Samphire in Canterbury

Samphire is a wonderful independent, family-run bistro in the heart of Whitstable, offering a true taste of Kent and the South East. Their commitment to fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms, fishermen, and producers is evident in every dish. The ½ dozen oysters with juniper mignonette are a must-try—exceptionally fresh, plump, and bursting with flavor. For dessert, the Miso & sea salt brownie with miso & caramel ice cream is an absolute delight. The touch of sea salt elevates the flavors, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and umami. A fantastic spot to experience local cuisine with a warm and welcoming atmosphere!

Amazing food. Great atmosphere. A lovely quaint bistro

A lovely place to come back to - the food as ever was delicious, and the portion sizes seem to be getting bigger (the focaccia was incredible). Had to chase a little for the bill sadly, but the whole experience there is a delight.

A-MAZING. Staff were great, food was incredible. What a fun evening - will be recommending, and also returning!

Amazing service. Food was excellent, perfect cookery of the meat. Bacon chop so tender and fish pie was delicious. Great cocktails too.

They closed early, without updating the website. Very unprofessional. Lost good money. 2 stars as I was feeling unwell and they provided a glass of water when I asked.

The staff were excellent, despite it being very busy, they fitted us in. The food was very good and wines fairly priced. Portions were filling and food presented very well. Lots to recommend this place.

Super delicious meal! Recommend the muscles. Had the soup to start which was equally delicious! Big shout out to the lovely Angela whose service, energy and kindness was 10/10 alongside other lovely staff! Will be returning soon!

Oysters ,Fish pie ,lemon tart all delicious

Wish I’d read the reviews before I suggested this restaurant or ordered the fish pie which really was not worth the money charged for a bland dish that had one mouthful of salmon in, a thin tasteless sauce and a lot of peas. My mackerel starter was tasty though and apparently so was the very small dish of one lonely scallop that was enjoyed by another member of our party. We waited an hour for these. At least my fish pie was served hot which same cannot be said for the steaks which were pretentiously served lukewarm on cold plates, one would assume to ‘showcase’ the jus. One of our party asked for their steak medium and this was a real issue apparently although when they steaks arrived they were all medium rather than the medium rare the others had asked for. We also would have liked to have been offered some water at the table along with our wine or were they banking that we would order another bottle if they kept us waiting for our food for long enough? Although water was promptly supplied when we asked. As was the music turned down when we asked. (It wasn’t to our taste and overly loud). This restaurant is expensive and for that they should make the customer feel they have had the best meal and service ever but it just didn’t cut it for me. Doubt we’ll go back.

We had an amazing experience at Samphire in Whitstable, made even better by the fantastic service from Dory. He went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, not only ensuring we had a great time at the restaurant but also sharing brilliant local tips that made our visit even more special. His warmth, professionalism, and genuine enthusiasm didn’t go unnoticed - what a great representation of Samphire - we couldn’t have asked for better hospitality. Thanks, Dory – we’ll definitely be back! PS The food was so great we went twice during our weekend stay!

Absolutely amazing food and atmosphere. We live in Whitstable and this was our first time visiting, we will definitely be back

Started off relatively well, nice starter. Then had the roast..:roasties were over cooked and bread sauce was cold. Despite telling them this they made me feel that bread sauce should be cold 🥶 Over priced for the quality of the food, wouldn’t return.

Delicious vegetarian options, beautiful setting, overall incredible

One word, WOW! This place did not disappoint. We had the crab rarebit to start, and this was a 20/10. My sister had the prawns and she said they were super meaty and flavoursome. The focaccia was the best we’ve ever had! We then had roast dinners, chicken supreme and beef, with a side of pigs in blankets and cauliflower cheese. The portion sizes were ample, and great value for money. The staff were warm and friendly and super attentive. Will definitely be returning!

We have been to the Samphire a number of times. I have always found the found to be of a high stand and enjoyable. We have had the lunch menu and were not disappointed. For a stater e had the pate. It wasn’t called pate and it was far better than the usual restaurant fare you can have served. I then had the Mussels. Every now and again, I can assure you it more again than now, I feel the urge to eat mussels. This is the only time I have eaten mussels and I have felt that I would return to this restaurant to eat them again. My partner had the gammon. She was not disappointed. Lovely cut of gammon with fresh eggs. The menu is limited but so it should when you are attempting to cook food at a high standard. The staff and service ere good. This restaurant fulfills the very good food bracket without becoming pretentious. A good relaxed atmosphere and I will be going there again.

