The Forge in Canterbury

Nestled near the scenic shores of Tinkerton, Forge offers a delightful open-air dining experience that perfectly complements its standout fish and chips. The fresh sea breeze and relaxed beachside atmosphere set the stage for a meal that’s both comforting and memorable. The fish was beautifully cooked—golden and crispy on the outside, with tender, flaky white meat inside. The batter had just the right balance of seasoning and crunch, never overpowering the delicate flavor of the fish. Paired with perfectly cooked chips—crisp on the outside, fluffy within—it was a classic done exceptionally well. What elevates the experience is the setting. The open-air layout lets you soak in the coastal views and ambiance, making it ideal for a laid-back lunch or early evening meal. Friendly service rounds out the visit, making Forge a must-visit spot for anyone craving a quality seaside fish and chips.

Really dissapointed with the food here. We ordered the cod and chips and sausage in batter and chips. Really wish we didn't go for the chips, frozen rubbish. The whole meal was tasteless and my partner found a bone in his cod! A big expense for not a fresh meal as advertised. Took so long to order, there wasn't even a queue, wish I had walked away. Would not recommend or go back.

The best oysters in Whitstable!

Al the staff were more interested in their phone than serving customers

We went at 11am on a bank holiday and didn’t have to queue! Sat outside on their benches and enjoyed the sun. Six oysters for £12.50 and they were delicious and fresh!

A traditional oyster shack on the sea front The atmosphere was amazing We enjoyed it so much that if we ever go back we will be compelled to eat their oysters again Mega bonus was the delicious fish and chips Also great value Definitely give it a try when you go there

It’s just awful. Frozen chips, bland fish, doughnuts are floppy. Service poor, not offered any cutlery, sauces, etc, and got ignored. Oysters were alright though 👍

Food average bookers fare, chips tasted warmed up Massively overpriced Staff were not very attentive Concerning temperature control with milk left on counter

Be warned: frozen chips are used here!!! Really disappointing as the fish and oysters were great but chips really let it down especially as sign says "all food cooked to order"! Service also very slow which would be totally fine if all fresh ingredients used...

Stopped for a bit of breakfast. Coffee very bitter, cheap meat in the rolls and service very lacklustre, almost rude.

Service was poor completely ignored for around 5 minutes whilst the girls were mucking around and clearly saw us. Food was re heated chips and fish was tiny! Definitely not what we’ve experience before

Not a very nice coffee and cheap ingredients used at breakfast.

Location is good but this is very much reflected in the prices. The food is decent, but portion sizes have much to be desired. The donuts however are definitely worth checking out.

Place wasn’t clean, a lot of confusion about the prices

Delicious oysters, super fresh. We came during the week, between 5 and 6 pm they have the "oyster happy hour" with oysters for half price.

Not ideal for disabled people who can't walk far or wheelchair users. Short stay car park was near £8 for 2hrs. Food is good. Outside picnic tables with benches.

Our first stop in Whistable, and we loved it. Super friendly service, and great oysters. We enjoyed it so much we went back later in the day for fish and chips, which were also great!!

Wander along the front and have eats here

This is a great place for fish and chips on the beach. This is on the front at Whitstable and serves basic fish and chips or chicken goujons and chips, we had one of each and they were delicious. They also sell oysters but we didn't have any so can not comment.

Amazing oysters, and fresh seafood!

Absolutely fantastic oysters - some of the tastiest and freshest I've ever had. The happy hour between 5 and 6 PM is a great deal: half a dozen oysters for just £6.25, and five donuts for £3. The country stout beer pairs perfectly with everything. Great value, quality food, and a lovely vibe. Highly recommended!

Nice position outside overlooking the beach but the chips were underdone the fish was average and the kids say the sausage in batter was “not great”.

Great spot for some fresh oysters. The native oysters are meaty, but they also have rock oysters as an option. The chips are chunky and great. Good range of drinks on tap (& bottles). Fast service. Very popular with tourists and locals - location is key. There's outdoor seating available.

