The Poet offers an informal yet refined dining experience in the scenic Kent countryside.
Set in a charismatic 16th-century building, diners can expect humble, honest and innovative cooking, lovingly crafted from the finest local and seasonal produce by a small team of chefs led by Head Chef and Director Lee Adams.
Alongside the food, we pour a thoughtful selection of fine wines and quirky cocktails, with a collection of over 70 craft gins to explore.
The World War I poet Siegfried Sassoon lived in Matfield, and lends his name to ours. He was awarded the Military Cross for “conspicuous gallantry” and later won acclaim for his writing; we’re pretty sure he’d have loved our food, too.
A warm welcome awaits from Front of House Manager Mary Jane Frost and her team. We look forward to seeing you.
Head Chef Lee Adams shares the journey that took him from learning to cook with his father to working in Dubai and Hong Kong, and ultimately to leading The Poet’s close-knit team.
From seasonal ingredients and thoughtful flavour pairings to friendly, attentive service, every detail is designed to create a memorable experience from the moment guests arrive until the moment they leave.
We're passionate about serving the finest food in the heart of the Kent countryside. Our menus change with the seasons; explore them below.
To create a truly unique dining experience, we don’t exclude certain ingredients that can cause allergic reactions, as they’re essential to our food and our ethos.
These include alcohol, onion, garlic, salt and a few spices, so please let us know of any allergies in advance.
We’re glad to cater for dietary preferences too, including vegetarian and pescatarian, with a little notice ahead of your visit.
Vegetarian options are limited, so do give us a call or drop us an email and we’ll happily advise on the dishes that can be made vegan.
The À la Carte Menu is available Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri & Sat for both lunch and dinner. Our Set Menu is available Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri for lunch, and Mon & Thu for dinner.
Festive dining throughout December
Spend Christmas at The Poet and let our Chef and front-of-house team look after you. We will take care of everything (including the washing up!) so you can simply relax and enjoy the occasion.
Thursday 24 December
A four-course menu, with a few little extras, for a relaxed and memorable start to Christmas. Lunch and dinner reservations are listed.
Bookings are open now
Friday 25 December
A five-course feast of lemon-peppered burrata, scallops in brandy and truffle sauce, turkey with all the festive trimmings and a hazelnut and milk chocolate ‘Topic’ parfait.
Bookings are open now
Celebrate throughout December
Enjoy your Christmas celebrations at The Poet throughout the month of December. Alongside our À la Carte menu, our festive December Set Menu is suitable for tables of all sizes – just book online below.
If dining as a table of 9 or more, please email bookings@thepoetatmatfield.co.uk with your preferred date, time and number of people. We will check availability and get back to you within 24 hours. Please also let us know of any allergies that you are aware of.
Please note: The set menu is not available for tables of 8 people or fewer on Tuesday and Friday nights, or all day Saturdays and Sundays. If you wish to have your Christmas meal at any of these times, please email bookings@thepoetatmatfield.co.uk.
We hope to celebrate the season’s festivities with you at The Poet soon!
Christmas & New Year
We are open on Boxing Day for both lunch and dinner, usual opening hours. Here is how the rest of the festive fortnight looks.
Any additional festive events will be added here once confirmed.
Both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day can be booked online for parties of 1–16. If you would like help with your booking, call 01892 722416 or email bookings@thepoetatmatfield.co.uk.
Christmas Eve is a four-course menu with a few little extras, priced at £85 per person. One menu is currently listed; please speak to us about dietary requirements before booking.
Meat, pescetarian and vegetarian menus are available at £130 per person, with a children’s menu at £65. Christmas Day bookings are fully prepaid.
Christmas Day has dedicated meat, pescetarian and vegetarian menus. No vegan Christmas menu is currently listed. Please tell us about allergies and dietary requirements before booking so the team can advise you.
Christmas Eve is open for lunch and dinner at our usual hours, and Christmas Day runs from 12:00 to 16:00. We are open as usual on Boxing Day for lunch and dinner. The full schedule from Monday 21 December to Saturday 2 January is listed above; we are closed from Tuesday 29 December to Friday 1 January.
Christmas Day is paid in full at the time of booking. Cancel before 1 December and you receive a full refund; cancel between 1 and 13 December and you receive a 50% refund; from 14 December onwards no refund is available. Christmas Eve is not currently listed as prepaid. The terms shown when you make your reservation apply, so please contact the bookings team if you would like to check anything before confirming.
Beyond our seasonal menus, we host a calendar of special evenings, from one-off chef collaborations to our weekly Steak Night.
2nd – 7th November
We are back with Weiss Chocolate for another Chocolate Menu! You can choose to have any number of dishes from the menu, or a 6-course extravaganza. From savoury to sweet, each and every course contains a different preparation of chocolate. From foie gras with a fruity 64%, to venison and an indulgent 34% white and hazelnut praline, or a dessert plate showcasing all 6 incredible chocolates, this menu highlights the true characteristics of chocolate – not just the sweetness! The menu runs both lunch and dinner, from the 2nd-7th November.
