Harden's survey result
Summary
“The service and food are simply sublime” at this “lovely pub” – named in honour of the First World War poet Siegfried Sassoon, who lived nearby – which has served “the most accomplished food” for some years. South African-born chef-patron Petrus Madutlela, who has masterminded the venue’s gastronomic rise since 2015, departed in early 2023 and is replaced by Lee Adams, who worked for the late Gary Rhodes and returns to his native Kent after a decade running kitchens in Dubai and Hong Kong. Early reports suggest standards remain very high under the new regime, although consistency may be an issue.
Summary
“Ambitious, top-class cooking with real panache, from fresh high-quality ingredients and with haute-cuisine touches (such as crispy arancini amuse-bouches)” provides a real “gastronomic surprise” at this “lovely former village pub” where South African chef-patron Petrus Madutlela showcases his “amazing food in an old-world pub environment”. It’s “imaginative and uplifting, not the usual hum-drum run-of-the-mill selection” – “you could easily slog up to town and pay double the money and still not eat as well”. BTW, the name honours World War I poet Siegfried Sassoon, who lived in the village.
Summary
“Superb, innovative dishes and excellent service” are found here “in an unlikely location”, named in honour of First World War poet Siegfried Sassoon, who lived in the village. South African chef-patron Petrus Madutlela and his team deliver “a true gastronomic experience” which is not at all what you might expect in a rural seventeenth-century pub.
Summary
“A revelation in West Kent which is starved of good quality restaurants” – this seventeenth-century pub is “a gem hidden in a quiet village”, where South African Petrus Madutlela and his team deliver an “excellent and varied menu including à la carte, table d'hote and specials – all to a very high standard”. Top Tip – Tuesday evening can be “overflowing” for their steak and malbec deal (£44.95 for two).
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Poet?
Maidstone Rd, Matfield, TN12 7JH
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £35.00 | £42.00 |  |
|
|
Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £15.00 | £35.00 | £4.50 | £13.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Filter Coffee | £3.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £4.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Maidstone Rd, Matfield, TN12 7JH
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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