The Poet at Matfield image

The Poet at Matfield

Restaurant Bar Pub Gastropub

One of the Top rated Gastropubs in Tunbridge Wells


Address

Maidstone Rd, Matfield, Tonbridge TN12 7JH, United Kingdom

Website

thepoetatmatfield.co.uk

Contact

+44 1892 722416

Price rating

$$$ $

Rating on Google Maps

4.70 (576 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 12 to 2 pm, 6 to 9 pm
  • Saturday: 12 to 2 pm, 6 to 9 pm
  • Sunday: 12 to 6 pm
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 12 to 2 pm, 6 to 9 pm
  • Wednesday: 12 to 2 pm, 6 to 9 pm
  • Thursday: 12 to 2 pm, 6 to 9 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: menu (15) delicious (9) service (9) poet (8) Poet (8) meal (8) amazing (8) staff (7) local (6) great (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 3/5 Nick G. 1 year ago on Google
    In a nice small village called “Matfield “ in the middle of the Kent country side , one can find a pleasant and cosy Pub named “ The poet “ . The pub name was inspired by First World War poet Siegfried Sassoon who was born and lived in Matfield . When you see The Poet from outside , it looks like an ordinary cosy and charming 16th century building. The poet comes up with informal yet refined dining with high quality from the local and seasonal . They have a great selection of fine wines too . I went there last Friday with my two adult children . staff were very friendly and informative. We wanted to have cocktails but they don’t serve any . We chose A la carte menu ( didn’t know they have set menu and never been offered by staff ) . I’m vegetarian and my son loves beef . We had nibbles and starters . I chose Lohmann Brown egg , Kentish blue , truffle and mushroom but I didn’t see any egg and it was very salty and sour taste . For main menu my son who loves beef decided to have 40 days aged sirloin of beef , sharing with my daughter . Staff approached and informed my son that, Aged beef will be served “ medium-rare “ so he can understand it won’t be well-done . My son (was happy as he prefers medium-rare . Under our surprise the sirloin arrived well-done ( see photos ) !!! The manager noticed after 10-15 minutes and immediately said he is sorry and he will replace the meal soonest . He actually did but by the time the new sirloin arrived ( see next photo ), my children were not hungry anymore and lost their appetites . I must be fair as they deduct 50% of the price for the beef and the bill came to £190 after deduction and he gave us a free lemon sorbet . But considering the price of £92.00 for aged sirloin and all other sides and pricey menu , I would expect no mistakes . I will definitely go back and I have a feeling we had been served not by Petrus as I feel he is a great chef . Would love to have different experience next time and I still recommend The poet to all food lovers 😊.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sam G. 2 years ago on Google
    Seriously amazing food! Couldn't fault it at all. I would come back again just for another bowl of that truffle Mac and cheese!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Robert L. L. 2 years ago on Google
    Incredible meal and all the dishes are well prepared, perfectly seasoned and beautifully presented. The scallop with pineapple and pork cheek was my favourite and the duck was delicious. Commendable services as well.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Violetta Z. 8 months ago on Google
    Traveled all the way from London and it didn’t disappoint. First impression, the place was really warm & inviting and the staffs made you feel right at home. I ordered a couple of things but the scallop with risotto really stood out. It was light and tastefully done. The millefeuille is not to be missed. Loved the combination of pistachio and raspberry. Chef Lee told me that they get the ingredients seasonal and locally , no wonder everything tasted so fresh. Highly recommended and will definitely be back!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Danny J. 1 year ago on Google
    Stunning meal at The Poet. The new Chef Lee and manager Tom will no doubt further enhance the already excellent reputation of this restaurant! Mouth watering menu with some really creative combinations that take the dishes to another level from similar places in my opinion; and the execution was perfect - some of the best food we have ever had. On top of that, a lovely pace of service with a very friendly and knowledgeable front of house team. Nice time between courses and absolutely no rush to have the table back. We enjoyed a lovely and chilled 3 hour date night here, and can't wait to go back.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 nikki h. 9 months ago on Google
    We had a fabulous family evening out at The Poet for my 50th birthday. The whole team gave us such a warm welcome -it was a truly memorable and celebratory evening. The cocktail recommendation was delicious-a raspberry gin sour with local brands. The menu was interesting with a playful twist in the puds. Locally sourced produce where possible was fresh and oh so very tasty. It was hard to pick my favourite element, maybe the fresh local asparagus with crunchy extras, or the intriguing flavours in the amuse bouche or the succulent pork belly. Or maybe it was the perfectly oozy chocolate fondant with salted caramel popcorn. The serving team were very impressive, even working out our meals though we kept swapping seats around-though they did have insider information from Chef Lee! Thankyou everyone at The Poet, especially to Lee for making my birthday so gastronomically memorable. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoy good quality, fresh, local food and great service.

  • 5/5 Ally 8 months ago on Google
    Came here for Sunday roast and a dinner separately. Can’t fault the food! It is excellent (as much locally sourced as possible), beautifully presented and a decent selection of wines too. Definitely recommend the Sunday lunch. One thing to note is there wasn’t much in the way of vegan alternatives and don’t think the vegan in our party loved the food as much as we did, which is a shame!

  • 5/5 Andy B. 4 months ago on Google
    Amazing, really amazing food. Superb service and brilliant atmosphere. The Gun Brewery Extra Pale was 10/10 too. Very, very highly recommend!

  • 5/5 Alison M. 4 months ago on Google
    The food and wine were delicious, highlights were the scallops and the jasmine tea burnt cream. One of the few places I’ve visited where decent wine is offered by the carafe. The lunch menu is sadly not available on Saturday.

