Kentish Express Ashford & District
Recipe for success is good food and friendly service
An Italian restaurant in Ashford has bagged the title of Kent’s fourth best diner, according to TripAdvisor.
Amici, in North Street, has been ranked in the top ten out of 3,433 restaurants in the county on the travel company website.
The ranking system is determined by popularity index, meaning restaurants are listed based on overall customer satisfaction, so the poshest and most expensive do not automatically come out on top.
Amici, which opened in June last year, is owned by Nino and Claire Costa, who previously ran the Halfway House pub and restaurant in Challock, together with Massimo Deidda and his wife Justyna.
Mr and Mrs Deidda used to run Massimo’s – a coffee shop in the same premises before it changed to Amici.
Mrs Costa was a regular customer of Massimo’s and introduced Nino to the owners after realising Mr Deidda was Sardinian, like her husband.
The couples became friends and decided to open Amici, which in Italian, means friends.
Claire says they are chuffed to be so high up in the list of Kent’s top restaurants: “It feels incredible really and it makes all the hard work worthwhile.
“We work long hours and put a lot into our business and we are very proud.
“We would like to thank all of our customers as a lot of them come back to us. It means an awful lot and we’re very grateful.”
Nino is head chef and Massimo also cooks in the kitchen, with Claire in charge of front of house alongside Justyna who covers a couple of shifts a week.
Amici – well known for its fish dishes – also bagged the top spot in the list of Ashford’s best restaurants, out of 117 in the town.
Claire added: “I always keep an eye on the reviews and try to answer as many as possible. If we have negative ones we have to discuss it to make sure we take it on board and do something about it.”
“We have a young and friendly team and we are like a family here. Our food may be good, but good food and friendly service go together.”
Amici is open from Monday to Saturday with a lunchtime service from noon to 2.30pm and dinner served from 5.30pm till 9.30pm.
For more information and to book, visit amici-ashford.co.uk or call 01233 666945.