Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. Kent
  4. Tunbridge Wells
  5. Tunbridge Wells
Beetroot and Sumac Labneh. - The Poet at Matfield, Matfield, Kent

The Poet at Matfield

4.8
4.8
3031 Reviews
£26 to £40
British

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood 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
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Lee Adams
  • Neighbourhood
    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 3,031 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

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Kent

    Best Food

  • Kent

    Best Service

  • Kent

    Best Ambience

  • 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 an exceptional dining experience with "excellent food" and "friendly, attentive staff." Guests rave about the "beautifully presented" dishes, imaginative flavors, and an impressive wine list. The cozy atmosphere and personalized service make it perfect for special occasions, despite being "expensive, but wonderful."

3,031 Reviews
  1. Penny

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Expensive but worth paying for the delicious, creative food. As a vegetarian I found the choice somewhat limited but the option offered was a superb blend of flavours.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Valerie

    Kent

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We couldn't fault the food nor the service. We have been to The Poet a number of times and are never disappointed. An excellent restaurant

    Is this helpful?

  3. Sam

    London

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 9, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Top drawer! Delicious food, excellent service and great atmosphere. We were treated to amuse-bouche and petit four on the house, plus an anniversary desert plate to share. The starters were creative and flavourful. The mains were substantial enough to constitute a good meal, and beautifully cooked. Meat was tender and ingredients high quality. We’ll be back, I’m sure!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Richard

    Kent

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 1, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely Sunday lunch at the Poet. Surprised to be offered additional side dish of parsnips when menu stated ‘all the trimmings’. Obviously not ‘all’. Anyway. Didn’t need any extra as pretty full.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Pennie

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    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?

  6. kelly

    London

    18 reviews

    3.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    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?

  7. ralph

    London

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    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?

  8. Virginia

    Kent

    26 reviews

    5.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic one off chocolate menu, what a treat! Brilliant informative service throughout too, all flowed perfectly.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Marian

    London

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 26, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely food and ambience. Rather overpriced in my opinion

    Is this helpful?

  10. Michele

    Kent

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2024

    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?

FAQs

The Poet at Matfield is rated 4.8 stars by 3031 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 p.m.
Booked 9 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Poet at Matfield

Maidstone Road, Matfield, Kent TN12 7JH

Additional information

  • Neighbourhood
    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
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo