The Old Buttermarket in Canterbury

Great location, lovely staff and seating areas. Had mixed small dishes 😋

The Old Buttermarket is the kind of pub that draws a crowd, and on a Saturday evening in December, it was packed to the rafters. A good sign, I suppose—clearly, it’s a popular spot. The atmosphere was buzzing, the beer selection hit the mark, and its location? Couldn’t be better, right in the heart of things. That said, the bar staff were clearly feeling the pressure of the festive rush, and while they did their best, you couldn’t help but feel for them as they navigated the chaos. Still, they kept the pints flowing, which is no small feat under the circumstances. The outdoor space was a pleasant surprise—a little breathing room when the inside got a bit too lively. I can imagine it being a real bonus in warmer weather. Overall, while I’m not sure we caught The Old Buttermarket at its best, it’s easy to see why it’s a local favourite. I’ll be back—maybe on a quieter day—to fully soak in its charm.

Generally quite good. Food was of a pretty high standard, although the starters could have used a little more finesse. Desserts were outstanding. Great service, our waitress was very friendly and efficient. We had pre booked a table of 6 for a Christmas get together. Unfortunately, we were crammed into a fairly impractical position. Tables were wobbly and seating extremely cramped. Constantly being knocked by people on way to the loo. Also there is no separation between people dining and just in for a drink. The pub was extremely loud, which made it nigh on impossible to have a conversation without shouting. Definitely room for improvement in terms of seating and comfort, but service and food of a good standard.

Bar staff got our drinks order wrong, our table wasn't cleared from the previous customers or cleaned. No atmosphere in the bar area.

Bit of a tourist place. Fairly busy. Beer(Ale) 4/10. Both beers that were on were not good. One returned/ replaced. We moved on

Magnificent building, very warm interior and the Nicholson's pub menu! No need to say more, it’s definitely a winning combo! Right in the center of Canterbury, I can only recommend it!

Server called Zack all round top class bloke served me and my mates so well great conversation all round just a good bloke who made the day better And a girl named Sydney who also was top class to us 2 amazing people and employees

Server named Zack top class bloke served us well spoke to us about sports etc just all round a great bloke who made the night better

Great pub, very central location, very good selection of beers and friendly, well informed staff..........a real pleasure. Did not have food but pies looked fantastic!! Please visit.....

Carine the barmaid was a little diamond ..so helpful.... so delightful .....so happy ..a great asset to the buisiness.

Amazing service from 2 young men behind the bar, would definitely recommend. Staff behind the bar were honestly excellent!!! 👌

The range of ales available is good with four choices. I had the Old Peculier and it was the perfect pint. Nice to see Harvey's available and the Plum Porter that I tried a couple of days ago was interesting and amazingly tasted plummy! Large fish and chips today and I could not eat all of it unfortunately because it was so large. Our Grandaughter is being tested for nut allergies and the young guy who served us made a point of asking about allergies before we mentioned it, which is kind of usual I guess. What was so brilliant was that he went through all the kids menu things to say what would be ok and then went and informed the kitchen. Brilliant service. I do so like this pub. Thanks Team.

It's just a magical place We had a wonderful time The food was nice too

We booked a table for lunch as we were visiting the Christmas Market, asking for easy access for my Mum. We received a personal email explaining all the details we needed to know. As the weather was cold and damp we decided to arrive early and were pleasantly surprised that we could go straight to our window table. We thoroughly enjoyed our pies, one beef shin and one rabbit, and at the end of our meal the manager came over to check we were happy with everything, in view of our specific requests when booking. We cannot praise the communication and service we received enough, not to mention the delicious food. Thank you to all the staff who made our visit to the Old Buttermarket a highlight of our day in Canterbury.

Great staff as well as great food.

A lovely pub with a great atmosphere and friendly manager, right outside of Canterbury Cathedral. Plenty of delicious food options and the drinks menu is extensive. As a regular customer, I highly recommend to anyone living in, or visiting, Canterbury.

The place looked nice from the outside and the menu was promising. When we (couple) entered, we were not greeted and two younger women stood listlessly behind the bar with their smartphones, one of them told us that you have to order at the bar. Neither a hello nor a question as to whether we wanted the menu. So it was just one drink. Even when we left the restaurant we weren't said goodbye. Sorry, but we're used to better things in England and Canterbury.