What a lovely restaurant. I brought some visiting friends for lunch, and the Samphire did not disappoint. The set menu lunch was well balanced, well priced, and most of all delicious. Service was warm, friendly, and well paced despite being v busy. Advance booking is a must! We will definitely be back x

The squid starter with black pudding was a winner and side of potatoes and the hispi were just as good quality as our main meals. Steak was cooked perfectly and was delicious in the sauce it was served with. lovely wine list and great Servcie have already recommend to friends and we will be back for sure.

I ordered the rump steak as a main and it is was way too chewy. I sent it back and didn't even hear anything back from the staff until I was still charged for it despite there being at least 3/4's of the steak still on the plate. Really disappointing and incredibly overpriced for what you get. Won't be back.

It’s not an easy task to find a restaurant that can accommodate a 7 month old baby and our step mother in law who is in a wheelchair as well as dish up delicious food but samphire did all this and more. Staff were friendly and helpful in accommodating our needs and the brunch dishes were sublime. Perfection!

The breakfasts were first class, the quality of service even better. Thank you!

Nice atmosphere and great service. I had the pork and my wife had the Mackerel. It was heavily over seasoned. I love salt but this was crazy. The espresso martinis were great.

A real treat. Hearty and flavourful meals. Delicious ham with creamed leeks, fish pie and Creole mussels. Brilliant vegetarian options which everybody enjoyed. Traditional desserts with excellent textures. Very long and interesting wine list. Friendly staff and jolly atmosphere. The only thing that spoiled it was that a children’s dish from the children’s menu was spicy, it didn’t state this, and she didn’t eat much.

Highly recommend this restaurant. Excellent food, staff and ambience. It may be more for a special occasion as the prices are higher but it was well worth it. A more limited menu than others but a tiny kitchen and the food was delicious, especially the Sea Bream. They pride themselves on offering well cooked and presented food with an unusual twist. The wine prices are very competitive.

Really excellent! Super set lunch, well prepared and delicious. Bravo to the chef and staff. Highly recommended. Just wish there was one like it in nearby Faversham !

Such a disappointing experience. We arrived 12 minutes early & were surly told our table wasn’t ready & there was nowhere to wait inside. We returned & ordered. Only I had a starter the wild mushrooms and they were lovely. That was until I’d nearly finished & found 2 small hard somethings I couldn’t identify - so regretted not pointing out to the server when she took my plate! My husband ordered the steak but was told it comes medium/rare. No choice of how a steak is cooked, we’ve never experienced that before! I ordered fish pie with buttered hispi. The hispi was vaguely warm & pie was hot but more wet mash with very little fish and had no flavour. The steak sauce, peppercorn, crispy shallots was very strange, the side of new potatoes for one could have served at least two. With a added 12.5 % service charge we paid nearly £100. We will not be returning and cannot recommend.

We popped in for a very impromptu lunch and were definitely not disappointed. The food, ambiance and front of house staff were exemplary. Thank you Ashley and the FOH team you looked after us so well. We will be back.

Excellent food, high quality and friendly service. We had the beef tartare, veggie pithivier, mackerel and croquettes, all delicious. Great to see this restaurant getting better since last time we visited. Will definitely come back soon.

Lovely food, the garlic chilli prawns were outstanding and the fish pie very nice. The highlight for me was dessert, my choice was no longer available so the chef cobbled together something similar and it was gorgeous. Goes without saying in Whitstable that the service was also superb. This town seems to take great pride in providing great food and friendly knowledgeable service wherever you go.

So good we went two nights in a row when we came to Whitstable for a 2 day stay. Vegetarian option very good, also good prawns and mussels. Very attentive and knowledgeable staff, not too attentive though. We loved it. Go.

