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

The Poet at Matfield

4.8
4.8
3072 Reviews
£26 to £40
British

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for fine wines
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, 268Hawkhurst, 6 Tunbridge Wells
  • 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

  • Tasting Menu #Cheese

    £65.00 per person

    Feb 27, 2025 only
    A Cheese Lover’s Dream – Our Next Collaboration Our next collaboration is all about cheese! This time, we’re joining forces with Curd & Cure, an independent fine cheese supplier based right here in beautiful Kent. If you’ve attended one of our tasting menus before, you’ll know just how creatively Chef can incorporate cheese into every course. If you haven’t—trust us, this is a one-of-a-kind experience that cheese lovers won’t want to miss! This exclusive menu will be the only offering for the evening, and as always, we’re unable to accommodate allergies or dietary requirements. Don’t miss out—join us for a tasting menu unlike anything seen before in our home counties!

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 3,072 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
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

  • Kent

    Best Food

  • 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 is celebrated for "fantastic taster menus," "exquisite" dining experiences, and "superb" Sunday roasts. Diners praise the "amazing" food, "wonderful" service, and "relaxed" yet "elegant" atmosphere. The restaurant is a top choice for special occasions, offering "innovative" dishes and a "welcoming" environment.

3,072 Reviews

  1. Susan

    London

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Nice relaxed atmosphere for a leisurely lunch. The food is excellent and the service effective and friendly

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  2. Henry

    Kent

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great experience as usual at the Port. Best food in any restaurant for miles around

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  3. Amiee

    Kent

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Cannot fault this place. 2nd time coming back and we had the valentines menu this time. The food is fantastic and service is incredible. Staff are so lovely. Always a great time here.

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  4. Dario

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely staff, lovely setting. Food was delicious and accommodating of my wife’s coeliac related gluten free requests.

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  5. Fiona

    Kent

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    The pub was very cold, there was one wood burner but it was in another room, it was hard to enjoy the food as the room we were in was freezing. We did complain but received an unhelpful response, such as “what did we expect for a 15th century pub?” Personally, I would expect them to start by putting the radiators on. The food was good, but over prized. I really didn’t enjoy the experience.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Hannah

    Kent

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I took my friend here today for her birthday lunch and we had the most amazing meal and experience. We were properly spoilt with extra nice touch from the very start, fine drinks, gourmet food, with a surprise birthday treat and yummy little sweet treats at the end. Rosie absolutely made us feel fabulous. Also the ambience was so relaxed and really lovely. We will certainly come again xx

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  7. Esther

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First visit here today. Delicious Sunday roasts! Lots of staff so very attentive service. Beautiful old building. Would recommend.

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  8. Peter

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, great service. Good atmosphere. Had a short walk from car as car park was full.

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  9. Frank

    London

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on February 1, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Very high quality food and interesting menu. Would highly recommend. Wine available by carafe also a nice touch.

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  10. Kylie

    London

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on February 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely meal to celebrate my birthday, each course was delicious. My scallop starter was so moreish! The pork belly and duck were gorgeous. also loved my cocktail (a Sassoon 75), the Cabernet paired with my pork belly, and all the little thoughtful extras - including a birthday cake. Staff and host are friendly and attentive, and it has a relaxed, warm atmosphere. A really nice place for a treat!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Poet at Matfield is rated 4.8 stars by 3072 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Poet at Matfield

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
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