A warm fireside welcome with award winning food, lovingly prepared from local ingredients, the finest wines and four freshly refurbished 'home from home ' guest rooms. The Dering Arms is the perfect place for family parties, weddings, social events or a cosy romantic dinner for two, with a comfy bed and a gourmet breakfast.
Everything you need, especially if it involves superb food, fantastic wines and a relaxed atmosphere. The building, a fabulous old hunting lodge, now offers award winning food for your enjoyment. You are able to choose from a selection of traditional dishes and 'comfort meals ' to an exceptional fish and seafood a la carte menu, for those special occasions.
Everything you need, especially if it involves superb food, fantastic wines and a relaxed atmosphere. The building, a fabulous old hunting lodge, now offers award winning food for your enjoyment. You are able to choose from a selection of traditional dishes and 'comfort meals ' to an exceptional fish and seafood a la carte menu, for those special occasions.
Services
Please call us to book a table or reserve one of our four double bedrooms for B&B. When booking by e-mail at short notice, please phone to check we have your booking as mail sometimes comes in to us whilst we are working in the kitchen, bar or restaurant and can occasionally be missed. The Dering Arms can be found in the small village of Pluckley, near to Ashford.
Unlike some restaurants and coaching Inns we're actively involved with the running of the restaurant and the B&B rooms. If you rely on an email booking, particularly at the last minute, you may find that we are in the kitchen or the restaurant when it comes into the office, so we don't get to see it in time.
As well as being warm and relaxing the Club Room at the Dering Arms is the largest room in the Lodge and is used for club gatherings and dinners as well as a really comfortable place for friends to meet. It even has a piano for the musically minded!
At the opposite end to the restaurant, the Club Room can be either a convivial and relaxing place for friends or small groups to meet, or it can be the venue for more formal Club gatherings and dinners.It has a lovely warm atmosphere and when suitably laid out can seat up to 30 for a formal dinner.
At the opposite end to the restaurant, the Club Room can be either a convivial and relaxing place for friends or small groups to meet, or it can be the venue for more formal Club gatherings and dinners.It has a lovely warm atmosphere and when suitably laid out can seat up to 30 for a formal dinner.
There's something for everyone at The Dering Arms; A superb a la carte fish menu for more formal meals and blackboard specials that change regularly. Delicious local delicacies to tempt your palate. Whilst we specialise in award-winning seafood there's plenty of choice for non seafood lovers. We love a culinary challege.
The wine cellar at The Dering Arms is renowned for its quality and variety. It's no accident. Many happy hours have been spent discovering rare vintages in partnership with the very best wine merchants and seeking out mystery bin ends and dusty old ports at auction.
It takes a certain dedication and much hard work for a wine cellar like that of The Dering Arms to be laid down and the enthusiasm with which it has been developed shows in the quality and rarity of wines kept in its cellars.Most don't appear on any other pub's wine list. Ideally, decide what you would like to eat and then select a wine to suit.
It takes a certain dedication and much hard work for a wine cellar like that of The Dering Arms to be laid down and the enthusiasm with which it has been developed shows in the quality and rarity of wines kept in its cellars.Most don't appear on any other pub's wine list. Ideally, decide what you would like to eat and then select a wine to suit.
Reviews (17)
Natasha Richard
Jan 11, 2022
Report
Max Spicer
Dec 08, 2021
Report
My Wife and I recently had an overnight stay at the Dering Arms. The room was very clean and the bed was one of the best nights sleep I have experienced.
The evening meal was superb with a lovely atmosphere. James (the owner) was very charming and helpful with his knowledge of wine.
We both had fish cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned.
My breakfast the following morning consisted of smoked haddock and 2 x poached eggs perfectly cooked.
The evening meal was superb with a lovely atmosphere. James (the owner) was very charming and helpful with his knowledge of wine.
We both had fish cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned.
My breakfast the following morning consisted of smoked haddock and 2 x poached eggs perfectly cooked.
