It is something of an oversight on my part that although I have lived in the neighbourhood for some 8 years, I only visited Victuals restaurant in Deal, for the... read more first time last month. So, confessions apart, this review is going to be honest, overdue and forthright!
Victuals (literally food or provisions) is a great name for a restaurant located in the quaint / historic passages, lanes & streets behind Deal seafront. For in centuries gone by, Deal was a major port and stabling point for both merchantmen and men-of-war, with up to 800 ships anchored in ‘The Downs’, the safe waters protected by The Goodwin Sands..
An intelligent wine list, that pairs local wines from Kent with imaginative selections from around the world. We opted for the Chilean ‘Adobe Reserva Gewürztraminer’, full of punchy tropical fruit with dry character and vibrant finish which served as a fine pairing of our starter from the menu, ‘Soused and Torched Mackerel’ with shaved fennel, pickled kohlrabi and wasabi, crème fraîche and a spicy honey glaze. The ‘starting pistol’ had been fired and it was immediately clear to me that this was serious cuisine, far in excess of anything we’d tasted in Deal in recent years, a nod to the ‘Whits of Walmer’, now just a memory.
Mains, I hear you think? I had initially plumped for the ‘Moroccan Spiced Leg of Lamb’, served with lamb bon-bon, giant harissa & roasted squash couscous, baba ganoush, muhammara purée, cucumber yoghurt and pistachio duhkka, but at the last minute weakened and opted for the ‘Pan Fried Cod’ served with lemon, shallot and chive crushed new potatoes, buttered samphire and Moules marinière sauce. What a treat to the very last fork full.
I’ll put you on notice, for in the autumn I’d already spied out the ‘bigger reds’, a ‘Château Cos Labory 2011’, a lovely Pauillac, or, because I’m worth it, a 2001 vintage ‘Hermitage Cuvée Domaine des Rémizières’, the Syrah grape will pair wonderfully with the Lamb!
Clearly, with such treats, there was no modestly waving away the dessert menu. The Souffle - but my eyes were drawn to the cheese board at a neighbouring table.
So, Victuals is the place to dine, without peer in Deal & Walmer. Let’s hope that the other ‘pretenders’ raise their game, adjust their prices, and cook like their very life depends upon it.

  Excellent. One of the best fine dining experiences we have had. We had the Kentucky fried quail cod Moroccan lamb and the passion fruit soufflé was amazing

  This was our second visit to the ‘Raid the Larder’ menu.
The choice of food was exemplary and there was something for everyone.
The food was presented beautifully... read more and complemented by the range of tableware.
The service was excellent and the staff were aware of our needs throughout the meal.
We will definitely be back - thank you

  Came here with my partner to celebrate our anniversary. We had a sign on the table that said happy anniversary which was a lovely touch! The staff were friendly and... read more welcoming and the food was outstanding! I would highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely plan on coming back.

  This is our 5th/6th time in Deal and we’ve always wanted to go to Victuals, but unfortunately never booked in advance. This time, we planned ahead for the Jubilee weekendand... read more boy, that’s the best bit of forward planning from us for a long while. From the lovely greeting as we walked through the door to when we were the last to leave with big smiles on our faces - faultless. Food was impeccable. Flavours, seasoning, choice - just impeccable. And throw in the decent wine list and you’re nearly there. The staff however (particularly Karen and the bearded gent - sorry forgot your name - too much good wine ) were the finishing touch. Attentive, not afraid of a laugh, and unobtrusive. BOOMa recipe for the best dining experience in Deal. Nothing compares to Victuals. Brilliant. Thanks so much.

  This is the best Sunday lunch we have ever had! The staff were knowledgable and friendly. The perfect place for a special occasion.

  A lovely local restaurant. Delicious food and friendly service. And, a wine list with reasonable prices! That's almost worth 5 stars itself. It doesn't get the 5th star because, for... read more some reason, the restaurant refuses to offer bread (they have some strange excuse that they have to make everything themselves so if they don't make bread they can't serve it--which is actually a bit ridiculous and surely a way to add incremental profit!).

