The Poet at Matfield

4.8

3026 Reviews

£26 to £40

British

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 30, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 14 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Charming
Neighborhood 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
Neighborhood
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, 268<br />Hawkhurst, 6 Tunbridge Wells <br />
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wine

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
Christmas Eve at The Poet at Matfield
£75.00 per person
Dec 24, 2024 only
We wanted to do something slightly different for Christmas Eve, so we have decided to host a 4-course tasting style menu filled with indulgent & beautiful ingredients. Tradition meets modern with dishes lovingly prepared by our team of Chefs who have worked in Michelin-starred establishments worldwide, this isn’t your usual Christmas Eve!
Winter Themed Afternoon Tea!
£65.00 per person
Dec 29, 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.

What 3,026 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

Loved For

Kent
Best Service
Kent
Best Ambiance
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 a consistently exceptional dining experience with "exceptional food and service." Guests rave about the "beautifully presented" dishes and the warm, attentive staff. The charming atmosphere and extensive wine list make it a perfect spot for special occasions. Regulars appreciate the innovative menu and the restaurant's ability to "never disappoint."

3,026 Reviews

P
Pennie
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
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.
Is this helpful?
k
kelly
London
18 reviews
3.0
18 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
The food was lovely but we got so cold it ruined the evening for us.
Is this helpful?
r
ralph
London
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The quality of the food was superb. Multiple tasting courses, but I was definitely full at the end of the meal. The wine pairing just added to the whole experience and the staff were so friendly and informative on the food and drink.
Is this helpful?
M
Marian
London
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Lovely food and ambience. Rather overpriced in my opinion
Is this helpful?
M
Michele
Kent
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food / service always Exellent however 3 of our party had roast sirloin of beef (had it before a few times ) however this time 2 very thin/ small slices of beef appeared on a plate with an enormous Yorkshire pudding the rest of the vegetables / jus was Exellent just thought the chef a bit mean with the meat !! desert Exellent
Is this helpful?
C
Christine
Kent
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The best restaurant for miles. Delicious food, beautifully presented. Friendly yet professional staff. Cosy ambiance. We will be back.
Is this helpful?
S
SHARON
Kent
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 22, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is a restaurant for that very Special occasion....Why only Special? Because it is a Special place to enjoy fine dining at its best. Exquisite tasting plates of food, locally sourced alcohol, beautiful ambience, welcoming and attentive staff. It is on the higher price side but every mouthful is worth every penny. Thank you Tom, Your Head chef and all your staff for a Very Special Evening.
Is this helpful?
A
Andrew
London
11 reviews
4.0
11 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Lovely food. Cute old pub but could do with sprucing up a wee bit.
Is this helpful?
P
Philip
Kent
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 15, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Extremely welcoming; excellent food and service; expensive but you get what you pay for I don’t like background music most restaurants that I’ve been in have it - indeed once InCornwall we were the only diners at lunch and asked for the music to be turned off. The staff said they were unable to do this, but they could turn it down a bit, I suspect that a poll of diners would overwhelmingly ask for a quiet restaurant. I have not seen such a poll.
Is this helpful?
G
Gillian
Kent
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 14, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great staff and excellent food - every course was of a very high standard
Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Poet at Matfield is rated 4.8 stars by 3026 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 30, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 14 times today

Experiences are available.

Maidstone Road, Matfield, Kent TN12 7JH

Additional information

Neighborhood
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
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wine

Website
http://www.thepoetatmatfield.co.uk/
Phone number
01892 722416

The Poet at Matfield

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

Tuesday Night Steak Night

Christmas Eve at The Poet at Matfield

Winter Themed Afternoon Tea!

Menu

What 3,026 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is The Poet at Matfield restaurant rated?

Is The Poet at Matfield currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information