The Poet at Matfield

4.8

3060 Reviews

£26 to £40

British

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 18 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, 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 #Vegetarian
£65.00 per person
Jan 23, 2025 only
Introducing our very first Vegetarian Tasting Menu! We know our usual tasting menus don't cater for vegetarians, so we’ve created a special menu for those who don’t usually get the chance to join us. While this menu doesn’t include ingredients like scallops, salmon, venison, black pudding, halibut, or lamb, it’s still packed with exciting, innovative, and delicious flavours. Please note that this will be the only menu available during this event, and we are unable to accommodate allergies or dietary modifications. These dishes are vegetarian but not vegan, as we do not cater to the vegan diet.
Valentines at The Poet
£120.00 per person
Feb 14, 2025 only
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with an unforgettable tasting menu at The Poet. Indulge in creative, lovingly inspired dishes in a relaxed yet elegant setting. Perfect for your romantic evening. Limited availability—book now for a truly special experience. As always, we will only be serving our tasting menu and we will not be able to cater for allergies or dietary requirements.

What 3,060 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

4.9Food
4.9Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

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 delights guests with "top quality restaurant food and wine," offering a "superb" Sunday roast and "amazing" culinary experiences. Friendly and attentive staff create a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Known for its "exceptional" service and creative dishes, The Poet is a must-visit for special occasions and memorable dining.

3,060 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
London
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is our best local restaurant and rivals the best in London. We think nothing of a 30 min drive regularly to be spoiled by the brilliant menu and the warm welcome. If you haven’t been… book.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
West Sussex
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food, atmosphere and service were all excellent Menu is exquisite
Is this helpful?
P
Peter
Kent
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Superb food, lovely location and first class service.
Is this helpful?
N
Nick
Kent
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Poet is still the best Sunday lunch around. We try many places for Sunday lunch but we are yet to one on a similar level. Yes prices have increased but it’s worth paying that bit extra for quality. We will return very soon.
Is this helpful?
K
Katie
Kent
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The service was excellent, the atmosphere was perfect and the food wonderful. I highly recommend and rate The Poet for a meal
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K
Kevin
London
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 10, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 1
The restaurant was cold and we kept our coats on ( we did remark on the temperature when we were seated).The team were very warm but we felt an underlying push to finish our meal and leave. We arrived at 8pm and left around 9:30 when the closed sign went on the door. For the high price and fine dining aspiration I expected the restaurant to be focused on making the diners feel more comfortable and relaxed. The food presentation was very good and was well cooked, however we thought that some of the combinations did not work (beef and cottage pie for example). We fine dine regularly so have seen many creations but just thought that this menu needs a little simplification.
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S
Sally
Kent
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 7, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wow! We went to The Poet for the first time last night to celebrate a significant birthday and it was fantastic. From the moment we entered the building we were made to feel very special. The food was amazing and the staff very friendly and attentive. We enjoyed every bit of the evening. I would highly recommend The Poet to anyone wanting to experience top quality restaurant food and wine.
Is this helpful?
L
Lee
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Incredible food and outstanding service. It was our wedding day and they were incredible from start to finish. The staff had extensive knowledge of the food and wine and were able to offer great recommendations. We will be back again soon!
Is this helpful?
M
Mark
VIP
Kent
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on January 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
As always, Tom and the team were amazing. The best Sunday lunch you can get.
Is this helpful?
D
Darren
Kent
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
An excellent Sunday roast in a beautiful restaurant.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Poet at Matfield is rated 4.8 stars by 3060 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 18 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

Tasting Menu #Vegetarian

Valentines at The Poet

Menu

What 3,060 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