Socialite Rooftop Restaurant Canterbury in Canterbury

As a bar, it’s got enough perks to make it worth a visit. Namely, that’s the cathedral view that makes it feel the impressive spot it clearly wants to be. With some modern, pleasant interiors and an open floor plan, Socialite is a decent place to drink and chat. Where it stumbles awkwardly is in the restaurant side of the business. Socialite is the kind of joint where you’ll pay top dollar for an average take on fine dining. This means generally *alright* fare, but frequently missing the mark due to poorly conceived flavour profiles or inadequate portion sizes. That’s if the kitchen has its act together to pace out the courses, it’s not the first time I’ve been where I’ve witnessed staff arguing at the pass (thankfully out of earshot but it’s still obvious enough). Point being: it’s overly expensive for what it is - sub-par meals that are *fine*, but don’t earn their cost or really match the vibe Socialite is going for. In a sense they do, but only in that you’re paying a lot. There’s an air of pretentiousness to it, doubled up by some singular vegetarian options that convince you there’s not much imagination at play in the kitchen - just pumping out typical red meat and seafood courses. Problem is, there’s errors even there too. I sat in at New Year’s Eve and witnessed the langoustines accompanying the sea bass main course having not been deveined - £75 per head and you’re not even bothering to clean the faeces out of a shrimp? Maddening. So there you have it - go for drinks, not for dinner. Don’t be fooled by the vibe, it’s surface level: enjoy the view.

The bar offers stunning views of the Cathedral! Good bar menu and delicious cocktails. The music from this French DJ was also excellent, unobtrusive - ideal for gatherings with friends.

I've stayed in a fair few Hampton by Hiltons across the country so wasn't expecting much form an associated rooftop restaurant, particularly when Canterbury has so much to offer it seems. However, long day at work so couldn't be bothered to venture into town... AND WOW! the food was just fantastic I could have eaten four bowls of the broccoi and ginger alone and the chicken is clearly quality stuff cooked with a high degree of care. Lovely job. Hoping I get some more work in Canterbury soon.

Service was prompt, I ordered my main which was delicious . Lovely glass of champagne overlooking the beautiful Cathedral

Expensive but pretty. A date place or for those want a pretty view at their get together. To get in, you have to go up a lift to the top floor. It opens up into a huge, stylish indoor casual drinking/dining space. Though, beyond the very impressive bar is an even finer dining space, suitable for dinner and events. The outside area, through extensive glass windows, is the major attraction. Huge couches make for great get togethers, all with probably the best terrace drinking experience in Canterbury. With no heaters it can be very cold, so dress warmly. Often table service is given, which gels well the overall excellent service. Sunset or with the Cathedral lit up artificially is the best photo opportunity time.

Jack and Ali made the experience so unique really enjoyed the cocktails, recommend to anyone who wants to have nice cocktails and a good vibe to be around

Went to Socialite to celebrate my graduation and had an amazing experience. Bartenders Jack and Ali especially made my night.

Excellent moment dans ce restaurant Roof top avec une vue magnifique sur la cathédrale. Très bonne table une excellente cuisine une service courtois et agréable. Bref un bon moment Merci

Just found this place and only for drinks. Will definitely return for more and food too! When I was there it was mid afternoon so not too many people in, but was still lovely and very well fitted out location!

Nice rooftop bar with reasonably priced drinks and food. Beautiful view of thentown centre.

Took a little long at first to get served but after that we was served by Tom/Thom? He was great, made us feel at home. Atmosphere was nice too the views & decent music playing! Just wish they had better drinks on the happy hour😆. Would for sure comeback

Fantastic Sunday roast at the Socialite in Canterbury! I think I can honestly say it was the nicest roast I’ve ever eaten ❤️ well done chef!! Excellent value too at £20!!

I went here on a wet Thursday lunchtime, so there were only a few other diners, but the food was outstanding, and the view was superb. It would be lovely on a warm sunny day.