  • 5/5 Bea N. 7 months ago on Google
    Nothing to fail everything to praise! First stop on our way to a short honeymoon break. We arrived hangover, exhausted but also expectant after our wedding reception the day before. I had the vegetarian options for starter and main and my husband pork cheek starter and the shoulder of lamb for main. Everything was exceptional. Each dish had a perfect balance of flavours, textures and colours. It was a fantastic foodie experience. Great ambience, service was next to perfect and incredibly well priced. The 2 course menu at £29.95 for this kind of food experience is just unbelievable value for money. Thanks to everyone at The Poet!

  • 5/5 Joshua F. 7 months ago on Google
    Without doubt one of the best experiences myself and my friends have ever had. We booked ahead and were met with such generous and accommodating service by Tom. The drinks were amazing and the food was unreal. We will be coming back for years to come. We cannot thank the staff enough for such a wonderful experience. What a gem of a place.

  • 5/5 David R. 1 year ago on Google
    Incredible choice for last minute you have to book for a table, but I just got very lucky 🍀what stumble we’ve found, absolutely quality food choice 😍 Sunday roast was spot on 😎 we’ll be back.

  • 4/5 Kieron T. 1 year ago on Google
    Poet at Matfield - a Resturant which never disappoints Food rating 4.5/5 Presentation 4.2/5 Customer service 4.5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Price 4.6/5 Overall 4.5/5 4 People for lunch - two dishes from the main course and 6 dishes from the lunch set menu The food at the poet has never disappointed me, hidden gem in Kent, where this local pub produces Michelin standard food at an fantastic price point. The customer service is always impeccable, with well inform staff who are polite and kind. There is a a decent amount of selection of the main menu, however, show catcher is the lunchtime menu, the price point for the lunchtime menu is a really affordable and good selection of delicious food, the poet, utilises, local ingredients, turning them into something delicious, I have been to the poet several times before, and it has never disappointed me.

  • 5/5 Stephen C. 9 months ago on Google
    Chef Lee worked in different places before coming back to the UK. Food is above standard with reasonable price. Comfortable environment and staff are really friendly.

  • 5/5 Natalie S. 9 months ago on Google
    We had a wonderful meal at The Poet for my sisters 50th birthday. Head Chef Lee and his team produced and absolutely exquisite meal. My favourites were the Carrot terrine Amuse Bouche, Asparagus starter (stole half of my husbands as it was his choice) and the Tartiflette side that came with the pork belly. The whole meal was so delicious though and you can tell the thought and skill that had gone into creating and preparing these dishes. Our whole party had a really enjoyable evening. Thank you to the whole team!

  • 5/5 Jenny M. 1 year ago on Google
    Most delicious and flavoursome meal I have had in a very long time. A beautiful listed setting with attentive staff . Great choice on menu..gluten free and dairy intolerances catered for..with no reduction in offer. All supplemented with an amuse bouche and delightfully indulgent hand made chocolate to finish. A great range of wines and other drinks too. Pricey but worth it.

  • 5/5 Kathy T. 1 year ago on Google
    What a fantastic place! Beautiful old pub in Matfield serving the most delicious food. Service was kind and so professional. Loved the complimentary extras including homemade bread with the most amazing hummus dip, savoury amuse bouche and 2 different sweet ones! All the wines you could get by the glass. Great veggie options, I had heritage tomato with whipped feta that doesn't even cover half of what was in there! Then a vegetable pithivier that came with 3 different sauces and maybe 3 purees! Such a treat and very reasonable prices for what you get. Next time I'll definately try the dessert and cheese menus. They even had 2 different options for kids, and the quality was amazing (we had thr fish and chips).

  • 5/5 Marley W. 1 year ago on Google
    A foodies dream! We went to celebrate a special occasion and the food was amazing. We tried the whole menu and it was exquisite. The venison and salmon were exceptional. Credit to the chef who clearly knows a thing or two about food!

  • 5/5 Masuma B. 2 years ago on Google
    Delicious food. Felt like there was a lot love and care put into making each dish. I look forward to eating here again 😊

  • 5/5 Edita B. 1 year ago on Google
    Amazing gastronomical experience! We had free tasters, fresh bread with garlic houmous and falafel with some lovely sauce. I had the loin of lamb and it was perfect at medium rare. All the sides with asparagus was great . Then had FREE petit fours, passionfruit marshmallow on a bed of oats and some seeds .. lovely with my cappuccino. I will definitely be back and recommend it to all my friends.

  • 5/5 T L. 1 year ago on Google
    Went to the matfield today for a Sunday roast and we both agreed it was the best roast we've had :) the salmon starter dish unbelievable and the Mackrel starter dish also ! Soooo tasty :). The beef roast was fantastic and the chicken roast was amazing too as well as the crispy potatoes were very very tasty! the desserts we had were perfect also ! We are so happy to have found this place and will be recommending to anybody looking for food on the level the poet serves their food at. For a fine dining setting the portions are also excellent and very filling :) All in all a fantastic meal, beautiful food and excellent service !! And great prices for the quality of service and food ! Highly recommended ! Compliments to the chef and staff !

  • 5/5 David M. 2 years ago on Google
    Another fabulous lunch at The Poet. I had the set menu and had a really delicious 2 course lunch and in particular the fish for my main was amazing. The food is always so delicious and beautifully presented that it is a pleasure to make the 40 minute drive to get there. Great job to the team front of house and in the kitchen.


Call +44 1892 722416 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
    • ✓️ Plenty of parking
    • ✓️ Free of charge street parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Healthy options
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✗ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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