Looking for a really good place to eat in Canterbury? We found a true hidden gem, thanks to some high praise from food critics Grace Dent (click here for her review) and Giles Coren (click here for his review).
After seeing both of them rave about Franc, we knew we had to try it.
Franc is located in the historic 1085 Tudor Gatehouse of St John’s Hospital, it’s so hidden, in fact, that we walked right past it! The ground floor functions as a wine bar, giving the entrance a relaxed feel rather than a typical French restaurant vibe. The main dining area is located upstairs via a steep staircase. Since our table was in the wine bar, we stayed downstairs and missed out on the climb.
The lunch menu wisely favours quality over quantity, offering a selection of three starters, three mains, a cheese course, and three dessert options.
I ordered the trout tartare, which was absolutely fabulous. The portion size was perfect for a starter, though it was so refreshing and moreish that I could have easily eaten another. My companion loved the tomato soup, saying it was one of the best he’d ever tasted. After a quick taste myself, I can agree it was wonderfully thick and bursting with flavour.
For our main course, the kitchen truly excelled. I deviated from the main menu to try the lamb and flageolet bean special. It arrived as a generous portion of incredibly tender meat paired with deeply flavorful beans. Across the table, the chicken and tarragon with a side of chips was a triumph. It was a perfectly executed French classic, thoughtfully modernized with the inclusion of charred little gem.
We each had a glass of sparkling Vouvray, though choosing was difficult given their excellent selection of wines by the glass.
Here’s the menu and wine lists to give you an idea of how spoilt for choice we were :-
I only wish we’d had room for the cheese course and a dessert wine, perhaps next time.
Ironically, this calibre of food feels like it belongs somewhere grander, like The Pig at Bridge Place, but we’re delighted it’s much easier to reach, tucked away in the ancient building at Canterbury Northgate.
I also couldn’t resist taking a picture of these cartoon water glasses (Smurfs and Lilo & Stitch). There must be a story there!
