Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Beetroot and Sumac Labneh. - The Poet at Matfield, Matfield, Kent
The Poet at Matfield, Matfield, Kent
The Poet at Matfield, Matfield, Kent
The Poet at Matfield, Matfield, Kent
Type Writer. - The Poet at Matfield, Matfield, Kent

The Poet at Matfield

4.8
4.8
3102 Reviews
£26 to £40
British
Maidstone Road, Matfield, Kent TN12 7JH

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 6 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • 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

  • 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

  • The Chefs Collaborative Tasting Menu

    £70.00 per person

    24 Apr 2025 only
    As our valued guests have come to expect, our tasting menus are thoughtfully curated around a central theme, and this particular one holds special significance for our culinary team. For this menu, each of our chefs were assigned a course and challenged to develop three of their favourite dishes, from which Chef Lee carefully selected the final creations. The result is an April tasting menu that beautifully showcases the exceptional talent and creativity within our entire kitchen brigade. These tasting menus are a testament to our passion for culinary artistry, and this iteration exemplifies that commitment. Beneath each course, you will find the name of the chef who crafted the dish, celebrating their individual contributions to this memorable dining experience.

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 3,102 people are saying

The Poet at Matfield reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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

    Great for fine wines

  • Kent

    British

  • Tunbridge Wells

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Poet at Matfield delights with "innovative menus" and "perfect service" in a "lovely village setting." Guests rave about the "fantastic Sunday roast," "outstanding food," and staff who are "friendly and attentive." While some dishes could improve, the overall experience is "amazing," ensuring many will "definitely be back."
3,102 Reviews

  1. Ruth

    Kent12 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was impeccable from the moment we arrived. Greeted on arrival and shown to table. Very attentive and friendly. Drinks arrived promptly. Good advice on menu and drinks. Beautifully presented. Overall a very lovely experience.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Teresa

    London7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great innovative menus, lovely flavours, perfect service - a wonderful evening.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Sally

    Kent8 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 13 April 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    We love the roasts here but today the lamb was overcooked and bland and a £5 supplement for the Pork? Vegetables and gravy both delicious - not enough potatoes. Ambience always great - front of house a little OTT for some of our party.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Tracey

    Jersey6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 13 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Perfect from start to finish. Both food & service were excellent plus we weren’t rushed even though we were chatting to our friends for hours. Sunday lunch is fantastic & I haven’t stopped recommending it since.

    Is this helpful?

  5. ALISON

    London8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 12 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful food and wine in a very lovely village setting. Eaten here a number of times and would definitely recommend and go back.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Trayana

    London4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 8 April 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The steaks were a very good size with a good choice of sides and sauces. But the taste wasn't great, especially at this price tag - no salt at all and not particularly flavourful. Flat Iron steaks come at half the price but are always on point. The potato dauphinoise was too oily, and had ham in it which was confusing. Overall, 10 for presentation, 6 for taste across all dishes we had.

    Is this helpful?

  7. STUART

    London1 review

    2.0

    Dined on 6 April 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Had an unexpected issue with one of the dishes, but it was dealt with quickly and professionally by Tom and his team. Really appreciated the thoughtful response, which we appreciated but it still meant missing out on a sustainable amount of the roast. Unfortunately, it’s not an experience we’d want to repeat.

    Is this helpful?

  8. helen VIP

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 30 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As ever a fabulous experience. We have been many times but this was our first time for Sunday lunch - it was delicious

    Is this helpful?

  9. John

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 30 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Haven’t been to the Poet for a while . Booked for Mother’s Day and and food was fantastic, also the service Rosie and the gave was amazing . Great final touch at the end of the meal with chocolates given out to the mothers

    Is this helpful?

  10. Amy

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 30 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Overall experience was excellent. Got seated in the bar area because we had a dog, but the table we had was perfect. Service was excellent. Food great. Ambience really nice. Busy but not noisy. Would recommend and will definitely be back.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Poet at Matfield is rated 4.8 stars by 3102 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Kent
  4. Tunbridge Wells
  5. Tunbridge Wells

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 6 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
Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Delight more diners
  • Restaurant Blog
Join us on
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable International Ltd. Alphabeta Building, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo