Bowleys at the Plough

4.8

187 Reviews

£41 and over

British

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2 people

29 Dec 2024

19:30

Booked 9 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Charming
Neighbourhood gem

The Plough isn't your average countryside pub. Sitting on a quiet lane in a quintessentially English village, The Plough was set to be sold off the developers when 120 members of the community came together to invest, and save, their local. After its purchase and renovation, the Yates family took over the kitchen and opened the pub's small, but proud, restaurant, Bowleys.

Head Chef Alex Yates is still very early on in his career but though only in his early twenties, he has already spent two years in the kitchens at The Goring Hotel in London, as well as having gained experience with Rick Stein and even once cooking for the Queen.

Bowleys menus have a traditional feel and adhere to classic, English fare with a fine dining twist. There are several options to choose between including a tasting menu, set lunch, a la carte, brunch and Sunday lunch. The tasting menu is the jewel in Bowleys crown and consists of five courses, with an optional sixth.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
£41 and over
Cuisines
British
Hours of Operation
Bar Tue–Sat 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:00 pm Brunch Wed, Sat 11:00 am–12:00 pm Lunch Tue–Sat 12:00 pm–2:45 pm Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 6:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
01732 822233
Website
https://www.theploughkent.com/
Payment Options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Alex Yates
Catering
We offer a range of dining options to suit any occasion, from an intimate tasting menu celebration in our Dining Room to canapés and champagne with your bespoke menu. <br /><br />For a day created around your style and your guests, we have it covered. Please contact Bowleys@theploughkent.com or call 01732 822233 to discuss your event requirements.
Private party facilities
We are delighted to be offering private events and dining, celebrations and wedding breakfasts at Bowley’s at The Plough. Hospitality has been in our family for generations and the art of hosting the perfect party, blending wonderful food, wine, atmosphere and, most importantly, service, is something we excel at.

Location
Taylors Ln, West Malling, Kent ME19
Area
West Malling
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Vegan

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Experiences

À la Carte
Multiple dates available
Enjoy a À la Carte Menu, composed by Chef Alex Yates. Vegan option included. Available for Wednesday to Sunday Lunch or dinner.
8 Course Kentish Tasting Menu
£90.00 per person
Multiple dates available
8 Course Kentish Tasting Menu: Immerse yourself in the flavors of Kent with a specially curated selection of dishes that showcase the best of local ingredients.
12 Course - British Isles Tasting Menu
£135.00 per person
Multiple dates available
12 Course British Isles Tasting Menu: The best of what Britain has to offer, from all parts of the country. We work closely with farmers, fishermen and growers, as well as going out foraging ourselves, to get the best seasonal produce.

What 187 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.9Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

Diners' Choice Awards

Kent
Best Overall
Kent
Best Food
Kent
Best Service
Kent
Best Value
Kent
Good for special occasions
Kent
Vegetarian-friendly
Kent
British

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Bowleys at the Plough offers an exceptional dining experience in a charming countryside setting. Known for "fantastic food" and "impeccable service," the restaurant delights with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Guests rave about the "attention to detail" and creative touches like amuse-bouche. Highly recommended for memorable meals and special occasions.

187 Reviews

D
Dan
VIP
London
22 reviews
3.0
22 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Feels like this place is going off the boil a little bit. Amuse bouche has been dropped from the set lunch menu and the venison tagliatelle main course was disappointing - overwhelmed by a tomato sauce, which was the only real flavour it had. Otherwise the risotto starter was excellent and the chocolate desert was good, though fairly ordinary
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D
David
Cornwall
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on 20 December 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Delicious Christmas Lunch at a good price with nibbles beforehand.
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D
David
Hampshire
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 18 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Lovely food beautifully served by the chefs with excellent cooking descriptions. Very good wine list. Nothing to dislike at sll
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S
Susan
Kent
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 18 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Was a wonderful meal everything was to a very high standard. Nothing too much trouble, loved the homemade bread and tartlets the salted chocolate Lego bricks r to die for
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S
Sheryl
Kent
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 13 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We took my mother-in-law for the 8 course tasting menu for her 80th birthday. It was our first visit and we were very impressed. The food was fantastic, the service very good and accommodating and the restaurant cosy and inviting. We will definitely return.
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t
tina
London
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 12 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The dining experience was amazing from start to end. We enjoyed hearing about the background to the food, the personal story about our selected wine, and being looked after throughout our meal. The food was presented brilliantly and was amazing, deserving of a Hollywood handshake 😀.
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s
suzanne
London
20 reviews
4.0
20 reviews
Dined on 12 December 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Fairly good meal at lovely local restaurant/bar/pub
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I
Ian
Kent
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on 11 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great food at lunch as usuaL Nice decorations as well A good touch is that the chef who cooks your food also brings it to the table
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Kent
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 7 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a excellent evening the food and service was outstanding
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J
Julie
Kent
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on 7 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was amazing as allways staff amazing allways great food
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FAQs

Bowleys at the Plough is rated 4.8 stars by 187 OpenTable diners.

Bowleys at the Plough does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.