Got my scarf! Thanks very much. My bestie and I had a wonderful evening here. Loved it! :)

lovely view and food was delicious, great service too!

We had a surprise 18th meal booked. We were seated with a fantastic view of the Cathedral. All our dinners were outstanding ,steaks were cooked to perfection would actually say they were the best we've ever eaten. Staff were friendly and so helpful even cooked up a dish that weren't on the meal for our fussy vegetarian . Great atmosphere and we could even set the temperature for around our table. We will return in the future. Thank you.

Excellent service and excellent food. Thank you to the team for a wonderful afternoon.

Amazing view, such a shame that the chefs are too arrogant not to prepare even cheese platter. Pretending something what they are not. Recommended to go upstairs take a picture of town with cathedral and leave.

Schöne Aussicht auf die Kathedrale

During my first visit here, I was left with indelible memories that have made a lasting impression on both my heart and mind. I cannot stress enough the importance of not missing out on this extraordinary experience.

Amazing service from Lily even through a busy evening

Sehr freundlicher Service, herrliche Aussicht über die Dächer von Canterbury.

Ein schlichtes Gebäude und die Überraschung gibt’s im fünften Stock 👌😉 Top Qualität… Mega freundliches Personal.. Super Musik… Eine Traum Aussicht… Eine absolute Empfehlung ✌️😎

Seriously, the only aspect of the Socialite that is worth going there for is the view. As Canterbury locals, we have visited several times and on each occasion, the service has been appalling. The waiters/waitresses are clearly not trained properly (so it would be unfair to blame them directly). However, every time, they have either forgotten what was ordered, got the order wrong or taken an unacceptable length of time to deliver the drinks (25 minutes for a glass of wine? We eventually got up and left). On each occasion, there has been a gaggle of staff huddled together chatting to each other and apparently completely ignoring customers. This could be such a nice place; instead, it is pretentious, badly managed and massively underwhelming. Go for the view - take a photo, and leave to have a drink/eat a meal somewhere else

I came the bar with my friends. We had a wonderful time there. Especially, the staff, Olena gave us really good service. We wanna go there again if we have opportunity.

Socialite .... Nice little surprise in Canterbury. It has a nice atmosphere and good vibe, the drinks are a good quality and you can taste that, the food is fantastic. There were a lot of staff, with ample time to talk and discuss drinks/food, all of whom gave sound and informed advice. Great experience all in all. Sami (spelling error?) was great waiter, as we're his colleagues and bar staff/manager very approachable. Happily come back.

Great location with great views. Only real issue is prices are a little on the step side for what it is. Its not a top notch London rooftop restaurant

Lovely rooftop setting with beautiful views across the city. Friendly staff with excellent service from Samuel made for a great atmosphere.

Lovely food and evening. Our server samual was brilliant and couldn’t do enough for us

Great service by our waiter Samuel!

A great experience at Socialite, Samuel was really attentive and made sure we had lots of lovely drinks - thank you!

Great service! Cocktails were a bit lacking

Have visited here twice. Come out of the lift and it’s beautiful, you are welcomed in and told that someone would be round shortly to take your order. The first time, we had to request to order from a waitress which we did. Had a massively long wait for 2 drinks to which we ordered our second as that one arrived. We waited 45 minutes from this to which we cancelled our order and left. The table of guys which the female waitress spent A LOT of time talking to and laughing with got their drinks consistently. We put this down to it being a busy night, I was wrong. Went again where it was very quiet. Had to get the waitresses attention to request our drinks to be taken when there were staff stood by the till not doing anything. We then had to ask again for a second drink. Cocktails nice but waste of time with the ridiculously long wait times (even to get someone’s attention to pay the bill) With the expensive prices of around £12 a cocktail, you should be getting a service alongside a good cocktail.

