The Compasses - Canterbury

Managed to get a table for the second full service. Love the bar and the guys knowledge is epic. FOH super friendly and very natural. Food was perfect. Lucky Ben was in and cooking before he heads back to Stark. The new HC has got some shoes to fill if that’s the level they are going for. Excited to see what happens when we go back. The pastry chef (Cleo ? needs a mention. 10/10 on all 3 of them. We will be back and we will order that much food again. Thank you for a great night

This is the 1st new review I believe for The Compasses Inn under its new management. Really (really) pleased to have a simple, well run and open to walkers/locals watering hole in Crundale/Waltham/Petham... Previous management had a different business model that was not at all welcoming to locals with a bizarre take on bookings and availability (when almost empty on occasions). Relied heavily on bookings coming into the Village... My take on the old menu, tried very (very) hard to be inventive and stand out aiming for local awards. I ate here many (many) times and the meals were in my opinion too much, too rich, trying way too hard to be stand out... Over managed and over thought... Service was OK, timing of the (small) kitchen was very (very) hit and miss... Sometimes when the dining area was full, the food would take an age to be served (again, a product of an over complex menu).... Now under new management, what can I say... Exceptional food, welcoming atmosphere. If you 're looking for gastro pub portions, not for you go somewhere else... It 's not that kind of vibe so don 't read into any negative write ups if they come... Folks that want massive portions, go to a Harvester... but if you 're looking for sensational taste, wonderful and simple presentation, a proper old pub vibe and attentive staff... Get yourself down to the latest and impressive addition to the Kent countryside. Took my kids and best half, let me say that my kids have never eaten cauliflower with such zeal (any recipe) not ever... For starters (we had the salmon and the beetroot dishes) superb stuff you would pay 4x the amount at top 'Big City ' restaurants without the flavours... For our mains we had the cod very well seasoned and excellent presentation with a fulsome taste... And we also had their take on the Sunday Roast (beef) outstanding cooking... The beers are micro breweries, none of this forced industry flavoured water pint spill... and the Sunday morning **** Mary 's were fabulous... The deserts, inventive and big on flavour, and just the right portions. I 've travelled all across the world, I 've eaten in more Michelin starred restaurants you could imagine for work and also for pleasure... Something the previous owners wouldn 't have known... This place under new management is up there and those that can 't see past the new start up process, the freshly installed ownership feel, the obvious changes that may well happen in the coming months... Can 't or won 't see this place for what it is... Which is authentic... I 'm chuffed they 've reopened with such simple style and panache... Doing the basics really well, being part of a community... Well done, keep doing what you 're doing and you 're going to be a fabulous success, there 's nothing like this in Kent...

Really great selection of small-brewed beers PLUS the restaurant is Michellen starred! And you can sure taste it...even with its vegan dish! Who'd have thought such a prestigious award be given to a cosy little pub tucked on a hamelt high up the hills of the Kent Downs.

Brilliant lunch at The Compasses. Such a beautiful historic building with a massive garden out back in the middle of some of the nicest countryside Kent has to offer. Weekend kitchen is run by Paesana (Sicilian inspired menu from the folks who also have a food residency at the George and Heart in Margate) great selection of salads and pasta dishes at fair prices for the portions and calibre. Super impressed by the food (grilled peach proscuttio salad especially). Country pubs in Kent usually boring drinks menu. Not so here, wide selection of beers from some of the South East's best craft breweries (Kernel, Pressure Drop, etc) and a solid wine spirits offering. Also really appreciate the thought they've put into their no/low alcohol selection more than a dozen AF beers/wines/spirits to choose from you'll struggle to get to this place without driving, so it was great to see choice offered to drivers outside of the usual soft drinks or Becks Blue! Looking forward to coming back here.

A great little gastro pub in a really quirky spot but get there soon whilst you can. This is our second time eating here and overheard the owners telling a family dining that it was closing down soon. This is really sad news and if the owners do set up somewhere else, please contact me to let me know where as I can say without hesitation that the food here is delicious. The bread with marmite cream cheese is so good as was all of the dishes we had from the menu.