink, all at a reasonable price. Hope to get back before they pack up for the winter. Highly recommend.

During our weekend break in Kent we spent a day in Maidstone and wanted to take a river boat trip, unfortunately they weren't running on the day. So we set off in search of coffee and delightfully came across this lovely find. We couldn't believe how underused the river is here, But places like this will change that, its great. A traditional canal boat refurbished to provide delicious coffee and lovely eats. We enjoyed a late breakfast and if was excellent. Sitting at almost river level enjoying food and drink, what more can you ask for. Check it out.

This is a great place to stop for lunch, nice to sit by the river, happy service and good, sensibly priced food

A recent discovery for us abe amazing discovery, the old boat offers a nice selection of snacks and breakfasts, a selection dakes and hot an cold drinks, prepared on board an authentic 1911 horse barge, it's location by the river makes this a beautiful hidden gem in the town centre.

My boyfriend & I enjoyed a delicious lunch here bank holiday Monday 26th August. Only the finest ingredients were used in both our meals. The staff were friendly & helpful & made us feel most welcome. We loved sitting outside at our table watching the boats sail by on the river as we munched away. Cannot recommend this place enough :-)

Passing through Maidstone this morning and found this place on Tripadvisor, lovely food, great service and reasonably priced. Give it a go if your in the area!

Normally excellent, but today we found the Gypsy Stew very uninspiring. We also ordered a bacon sandwich and a sausage roll one with brown sauce the latter with ketchup. Not a major issue, but we ended up with 2 sandwiches with the brown sauce on the bacon and the ketchup with the sausage sandwich. Still tasty though and no need to complain.

Being on the boat in the shade with air blowing is just lovely. Had Super food salad and smooth strong coffee. Plenty of seating outside too .

My boyfriend and I ate in the boat, really enjoyable experience (even if it's not the best view with the big road view). We ate really well with hummus and flat bread, then two "sandwiches", I have to recommend you their hummus and the "sandwich" with the figues and the cheddar, really delicious. The service was really nice and quick.

Was stuck in Maidstone wondering what to do when w spotted this from the road. A little hard to navigate to but well worth it as lovely place, good food and the kids love it.

What a great place to stop for a drink or a bite to eat on a lovely sunny day.

Good choice of food and drink. Owners and staff polite and caring. I visit most weeks and sometimes twice weekly.

We visit pretty much every week. It's an amazing place, the food is great(local options), coffee is amazing, the staff are lovely and attentive and the owners are absolutely lovely! All of that and you're sat in a lovely environment. I would highly recommend!

We called in for a quick coffee after seeing good reviews on FB. Ended up staying for lunch (avocado and bacon on toast). Excellent food. Great service. Lovely to be on the river. Going back next week for breakfast. Well done to the owners.

After beeing recommended this place is a little goldmine nothing to much trouble had the best chessboard and cream tea doggiesvwelcomed plenty of seating staff friendly pay when you have eaten and your happy well done team xxx

Really cosy atmosphere on the river. Vegan and gluten free options, lovely cakes. Friendly staff Bread was nice

What an amazing find on the river. Great location, wonderful food and coffee to die for. Staff are very attentive and accommodating. Nothing is too much hassle. Outstanding cafe. Thanks.

Love it in here, clean, friendly service and the perfect place to relax. Will be returning when back in Maidstone.

What a fabulously unique and lovely place to stop for lunch.

Myself, 2 friends and our children visited the old boat on a very warm bank holiday Monday, what a delight, it was quite clear they were very busy but all of the staff made sure we were happy and seen to really quickly.

Apparently this place used to be ok but I warn you prepare to be disappointed.

We stopped here for a coffee on a lovely sunny day after touring most of Maidstone. It was a nice surprise to find and although we only had drinks this time, the food looked lovely too. A great setting to sit and watch the world go by.

Been here a couple of times now, absolutely fantastic! Beautiful coffee, tasty smoothies and cakes too. Would highly recommend to anyone

Child friendly, lovely coffee and the kids loved the hot chocolate. All served by the owners who are so welcoming and sociable. Will definitely return for a lunch.

Lovely staff.. Plenty of choice re healthy options.. Original venue even on a chilly day... Will go again to try the cakes!!