Having booked a table for 20 people to celebrate our friend getting married. On arrival we were greeted by a very unprofessional staff member who told us that we could not have the table that was booked. This had been in the planning for some time. We were not a rowdy group of men on a stag party. The group consisted of Police, fire, and NHS staff along with several professional people. There was no apology or any form of help to assist us. They simply stated we could not enter, and they would not accommodate us in any way. Very rude staff, and I would avoid this place for any PLANNED event.

Hidden gems in Canterbury! Scenic views with delicious food and drinks. Absolutely perfect for dining.

Celebrating a friends birthday. Drinks were nice, staff team present and friendly. Meal was tasty. Only thing is staff shoukd higlight mains do not always come with sides such as chips or new potatoes. Steak dishes do, but some people assumed their meal was accompanied by such sides, alas, nope! I think servers should clearly highlight as peops order. Maybe not just say 'anything else?'. Elaborate on the required sides?. Other than that, it was a very nice experience.

Booked dinner and drinks for 5. The food is substandard and extremely overpriced for what it is. It's like bad pub food. Service was absolutely horrendous. First round, they gave us the wrong drinks and walked off. Next round took 45 minutes for us to get our drinks. After that, 20 minute wait for each round of drinks. The music is too loud for a restaurant. It's like they can't decide what they are. A restaurant? A bar? A club? The roof top views are the only good thing about the place. Will definitely never be going back.

Ryan, Lily, summer and orlena was amazing, great customer service. 10/10 WILL ABSOLUTELY come again!

Great servers called Summer and Lilly served us, they were really nice and made our night.

Great views but that's where it ends. Food dry and bland, service was also very strange felt very rushed and hovered over at all times whilst eating. Wasn't nice seeing the chef using his hands to dish the food up after touching his face either. Would recommend

I cant comment on anything other than the customer service and that has been lacking. Tried to book 3 weeks in advance to bring a group of friends. To be told they don't cater for a party of 9 inside, we would have to sit outside. No mention of a £100 deposit on the phonecall. To then complain to management and wait 4 days with very limited answers as to why this has happened....we have decided our money will be better off in the hands of a small business that will appreciate it! Not a good way to look after potential clients. In fact, thats the best way to lose clients ..

Amazing atmosphere, second ro none customer service, honestly blown away by how good the team were. Delicious food. Can't wait to return.

The staff were very friendly and the food was good, there is a 12.5% tip automatically added to your bill, which I think is wrong. The views from the roof top are spectacular. You can only dine in

Bar Staff were all great, chatty and friendly, cocktail was delicious and customer service from Lyra was impeccable. High praise to the mixologist who made my drink as well, agave in the espresso martinis was a great shout.

Just went for cocktails. Service was too slow. Felt forgotten. Maybe a one off and it was busy. Still a great place

Brilliant place with great views.

We only had drinks here and the service was impressive. Samuel was attentive and friendly. Lovely views of the cathedral and city. Looking forward to visiting again

Spent a lovely early summer evening outside on the roof Terrasse looked after by Samuel who offered first class service and was very attentive. This is a great place to chill and enjoy the great views over Canterbury. We will be coming back!

Amazing venue! And if you want to listen to an excellent music selection, we recommend the Saturday afternoons!

Sehr interessante Mischung aus Club, Bar und Restaurant. Wir waren zum Essen da. Im hinteren Restaurant-Bereich ist es zum Glück deutlich leiser als vorne, so dass man gemütlich essen kann. Allerdings war es uns im Lokal deutlich zu kühl. Das haben die vielen Engländerinnnen in kurzen Kleidchen aber offenbar anders empfunden. Toller Blick auf die Kathedrale.

Great views across the rooftops to the Cathedral, and the restaurant is very modern and ultra-clean. The food was brilliant, and the steaks we had were exceptional; good chips, which always makes me happy (it's surprising how often restaurants fail here). The service could be more polished, but the staff were all amiable and chatty.