Had a fantastic sea bass ,mussel and prawn dinner. Wife had steak sandwich. All great. Hot, tasty and excellent portions. Helles lager and wine all good. Friendly staff, bar in great location.

The worst welcome I've ever had in England

50 minutes of waiting for 2 cheese burgers, we had to restart twice to be served without knowing why. very poor quality. Not good value for money at all. Not recommended.

Unfriendly waitress with a goldfish memory.

Very good food but very poor quality service this day unfortunately with waitresses who clearly didn't care… A very good experience a year ago on all points but a very big drop in quality of service to date, too bad

Lovely steak sandwich and pint of organic ale

Very nice Pub an Restaurant! Fresh made delicious food. Nice and friendly staff.

Visiting from Overseas and first time in this pub. Not the friendliest welcome from the 2 female bar staff. Only stayed for 1 drink.

Really good pies and the atmosphere is great too.

Nice food. Seating ok. Service lovely

Great welcome from Stuart as always with a brilliant service and beer selection!

My dad popped in a pint and it took ages for someone to serve him and then the bartender had an attitude the whole time. She also did not pour the pint of Guinness properly. Poor service, not worth it.

Good old pub with great food as part of Nicholsons group. Pies and fish chips never goes wrong. Cask ales are great !

Great attitude of servers and owner/manager; excellent food and large portions

The Old Buttermarket in Canterbury is a charming and cozy pub that blends tradition and comfort perfectly. Located near the cathedral, it offers a welcoming atmosphere with its dark wood interior and the option to sit outside at pavement tables, allowing you to soak in the historic surroundings. During our visit, we ordered our usual shandy and classic fish with chips. The process is straightforward: place your order at the bar, which is typical of traditional British pubs. The service was efficient, with friendly staff who were attentive but not intrusive. Our food arrived promptly and was cooked to perfection. The fish was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and the chips were golden and satisfying—exactly what you’d hope for in this quintessential British dish. One thing that stood out was the cleanliness of the pub, especially the restrooms, which were spotless and well-maintained, adding to the overall pleasant experience. The pub's location near the cathedral and its inviting atmosphere make it a fantastic spot to relax after exploring Canterbury. For those who appreciate a good pint, The Old Buttermarket also offers a selection of cask ales, which adds to its traditional British pub charm. Whether you're looking for a refreshing drink or a hearty meal, this pub is a great choice. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Canterbury.

They market themselves as pie specialists but two pies were unavailable when we were there which was disappointing and limiting. That said, the pie we had (all had the same!) was very good.

Fabulous city centre pub opposite the entrance to Canterbury Cathedral. Excellent selection of real ales and fabulous pies! Good value for money particularly given the location. Also, very dog friendly.

nice atmosphere, great ambience, nice neighborhood nearby the cathedral, service was good, food was tasty and hot. Would go again if we were in the area

Stopped by for a drink and ended up having some bar snacks too as they have a deal. Have booked a table for dinner in the future as the pies going out smelt and looked amazing.

A perfect spot to enjoy some historical time int he center of the city with an amazing beers and some great food.

It’s so nice to done my dinner over there.

Amazing pub with a great drinks range and friendly staff. Must try the pie selection and their range of ales is amazing!.

Very Nice and cozy place to be while you are visiting Canterbury. Highly recommend.

I am courier to a coach party and lunch at the venue was very good. Visited with 23 over 60 passengers and was impressed with the quality of food and excellent service. The only downside was the restrooms being up a flight of stairs but as there are facilities in the courtyard of the Cathedral opposite we did not have a problem. I

Beautiful building and great lunch spot. Had a lovely time here.

I popped in for a bite there whilst on holiday a couple of weeks ago. I decided on an early lunch to avoid crowds. Snug and cosy inside. A pint of Spitfire and the sausage and mash lunch. 3 beautifully cooked fat sausages, smooth mash and plenty of onion gravy. Great service and great food, thank you.

The BEST restaurant in Canterbury

A charming pub with affordable prices and very friendly staff. Walls covered in the rich History of Canterbury. Well worth a visit!

The tables are sticky, unfriendly staff and steep prices for simple standard beers.

