Bloom Stays Recommends: Best Cafés in Kent & the Kent Border

The café scene across the South East is rich and varied, with farm-to-table countryside spots to seaside delis and artisan roasteries scattered en masse across the county. For those wanting to try something new (perhaps while staying at a Bloom Stays holiday home?), it can be overwhelming deciding where to stop for a quick break or lunch. Not to mention, it can feel completely up to chance whether you end up at the local favourite, or experiencing the horrors of burnt milk and doughy pastries…

At Bloom Stays, Kent and East Sussex aren’t just where we work, they’re our home. Our team lives here, explores here, and fuels plenty of working mornings with coffees and freshly baked pastries from local favourites. That means that every recommendation you’ll find below is tried, tested, and genuinely loved by us.

Here are our top picks of cafés across Kent & East Sussex, each picked for its own charm, occasion, and standout treats.

Kin Coffee, Staplehurst

Recommended by Katie Mills, Marketing Manager: “Slightly biased as I live so close, but Kin Coffee in Staplehurst is lovely. They roast their own beans – I think they even won Taste of Kent Awards last year!”

A proper community favourite, Kin Coffee brings its roast-to-cup expertise to Staplehurst, complete with space for work-from-home and a book exchange – making it the ultimate spot to sit back and watch the world go by.

On the menu, there’s a variety of alternative and dairy milk options to accompany your espresso-based coffee, teas, hot chocolates, cold drinks, and milkshakes. Expect a combination of classics (beans on toast), toasties, banana bread,  Taywell pastries (brie, bacon & cranberry turnovers among them), and a rotating selection of tray bakes that don’t stick around for long.

Ours Café, Faversham

Recommended by Cathy Blackford, Property Manager.

Housed in a converted fire station and founded by local friends in summer 2025, Ours Café has the kind of atmosphere you instantly want to sink into – think friendly faces, good music, and coffee made just right. Alongside classic sandwiches and baked goods, you’ll often find playful specials like a crème brûlée iced latte or spiced chai creations. With regular events and evening drinks, it doubles as a social hub – the kind of place you pop in for a coffee and end up staying far longer.

Knoops, Rye (24 locations across the UK)

Also recommended by Cathy: “The matcha white hot chocolate is so good – it made me almost scream with joy!”

Born in Rye and now with cafés across the UK, Knoops is pure joy for anyone with a sweet tooth. Their wall of chocolate percentages – from a mellow 28% white to a bitter 100% dark – lets you design your hot chocolate, milkshake, or iced drink to your own personal taste. Add extras like orange zest or sea salt for something really special (or, like Cathy, some matcha). A local institution, this is one of our mainstays year-round – especially after exploring Rye’s cobbled lanes.

Natalina’s Deli, Sandgate

Recommended by Alice Dray, Partnerships & Business Development Manager: “Scrumptiously big Italian ciabattas – I love looking at the Italian goodies in the deli too.”

Part deli, part café, this family-run Italian deli is brimming with Italian flavours. The shelves are lined with handmade pasta, sauces, olive oils and wines, while the counter tempts with pasticini, savoury bites, and stuffed-to-bursting ciabatta sandwiches. Pair your pick with an espresso or even a negroni, and perch by the bay window or outside overlooking the sea. Natalina’s offers a slice of Italy on the Kent coast, and – as the locals will tell you – it’s hard to leave empty-handed.

The Micro Roastery, Canterbury

Recommended by Esperanza Friel-O’Brien, Guest and Owner Services Executive: “The best espresso, the best service, and the kindest crew. They also sell their coffee beans under the name Mr. Coffee, which I highly recommend.”

Coffee purists, this is your place. The Micro Roastery roasts in-house and serves what many reviewers call “the best coffee in Canterbury” – paired with welcoming service, and some excellent pastries. Pick up a bag of their beans (sold under the name Mr. Coffee) and you’ll be set for brilliant brews at home, too.

Gill’s Café & Delicatessen at The Goods Shed, Canterbury

Recommended by Nicky Russon, Founder

Nestled within Canterbury’s lively farmers’ market, Gill’s Café is all about simple, honest food done well. Sandwiches, soups, and salads are made fresh each day with ingredients sourced locally, and their cakes are a highlight too. Coffee from local roaster Cold Blow (and chair from Margate’s Chai Wallah) mean customers can enjoy the full taste of Kent, whatever their order.

Birchwood, Taywell Farm, Goudhurst

Recommended by Alex Tunney, Press Officer: “For coffee on my own, it’s always a cappuccino – no extras, just a really decent coffee. Birchwood only recently opened at Taywell Farm, but their coffee has always been excellent.”

Set onsite at Taywell Farm, Birchwood is a café and restaurant with sustainability at its core. The menu changes constantly depending on what’s in season; from baked eggs and hearty brunches to inventive salads and Sunday roasts, much of the produce is grown, foraged, or reared right there on the farm. With big windows looking over the fields and a calm, Scandi-style interior, it’s the kind of café where the food tastes even better because of the story behind it.

Arthur’s, Cranbrook

Also recommended by Alex: “When I’m catching up with friends, Arthur’s is our go-to. It’s Cranbrook’s locals’ café – dog-friendly, relaxed, and always full of familiar faces.”

Named after the house dog, Arthur’s is a true locals’ café: dog-friendly, welcoming, and reliably comforting with great coffee, rich milkshakes, hearty breakfast and lunch offerings. The menu runs from full English breakfasts to veggie options and loads of choice for the kids – plus there’s a large garden – making it the perfect place for school-run chats and canine companions alike.

The Apothecary Café, Rye

Recommended by Nammie Matthews, SEO Copywriter: “A huge variety of homemade cakes, sandwiches, and tea – could this be the best (and most affordable) lunch spot in Rye? The grape and brie panini is a treat, too… No wonder it often sells out.”

Set within a beautiful 15th-century building in the heart of Rye, The Apothecary Café combines charm with comfort amid its library-like interiors. Customers can cosy up with a wide range of freshly made sandwiches, jacket potatoes, soups, and cakes, alongside a proper pot of tea or barista coffee – all generously portioned with excellent value. Its large windows overlook the cobbled streets below, making it the perfect spot to pause during a day of exploring.