We are so glad they have reopened for the year! It’s our 2nd time to the old boat. My partner and I and the 3 kids came for a late lunch today. We were so warmly welcomed back by the owners and staff. We ordered the chicken laksa soup and bacon and avocado huffkin for the grown ups and a jacket potato and children’s tapas for the kiddies. EVERYTHING was delicious! The cafe had a steady flow of customers but we were never made to feel rushed for our table.

I spotted the boat when walking past and was delighted to find that it was a café serving lovely food and drink. I had an excellent sausage bap and coffee. There are places to sit in the boat and on the riverbank. The children next to me were having a great time talking to the geese and swans. Highly recommended.

Food: 10/10 - loads of chioce everything is fresh produce - gluten-free--vegan and vegetarian options - savory and sweet options for all .

Lovely welcoming staff offered us our pick of seating so we chose river view seating. We had swans and Canadian geese swimming by whilst we enjoyed our refreshments. Pleased to see so many gluten free cakes.

I’ve visited the Old Boat Cafe several times for morning coffee and afternoon tea! The drinks are lovely (especially the hot chocolate) and the cake/desserts, of which I’ve tried several - delicious!!! I’ve yet to have lunch but I can only imagine it would be very good! I’m a coeliac and the staff are very knowledgable about gluten free and other dietary requirements! There have been several different members of staff on different days and they are all so friendly and accommodating! We went with a large group of friends on an awfully wet day on one occasion and being that we couldn’t all easily fit on the boat, they couldn’t do enough to try and keep those of us sat outside dry!

Parking further down river ,we walked to the old boat and sat outside due to dogs. Lovely breakfast , tasty and fresh ,coffee great and lovely service.

We went for a lunch here, as my mum had been past and seen a menu. I can not recommend it highly enough. The owners were so friendly and happy to chat to us about the food and their vision (the menu is designed to celebrate the best Kent has to offer and where possible they are sourcing everything locally).

I have visited the Cafe quite often where you are made to feel welcome and treated like one of the family. My friend and I have joined the Knit and Natter group that has been taking place every Tuesday afternoon. Our river has been a better place to visit since the family came and set up their Old Boat Cafe.

The best possible place to chill after a hard day at work. Delightfully friendly staff (she's just given a complimentary gingerbread man to a kid), stunning coffee and cake. Not to mention the view of the river and a chance to get up close to swans...Bliss!

On recommendation we visited last week with my 4 year old daughter. So refreshing to meet lovely & welcoming staff. Great little menu which caters for all sorts of dietary requirements, can highly recommend their stove top soups! Have already been back, a real asset to Maidstone.

We had a delicious lunch here, with all the produce locally sourced, can recommend the Canalman salad. The staff are super helpful and chatty and the place has a really nice atmosphere. Kiera is happy for you to have a look around the boat which has all the original living quarters!

This could have been really good ... quirky, very friendly, and the food was good. Maybe we were just unlucky, but the service was astonishingly slow, and the food, though tasty and fresh, was a bit expensive for very modest portions. We were given a round of drinks as an apology for the slow service, which was kind ... but it was a bit disappointing. The setting is lovely, though, and given other good reports, I'd be willing to give it another go.

The towpath at Maidstone really needed something like this, a contrast to the rather tatty cafe nearby. Friendly service in fun surroundings and an excellent-looking good-value menu with plenty of homemade goodies. I've only stopped on my bike for drinks so far, but a longer stay is inevitable.

Went here with my mum after seeing it from the one way system. We had cream teas which had beautiful (and huge) scones and a pot of tea. We love everything about this from the delightful setting, the whole ethos, the story and the lovely staff. We both said we will most definitely return. This is head and shoulders above any place you can go in town.

Visited for the second time today and it's a wonderful place to stop and grab a coffee and cake (the menu looks fab as well but haven't had a chance to try yet). It's family friendly and the cakes are amazing. Staff are really friendly and it is such a relaxing place on the river.