Had a lovely romantic night here as a birthday treat with my husband. The manager was friendly and knowledgeable. It was out of season so by 9.45pm we were the last ones there and left soon afterwards to allow the staff to go home. I had the cauliflower steak and hispi miso cabbage as a side. My husband had the mackerel which whilst delicious was disappointing at over £25 that I t didn’t come with anything but sauce. The wine list started at £29.95 - I’m sure it would still make them 100% gross margin if it was £19.95….just unnecessarily expensive in my opinion. All in all lovely but a bit pricey.

Service was excellent. Would score 3.5 if able but the food standard in relation to cost cannot really be justified if compared to other places that we have eaten. We had the lunch time menu, main was excellent but the sides, veg & roasties were not the best, appeared as probably pre-cooked, over cooked, teeth breaking roast potatoes as at end of service but even so shouldn't be the case, first time eating there so a bog let down as pretty pricey, including the drinks.

Superb food and great service. Highly recommended.

Had an early dinner. Good range of wines. Pleasant staff and good service. Food was lovely and enjoyed the mussels.

The atmosphere was lively with three generation families eating together. The food was fresh and perfectly cooked. Impeccable service.

Very good quality food and service, happy to accommodate the dog. Would highly recommend for breakfast and dinner menu looks fabulous.

Great atmosphere and amazing food

From ringing up to book to the welcome on arrival and dining experience, everyone was kind, friendly, helpful and welcoming. We arrived tired and left replenished. The food was delicious

Fantastic restaurant with nice professional staff. We had a wonderful evening with great food and wine - I would recommend the bacon chop !

A real treat , staff are so attentive, the food is very good and the ambience is warm and friendly.

We recommend the set menu, especially as the mains come with a glass of house wine. Leek and potato soup was delicious, possibly the best we've had in a restaurant. The fish pie was full of fish and the mashed potato was creamy. Really enjoyed the Creole mussels with Trinity sauce, however there are a LOT of mussels so you might want to share this between two people. Service was attentive and quick. It is not cheap but it is good value.

Delicious food, great service and nice atmosphere. Highly recommended.

We last came to Samphire 5 years ago when we were celebrating our son's graduation. We had such a lovely experience we wanted to return as we were in the area. Granted it is not cheap but we could not fault the quality of the food or the service. We were greeted with a friendly smile and shown our table. We decided to try the special Wine of the week as well as a glass of the Chapel Down Flint - neither disappointed. We avoided the starters but did have the Focaccia to share and it was soft and delicious and warm. The spicy butter was delicious and you only needed a small amount to be about to taste it. For mains my husband had Butternut Squash and Ricotta Pithivier which he said was delicious - it looked small but he found it very filling. I had the fish pie - and had no complaints about the size of the portion, nor the amount of fish in it - the mash was also smooth and tasty. For dessert I choose the Apple Frangipane and Blackberry sorbet - both to die for. My husband stuck to Afrogato but was very pleased with his decision. It was probably the most expensive meal we have had out for a while - but well worth it. The restaurant was busy the night we went, but the service with still attentive and friendly. We would recommend it.

Fish pie with 3 pieces of soggy salmon. No sauce and a couple of peas £25 for a tiny portion. They are having a joke Thought I might have a pudding £9.50 😳😳😳 not a chance

Fantastic lunch at Samphire! Even though I had to wait quite a while, I am very delighted I did, definitely worthy of it. The oysters and calamari were something incredible, super fresh! Attentive staff as always. Going to return as per usual.

It would be 4 stars if it wasn’t so expensive. A bit odd having to pay extra for sides, if you order a fish, you get a fish. As long as you are OK with that concept and have deep pockets you may well enjoy it more.

Very tasty food. Loved the oysters and mackerel. Just didn’t feel like great value for money - £28 for one mackerel and a bit of samphire without any potatoes which we had to get separately.