We had booked our Christmnas dinner one month before Christmas. When we got there, we were told that we couldn’t have one. The restaurant had made an error in our reservation and all my family got for Christmas dinner was a greasy, fairly pathetic brunch, extremely overpriced for the paltry serving. Service was basic at best. Really, save yourself a load of hassle, just don’t go there. They literally ruined our Christmas and didn’t even have the decency to say that they were sorry for the oversight. Instead telling us that we could not have the meal we had I tended to eat there and blaming us for the issue. I will never go there again. I suggest that you avoid it also. I should point out that I DID reserve Christmas dinner, the fact that we didn’t get one is all on the restaurant. Disgusting service Addendum: The restaurant have been quite insincere in their repeated correspondence to me, eventually offering free wine with my next meal... which I will never have there. Just an AWFUL place, badly run.

Wat een bijzondere plek met prachtig terras met uitzicht op de kathedraal

Brilliant experience, had a great chat with the staff, very knowledgeable about the drinks and pairings, upcoming fantastic changes on the drinks is something to be looked forward to and the new management improvements sound incredible. We will definitely be back soon

Excellent food and service. Booked for the Saxophonist (last Friday of every month) but he wasn’t there. There was no other entertainment other than background music, so for a Friday night it lacked atmosphere. Genuinely can’t fault the food of service though.

Lovely rooftop dinner tonight. What a great way to spend the first evening in Canterbury!

We went there for a drink after our lunch last Saturday: this DJ deserves big ups for his phenomenal DJ set. The staff was very helpful

Terrible service! We came here on a really quiet day, there was plenty of staff around but it took 45minutes to bring out x2 Asian salads, then we waited a further 10minutes for condiments, during which time our food turned cold. The male waiter (possibly the manager) has a bad attitude, he’s very rude and unwelcoming. However, our female waitress was very polite and did apologise for the delay. We asked for a meal to be deducted from our bill which they did, they also didn’t add their discretionary service charge at 12.5%. It’s such a shame because this place has so much potential, the views are lovely and it’s nicely decorated. The poor service seems to be a recurring criticism since it opened. Perhaps new management and staff training would help. As it is I wouldn’t recommend.

A lovely bar with outside rooftop area, lovely in the height of summer but gets chilly of an evening and in the winter just enjoy the views from inside. Great cocktail menu, we didn't eat. The only disappointment was we felt rushed to buy a round about 2215hrs when we were told last orders were at 2230hrs... Only to see them still taking orders at nearly 2245hrs! Felt this was a ploy just to get a couple more quick rounds out of us but it was dishonest.

Very quiet at a peak time but service painfully slow and then still put on a service charge for making us wait for 35mins for a drink. I don't recommend the lavender cocktail - undrinkable. Far better cocktail bars around. Great views but that's about it.

Music, vibe and people all great and the staff looked after us brilliantly. Would definitely recommend and will go back for more soon!

amazing food, good drinks, nice staff and unbelievable view 5⭐️

We highly recommend this brunch DJ, he’s truly 5 stars. Awesome views of the cathedral!

I REALLY wanted to like this place. I started off by telling them I had a severe wheat allergy and was told all cocktails would be safe which is not the case for someone with a wheat allergy more so someone who is coeliac ,. So some better education for the whole restaurant would be a bit better, so I end up picking out three things to drink all had been out of stock as well l. Now I’ll get to the food x, I do not mind at all to pay big money for GOOD food. But this wasn’t the case, my safest option because of my allergy was a steak. Well it wasn’t cooked to how I requested and it was beyond salty. The bill was more than we expected it to be for the little we ordered. With that said the atmosphere / view was great. I think if they get more clued in with allergies , and maybe someone else doing the cooking it could be a bit better.

Lovely venue and views but male bar member very rude and snobby. Security friendly.