Magnolia Purple
Dec 05, 2021
Report
A lovely, slightly quirky former hunting lodge in the lovely village of Pluckley, Kent. Wonderful food, great flavour and beautifully cooked. We will book earlier next time as this was a last minute decision and our table was in the smaller bar area. It was a cold evening and a little drafty, but will definitely return because the food was so delicious.
J.
Nov 29, 2021
Report
Where to start ,been to the dering arms before and have had I lovely time,but on this occasion the the proprietor James Buss can only be described as 100% buffoon. As an owner of a business his people/ customer service skills where well below par, referring to his bar staff as school children as they authorised a log being put on the fire. After stompping through the bar like a child having a tantrum and knocking the log and ash to one side he continued to berate not only customers but his stuff, this condescending, pompous-oaf does not deserve such lovely staff or premises. JAMES BUSS you should
Niall Fitzgerald
Nov 09, 2021
Report
Niall Fitzgerald
Oct 23, 2021
Report
Pauline Root
Sep 20, 2021
Report
Stephen Degnan
Aug 20, 2021
Report
Louise Talmage
Aug 12, 2021
Report
As we were in the area we visited on a Friday lunchtime after a recommendation from someone local.
Received a warm welcome from the staff, good menu choice, really great fish of the day options with delicious sounding accompaniments and sauces. We plumped for the Tapas - great selection to choose from - and were not disappointed, good size portions and tasty. Washed down with a local beer.
Chatted to friendly owner and staff.
Toilets were immaculate.
Thank you hope to be back again!
Received a warm welcome from the staff, good menu choice, really great fish of the day options with delicious sounding accompaniments and sauces. We plumped for the Tapas - great selection to choose from - and were not disappointed, good size portions and tasty. Washed down with a local beer.
Chatted to friendly owner and staff.
Toilets were immaculate.
Thank you hope to be back again!
Jmc
Aug 07, 2020
Report
Visited the premises while on a break away with my Partner. We made a pitstop for a drink after being recommend by a local resident.
We found it a bit unwelcoming, but we enjoyed sitting in the sunshine.
We decided to return, to sample the food and again, we found certain staff members very unwelcoming and rude.
Not wanting to spoil our short break, we stayed for a meal, the food we had was delicious and our server was first rate and polite.
We found it a bit unwelcoming, but we enjoyed sitting in the sunshine.
We decided to return, to sample the food and again, we found certain staff members very unwelcoming and rude.
Not wanting to spoil our short break, we stayed for a meal, the food we had was delicious and our server was first rate and polite.
John Chaplin
Dec 30, 2019
Report
Paul Blake
Sep 11, 2018
Report
Anastasia Sia
Sep 11, 2018
Report
Trevor R. Wales
Apr 16, 2018
Report
Qype User ARevie
Mar 05, 2012
Report
The atmosphere was formal rather like a private Golf Club. Staff did not go out of their way to chat, but focussed on chatting to fellow staff. It definitely felt a case of 'you're not local' and 'why bother chatting as you won't come back'. Coming from a farming background (and hunting), I found it far too formal for me, made worse by the Home & Garden magazines littered around everywhere, like in some kind of Ikea shop. I wonder if they got the idea about the printed French posters from Home in Gardens, so you would feel like you were iin France. It was a bit
Qype User Beauti
Sep 21, 2011
Report
As I live very near to The Dering Arms it is considered my local. I have always had great food whether eating alone or with friends. It has great history as the original shooting lodge for the Dering family and if coming back from London on the train it's very hard to walk past and not have a drink :0)
Qype User Adamsa
Oct 14, 2008
Report
As much a restaurant as it is a pub with a formal eating area behind and a mixed eating and drinking bar at the front. Small but good selection of local beers and a hearty menu of British food focusing on pies, roast meats etc. Definitely worth booking ahead at the weekend as both parts of the pub can get very busy