A friendly pub very close to the cathedral with excellent food and beer. Fantastic service from the team - allowing us to put a large order in right at the end of the day. Thank you!

One of the best Club Sandwiches I’ve ever had - amazing! Nice place, friendly service and great food. Recommended.

Rip off prices. £6.05 for a pint of bitter. Total rip of

Very nice to drink a good beer.

A bit of kindness would have been greatly appreciated

Perfect place to end our day in Canterbury. Close to Cathedral. Excellent service. Delicious food at reasonable prices and welcoming atmosphere.

Lovely pub, especially if you can get a table outfront. Didn't eat, but what we saw looked lovely.

Amazing little Gem of a pub! The food was amazing & the service was great! The manager/owner was so accommodating to us and made us feel so welcome! We will definitely be back! Thanks also to the guy working with him! You are both amazing I’m sorry I don’t remember your names it was that last Long Island ice tea 😅 Thanks Guys!!

I popped in with my husband last night for a peaceful drink. The service and atmosphere was flawless from staff until the supervisor - old man with glasses - appeared to rush everybody out of the pub while picking on and condescending the poor young lady he was working with. I myself work in a restaurant and would be appalled to be spoken to in this manner. What a pity.

We were sold beers without being told we can no longer use the tables outside, as those now belong to shakespeare pub . The place has lost its charm I'm afraid.

This pub has a perfect location, food that shows professional pride from the chef but the service was miserable. Rude staff who were angry and annoyed, a shame for English service!

Food came out an hour after it was ordered, it was cold and hard. Almost chocked on the chicken as it was so hard to swallow .

Service was outstanding👍🏽 highly recommend

Came here a few days ago with family. I found the service was very poor, from having no table service to take the order We had to pay for our food before eating which was an initial red flag. We ordered our food and drinks at the bar for a family of 5. We waiting about 45 minutes for our food to arrive to the table and when it did 2 of the 5 meals were freezing. We sent the chicken dinner back to be heated as it was inedible. It was overpriced and very disappointing altogether. Overall the service and kitchen needs improved allot. Wouldn't recommend eating here especially with large groups of people.

Went at lunchtime and ordered food. Waited a very long time for it to appear. Husband’s burger was good but it and fries were only lukewarm. My pie was barely warm and the mash was stone cold. Sent back but took ages to return. A bit grubby and understaffed. Unfriendly and graceless young woman brought the cold food back with a sulky gob on! We were perfectly nice customers but were made to feel unreasonable for asking for cold food to be warmed. Not brilliant.

A pub where you can have a few pints.

Great pub we called in for a couple of drinks while we were visiting. Great lad behind the bar Luke nothing was tooo much trouble for him . Would recommend

Expensive for what it is, tourist trap really. Food a step above weatherspoons but nothing special. Didn't have 2 of the 3 veggie options available. Drink selection fine but again nothing special.

Loved it outside space less than usual But it rained anyway

My partner and I enjoyed a delightful visit to The Old Buttermarket in Canterbury. We each had a drink, a Peroni and a Guinness on tap, which were served perfectly chilled and refreshing. For our meal, we opted for the hand-pulled lamb shank shepherd's pie, which was simply outstanding. It came in a rich minted gravy, topped with a delicious herb mash, and was accompanied by thyme roasted carrots, long stem broccoli, and an additional side of rich gravy. The skin-on fries and chunky chips were also cooked perfect. We chose to sit outside, where we had front row seats with a stunning view of Canterbury Cathedral. The ambiance was further enhanced by the Beer Marque sign hanging outside the pub, a symbol of the establishment's commitment to serving quality draught beer. Definitely recommend, would come again 👍

sadly we wasnt able to sit outside in our usual spot at the Buttermarket as the main area has been taken over by Shepherd Neame for The Shakespeare. Dont get caught out, we were moved on. Despite there being banners around the area you dont see them, there needs to be something on the table.

Hollie and Rose were amazing! Gave great drink recommendations and were super helpful and attentive, they both deserve a huge pay rise. Will be coming back for sure!!

Great Food, Great service and very adaptable to our requirements! Loved the fact that a bowl of water and some dog treats were at the table ready for our 4 legged friend!