We've been told to try this rofftop on a saturday afternoon for the view and the music : this DJ blew our mind and what a change compared to these commercial venues

If you’re looking for a beautifully decorated spot to eat, drink with a unique view of Canterbury, you can definitely give it a go!

On this latest visit we couldn’t go onto the outside rooftop area which is what most people go for (they were gardening apparently). The carpaccio starter was literally like 2 mouthfuls for £16 and wasn’t as good as at other restaurants in the area who do Carpaccio. I have enjoyed drinks outside in the evening previously. The view is obviously what sells it , but service was very slow both previous times.

Very nice place, beautifully decorated, music is always good, so are the drinks. The view is amazing! Unfortunately, there is a lot to improve when it comes to service. Waiters are not friendly at all and drinks take ages to be served. The last time I went, it took more than 25 minutes for my cocktail to be served, when it finally arrived, the glass had a lipstick mark on it and I had to send it back. 20 minutes later, they served me another one. The cocktail was delicious but this kind of wait for a drink is just unacceptable. Friendly suggestion: I'd love to see more greenery on the outside area, it's a great space with a fantastic view but it looks a bit grey and boring. Adding loads of plants would give it a lot more character. Apart from the service, love the place! :)

We met friends at this amazing venue yesterday. Special mention to the DJ: really kind man, everyone enjoyed the music!

Great terrace and nice drinks. You should really go there. Nice toilets!

Really cool venue, with a chill vibe. Has an outdoor seating area which is probably the best feature. I also love how the seats are set up facing the sliding doors. A bit pricey but would definitely recommend it.

Disappointing. Lovely location with fantastic views of Canterbury. But for the number of staff running around the service was soooo slow. Our waitress was lovely, but let down by the lack of help in the restaurant and a very slow kitchen. Food disappointing, certainly not worth the price. The lamb had no herb crumb and the chips no truffle as per menu, but took too long to get it to send it back. Puddings very disappointing, treacle tart with blob of ice-cream, like you would get in a local cafe, lemon meringue was all pastry with a bit of piped lemon and tiny blogs of meringue. Birthday cake which we had supplied had obviously been knocked as part of it came out damaged.

I had dinner here spent over £150.00. steak was overcooked asked for rare came out medium. Starter and sides were nice. The waiter was next to us the whole meal except for the main where we couldn't get hold of him. Drinks are really sub par given the other cocktail bars in Canterbury, only nice thing was the view. I wouldn't bother going again was awful all round.

Terrible service can't go to bar 10 mins to get a drink menu lucky views are only decent thing bout this place

If you wanna wait over an hour for a drink and then wonder around asking where it is and nobody knows while paying over £10 then this is your place. Manger clueless and unapologetic. AVOID AT EVERYTHING OPPORTUNITY Would give 0/5 if available

The DJ was a complete amateur, and we had some poor quality food at the restaurant. However, the waiters were very pleasant and helpful

landscape is awesome. Food is unsatisfactory

Incredible view, but the music was awful and loud

good restaurant, delicious food, professional administrator

Shame about the service. Writing this from the bar whilst enjoying the tasty wine that took over half an hour to arrive. At £7 a pint and nearly £10 for a glass of wine the prices command better service. When I asked the waitress if it usually takes so long to get a drink she told me 'i don't make the drinks I just serve them'... Great attitude, bit more training needed there I think.

It’s a lovely venue, however the menu was disappointing. There was only one vegetarian option that was not great. And absolutely no vegan options. This was disappointing considering the number of people who are plant based these days. Although the staff were very nice and altered a dish to make it vegan for myself. However, it would’ve been nice to have the luxury of selecting a dish from a menu like my fellow diners. The vibe was nice however and I would return for drinks at the bar. But not the restaurant until they have a better menu.

Amazing food and great staff We had Tolly serving us great service very friendly and ready to go a extra mile to achieve a great service…

Everything was great, but music too loud for 6pm dinner time. More suited for a night club, not for dining.

