A celebrated chef has confirmed plans to open a new restaurant in the shell of a once-troubled bar.
Dev Biswal, owner of The Cook’s Tale restaurant in Canterbury, is set to move into the city’s former Cardinal’s Cap – previously known as the Limes bar – in Rosemary Lane.
The 47-year-old says his new venture, Cafe Marrakech, will offer authentic Moroccan food, accompanied by promises of an “interesting ambience” that will prove popular with both residents and tourists alike.
In plans submitted to Canterbury City Council (CCC), he said: “The former pub has undergone several changes, acquiring a bad reputation due to anti-social behaviour, heavy drinking sessions and frequent public disturbance to which police were often called upon.
“The aim of this proposal is to provide a high-end dining experience for the public, attracting local residents and tourists from the high street and establishing a relaxation spot for neighbours to enjoy multiple food and beverage options from the menu.”
An exact opening date is yet to be confirmed, though work has been underway in the building since February.
The site was known as The Cardinal’s Cap from 1820 before being renamed The Blind Dog in 2001.
It later became Limes, but gathered a reputation for drug-taking and unruly behaviour and was reopened in 2023 under its original namesake after a £40,000 renovation.
However, this venture lasted a matter of months, and the building has been empty since.
It would be the second public house Mr Biswal has transformed in the city, with The Cook’s Tale – formerly known as Ambrette – filling the gap left by the Beer Cart Arms following its closure in 2014.
Since moving to England from India, where he was born, the chef has seen his career take off with a steady stream of accolades for his cooking.
Mr Biswal grew up in Orissa, in eastern Indian, before moving to Calcutta and training at the Dubai Sheraton hotel, moving to the capital in 2003.
Last year, he was crowned the best Asian cook outside of London and the second best nationally, in a prestigious ceremony at the House of Lords.
In 2019, he was deemed to be the best Asian chef in the country.
The Cook’s Tale has received recognition in the Michelin Guide in the past, while it also won a TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award and is in the Harden’s 2025 food guide.