The beef tartare was full of dried onions and tasted bitter, the other shared dishes were edible but no more than that, service was helpful and friendly

We thought we'd researched the options that whitstable had to offer thoroughly but sadly we still got it badly wrong. The atmosphere was non existent. To say the food was average would be paying it an undeserved compliment. We had oysters which are pretty hard to mess up. From that point things headed south quickly. My beef tartar was like eating a raw hamburger with those nasty onion crisps on top. My wife's crab was dry and pretty tasteless. My main of their "celebrated" fish pie was like a child's portion from Iceland, with anonymous seafood and watery mash, with a spoonful sized ramekin of boiled cabbage. My wife had a bacon chop which just tasted like a hunk of the gammon I make at Christmas every year but at 27 quid seemed like it believed it's own hype. With a bottle of wine and no pudding or coffee I feel like over 170 quid was extracting the Michael a bit. Self aggrandising, over priced caff food posing as precious, poncey, emperors new clothes cuisine. If food grabs me my the taste buds and makes me glad to be alive then I don't have a budget but in instances like this when I'm disappointed to the point of walkin into the sea with my clothes on then even a freebie would not assuage my angst. Sorry if this upsets you but I think you know you can do better and that you're just rinsing those that either don't know better or are too conditioned to say otherwise.

Good food, quirky cafe style seating, ambient lighting, shame about the poor service. Not friendly or welcoming. Server & chef seemed like they wanted to be anywhere but there. No atmosphere. No hand wipes offered after eating moules?! Just a dry napkin?! Server looked offended when I asked if they had anything to wipe my hands with, like a wet cloth, which is normal in any other places that serve seafood. Not sure if they were having a bad day? Needless to say, on our experience, I would definitely try other places, plenty of choice in Whitstable.

Had fish and chips take away. Delicious 😋 very large fish and more than plenty of chips.

Had dinner here. Advice everyone to book in advance, it is hard to get a table here. The food is amazing. A few vegetarian/ vegan options which are hard to find in Whitstable. My partner and family said the seafood here is excellent as well. Definitely will come back if I visit Whitstable again. For price, it is not cheap, but reasonable for the food quality and service.

Fantastic Sunday brunch and cocktails

We were very excited to try Samphire as it came highly recommended. The lady who attended us was very nice until I found a dead fly in my meal. I was certainly disgusted and being pregnant quite concerned. We pointed this to her and she just said sorry. It wasn’t a heartfelt apology or a kind response. I have been to many high rated restaurants and an incident like this is handled in a more professional fashion. We got discounted just my dish and we left very distressed. Even though produce might have been fresh the execution and hygiene was questionable. The place was full of flies and warm. I left deeply concerned and won’t return as my meal was ruined by this experience. I understand due to the volume of tourists a bad review won’t make much difference but we went to Birdies a few meters down the same road and we had an amazing meal and an excellent service.

Fantastic food, and great waiting staff

A comforting atmosphere , excellent food , the two ladies /staff were very welcoming and friendly , definitely recommend , you won't be disappointed .

We were a group of 8 and our table was at the back of the restaurant near the kitchen. Overall the experience was great, but I have a concern to share with the owners. From my seat I could see into the kitchen, I was surprised to see that the chef was on his phone while cooking food. My concern is that I don't think this is very hygienic. I'm interested in a view from the restaurant management. We didn't raise it as an issue at the time because we didn't want to spoil the atmosphere of our meal with our visiting relatives.

Best steak I've had in England ever , beautiful food , super special , a must visit restaurant !

Staff helpful re 2 off menu diets. 6 people 2 x 2 had same. 5 happy with food. Mine : chard needed draining, olives v dry and peppery, sour dough toasted ? , mash off putting shape. Arrived on opening time, but waited 1 hr for food. Youre given 2 hrs to eat and go.

beautiful food and the friendliest service, we were made to feel so welcome all the servers are super lovely! We recommend the mussels which were amazing:)

Great, there was no reservation, they helped us immediately, the menu tastes super, thank you.

Little gem with fabulous food and service. Definitely book during busy periods.

The bacon chop and leeks were so good I had to call my Irish Mother to tell her!! The best thing I’ve eaten in a long while, simple, tasty and nostalgic. Lovely warm welcome from the team and couldn’t fault the food. Go. Go tomorrow. And the next day….

Superb little bistro. The food is excellent, with a good little menu to choose from. The waiting staff are a wonder, they really make the place shine.

