THE LOCATION

With sweeping views and surrounded by glorious Kent countryside, The Marquis of Granby is a real find. Situated in the picturesque village of Alkham in East Kent, this awarding winning pub with ten individually designed bedrooms, is one of those places where you could hunker down any day of the year – come wind, rain or shine.

During the Summer, use The Marquis of Granby as the perfect base to explore nearby beach destinations such as Hythe, Folkestone and Deal. In the wintry months, go for hearty walks along the North Downs Way, a 153km National Trail taking in both the coast and countryside, before quickly returning to The Marquis of Granby for a leisurely soak in one of their infamous roll top baths followed by show-stopping food.

THE LOWDOWN

The Marquis of Granby has been a well-loved destination in Kent for many years, but it has had a new lease of life after it was bought by the Contemporary Pubs group run by husband-and-wife team Will and Nadine Sheldon.

It was re-opened to great acclaim in April 2019 swiftly followed by the equally impressive Tiger Inn in Stowting in 2021 which was also a finalist in our Muddy awards so this fresh-faced duo certainly know how to keep their punters happy.

There’s a new pub on the horizon too – The King’s Arms in Elham – which is opening in July 2023 so watch this space as it promises to be the flagship pub of the group after a seven-figure investment with a new dining extension, yet still retaining the character of the pub they are quick to tell us, and will be another foodie destination to add to their growing portfolio of businesses in Kent.

THE VIBE

John Rogers, who used to own the Five Bells in Brabourne and The Woolpack in Warehorne and The Globe in Rye, is the design guru behind the décor and you can see why he has been such a well-known name in the industry for so long.

Everything feels effortlessly put together, with Kentish hops strategically placed throughout, yet still keeping the original charm of the place. In fact, the floorboards from the previous pub are used to decorate the walls within the dining area which doesn’t sound that appealing on paper but does give the space that lived-in feel which makes it all feel very homely and welcoming.

Aided by interesting nik naks, comfy cushions and dark colours, it’s a cosy and inviting atmosphere and FULL of guests on our Thursday night visit which is not always the case in deepest darkest Kent.

There are also plenty of little dining nooks meaning you can squirrel yourselves for a romantic a deux supper or take over an area if coming with a larger party.

SCOFF AND QUAFF

It’s always a good sign that you are already planning your return visit even before you have hit the Starters thanks to their Small Bites course where we inhaled Goats Curd with lime, sesame, chilli and Lavosh cracker alongside Pulled Pork Croquettes, beetroot ketchup and pickled celery.

We went as a group of four which was a good thing as it meant we could try out a medley of dishes and let me be very clear that if you see the Salt & Pepper Squid with white radish and kimchi mayonnaise on the menu, you have to try it. Not surprisingly it’s one of their best-sellers and is the softest and freshest squid we have had on our Muddy travels. Sold? We hope so.

Also sampled on your behalf was Chorizo Scotch Egg (how do they make it runny inside?), Charred Asparagus, roasted hazelnuts, preserved lemon, rapeseed mayonnaise and Cured Mackerel fillet, seaweed cracker, buttermilk and dill. And yes, they are all wholeheartedly recommended.

Roasted Skate wing served with pickled strawberry & caper buter with fried parsley, peas, bacon and new potato and Tiger Prawn, crab and mussel rigatoni, Roast rump of lamb, leek & potato terrine, chimmi churri, braised carrot, goats curd and Fillet of Pork Wellington with sweet potato puree and calvados jus formed the main course and I wish I could tell you that there was one bad dish amongst that little lot to give this review an inch of credibility but we can’t. Our tip – go hungry so you can sample as much as you can.

Dark Chocolate Marquis with honeycomb and orange & chocolate ice cream did nearly defeat us and it’s no wonder that this pudding never leaves the menu due its popularity. I do hope the Pistachio & Raspberry tart with white chocolate and vanilla ice cream is on offer on your visit as it’s sublime.

Onto the quaffing, my husband and his brother were delighted to find local favourite Curious Brew (from the clever people behind Chapel Down) on tap. The wine list is compact (with price points from £21 to £235 for a Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc des Blancs) and interestingly more international wines than local producers with the exception of Simpsons.

Children under 12 are well-looked after with the usual suspects of Fish Goujons, Fries and Peas (£7) and Rigatoni Bolognaise and Garlic Bread (£8) so no glaring little faces here when presented with their food choices.

PILLOW TALK

There are 10 gorgeous bedrooms to choose from with prices starting at a very reasonable £105 so it doesn’t have to cost an arm and leg to stay here.

As you can imagine as our worthy Muddy winner, all offer sumptuous interiors, en-suite bathrooms, tea and coffee making facilities and air conditioning and some even have beautiful scenic views of the village meadow and valley life so you can really soak it all up from the comfort of your room.

Our favourite has to be the deluxe Collard room – not only boasting picturesque views of the village but there is also a baroque themed bathroom and centre piece copper bath.

Breakfast is a destination point in itself (unusual in this corner of Kent so a great spot for brunch if you need it) with everything from freshly baked croissants to Eggs Benedict and Belgium Waffles with the obligatory Crushed Avo on Grilled Sourdough with a poached egg on the menu too.

ANYTHING ELSE?

The community needs to be behind every good pub and the Marquis of Granby seems to have cracked this code. Every Monday evening is Cork Club (bring your own bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner at just £5 corkage per bottle) and rumour has it that there is a regular gang of locals who are relishing the challenge each week and dusting off wines from their cellars to try out each week with their neighbours.

Bank holidays and Holidays are also a good time to visit with a special BBQ, live music and cricket match laid for the recent May Day holiday with The Marquis of Granby cricket team fighting to keep their ‘cup’ from the villagers.

There are very popular tasting evenings hosted with local vineyard, Simpson including a tour around the winery and 3 course meal with wine pairings back at The Marquis of Granby afterwards.

We’re also pleased to see that there are seasonal set menus for lunch (Monday through to Saturday) with two courses for £23 and three courses for £27 so you can indulge without your purse strings feeling too compromised.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

GOOD FOR? Romance – the roll-top baths and seriously good food down below says it all. Lovey dovey times aside, we are also overjoyed to discover a really good gastro option for the start of the week when most of the fine-dining restaurants in Kent are closed.

NOT FOR? An overnight visit with the family – the restaurant has a fantastic menu for the little un’s so great for day trips but leave them behind if you are looking to push the boat out with a stay in one of their luxurious bedrooms.

THE DAMAGE

Small Bites cost around £4-£5, Starters from £8-£12, Mains are £19-£28 and Puddings around the £10 mark so it is on the punchier side of things but portions are huge so don’t worry about being upsold on sides and it’s worth every penny.

Alkham Valley Rd, Alkham, Dover, CT15 7DF, marquisofgranby.co.uk, info@marquisofgranby.co.uk, 01304 873410

Muddy reviews: Marquis of Granby, Alkham

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