Although I ate at several establishments during my day trip to Whitstable it seems likely that the food poisoning I contracted came from the oysters I had at The Forge. My trip home on the train was very unpleasant and I was unwell for a few days afterwards.

Rock oyster in March. A bit disappointing.

Lovely place by the beach with fresh oysters and shrimps. Cool and relaxed. Their donuts were marvellous by the way 🙌

Great little oyster shack. Have been here probably 4 times, each time it's been good. Fresh oysters, always great taste and decent service. This is the place I always go to when I'm visiting whitstable, check it out you won't be disappointed. Gets very busy during summer time, but as you all know the very best oysters are January to March !!

This spot, located right by the beach path, is a great place to visit despite slightly higher prices than the main port area. It’s well worth it, especially since they stay open a bit longer than other places. The oysters are fresh, and the fish and chips are outstanding, making it a must-try for seafood lovers. While the queue can get long, it moves quickly, so patience pays off. Seating is limited to shared benches around the hut, but you can always find space.

I ordered "Cod, no chips" for just over £10 The fish was not fresh at all. It was incredibly bland and wasn't cooked in the middle. Got minor food poisoning with upset stomach and had the squirts for two days. Disappointing considering it's right on the sea but don't be fooled.

My girlfriend and I went to The Forge for some lunch and she had an oyster from here which gave her terrible Norovirus and caused us to miss our weekend away. The lack of a publicised email or phone number means we can’t contact the Forge to warn them of their contaminated oyster supply.

A party of 4, but only two of us ate oysters & only those two got really unwell. Nice place, definitely not worth the day of vomiting & fever. Apart from that chips from frozen & tasteless fish, such a shame.

Went in the summer, and had some amazing oysters! Extremely fresh large oysters, very worth the price!

Had two oysters each with my mum on Saturday. On Monday morning we both became really unwell with terrible stomach bug. This is the only food we shared and we both got unwell. Have tried to contact the restaurant to make them aware but no number available.

Good place for a meal, lovely location, efficient service, worth the wait (they cook on order). I've tried the native oysters and the cod, both excellent.

I visited on January 9, and it was quite chilly that day. I enjoyed half a dozen oysters, which were amazing! Since around March 2023, I’ve been coming here regularly, usually two or three times a week. Unfortunately, I've moved back to London now. I absolutely love the service and the quality they offer. The oysters are incredibly fresh, reasonable priced, and delicious! This is something you ‘must’ try here!!!!! 🦪❤️❤️

The fish is decent but chips are a let down. I expect better for 15 quid.

Nice food but could do with bit more places to sit and eat

best fish and chips of my life!! oysters slap too!

Incredible oysters and doughnuts!!!

Food was excellent, but do be mindful you WILL be waiting

We had oysters from here Sunday afternoon and have both had food poisoning from them :(

Both my boyfriend and I had Rock Oysters here on Sunday and have both been very very unwell with food poisoning

Fresh delicious oysters, great location, good price, I’d also recommend the sundowner beer to go with them!

Sausages where good but let down by a cheap bap.

You can eat and drink here with a beautiful view. Unfortunately everything only in plastic cups. I tried 2 oysters for £2.50 each. Since this was my first and last time, I can't say anything about the taste of the oysters😂. My brother in law had fish and chips and was disappointed. The breading was very, very thin and quite greasy. But it's all a matter of taste.

Great local find, friendly staff and an absolute treat! Recommend grabbing a local brewed pint or a Prosecco whilst enjoying the seafront views! Another stop added to our ‘go back to’ list! Ps. The food looked and smelled amazing with good reasonable pricing and has local parking!

oysters were really fresh and nice. a lot more expensive than the other places in whitstable however. i personally prefer the rock oysters over the native ones and they are more affordable:)

Tasty fish and chips Decent size portions

Sensational oysters and the friendly service is a bonus!

Unfortunately we had severe food poisoning from the oysters here. We are undertaking this with the relevant bodies however I would urge everyone to be very careful ordering oysters.