Every Tuesday
We source beef from across Britain and age it in-house to bring out exceptional flavour and texture. All meats are cooked over charcoal and served with classic steak garnishes, then served with a complimentary sauce of your choice. The Steak Night menu is only £49 per person, and includes a glass of red wine alongside your meat! The A la Carte menu is also available for dinner, too.
Step outside and unwind in our charming garden space. Open April through to August, during restaurant operating hours.
Our Poet Garden is a relaxed, walk-in-only spot, perfect for spontaneous visits, slow afternoons, and easy catch-ups. Surrounded by fragrant herb beds and vibrant flower patches, it offers a peaceful escape just beyond the dining room.
No booking is required: our garden runs on a walk-in-only basis during restaurant hours, weather permitting.
The Poet Garden is lovingly maintained all year round by Ian and Jane, the parents of our Chef Lee. They kindly ask that four-legged friends are kept on their leashes, as they’ve been busy planting bulbs and herbs throughout the garden, both to keep it beautiful and to supply the kitchen: sage, parsley, thyme, nasturtiums, fennel, chocolate mint, squashes, lemon balm and edible flowers.
Walk-ins only · No booking required · Weather permitting
The Poet’s Sunday BBQ will return in the Summer of 2027!
Share the charm of The Poet and its beautiful 16th-century building with your loved ones. Our e-gift vouchers make a versatile present, ideal for birthdays, anniversaries, or simply to say thank you. You can even combine vouchers and dine as a group.
You can also choose to send the voucher to yourself, or to someone else. All vouchers are valid 12 months from the date of purchase, and blackout dates of 24th & 25th December apply. Email us for any questions.
We'd love to welcome you to The Poet, and reserving your table couldn't be simpler.
Tables of eight or fewer can be booked through our online service below, or by calling us on 01892 722416.
Please let us know of any dietary requirements at least 24 hours before your visit. Many thanks!
With just 13 tables in a small restaurant, we can’t always cater for large groups and are quite restricted on times, so please bear this in mind when requesting a larger table.
For larger tables of up to 16 guests, please contact us by phone on 01892 722416 or email bookings@thepoetatmatfield.co.uk.
Making a night of it? Skip the drive home and stay nearby with one of our local partners.
A stylish, self-contained boutique studio with a comfy double bed, rich emerald furnishings, an en-suite, a handy kitchenette and private parking. The perfect little escape for couples after a lovely meal.
A collection of holiday homes across the Weald, including some just a short hop from Matfield. Making a weekend of it? Helen and the team will help you find the most suitable place to stay.
Everything you need to plan your visit: our opening hours, how to find us, and answers to the questions we’re asked most.
Open from 12:00
Last orders for food
Open from 12:00
Last orders
Closed
You can contact us by phone by ringing 01892 722416 or by emailing info@thepoetatmatfield.co.uk. You can also read our Good Food Guide review or join our mailing list for news and events.
No, we do not accept cash payments. We only accept card payments. Thank you for your understanding.
Yes, we absolutely allow you to bring your own bottles to the restaurant, and we are happy to decant them for you if necessary. The price of corkage is £35 per bottle for Reds, Whites and Rosés, and £50 per bottle for Sparklings and Champagnes.
Yes! We allow multiple vouchers on tables, encouraging you to get together with your friends and family and celebrate with us.
We are always on the lookout for up and coming talent so if you think you’re well suited for us then drop us an email to info@thepoetatmatfield.co.uk!
We understand it’s tough eating out if you have allergies, just let us know and we will do everything we can to accommodate. We ask diners to let us know at least 24 hours prior to their booking for any special dietary requirements.
Our food service hours are from 12:00 to 14:00 and 17:30 to 20:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays, we serve food from 12:00 to 17:30 (last orders). We are closed on Wednesdays. Additionally, you’re welcome to visit at any time during the day to enjoy a drink.
If you are to cancel on the day of the booking, or not show up for your reservation, a charge of £40 per person will be incurred. However, if you are able to re-book for another day, this fee will be waived.
Behind every table is a small team of staff preparing, cooking, and serving just for you. When a reservation isn’t kept, it’s not just an empty seat—it represents hours of work and wages that cannot be recovered. We appreciate your understanding and support in helping us maintain our service.
Yes, we offer a candle-lit private dining room downstairs in our 15th-century building, seating up to 16 guests nestled behind a fireplace. A small deposit for each booking of over 10 people and a food pre-order is required to ensure a smooth and seamless experience.
We do have 3 tables in the bar area that we allow dogs at, however we encourage guests to leave their furry friends at home at busier periods such as Friday & Saturday nights as it can get very busy and sometimes a little noisy for little ears!
We have two car parks here at The Poet, one on the left of our main building and one on the right. Please note that if both are full there is free parking a 4 minute walk away at the Matfield Green. We ask guests not to park on the road.
We don’t have rooms at The Poet, but if you’d rather not drive home there are some lovely places to stay nearby, including Corsica Studio just 140 metres away and Wealden Escapes’ holiday homes across the Weald. See Stay Nearby for details.
Can’t make it to Matfield? We bring the Poet experience to you, with our team cooking and serving a seasonal tasting menu in your own home.