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Beetroot and Sumac Labneh. - The Poet at Matfield, Matfield, Kent

The Poet at Matfield

4.8
4.8
3037 Reviews
£26 to £40
British

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 3 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
The Poet offers an informal yet refined dining experience in the heart of the Kent countryside. Set in a charismatic 16th century building, diners can expect food of the highest standards, made using the finest local and seasonal produce and lovingly prepared by a small team of chefs led by Head Chef & Director Lee Adams.

In addition to the food, we offer a selection of fine wines, quirky cocktails, and have a collection of over 25 craft gins available.

World War I poet Siegfried Sassoon lived in Matfield and is the inspiration behind our name. Sassoon was awarded the Military Cross for "conspicuous gallantry" and later won acclaim for his writing. We're pretty sure he would have loved our food too!

A warm welcome awaits diners from General Manager and Director Tom Haacke and his team. We look forward to seeing you!

Please be aware we do not cater for the vegan diet.

Late cancellations - £20 per person.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    British, English
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon, Tue, Thu–Sat 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Mon, Tue, Thu–Sat 6:00 pm–8:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:30 pm
  • Phone number
    01892 722416
  • Website
    http://www.thepoetatmatfield.co.uk/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Lee Adams
  • Location
    Maidstone Road, Matfield, Kent TN12 7JH
  • Area
    Tunbridge Wells
  • Parking details
    Please note: we have limited parking and would appreciate our guests respecting our neighbours when parking.There is additional free parking located at Matfield village green, 5 minutes walk from us.Many thanks!
  • Public transit
    Bus stop The Standings Cross: 267 Hawkhurst, 268Hawkhurst, 6 Tunbridge Wells
  • Additional
    Dog Friendly, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Experiences

  • Winter Themed Afternoon Tea!

    £65.00 per person

    29 Dec 2024 only
    Christmas week is made for eating and drinking, a fact we all know well. However, when the end of the week arrives most of us are bored of turkey sandwiches, leftovers and anything roast related! So we have decided to host a Winter Afternoon Tea on Sunday the 29th of December. Join us for a winter flavour themed Afternoon Tea before the New Year celebrations begin! 

 Includes a glass of English Sparkling! As always, this is the only menu we will be serving and we will not be catering for allergies or the vegan diet.

  • Tuesday Night Steak Night

    Multiple dates available
    At The Poet we use an array of techniques in order to give the best possible flavour and texture to different cuts of beef sourced from all over Britain. Our in-house dry-ageing chamber holds varying cuts of different ages, giving us flexibility with our menus and pricing, to curate an experience well worthy of a visit. Seasonal offerings such as aged wild boar loin or venison haunch, could be sharing a menu with aged Scotch beef sirloin, or smoked hanger steak, all cooked in our 300-degree charcoal oven. The steaks on offer are served alongside seasonal vegetables, local potato preparations and sauces tailor-made to complement the flavours of the steaks available on that day. Prices range from £34.95 - £94.95

  • Christmas Day at The Poet!

    £65.00 - £110.00 per person

    Prepaid

    25 Dec 2024 only
    Join us on Christmas Day for a fantastic 4-course menu using delicious local ingredients as well as some more luxurious ones! Lovingly prepared by our team of Chefs who have worked in Michelin-starred establishments all over the world, this isn’t your usual Christmas fare, but with prestige ingredients such as Orkney scallops, local trout, turkey thighs, figs, caviar, artichokes and decadent WEISS chocolate paired with rum and salted caramel, it’s a Christmas event that’s not to be missed. Due to the ethos of The Poet, we will not be catering for the following allergies: Alcohol, Onion, Garlic, Salt or pepper. We will not be catering for the vegan diet. Please DO NOT book if you are allergic to any of the above.

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 3,037 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
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Energetic

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Kent

    Best Food

  • Kent

    Best Service

  • Kent

    Best Ambience

  • Kent

    Great for fine wines

  • Kent

    Good for special occasions

  • Kent

    British

  • Tunbridge Wells

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Poet at Matfield offers an exceptional dining experience with "excellent food" and "friendly, attentive staff." Guests rave about the "beautifully presented" dishes, imaginative flavors, and an impressive wine list. The cozy atmosphere and personalized service make it perfect for special occasions, despite being "expensive, but wonderful."

3,036 Reviews

  1. Raphael

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We booked a meal for 4 at 3pm 22/12/2024. The food was excellent as always and the service was 1st class. My favourite pub and will definitely be returning.

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  2. Heather

    Kent

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our first visit as a party of six and everyone thought it was fantastic. Will be back!

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  3. Liz

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The service and food didn’t disappoint . The staff helped make our experience memorable. Having not visited for at least 3 years we do not intend to leave it as long before our next visit.

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  4. Paul

    Kent

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Yet another first class dining experience at the Poet. Fantastic food, friendly, professional service and relaxed atmosphere. Firmly in the top 2 of our favourite dining venues. Never fails to impress.

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  5. Mark

    Berkshire

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Tom creates the most welcoming and enjoyable environment for indulging in outstanding food from the kitchen, and delicious wine from the cellar. Toms love for food, wine, coffee and all things to make your experience really personal is a gift that infuses through the team who'll be looking after you as they deliver the magic from the kitchen Its a must visit!

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  6. Penny

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 13 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Expensive but worth paying for the delicious, creative food. As a vegetarian I found the choice somewhat limited but the option offered was a superb blend of flavours.

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  7. Valerie

    Kent

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 12 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We couldn't fault the food nor the service. We have been to The Poet a number of times and are never disappointed. An excellent restaurant

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  8. Sam

    London

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 9 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Top drawer! Delicious food, excellent service and great atmosphere. We were treated to amuse-bouche and petit four on the house, plus an anniversary desert plate to share. The starters were creative and flavourful. The mains were substantial enough to constitute a good meal, and beautifully cooked. Meat was tender and ingredients high quality. We’ll be back, I’m sure!

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  9. Richard

    Kent

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely Sunday lunch at the Poet. Surprised to be offered additional side dish of parsnips when menu stated ‘all the trimmings’. Obviously not ‘all’. Anyway. Didn’t need any extra as pretty full.

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  10. Pennie

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 28 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food, wine, and service at The Poet was quite simply exceptional. I had to be persuaded by my partner that a chocolate tasting menu was worth going to. I’m so glad he managed to make me realise how good it could be! The chef excelled, having eaten at the Poet before I did have high expectations, Chef Lee surpassed my expectations by quite some way. An excellent evening which we will be repeating for sure.

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FAQs

The Poet at Matfield is rated 4.8 stars by 3037 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 3 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Poet at Matfield

Maidstone Road, Matfield, Kent TN12 7JH

Additional information

  • Area
    Tunbridge Wells
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon, Tue, Thu–Sat 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Mon, Tue, Thu–Sat 6:00 pm–8:30 pm Sun 12:00 pm–5:30 pm
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    British, English
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Please note: we have limited parking and would appreciate our guests respecting our neighbours when parking.There is additional free parking located at Matfield village green, 5 minutes walk from us.Many thanks!
  • Public transit
    Bus stop The Standings Cross: 267 Hawkhurst, 268Hawkhurst, 6 Tunbridge Wells
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Lee Adams
  • Additional
    Dog Friendly, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining
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