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

The Poet at Matfield

4.8 (3125)
£26 to £40
British
Maidstone Road, Matfield, Kent TN12 7JH

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Charming
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
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Lee Adams
  • 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
  • The Poet's Wimbledon Themed Afternoon Tea

    £65.00 per person

    Jul 13, 2025 only
    Join us for our second Summer Afternoon Tea at The Poet, following the resounding success of last August’s event! This time, we’ve infused the menu with the iconic flavors of Wimbledon, your favorite tennis championship. We host only two Afternoon Teas each year—one in summer and one in winter—so secure your table while spots last! Please note, this is our exclusive menu for the day, and we are unable to accommodate allergies or dietary restrictions.
  • Summer Flavours Tasting Menu

    £70.00 per person

    Jul 17, 2025 only
    We are thrilled to announce our next tasting menu, a celebration of the vibrant and bountiful flavors of summer! Instead of partnering with a single company, we’ve chosen to collaborate with the rich offerings of our region’s local farms and producers. This menu showcases the freshest seasonal ingredients, thoughtfully curated to highlight the essence of summer through bold, innovative, and delightful flavor combinations. Each dish is designed to capture the warmth and abundance of the season, blending time-honored techniques with creative twists that will surprise and delight your palate. Join us for an unforgettable culinary journey that celebrates the best of summer’s harvest! As always, this is the only menu we will be serving for the day and we will not be catering for allergies.

What 3,125 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

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Kent

    Great for fine wines

  • Kent

    British

  • Tunbridge Wells

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Poet at Matfield offers a "fantastic dining experience" with "amazing food and service." Guests rave about its "exquisite food" and "well-curated wine list," describing the ambiance as "relaxed yet professional." Known for its "innovative menus" and "attentive staff," it's a "special restaurant" with a "warm welcome."
3,125 Reviews
  1. Nancy

    London9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had an excellent evening enjoying the wine-led tasting menu at The Poet on Friday 13 June. It was a pleasure to learn about the wines and understand the reasons for the pairing. The food was delicious and expertly chosen to complement the wines. This was a truly enjoyable experience. I felt truly nourished!

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  2. Lucy

    Kent3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Not our first visit and certainly won’t be our last we love The Poet the food and service is amazing top quality and the ambiance is just perfect to enjoy 5* food without the pretentiousness of top restaurants LOVE it here! Thank you to all at the poet that make it a fantastic addition to this area!

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  3. Elizabeth

    Kent3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful service and exquisite food in lovely settings - had to challenge as double charged on items - but quickly resolved - will definitely go back

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  4. Antoine

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent as always - the poet never disappoints and I routinely drive over 40 minutes one way to have a meal there 🙏🏼 One of my favourite spots in Kent for the quality of the food and the well curated wine list, all available by the glass !

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  5. Zoe

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food, delicious and very unique. Great staff. All very friendly and chatty and very helpful and attentive. The meal was paid for by my mum & stepdad, so not able to comment on the value, but I would definitely recommend going for a meal at the Poet, especially for a special occasion.

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  6. Clive

    London19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The staff always bend over backwards to make us feel welcome at the Poet. Our guests were suitably impressed by the food and ambiance.

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  7. Ian

    London9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had eaten a couple of times before at the Poet, as a couple. We took our parents for a family Sunday lunch, as always the for was excellent and the service was very friendly.

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  8. Tom

    Kent1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exceptional Sunday roast as always. Incredible service too

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  9. Terry

    Northern Ireland2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was very poor. My son had a roast beef dinner which comprised of two pieces of meat that you could see through. My wife had so called belly of pork , which consisted of a lump of pork that she could not even cut. The bill for 6 people was £350 which I would have been better flushing down the toilet.

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  10. Matt

    Kent1 review

    3.0

    Dined on May 19, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food, but had to wait almost an hour for our main. The waitress did warn us 10 minutes after ordering that there would be a delay, which was appreciated. Not ideal for a business lunch, though.

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FAQs

The Poet at Matfield is rated 4.8 stars by 3125 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 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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