This was a prebooked Birthday treat for my partner. On arrival we were put in the window seat area which was not comfortable for older people. We were sat right next to the open door at supposedly the best table in the house! Unfortunately, it was a very warm day and our area was completely surrounded by flies so we were constantly swatting! The starters were Oysters and Cod's Roe which were excellent. The mains were fish pie and we added vegetables. The other main was liver and bacon, for some reason, on toast. The mains were rather bland and overpriced. Because of the flies, we decided not to stay for coffee or dessert. Overall, our main disappointment was the lack of care from the staff. It would have been so easy to have offered us another table and perhaps a complimentary coffee or dessert as an example of good caring customer service. We have been there a number of times for excellent meals but we won't be returning. A disastrous Birthday lunch.

Dropped in for lunch when on holiday. Unpretentious little cafe serving some really wholesome and flavourful food. Our server Ashley was super friendly and accommodating and a don’t of knowledge in the local area. I had bacon chop, creamed leeks and a smoked apple sauce, my wife had freshly caught mackerel, beetroot and samphire. We enjoyed it so much we extended to STP and summer pudding + coffee. Reasonable price and a lovely friendly vibe, thoroughly recommended!

Best brunch ever! So tasty, fantastic, friendly and efficient service on Sunday morning! If I had to be critical, the coffee was a bit strong for us but will not stop me from returning

Tonight I had the best meal I have ever tasted, but this place is special. 5 stars all day long; amazing staff too.

Very tasty meal. Friendly service. Recommended!

Food was delicious - home made, and so tasty. Staff were very attentive and friendly. This was one of the best meals and restaurant experiences I’ve had for a long time.

My son took us here for a belated fathers day present. He is a vegan and enjoyed his cauliflower steak,,I had a lovely Dover sole and my wife had the lobster ,Food wonderful, staff excellent.and at 5.30pm the place was packed . If you go ,booking is a must !!! We will be going back

Great staff, lovely food and value for money. Excellent venue.

Took my Mum to Whitstable this past Saturday and had a lovely walk along the harbour and had booked Samphire for 2pm on a recommendation from a friend. We ended up walking by the bistro at 1.15pm and popped in to see if we could seat early as we were hungry. They could not have been more accommodating and seated us at one for the side by side tables in the front so we could watch the world go by whilst enjoying one the tastiest meals we have ever had. I cannot express how impressed we both were with the food, service and atmosphere of this lovely little seaside bistro and would recommend to all with total confidence that you will too feel the same….as I did to quite a few passer’s by who saw what we were eating 😉 Thank you very much Samphire team including the chefs who I personally thanked on the day. We will for sure return for more or the same.

Took my Mum to Whitstable this past Saturday and had a lovely walk along the harbour and had booked Samphire for 2pm on a recommendation from a friend. We ended up walking by the bistro at 1.15pm and popped in to see if we could seat early as we were hungry. They could not have been more accommodating and seated us at one for the side by side tables in the front so we could watch the world go by whilst enjoying one the tastiest meals we have ever had. I cannot express how impressed we both were with the food, service and atmosphere of this lovely little seaside bistro and would recommend to all with total confidence that you will too feel the same….as I did to quite a few passer’s by who saw what we were eating 😉 Thank you very much Samphire team including the chefs who I personally thanked on the day. We will for sure return for more or the same.

Me and my husband came here for lunch and wow!!! Amazing food and lovely setting. We had the set menu which is great value. Our oysters were so tasty we ordered another half a dozen. Mussels for our main which were the best we’ve ever eaten. Will definitely be returning

Exceptional food in a lovely environment. Steak tartare starter was excellent with lovely crispy onions. Mussels were really good, such a refreshing change from the usual mariniere. My wife loved her fish pie. The creme brulee with pistachios was amazing, probably the best we've ever had. The wine was good and the espresso martini as good as I've had anywhere. Overall an excellent evening. Highly recommended.

Exceptional food and very friendly/helpful staff. Steak tartare starter very good. Mussels really good, so much better than the usual mariniere. Creme brulee with pistachios was amazing. The only disappointment was the olives, which were ok but nothing special. Overall an excellent meal with lovely waiting staff in a very enjoyable atmosphere.