Whilst kayaking on the River Medway came across this and it just had to be done !! Having placed our order the heavens opened and the wonderful staff told us to shelter under the bridge and they would deliver it to us.Wonderful service great coffee.We'll be back

Walking along the river on a family day out we came across The Old Boat. What a lovely find and what a brilliant idea. We just stopped for coffee and a milkshake but had a look of the menu and a chat to the staff. It's only been going for a few weeks and I hope it carries on for a long time. The coffee was really good, smooth and rich. The milkshake went down rather well too! We're going to definitely return very soon for a bite to eat. Wishing your new venture on the river all the best.

So lovely to sit by the river enjoying a sweet treat. Staff is lovely, and I felt at home straight away. Really glad to know this new little spot in Maidstone! Can't wait to try the food and other things on the menu.

Discovered this lovely cafe today sheltering from the rain. It was wonderful to sit on a comfy sofa with a great cup of tea/ hot chocolate watching the rain on the river. We were very tempted by the gypsy stew and bacon Huffkin rolls but we will return to try them later. The owners were delightful, this is a very welcome addition to the river and Maidstone.

We visited this place today, excellent location, friendly service, and great coffee and cake. They also serve a range of other food and drinks. I was especially pleased that they have dairy free alternative milks, and even dairy free cakes! We will be back :)

Great location for a summer lunch. Lavender cake and coffee just right In addition nice people running it. Hope it remains a success.

We have just treated ourselves to coffee and cake on the river. The scone was light and fruity and came with a healthy topping of cream, jam and strawberries. The coffee was a perfect blend. You can either sit on the boat and look through the open 'Windows' watching the river slowly pass by or sit at the table and chairs on the bank. We will definitely be back for lunch.

This is our fourth visit in the last week, love this quirky boat cafe, today we tried the gypsy stew AMAZING also previously had the BLT twice coffees and ice creams. The staff and owners are so friendly.

The old boat cafe is really good located, they provide a healthy food, cold drinks and great service! Staff are friendly and smiling :) hope they’ll come back next year!!!

A great little place on the river Medway , for a refreshment break excellent food and service nice views too

A lovely, relaxing, characterful place to escape from the hubbub of Maidstone town centre. As you walk riverside on your approach to the Old Boat Cafe, you already begin to disconnect from the busy pace of the town, with the tranquility of the river, it’s wildlife, the boats and river sports. Nestled in between the two road bridges of St Peters Bridge, I was surprised that I became unaware of any road noise that may have hummed in the background. The long boat is quaint and snug, with a lovely long window to catch the river breeze and gaze out at the water. The staff running and serving in the Old Boat Cafe were genuine good souls; welcoming, warm, attentive and friendly. Outside of the boat is a spread of tables on the river bank where you can sit and dine alfresco, shielded from the hustle and bustle by the cove of St. Peter’s bridges. All in all a lovely location to visit if you are looking for something a little different and truly want to take a break. I recommend that you make the most of this seasonal delight before it goes into winter hibernation.

My 2 young kids and I had a great lunch there. We were made feel welcome, enjoyed a pleasant gig of folk music and the box of kids books and toys was a bonus. We all enjoyed the food. The kuffin was delicious! Now you've got to go and try that if you don't know what it is!

Friendly staff, great service and fab prices. Food is amazing. If you want just a coffee and a cake or something more substantial then give here a try. Sit looking out at the river, on a table inside a lovely converted old narrow boat or one of the many tables outside. Definitely a place you can relax. Will be back time and time again

What a wonderful place! Amazing staff and who were fabulous with my young son. Menu is varied and so reasonable, the balsamic pearls on the avaocado and goats cheese on toast are sublime! Toys provided for children, and we’ve even been told about a story time session being run in the holidays. Can’t wait to come back again.

Have visited 3 times now came across while walking in to town there cream teas are a must also have some lovely cakes and ice cream we can highly recommend visiting here the prices are reasonable and the staff are very friendly and helpful will be going again many times

The Old Boat Cafe is well worth finding! In between the two bridges on the river it’s close to the city centre but far enough away for some much needed peace and quiet. We found it when on our way to The Kentish Lady for a boat trip - we stopped at the Old Boat en route and had a fabulous cream tea and Canalman’s Lunch served by knowledgable, happy and friendly staff. We’ll be back for more - looking forward to one of your lovely cakes next! Thank you.