The Marquis of Granby

It’s all change in the kitchen at this smartly styled, well-upholstered restaurant-with-rooms (formerly a humble roadside boozer). Highly rated chef Charlie Lakin has moved on and his place has been taken by well-travelled brothers Michael and David Fowler, who previously worked together at The Prince’s Golf Club & Brasserie in Sandwich. The cooking now has a different tone, witness highly worked dishes such as mackerel tartare with radish, yoghurt, crab, tapioca, soy and mirin dressing or fillet of beef with meadow flowers, milk skin, fennel and potato purée, baby carrots and carrot gel. Post-lunch, you can get afternoon tea and bar snacks along the lines of wild mushrooms on char-grilled ciabatta or black pudding and bacon salad – perfect if you want to take advantage of the lovely garden. Kentish ales and wines from local vineyards feature on the wide-ranging drinks list.

The Marquis of Granby is a cosy British pub with rooms located in the heart of the charming village of Alham in Kent, between Folkestone and Dover. The 200-year-old pub still retains plenty of its original features, from rustic wooden beams to a period fireplace and paned windows, which imbues the venue with tons of charm, rusticity and warmth. It’s the perfect backdrop in which to feast on classic pub food, or pop in for one of its fantastic draft ales.  

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with separate menus for each. For breakfast, there is an array of cooked and cold options, from freshly-baked croissants with preserves to eggs royale or buttermilk pancakes. Lunch, meanwhile, includes the option of either a la carte (which is also offered in the evening) or a set menu offering. Highlights from the pub’s main menu include crispy pigs ears with roasted apple sauce to start, coronation chicken scotch egg with spiced apricot puree, rump of lamb with crisp sweetbreads, sprouting broccoli, goats cheese and rosemary jus, and pulled pork steamed pudding with pork belly, star anise carrot and burnt apple puree. The food here is inspired by pub classics but with an elevated twist, and all are made using the best seasonal and local ingredients. Do save room for dessert if you can, which features a salted caramel doughnut or dark chocolate marquis with caramelized white chocolate, banana sponge and peanut brittle.  

To drink, find a wide selection of draft beers and ciders, over 20 premium gins and a host of spirits spanning fine whiskys, brandy and rum. The wine list offers a decent amount of choice, with a focus on reds and whites, but with a few select roses, sparkling, sweet and fortified wines on offer, too. There is also a child-friendly menu and a set offering on Sundays.