Oysters made us all sick - shame as they tasted good. But not worth the 2 days of vomiting

By the sea, fresh, traditional products

Excellent place by the “beach”. The best fish and chips in my life. I had fried shrimps (not in the photo) and enjoyed them a lot. Fries were nice too. Staff was cool.

I like this place. It’s very basic - almost a takeaway. But it’s right on the beach, and that’s very rare in Whitstable. Can’t vouch for the rich n chips or oysters as I’ve never had them, but for a coffee and sausage bap in the morning I love it (albeit it’s not cheap). What’s a real shame is that in the countless times I’ve been here the staff have never said ‘please’ ‘thank you’ or even ‘hello’ etc. They kinda act like they begrudge working there, or at least begrudge the customers interrupting their larks and phone use. Shame.

I can't comment on their cooked meals, as we didnt try them, but their hot doughnuts were fantastic! An unexpected pleasurable snacky treat whilst on a late afternoon seafront stroll.

Staff pleasant & helpful Oysters fresh yummy & delicious Hot chocolate the best iv had in a while

We were on a day trip to Whitstable and My daughter wanted somewhere to have donuts so googled place near us and we were directed to the Forge. Lovely sea front shack that not only sold hot donuts but also amazing Oysters

Fantastic spot for fish and chips 🍟 food was hot and fresh 😄

Cute little outdoor fish restaurant right on the beach. It’s all outdoors with picnic tables, with food and drink served out of a hatch. The offer is fairly simple with Whitstable oysters and fish and chips to take away with a good range of beers. Best thing is the location, fish and chips were ok. Freshly cooked but batter was not the best and they loose a star for using frozen chips, not freshly cut.

Lousy, overrated and a rip-off. Avoid at all costs. The lobster shack is way better!

Stopped here for lunch and we were looking forward to what we assumed would be fresh fish and chips ‘cooked to order’ as the restaurant states. Far from it. We ordered one scampi and chips and one cod and chips. It’s frozen fish, which was tasteless and not much flavour at all. It’s not cod either, just some cheap white fish. Scampi seemed dry too. And then there’s the chips, not even fish and chip shop chips. They then provide you with awful sachets of ketchup and vinegar. Not what I expect from a fish and chip shop. Then there’s the price, around £30 for this! Unacceptable. The person who also took my order was miserable and quite clearly didn’t want to be there. It really is a shame as the location of the restaurant is stunning, however seems to be a profit business as opposed to providing decent food.

We all had fish and chips which were excellent apart from my daughter who had scampi which is best avoided . It looks like it's not made on site and she was disappointed with the portion size. Can't fault the fish and chips. Also good to be able to bring our dog to sit outside with us. We also tried a couple of oysters which were much better than the oysters we had had the day before at the harbour

Fresh Whitstable oysters, shucked at order. Nice place to stop by along the beach.

Absolutely disgusting. Not cod it was some white wet fish in sopping wet oil went in the bin.Frozen chip's very dry went in the bin. Sausage in batter batter was so hard couldn't eat it the dog's had the sausages. Scampi Frozen out of bag. Went in bin. Extortionatly expensive for very very poor food that ended up in the bin. Very disappointed. Go to high Street for your fish and chip's. Inedible.

Came today with family. Two had cod and chips. Frozen chips inedible and that definitely was not cod that was served. Wet soggy and probably pollock. Also had two lots of sausage in batter....disgusting. All thrown in the bin. Would not not recommend. NO STARS. £60+ down the drain!

Fresh and crispy battered cod with chips for us and our friends right by the seaside. Also selling fresh oysters for a good price. Fish and chips quite pricey though.

Great Whitstable oysters and hot doughnuts. Worth a visit on the beach front if you are passing by. Will visit again soon!

We had some oysters and fish and chips. All very good and oyster were some of the cheapest between the shop in the area. Really nice

We only stopped for an ice cream which was delicious

Quite expensive but makes sense as it’s by the sea - the fish and chips could probably be worth a pass £15 and not really anything that’s mind blowing. But the rock oysters defo a hit! Come by September - may I believe and they have native ones which are more creamier !