Food was good. Restuarant well decorated and comfortable. Only downside was the wait over 1 hour for meals to be served The restaurant was not busy and our group of 4 had pre booked.

beautiful place and great service with tasty food and well crafted drinks. definitely coming again soon!

Fantastic evening had for family members birthday. Great location and venue, food was super and great waitressing staff. Would recommend

A hidden gem. Great views. Beautifully decorated inside and out. Great attentive accommodating staff. We rocked up for coffee and ending up on cocktails. There was a fab singer. What a fab venue.

I’m not easily impressed but this place far exceeded my hopes & expectations. Whether you’re out for the night or want to experience some amazing food or fine dining this place needs to be on your to-do list - you won’t be disappointed! Visited with some friends for dinner and drinks, the food was frankly phenomenal with service to match from start to finish. But even if your not up for dinner, they offer an impressive selection of ‘small plates’ from the bar. If nothing else, head to the bar for one of their signature cocktails or drink of choice, sit back in the lounge or on the roof top terrace (weather permitting) and soak in the most amazing (and almost certainly unique) view of the cathedral!

Brunch in the restaurant today was delightful and delicious.

Nice views of the city from the rooftop bar, good music playing and a more lively crowd than you find elsewhere around the city centre. The drinks are quite reasonable for the amenities of the views, but I would make a comment that the barman did change the price of the drinks on our receipt from what the menu stated. Fortunately we picked up on it and he apologised and amended it for us without quibble.

awful service and food was poor when I ordered. BEWARE- at the bottom of the menu is a HIDDEN service charge...while this is optional they don't inform you about it and just "add" it upon your bill at the end of your meal, I even found out after speaking to a waitress that most of the "tips" goes towards the management team anyway even though the waiters are paid just minimum wage, I think this is awful and the management needs to change the way they are. PS- this is not America, why hide the service charge at the bottom of the menu in such small writing? that's just disgusting and shameful, company needs to sort themselves out or realise that they will quickly be run to the ground once others get wind of this, people are struggling for money but there you are applying HIDDEN charges....awful.

Emerging out from the elevator which leads into a classy bar area with floor to ceiling views of Canterbury cathedral it would be hard not to order a drink stating my surname first and asking for it to be shaken not stirred. Socialite is the bar where class is mixed with swarve and garnished with vibes, all in a glass of History. I had the Canterbury mojito and the Canterbury rose. The drinks were made to perfection and just heightened the experience (excuse the pun) I would not only go there again, but I plan to visit as soon as I finish this review. 10/10

If you want the Theatre Menu I would definitely confirm before you arrive, we were initially refused on a Friday night but after speaking to manager he agreed. Three courses and a glass of wine is great value and the quality of the food was amazing, I had the Korean fried cauliflower and the cod, both were delicious. The service was fantastic (Tom the trainee accountant in particular). The setting is amazing, especially at night. Thank you also to the chef who was happy to talk about his food and even offerred me the recipe - great night out

Great cocktails with a spectacular view. Service was a bit slow at times and the dj equipment just left out on the floor could have been better thought out.

Good atmos and lovely views. A great Canterbury attraction addition

Staff upstairs are lovely but the bouncers warned us not to start trouble upon entry. Obviously we didn't plan too. Great place for a few beers and a view, but front of house should work on their people skills, rather than being made to feel unwelcome

Abysmal service in a cool venue with a great view over Canterbury. Such a shame because the food and cocktails are excellent but everything takes an eternity to arrive at your table. This place could be soooooo much better if they just sorted out the service! I've been twice now (thinking the first time was just a blip) but the second time was even worse; we were given a 1 1/2 hour slot for drinks and small plates and it took an hour before the food actually arrived.

Nice bar and enjoyed the jazz, but found the table service element/ not being allowed to order at the bar very frustrating and confusing to pay.

Had the most amazing Sunday Roast ever. Incredible value and excellent quality - strongly recommended !!!