Duke of Cumberland — Restaurant in Canterbury

Food review: a very mixed bag. We came in and ate in the bar as the restaurant was fully booked and had a very mixed experience. Service wise was a real mix, lots of staff around and some friendly but some made you feel like they were doing you a favour.

The menu variety was wide with food options and the starters were brilliant, we couldn’t wait for our mains but unfortunately we were very disappointed. The special which was the fish stew was good but our other mains very poor.

We had two fish and chips which, while they tasted average were tiny portions, especially for the price and the chips were poor. We also ordered the linguine which had barely any taste and required a lot of salt to give it some flavour.

When our mains were bought over, our server offered sauces and we asked for some Parmesan for the linguine. When they returned, we were told that we would have to come back to the bar to pay an additional £2 if we wanted Parmesan. Honestly I was taken back as I’ve never had this before when ordering pasta. I do understand that the price of everything is going up but, if you really have to charge, this is something I should have been asked if I wanted to add when ordering at the bar with pasta dishes rather than being asked to come back to the bar to pay with my food getting cold.

Overall, come for a snack but there are much better places...

If you want to enjoy a pleasant meal or drink with your family while visiting Whitstable, please do yourself a favour and SKIP THIS PLACE! My husband and I stopped by The Duke of Cumberland for a relaxing lunch. Our 15-year old son, who had already eaten, simply wanted to sit with us while enjoying a small crepe he had picked up from a nearby stand. The staff refused to let him in because of the crepe. Yes, you read that correctly.... We asked if they served crepes themselves (hoping to somehow make this work), and they said no. So they denied access to a quiet, polite teenager for brining in a snack they don't even offer. No flexibility, no grace, no hospitality, no customer service at all... just a hard no. Thankfully, this all happened before we ordered food-so we finished our drinks and took our business elsewhere. What could have been a lovely family moment became an absurd and disappointing episode. A real shame, considering how welcoming and kind most places in Whitstable have been. Hospitality, after all, is not just about food and drink. It's about the humans you serve. It's a pity when charm ends at the threshold. Whitstable deserves better. TWO THUMBS DOWN and a real minus-10...

I’ve just had a fabulous 2 night stay at the Duke of Cumberland. This centrally located pub and restaurant has boutique hotel rooms and is 2 minutes walk from the beach/coastal path. I stayed in ‘Bluebell’ and it was beautifully appointed and spotlessly clean. The bed was very comfortable and the bedding was snow white and. crisp. The towels were of a good size and were white and soft. Toiletries and tea/coffee/biscuits were all of a very good quality. There were 2 complimentary bottles of Whitstable Bay Ale waiting in the room, which was a nice touch. Breakfast is delicious and well presented. Hannah welcomed me each day at breakfast and is very cheerful and helpful. A nice start to the day. Another member of staff that me ed s a special mention, is Aidan. I was struggling with a baby, pushchair and heavy bag after getting caught in a rain shower and Aidan immediately approached me and asked what he could do to help. This was such excellent customer service and was genuinely appreciated. Aidan is a credit to your establishment. There is a really nice feel to the Duke of Cumberland and I will definitely be returning as there is so much to see and go...