Really really nice lunch with fantastic fresh oysters and smoked cod’s roe and as mains great Creole mussels with smoked prawn butter. Price-quality is very good.

Good appetisers and drinks, however; there can certainly be a better variety of vegetarian options. Just one option on the menu at the moment!

Gorgeous food, quick friendly service. Ashley was chatty and helpful when we had questions about the menu and made my girlfriend and I feel very welcome. Also, the veggie options are creative and delicious! And the pistachio brûlée was a real surprise highlight. Also, great choice of music too. Will definitely be coming back next time I'm in Whitstable, thank you!

An amazing little place, food is clean & filling, some nice concepts on the classics. Breakfast is a must at this place. The girls on front of house are kind and fun

We were passing through the area and chose this restaurant based on its good reviews and ratings. It did not disappoint… Started with both some amazing fresh oysters, and the soft roe with crackers. The fish of the day was a perfectly prepared grey mullet, and I had the “famous” fish pie. Delicious. Even the sides were great, a chargrilled smoky hispi cabbage, and some divine potato pavé. All finished off with an interestingly green bit delicious pistachio crème brûlée. The three ladies serving were efficient and full of fun personality. Very inviting and engaging. Oh, and I forgot… don’t miss the Italicus Spritz. Popular in Italy and Austria, and great to see it in the UK.

Nice enough food and atmosphere. Seating slightly cramped and unfortunately a screaming baby near us when we went.

Food is good, here the 4 stars are driven by value for money. The offer is around classic British fish food slightly more expensive than average. Good quality, but not different from what can be found around in Whitstable. On the other hand. The cocktails were amazing ! Italicus spritz highly recommended. They have an excellent service

Simple, classic, expertly executed. Great little spot with a relaxed vibe. Lovely staff. 10/10

Professional service,great food.

Was expecting better food but any Fish & Chip shop would be better choice, and much cheaper. My fish was burn out and tasteless.

One of my favourite places in Whitstable! Limited menu options but fresh and well thought. Some cooked dishes might be a bit too buttery so that can be a consideration.

Had excellent lunch on set 3 courses menu . Seaside town price . Will visit again in future

Chef’s kiss! A gem of a place. The cauliflower steak was magic. Also had the mussels which were delicious, has a really nice hot kick to it, which I’ve never really had with mussels before. Service was quick and friendly. Beautiful decor and ambience. Kombucha topped things off. Little expensive but totally worth it. Definitely recommend!

Lovely place, amazing food!! Best oyster ever

We arrived around 19:20, on a Sunday, and we had not reserved a table. Still, a very helpful waiter managed to fix a table for us (two adults and a 12 year old boy). What followed was honestly the best meal we have had in a restaurant for years. The fish pie was out of this world, probably the best one I have had my whole life, and our 12 year old loved the mussles. The burnt basque cheesecake with rhubarb that I had for desert was equally wonderful. The atmosphere was great, and the service was impeccable. If you ever visit Whitstable, you have to pay this gem of a restaurant a visit! You will not regret it, I promise.

Worst restaurant in the whole area. They allow big dogs in the middle of the restaurant who aren’t being controlled by their owners or on a lead. The big dog went after our dog and didn’t listen to any recall from its owners and hurt our dog. Then the server proceeds to smugly call our dog “untrained” when our dog walked by us ever since we entered the establishment. Overall the worst experience ever, staff are unprofessional and stupid.

Excellent evening with beautiful food service. Gorgeous fish. Especially happy with the gypsy tart!

Staff were absolutely lovely and the food was amazing. Our favourite restaurant in whitstable

Excellent food and service! This is a must go if you’re in Whitstable. The staff are all lovely and welcoming. We had the Sunday lunch menu which was super tasty and great value.

They may have ruined fish pie for me. Not sure it will ever be as good anywhere else. Superb food. Great service.

Had walked past this place many times but finally went. Excellent brunch menu- not boring and inventive, good quality food, most nicest service and ever so helpful as we had an infant! Highly recommend - I’ll be coming back for lunch

I sent back the mussels which were full of sand so inedible.

We were in Whistable for a couple of days and this place caught our eye. Great food and service. Highly recommended