What a great gem. We where looking in town for a meal before our night out at the Marlowe and we walked in for a meal and a drink. It was busy and alot of tables had a reserve sign on them. To me that is a good sign as this means the good food is served. We found a table in the corner by the bar but it still had empty plates on it. We moved the plates and quickly use a spare napkin to wipe the table clean. We both ordered the Chicken Schnitzel and OMG was that great. The chips, and meat where perfect. The garlic butter ontop was fantastic. Then a quick dip of the chips in the alioly mayo. It was heaven. We will be back soon to try the rest of menu.

Lovely friendly pub food smelt amazing although we were there for the drinks, hidden gem

Used to be really good, one of our all time favourites. I think your losing out to the Shakespeare (?) next door, in terms of outdoor seating has impacted you.. they're no substitute, by the way, and we suppose that's somewhat out of your hands. That said however, we found the level of service somewhat lacking when we dined that evening, and many dishes were unavailable - including your normally excellent steaks.. I mean, steaks Off!

A quick stop for a quick drink. Very busy so service was very slow. They're good for food but less concentrate on drinks. Even they are serving various cask and keg but mostly not much impressive likjke dome bar stuff. May be next time.

Lovely pub right opposite the cathedral. Good value for money Fast and pleasant service Special mention for the photos visible in these ladies' toilets

Nice and warm food! Friendly staff! Cosy atmosphere!

What a great spot for lunch! I had the steak and ale pie and my wife had the fish and chips… both were delicious!!! I highly recommend this place!

We had a party of four and not a lot of time. The staff was so kind and courteous and answered all our questions (Americans here so we are still learning a lot of the vernacular). The food arrived piping hot and delicious! Honestly not sure if I loved the perfectly-seasoned mash most, or carrots, or the boar and chorizo pie more. So, so good, and if you visit Canturbury once or regularly this pub is a must-visit!

The best steak pie you will ever eat!!!! And the mashed potatoes are beyond! And let me give a shout out to the Roasted carrots! You won’t regret it! Best take out meal!

Nice good and very pleasant host

Located right in front of the entrance to the cathedral, beautiful place, quite typical, very friendly. The waiters do not take your order at the table, you have to order the food at the counter.

Great little pub with entertainment and friendly service

Friendly service good chat and great food

Lovely clean pub that still has its character, food was amazing, quite busy but service was quick

The steak pie was delicious without costing a fortune, but the service was laughably bad. It doesn't take much to offer decent service, and yet some establishments just fail at the basics. Otherwise, nice and warm atmosphere.

Really nice to go for just a drink or a meal as well

Good drinks lovely place friendly staff.

Fabulous food Burger was amazing and club sandwich excellent Fast friendly service decent wine Perfect lunch venue great

Really good service, 4 of us visited on a busy Saturday lunchtime (book a table). Pies would all good, and the pint of T Taylors very nice

Great pub with the most amazing pies!!! Staff were very helpful and attentive. Would highly recommend. In a great location.

Lovely food. Amazing customer service. Good atmosphere

A cosy high end pub with great decor, lovely customer service, amazing food and a lot of high end beverages

An historic old pub in view of the cathedral, perfect for a quiet one at the end of a busy day of sightseeing in Canterbury.

Food and service was exemplary. I had a particularly lovely pint of Cornish beer which I liked so much we returned the following night. Sadly the beer was off but the Manager went out of his way to find me an alternative and when he couldn’t find one I liked he promised me a free one when he had the original beer up and running. Highly recommended in an ideal location .

delicious food and 10/10 staff! absolutely recommended

Fish plater for 2 was a generous portion and delicious. Service speedy and attentive

We ordered fish and chips and pie. It was great quality food and tastes great. The people were nice however, it was kinda busy and a bit pricey for the area. The prices were like I was in London. Overall, i liked the food and experience

A lovely bright English pub with wonderful rustic interiors. Directly opposite the entrance to the cathedral, the pub invites you to treat yourself to a pint from the large selection of fresh draft beers. We didn't eat, so we don't rate it.

We went back again to sample their wonderful pies. Had the chicken and oyster mushroom and they were fabulous! If you love pies this is the place for you.

The pies were very tasty. We loved that the Kids could choose mashed potatoes to their dish.

Great atmosphere, happened upon a live singer event as we were passing this pub so stopped in. Such a well laid out spacious pub with good seating and friendly staff. Will try food next time