Best Cafes in Canterbury
The best cafes in Canterbury, from specialty coffee on Northgate to Moroccan mint tea on Rosemary Lane and a board game cafe on Butchery Lane. This list covers coffee shops and cafes for studying, catching up or recovering from last night. Places are ranked using their Google rating weighted by how many reviews they have. Student angle: plenty of these sit at the budget end on Google, so a daily flat white habit does not have to wreck your loan, and a couple double as places to meet people.
- 10 places, ranked by Google rating
- Open places only, checked every month
- Website and Google Maps for each
- 1
Cafe Marrakech
Cafe Marrakech brings Moroccan cooking to Rosemary Lane, near Fenwick and the Marlowe Theatre. Come for slow-cooked tagines, couscous and freshly baked khobz, or keep it light with Moroccan mint tea and a sweet semolina basbousa. There is a brunch menu too, halal dishes on the menu, and it shares a loyalty card with The Cook's Tale.
- 2
Ark Music, Coffee and Bites
Ark Music, Coffee and Bites sits on Oaten Hill, just outside the city walls to the south-east. Google flags it as budget-friendly, with brunch, vegetarian options, outdoor seating and dogs welcome, and coffee guides rate its carefully brewed filter coffee. Worth the short walk out of the centre for a slower, better cup.
- 3
Fringe + Ginge Coffee
Fringe + Ginge is a specialty coffee shop at 72 Northgate with a loyal following, more than 5,000 people on Instagram for one small shop. Google flags it as budget-friendly, with breakfast and brunch, vegetarian options, outdoor seating and dogs welcome. Come for the coffee, stay for something sweet, and grab an outside seat when the sun shows up.
- 4
The Coffee Corner
The Coffee Corner on St Dunstan's Street is a local favourite for artisan coffee and specialty drinks, with breakfast and brunch served all day. It even does an afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones and mini desserts. Budget-friendly on Google, and handy for anyone living or studying on the St Dunstan's side of town.
- 5
Chatterbox
Chatterbox on Castle Street calls itself a coffee shop for the community with heart, and it is set up as a social space with good food and drinks. It sits at the budget end on Google, with vegetarian options, outdoor seating and dogs welcome. Ideal for a slow coffee when the library is getting too much.
- 6
Chiya
Chiya is a cafe on the High Street, right in the thick of the shopping streets. Google lists it as budget-friendly, serving breakfast and coffee by day with cocktails and beer later on, plus desserts, outdoor seating and room for groups. Dogs are welcome too, so your housemate's spaniel can come along.
- 7
Wave Coffee
Wave Coffee is a small coffee shop at 53 Northgate, on the same street as Fringe + Ginge, which makes Northgate a solid caffeine crawl. Google lists it as budget-friendly, with breakfast and brunch, vegetarian options, outdoor seating and delivery. A handy stop for a takeaway flat white on your way into the centre.
- 8
Felons Coffeehouse & Kentish Wine Bar
Felons is a coffeehouse and Kentish wine bar on Westgate Square, run by The Old City Jail, with views of the Westgate Towers and some of the city's best people watching. It pours speciality coffee from Redemption Roasters, who train prison leavers, plus pastries and cakes, alongside wine, beer and spirits from Kent.
- 9
The Long Rest
The Long Rest on Butchery Lane is Canterbury's first board game cafe, with a growing library of games for all ages and cosy nooks for a full afternoon of Dungeons and Dragons. It also runs monthly game events, a low-pressure way to meet new people. Book a table, pick a game, and lose to your friends gracefully.
- 10
Oriole Cafe
Oriole Cafe sits inside the Kent Spitfire Cricket Ground, with views over the pitch, a large outdoor terrace and parking within the ground. The kitchen makes seasonal homemade food, fresh pastries and sweet treats, with coffee from Curve Coffee Roasters in Margate. Families and well-behaved pets are welcome, and it is open all year round.
Ranked by Google rating, weighted by the number of reviews so a place with a handful of five-star reviews does not jump the queue. We check the list every month and drop anywhere that has closed.
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