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Riverside Social in Canterbury is one of Kent’s hidden gems, with a great range of delicious food
05:00, 20 January 2024
As I stroll across the Riverside complex in Canterbury, I’m a little confused.
Almost frozen to the core on a bitterly cold afternoon, I’m cluelessly looking to find Riverside Social – a new food hub promising street market vibes and a global taste tour.
But as far as I can tell, this incredible-sounding place to eat is seemingly non-existent.
Luckily a kind stranger leaving the venue points me in the right direction.
Next to Boom Battle Bar, in a building with no signage, is what could promise to be a foodie’s haven.
Inside, protected from the elements, is far more my style, with a slick green-tiled bar and plenty of places to sit.
Across from me sit four beautifully decorated booths, each promising the allure of varying styles and cuisines designed to cater to just about everyone.
Three of the four spots to eat only exist within these walls, whilst Bindas Eatery – the Indian spot – has made its way down from the capital to be here.
American burger shack Bun Daddies, Mexican street food Greedy Geckos and Mediterranean-inspired Bah Bah Soul make up the eclectic mix.
From what I can gather, chefs working in the booths are trained to jump between each style at the drop of a hat.
The menu has a genuinely phenomenal amount to pick from and I struggle to choose what I want.
The burgers sound delightful, the tacos look delectable and the curries carry a cultured, distinctive air about them.
I decide to mix it up – selecting both something I wouldn’t usually order and something I know a fair bit about.
With that, I land on chicken tenders from Bun Daddies with blue cheese ranch and bulls eye BBQ sauce as well as a burrata, prosciutto and chilli jam flatbread from the Mediterranean quarter.
For dessert, it’ll be salted caramel Gulab Jamun – fried doughballs doused in sugar syrup and salted caramel, served with ice cream.
If that’s not up your street, there’s baklava, ice cream sundaes and churros to indulge in too.
As for a drink, I settle on an Oreo milkshake with salted caramel ice cream instead of vanilla – a fantastic mixture and one I would recommend to anyone with a sweet tooth.
But this is a drop in the ocean compared to what is on offer.
There are more than 25 cocktails on the menu – with eight different types of mojito – for those looking to cut loose.
I don’t think anyone could accuse Riverside bosses of skimping on the supplies.
Back to the main attraction and I’m pleasantly surprised by the flatbread.
The chilli jam, prosciutto and burrata flirt with each other, each releasing a unique taste which – when combined – sparkles in your mouth.
The bread itself is good quality – a fresh base to give the other tastes a platform to thrive.
With the chicken, it’s a clean serving with dips that rival each other in taste but present an interesting, palatable balance for the tastebuds.
Moving onto dessert, I’m surprised by how heavy the Gulab Jamun is, with its slightly rough texture.
Overall, it is exactly what it says on the tin, a sweet doughball with ice cream – if you like the savoury version I see no reason why this would offend your senses.
When all is said and done, I can’t complain.
The flatbread cost £13, the chicken £8, the drink came in at £5 and the dessert at £5.50 – not an insignificant amount admittedly.
But when I go back, I’ll order different food – not because what I had wasn’t tasty but because there is just such a diverse range and I have no doubt it’s all of the same quality.
It’s a shame not to see more people making the effort to come here but I can only hope fortunes will change.
Admittedly, it’s a little after 2pm on a Friday afternoon, but the waitress informs me that the pace of life in the hall is yet to quite reach its potential.
These things take time though and having only been up and ready for about a month, it’s certainly not time to hit the panic button.
There aren’t a great deal of places in the county that can have this much on offer whilst making it tasty, fresh and worth eating.
That alone makes this a spot worth diverting your attention to at least once.
And if word-of-mouth travels far enough, Riverside Social will elevate itself from another of Kent’s hidden gems to a food court loved by thousands.
It just needs support.
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