  This restaurant went above and beyond for our family today. My mum has specific dietary requirements, they arranged a one off meal just for her which was sorted prior to... read more arriving, communication with the restaurant was brilliant. Although this restaurant is designed with adult fine dining in mind, our 4yr old daughter was well looked after too and welcomed. The staff were welcoming and professional and the food was amazing. All of us enjoyed our meals and the ambience of the restaurant. Highly recommend a meal at victuals.

  7 of us had dinner here while in the area to play golf. Food, service and ambience were all excellent. The staff were very welcoming and there was plenty of... read more choice on the menu. We really enjoyed our evening.

  This was our third visit. The first time the food was superb but the service was awful. The second time the service was fine but the food was average.
... read more /> This, our 3rd and final visit was mixed. When I booked I was not told that our table would be upstairs where we sat in splendid isolation for 45 minutes before 4 others arrived. Had I known this I would have chosen another date

To the food - my wife started with scallops which were fine. I had Kentucky fried quail which was simply odd and nothing special. For our mains we both had duck which had not been rested long enough and was therefore chewy and for afters we both had rhubarb soufflés which were excellent, although the menu asked us to allow a delay of 15 minutes - in fact it took a full 25 minutes

This restaurant regularly features in Kent's top ten but I cannot understand why. It's nothing special and pretty pricey. There are better restaurants in Deal

  We visited Sunday evening for three course meal. The staff were most welcoming and the atmosphere was excellent. The food was top draw. Scallops starter was 10/10 and the main... read more course Lemon Sole 11/10. Great choice of wines and some great English whites.

  What a fantastic hidden gem, the food was excellent and the waiting team attentive and brilliant - I thoroughly recommend this restaurant

  Every element excellent! Really inventive stuff served and presented really well! Engaging staff showed a real passion for what they were doing. In the Red Michelin guide…and in their terms... read more ‘vaut le voyage’, even if not yet rated as such.

  A London restaurant in Deal. Top quality food and service. A small but mouth-watering menu, in the style and service of London's best.

With friends we spent a wonderful... read more evening and the food was just perfect.
I would return to Deal just to dine there again.

  This had been booked for a family gathering by one of them, who had eaten here before. It was all perfectly lovely - atmosphere, decor, service and food. It's always... read more a good sign when you have a small, interesting menu but you can't decide what to have!

I broke the recently self-imposed rule and had three courses, all of which I enjoyed. They obviously noticed that we were all catching up and talking nineteen to the dozen, and paced it accordingly. I feel confident that they would have speeded up for a less garrulous group. I would recommend to anyone wanting a high quality meal in Deal (it rhymes I know!)

  What a brilliant place to eat! Just had a wonderful evening with the inventive "Raid the Larder" menu. Superb food and a big thumbs up to the veggie options. Thank... read more you for an excellent evening.

  This is a really lovely restaurant with an imaginative menu, good wine list and friendly, knowledgeable staff. The menu isn't extensive, but uses a good selection of local and seasonal... read more produce. On our last visit I had tuna tataki starter and the fish main course with lightly curried accompaniments, both of which were just divine and the portion sizes are just enough to leave room for pudding! Not cheap, but well worth a visit for a special occasion

  Everything here was pretty much perfect. Lovely cosy ambience, friendly and perfectly paced service. Delicious food and drink. Pan-seared tuna in an Asian-inspired sauce was great: roasted cod with lentils... read more also original and full of flavour. The fillet steak could no have been bettered and enjoyed the accompaniments - chargrilled lettuce with bacon and cheese and excellent triple cooked chips. Fine, light souffle to finish! What a menu! A rich muscular South African red wine was unusual and very fine: so too the espresso martinis to finish. This really was exceptional.

  I have eaten in many restaurants over the last few years and most I have come away feeling slightly underwhelmed by the the price and quality. Tonight’s dinner at Victuals... read more was wonderful. The food was exemplary. The service perfect. Worth every penny.

  Had Sunday Lunch and it was actually quite nice. It wasn’t the traditional roast meat but more like a sliced rump steak but it was tasty and well presented. Gravy... read more was excellent. My only criticism was the cheese & broccoli bake was tasteless (zero salt) and the adventurous smokey Brussels sprouts were completely cold. We didn’t want to make a fuzz but it was a bit of a let down. I think an establishment like this should serve soft drinks in bottles rather than from a gun. Overall it was a pleasant experience and represented value for money.