Oven chips, not fresh proper ‘fish and chip shop’ chips, soggy, not hot one little packet if vinegar and salt. Scampi was frozen, out of a bag covered in oil. Really, really disappointing left most of it and cost £15!!!

We stopped for oysters. We also had cod with chips. Very kind staff.

Awful!!! Do not waste your money. Waited a good 15 minutes for our order. Not ‘proper’ chip shop chips, they’re frozen ones that you’d get in the shops tasted like normal oven chips. Fish and scampi were thick in oil and my scampi wasn’t fresh it was just out of a packet. Really disappointing especially as it cost us £30. Will go to a normal fish and chip shop on the high street next time and walk it up to the sea front. Don’t waste your money!!!

Overpriced, small quantity, very average to poor food quality.

First stop after a long drive for us. My wife treated us to the scampi and chips which were very tasty (well cooked). Lots of sachets to grab before leaving - unfortunately the mayo was off, but apart from that, good service,, good food and priced appropriately. Couldn't really say there was any 'atmosphere' as we grabbed food to go.

Excellent, fresh whole tail Scampi absolutely delicious. Only very small suggestion is the sachets of condiments ate very inconvenient.

Great place to eat and drink, fresh doughnuts to with your cappuccino.

Wonderful fresh oysters, lobster and other food. Lovely location along whitstable harbour. Outdoor seating. Worth a visit.

Stopped for breakfast. We had 1 bacon and egg (£6.50) and 1 sausage and egg (£7.50) bups. I didn't think they were particularly good value as they literally had 2 rushes of bacon and 1 sausage, but they tasted good. That might be the going rate by the sea? Attaching the price listing

Coffee n donut heaven. 2 years later still great. Had 1/2 dozen oysters and pale ale. Excellent quality and nice staff

Great location and great oysters! Very nice staff.

£15 pound for fish and chips.but i suppose you pay through the nose for freshness and location, not using the seating should be a lesser price though as was full and has to sit somewhere else

Oysters are good here, but their freshly cooked doughnuts are just phenomenal! I am glad that I live too far from the Forge to come here every day 😋

Chips were dry and cold, service was slow.

Baked cod was delicious, but no fresh sauce available. The place to sit is a bit edgy. Relaxed atmosphere though.

Delicious! Every time, it is delicious! I didn’t even like oysters before visiting the Forge, nor did I know the history of the Whitstable oyster company. Now, I make it a point to visit once a month (or anytime I have an international visitor). These oysters are so incredibly fresh and tasty. The fish and chips are unbelievably good—the batter is light and crispy, the fish is tender and moist, and the chips add the perfect salt and carb complement. Amazing in any season, I love that waterside shack is tucked alongside the fisherman’s cottages and has a prime view of the bay. Staff are friendly to customers. Overall, this is a fabulous place to visit for high quality food in a low-key atmosphere.

Very nice place to try oysters! Second time here - still great!

Food was nice but there is no indoor seating and it was raining and 😃

Nice little outside oyster and snack bar!

Fantastic fish and chips with great seaside atmosphere

Fabulous bacon sandwich! Friendly attentive staff. Very popular place and I can understand why.

Very, very good fish and chips. 3rd best in England, in my opinion

While staying in a fisherman's hut for a week. Watched a group of young people work their socks off from 8am until 10pm. Cleaning tidying and serving. Food excellent. Hope these young people venture on to better things.

Ate here yesterday and the food was ok but it's just another lazy business refusing to accept the currency of our country!

Beautifully cooked cod and chips in the sunshine. What could be better.

Distinctly average and tasteless cod and chips for a kingly sum of £15

Really subpar, the chips are not ‘fish and chip shop’ style, rather ones you’d get out of a packet. The cod is ok, but the batter has a bland old oil taste to it (which also leached into the chips) Overall a massive let down considering it’s £15 for fish and chips!

Good food excellent service , well worth a visit

Amazing oysters and best fresh doughnuts. Just be careful with the birds 😂

We shared a portion of fish & chips and washed it down with a hoppy IPA from the whitstable brewery.