Fitzwalter Arms

We visited on a Friday evening and was surprised to find the whole evening consisted of an asian group booking of 5 and another couple other than ourselves. Clearly not well known yet! The food quality was exceptional, the chef clearly has alot of experience and is way above the normal pub food standard. The wine list was extensive and reasonably prices. The only negatives would be the menu choice was limited of which, some of the choices were no longer available despite not being busy, also the lack of espresso coffee! However our duck and veal was cooked to perfection.

Exquisite cuisine, outstanding service, quaint surroundings with a warm atmosphere, loved our evening with friends there !!! We were treated to a taster menu which was five courses of beautifully cooked and presented locally produced food. The chef even came out to meet us and recieve our feedback which was extremely positive!
I would recommend this pub/​restaurant to friends young and old as it has a timeless charm.

Visited the Fitzwalter Arms for lunch on Saturday with 3 friends and had a wonderful meal. I’d eaten here twice before and each time I come back the food is even better than before! All around the table were pleased with their orders but I have to say that I was the winner when it came to ordering. I started with the Italian style antipasti which included an incredibly succulent bresoala cured by the chef himself. The starter was a rich, velvety langoustine bisque that was so sensational I had to let everyone at the table try it once but they weren’t allowed a second sip!
The main course of salt marsh lamb was succulent and served with perfectly cooked and seasoned vegetables. The quality of the ingredients was so clearly evident as is the chef’s care and attention in cooking and plating up well-​presented but unfussy and generous portions. We were all incredibly satisfied with the meal and an excellent bottle of wine. The service was friendly and welcoming and the pub itself feels like an undiscovered gem in the sleepy Kent countryside.
Highly recommended on all fronts.

Prompted by the other reviews of this place and the pub’s own website, I had planned to visit the Fitzwalter Arms for a while. It’s no hardship to visit Goodnestone; it’s a pretty, tranquil village on the eastern slope of the North Downs, just SE of Canterbury. Unfortunately the restaurant experience was not all we had hoped it would be. It wasn’t a disaster, the food was OK and the wines by the glass (especially the Château Cluzon and the vinho verde) were good. Moreover the service was competent although rather rushed which you don’t really expect when the restaurant only has 5 tables. The little pinpricks of disappointment were:
1. the non-​vegetarian menu (there was a veggie option as I recall) had no red meat (3 fish dishes, 1 chicken and 1 rabbit). True; hardly a show-​stopper.
2. Despite working to ensure that the waitress had my order for the manzanilla sherry advertised on the drinks list rather than the other one, what was delivered (in a twee little glass I’d have been ashamed to offer my grandmother if I had one) was not manzanilla. It was the beginning of the evening, so I didn’t complain. Probably a mistake.
3. The chicken breast ordered by some of us was replaced (with notice and a reduction of £1) by chicken thigh. OK but only one thigh!
3. The cooking and presentation were what one might have at home — more than acceptable but lacking flair.
4. The bill was unitemised, so we couldn’t check whether it was correct. We paid just under £30/​head for two courses and drinks. Not expensive but not cheap either for pub grub which was really all it was.

Anyone living in or visiting Kent would be advised to book a table at the tiny FitzWalter Arms in Goodnestone, near Wingham (post code CT3 1PJ for your sat nav).
Judi and I popped in one Sunday lunchtime and were extremely lucky to find a table in the tiny bar. We shared a Smörgåsbord (oysters, pickled herring, gravadlax and some delightfully tasty salads). This was accompanied by lovely crispy homemade bread and slightly sal;ty butter.
I’m no fool — I booked a table for later in the week to try their full menu.
The menu is short and impressive and varies daily according to what fresh food is available. The chef, David Heart, is dedicated to his art so that taste and presentation are faultless.
Judi as usual, had no starter but tried the braized shin of rose veal with carrots and roast potatoes and declared it to be superb.
I had half a dozen oysters with shallot vinegar and tabasco. Mmmmm! I followed this with roast hogget of saltmarsh lamb with cabbage and roast potatoes.
I really must give those roast potatoes a paragraph of their own. Delightfully gently crispy on the outside and smoothly soft within — a taste of potato heaven.
The hogget of lamb was served pink (of course!) and was delightful.
We washed the lot down with a soft, liquoricey Malbec Amalaya de Colonie. Very smooth but quite a short finish. Great!
I’m sure the puddings were lovely but we had no further capacity!
Get the picture? It is a splendid pub-​restaurant run with passion for culinary perfection,
N.B. David Heart has now left and the pub has returned to a more normal cuisine. However, I understand it is still a jolly good place to eat and drink. (2014)

A fantastic pub/​restaurant which since the most recent owners took over has become a favourite for going to on visits to my parents. The restaurant is a lovely room with a great real open fire and lovely outlook over the churchyard.
On our recent lunch here I had Mulligatawny soup to start which was delightfully spiced with fresh coriander, garlic and ginger flavour and not at all heavy, it came served with delicious home made bread. I followed this with cod fillet which came with a fish cake served on a lovely bed of kale and with what they describe as an old fashioned egg sauce, delicious. Unfortunately we didn’t have time for pudding but they do delicious desserts, everything home made.
Food is locally sourced and free range/​organically grown so green, healthy as well as tasty.
Great and friendly service. Prices are very reasonable.