What a pleasure to report positively on the new direction taken by the Bridge Arms now that Elliot Hewitt, former general manager of the Rose and the Blue Pelican (both in Deal), and David Gadd, ex-head chef of the Rose, have taken over. We never really understood the previous iteration of the Bridge Arms and its complex Michelin-starred ‘gastropub’ experience. But when we dropped in for lunch in late August, just a couple of weeks after the changeover, we were delighted to find they have dispensed with the Michelin formality (though they are stuck with some of the ‘fain daining’ crockery), chopped the bill in half and produced a menu that is neither over-sophisticated and fiddley, nor over-heartily pubby.
The menu is simpler, framed in the conventional three-course format, though there’s a list of snacks to get you going, including two lightly stuffed, Parmesan-dusted mini mushroom pasties, buttermilk fried chicken with a dipping pot of creamy, spicy mayo, and monkfish scampi boosted by the kitchen’s own delicious version of chip shop curry sauce. The three elements together were all fabulous and would have made a wonderful snack lunch on their own.
Not quite there yet was a starter of confit garlic and smoked tomato on toast, a good idea that required a less timid hand with the garlic. As for mains, the unequivocal winner was a Sandy and Black pork chop (a rare British heritage breed) slightly smoky from the Josper with a thick layer of beautifully rendered, sweet fat and tender, flavoursome meat. It was superb. Less appealing was the accompanying pile of rather clumsily prepared summer cabbage, but then a delicate magnolia pannacotta with Kentish cherries was a resounding success. It appears the promising kitchen is still finding its feet.
Working within an awkwardly shaped, slightly chaotic but shabbily charming beamed and inglenooked interior, front-of-house staff show an appreciable degree of enthusiasm for everything they do, as welcoming to drinkers as to diners. It’s very much the kind of pub we’re keen to encourage, and judging by our fellow diners, the Bridge Arms is attracting a local following again. We look forward to going back in a few months to see how they are getting on.
WHERE 53 High Street, Bridge, Canterbury, CT4 5LA
FOLLOW @thebridgearms
BOOK bridgearms.co.uk
The Good Food Guide allows three to six months before anonymously inspecting a new restaurant. Look out for a full review coming soon.
The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Pubs 2025, in partnership with Timothy Taylor’s Landlord is arriving this autumn, and the Guide is calling on you to uncover the very best dining pubs across the country.
We’re looking for the places where brilliant cooking is paired with the spirit of a proper pub. Drinkers should be able to relax over a good selection of real ales or pick over a menu of top-notch bar snacks, while diners can drop in for a one-dish dinner or celebrate with great wines and a seasonal menu featuring quality local produce. There might be crisps behind the bar and crowd-pleasing cheeseburgers, but there will be originality and interest. A healthy dose of community spirit is at the heart of it all.
Nominate now to give your favourite food pub the recognition it deserves and be in with the chance to win £200 in vouchers for a special meal out.
