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Jalpari - Hand dived pan-seared scallops. - Essence at the Pantiles by Atul Kochhar, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Essence at the Pantiles by Atul Kochhar

4.6
4.6
488 Reviews
£26 to £40
Indian

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2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Neighbourhood gem
Essence by Atul Kochhar has opened at The Pantiles this winter. The two time Micheline Star Chef has created a unique menu for this beautiful restaurant. Register your interest for events and news.

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Indian
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Mon–Fri 5:30 pm–10:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–10:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–3:30 pm Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Atul Kochhar
  • Delivery & takeout

What 488 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseEnergetic

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Kent

    Great for creative cocktails

  • Kent

    Good for special occasions

  • Tunbridge Wells

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Essence at the Pantiles by Atul Kochhar offers "absolutely delicious food" with a creative twist on Indian cuisine. Diners praise the "impeccable service" and welcoming atmosphere. Highlights include the "chicken tikka pie" and innovative cocktails. While some found it a bit pricey, the overall experience is deemed "a fantastic culinary experience" worth revisiting.

488 Reviews
  1. jon

    Kent4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Really good food excellent service and good value . A really good asset to Tunbridge Wells.

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  2. Sally

    London10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best restaurant I have been to in a long time - the menu was full of delightful, interesting and exciting choices. The drinks menu and cocktails were creative and delicious. Our food was incredible (scallops to start and goan seafood curry as a main, husband had wagyu beef kebab followed by venison). Beautiful flavours and spices. Honestly couldn’t fault the whole experience. Yes it is on the more expensive side - but you get what you pay for - pure quality. Atmosphere was fantastic - not stuffy or overly formal. Great to see the restaurant so busy. We will definitely go back.

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  3. Julie

    Kent2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is our second time visiting and the experience was just as amazing as the 1st. Would definitely go again. The taster menu with wine pairings was amazing

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  4. Simon

    London7 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Food great, however front of house and decor lower the marks to a 4

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  5. Jane

    Kent1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were celebrating a friends birthday. The food was excellent as was the service. We went for lunch and the lunch menu was great we each had something different and all enjoyed their meal. I am looking forward to going back.

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  6. Catherine

    London3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 3 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a find! Outstanding service, stylish surroundings and absolutely delicious food. We had the lunchtime set menu which was great value. Can't wait to go back.

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  7. louise VIP

    Kent159 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    2nd time here, this time with friends and ordering a la carte as opposed to the tasting menu (which we'd had on our first visit.) Started with cocktails in the bar area then took our table. The Gewurztraminer we chose from the wine list stood up well to the spice of the dishes. Which were all fantastic - I personally had the Keralan monkfish curry as main and some chill prawns to begin with which were both extremely moreish. It was our friends' first time here; we are all in danger of becoming regulars...5 stars all round.

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  8. James

    London5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    In a town with surprisingly few upmarket restaurants in which to spend your money, Essence is a treat. Great food and charming service.

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  9. Tim

    London6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 25 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely food. The chilli prawn starter and the Chettinad chicken mains were both fabulous, Service was friendly, under stayed and the ambience was conducive to a relaxed evening

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  10. Jeanne

    Kent1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 25 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Drinks were expensive. Calamari was tough and chewy, rest of our lunch was delicious. Thank you for the anniversary cake

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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Essence at the Pantiles by Atul Kochhar using the Order Online button.

Essence at the Pantiles by Atul Kochhar is rated 4.6 stars by 488 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today
Google Map for Essence at the Pantiles by Atul Kochhar

The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5TD

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    Indian
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Mon–Fri 5:30 pm–10:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–10:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–3:30 pm Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Atul Kochhar
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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