Wych Cross, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“Absolutely lovely” 16th-century freehouse on the edge of Ashdown Forest, with “very reliable and friendly staff, a specials board that’s always worth checking” and “the best Sunday roast in quite a while” (much of the produce is grown at Courtlands nursery, a mile or so away).

“The stunning glass-fronted dining room looks out onto the lovely garden” at this “quite magnificent spot” – a “rather splendid” Elizabethan manor house “steeped in history”, amidst 35 acres “of great horticultural interest” that were laid out in the 1880s. The building has been a hotel since 1958, and the very contemporary dining room was added in 2019 – “just glorious on all levels”; “a fabulous summer experience” in particular; and “perfect for a romantic interlude”. All reviews also attest to its “sublime food and super service”, which we’ve rated on the basis of our annual diners’ poll despite new Executive Head Chef, Martin Carabott joining in March 2025 as it was in progress. “With fresh vegetables and fruit from their extensive kitchen garden, it’s a very high quality experience indeed”. One of this year’s worst reviews? “Not sure it’s really worth the money, but it’s always a great occasion”. Top Menu Tip – “particularly good langoustine tartare”.

“In a delightful village”, this “scenic” gastroboozer-with-rooms continues to please, two years after longtime owners the Pullan family handed the keys to the Young’s group; the “best atmosphere is in the bar” (as opposed to the annexe), though the “great garden” remains the standout here, offering lovely views of the Ouse countryside.

“A lovely setting overlooking the gardens towards the South Downs” helps set up a “top-class experience” at this Elizabethan country house spa-hotel: “decor… ambience… service… food all are first rate”. Mind you, “there‘s nothing flash/super-creative about any of this: they know their market and it’s just really well executed”.

This Arts & Crafts boutique hotel at the edge of Rusthall Common woods makes a “lovely setting” for a meal from chef Scott Goss, who trained under Gary Rhodes, served in a dining room with original stained-glass windows and wood-panelled fireplace. “Sunday lunches on the terrace are a summer treat” with “amazing views” over Happy Valley, and it’s “very popular for weddings”.

2022 Review: They “recently extended the outdoor space and garden” at this imposing wattle-and-daub Elizabethan inn, built for the Keeper of the Privy Purse to Elizabeth I, no less. Together with a “new menu” of snacks and heartier grub it now makes a “great eating place” by all accounts.

2023 Review: A “family favourite” for its “lovely atmosphere and brasserie food” – and handily close to Tunbridge Wells station – this spin-off from the ever-expanding Ivy operation is well regarded by most reporters, but also suffers from the complaints commonly levelled against its Identikit siblings: most especially indifferent cooking that’s “poor value for money”.

“Good-quality food and friendly service” at this village pub, which was rescued in a rundown state by entrepreneur Sir Keith Mills and his wife Maureen a dozen years ago, and is run by well-known chef brothers Chris & James Tanner. “It’s great for families – you can watch the chefs at work in front of you!”.

2023 Review: This “lovely” mid-Victorian boozer (believed to be the only ‘Haycutter’ in the country) earns solid ratings for its “good old-fashioned pub grub” and “brilliant” all-round performance. It is now part of the Brunning & Price group.

“Everything about this place is outstanding”, from “the grounds of lovely Leonardslee Gardens” (owned by entrepreneur Penny Streeter) to the “17-course tasting menu, which is a real experience of foraged ingredients” from a “well-drilled team” led by South African chef Jean Delport – a contestant in Great British Menu 2025. The whole evening is a “well- executed performance”, and “the attention to detail is fantastic” (“we walked in without saying who we were, but they knew about us and our dietary restrictions”); (“by course number 14, we were completely stuffed and had to take home a doggy bag of petits fours!”). Top Tip – “the rooms are also fantastic and well worth the stay, so you can walk things off on the estate the next day”.

“It’s such good fun to watch the kitchen in action” at this boutique hotel, set in 93 acres with views on the South Downs, where the dining room is named for the open kitchen, an approach to fine dining which it helped pioneer when it first opened in 2008. Ben Wilkinson is at the pass nowadays with his team, and provides an ambitious seven-course tasting menu for £150 per person. It’s won the venue many accolades, and such feedback as we have is very positive, if not quite as prolific as you might expect for somewhere with a Michelin star and 4 AA rosettes.

Chantelle Nicholson, who also runs the plant-focused Mayfair restaurant Apricity (see also), is overseeing the food operation at this 2,300-acre estate near Hayward’s Heath station, which is itself undergoing a multimillion pound regeneration under Jay Goddard: the fifth generation of the Stephenson Clarke family to run it. Phase 1 is open – comprising the cafes Gloriette, in a summer house, and Ginkgo, at the entrance to the restored kitchen garden. They serve a selection of handmade pastries by Chantelle and head baker Janine Edwards, formerly of Toklas (see also). In 2026, they will add a glasshouse restaurant and wine bar in the former stable block, showcasing produce from the estate’s biodynamic market garden.

“Still a favourite in Tunbridge Wells by a mile” – Rob & Donna Taylor’s Southborough five-year-old occupies an attractive site and “is that rare treat – a top restaurant in Kent!”. The “staff are so sweet and friendly and always know so much about the menu” that it creates a “lovely, warm and relaxed atmosphere” and the food itself is “very thoughtful and well-prepared from a monthly-changing menu”. Dishes are priced individually à la carte, or you can order a tasting selection for £90 per person and there are “excellent matching wines”.