Tallow in Tunbridge Wells

A small high quality restaurant that wholeheartedly deserves all of its demand and praise. We enjoyed the tasting menu on a Thursday night and everything was impeccable from the food, to the service and the atmosphere. Some of the best food I've had in Kent, I will be back.

Tollow you did not disappoint. From the moment we walked in we were greeted by lovely wait staff, who were very friendly. Chef Rob all our meals were exceptional and could not fault. We enjoyed our evening and we will be telling our Australian friends if they ever come this way, this is a place to go.

Amazing evening at the Tallow chef table last night. The food was superb, and the wine pairing did not disappoint. The service was excellent, and seeing Rob prepare the food in front of us and being able to ask questions was fantastic. Highly recommend and will definitely go again to dine in the restaurant.

Had the most incredible & immersive dining experience at Chefs Table. Thanks so much Robert & your team for every attention to detail, the amazing food & close-up insight. 🔪🍽

What can I say - it lives up to the hype. I'm a vegetarian and the meatless options didn't disappoint: they felt complete, and full of flavour, and very satisfying. The hash brown side dish blew both mine & my dad's minds (would have come just for that, to be honest) and the brûlée Roquefort waffles for dessert were a twist of genius. Our wonderful waitress, however, really completed the night with her brilliant service (I didn't catch her name) - often these kinds of places can feel snooty, but I felt so welcomed. Possibly the best dining experience I've ever had... really.

Had an absolutely stunning meal at Tallow, thoroughly enjoying the February menu. The service was fab, the food was totally divine and there was a lovely relaxed environment in the restaurant. Highly recommend the pig cheeks, chicken & artichoke and truffle dumplings, also the hash browns with warm cheese mousse are a must have! Can’t wait to return!

Beautiful food and fabulous service. We were there for my wife's big birthday celebration and it was perfect. Delicious food with the hash browns a particular highlight.

A real gem of a place. Lovely service, food and building. Loved it.

Food was fantastic, there were two staff and they were so attentive and friendly. Really warm experience. I wouldn’t be surprised if they get their Michelin star soon. IMO best restaurant in Tunbridge Wells.

The food and the service were amazing, and the restaurant itself was very classy and warm! The testing menu was absolutely phenomenal!

Had an amazing birthday meal here! They gave me some rum and raisin chocolate brownies as a birthday present too. The halibut starter and the pear doughnut dessert was divine. Great service. Thank you! Can't wait to come back here again

What an experience... Every element of every dish was exceptional, Robert's depth of knowledge was very impressive and I will be returning as ASAP. Book now! You won't regret it...

What a fabulous evening! Tasting menu at the Chef's Table upstairs. Perfectly paced meal. Stunning food prepared by chef Matty, who is also very engaging as he talks you through the food. Penny, our sommelier, had an in-depth knowledge of each wine pairing as she talked us through the courses. She was also excellent company for what is a 'must-do' fine dining experience. Thank you for a wonderful time.

A masterclass of how to do it!!!!

Not a surprise this is considered one of the best restaurants in UK, small place (just a few tables) with very calm and intimate atmosphere. The food was absolutely amazing. Definitely can’t be missed.

Many Thanks to Rob et Al. We had the most fantastic meal /experience at the chefs table last night. The food was extraordinary and we opted for the wine pairings and we were not disappointed. I hope Tallow goes from strength to strength, the team deserve recognition for what they have created here. I can’t wait to go back.

Food was nice but it wasn't a massive hit for me. Service was great & attentive. Will go back for tasting menu and check it out. Found it a bit expensive.

This was a most wonderful dining experience. I started off having a venison Ragu with potato mousse, then a fillet pork with confit belly and cauliflower cheese croquettes and finished with a cheese with soused pears and parkin. Each mouthful of the 3 courses was a taste sensation. The atmosphere was very welcoming and relaxed, the service and presentation of the dishes was extraordinarily good.

Why go to London for fine dining when you can go to Tallow? We have visited a few times for lunch and it has been a wonderful experience every time. Most recently yesterday when the restaurant was super cosy next to the wood burner and the staff were as usual, superb. The food is a taste sensation. Looking forward to my next visit.

I completely see why this place won "best local restaurant" in a somewhat paradoxical nationwide competition - it feels like Michelin quality food in a casual, accessible environment. Obviously it's not cheap, but I don't know anywhere like it for the price.

Would go back! Passing Tallow many times it’s been in my list for a while and wished I had booked before it had won its award and I might have been able to get a weekend booking. For a Tuesday night it was fully booked giving it a busy but relaxed and calm atmosphere with some nice background music. A bit pricey but would agree prices are aligned to the quality of the products used. The muffin instead of bread was a nice touch and quite filling. Main menu a little disappointed that the meat option was venison which is not a meat I eat so opted for the veggie main which was a mushroom pasty and was really surprising, and would recommend. The veggie options were really quite great and would opt for the veggie again. I did find some flavours a little overpowering so once finished each course I was not left wanting more but still really enjoyable. I was too full for dessert but wine selection was great. Presentation and service were 5*. The menu changes every month so I will definitely be visiting again to try some more!

We had the most amazing time on the Chefs table. Food, service, wine was all perfect. All of the staff Rob, Penny and everyone else we met were all lovely and extremely helpful. Can’t wait to go back!

Tallow is amazing. Just go, don't even read this (if you manage to get a table)

Phenomenal restaurant, amazing food, beautiful room, superb drink choices. Very special experience. I never write reviews, but I saw some people trashing this place and they couldn’t be more wrong. Lovely staff, great atmosphere. Highly recommend. It is expensive, but it is special, special food and people that complain about portion sizes are so so dumb, and they just don’t understand fine dining. We’ll be coming back next time we visit from Canada!

Wine pairings very good value for money. Food is excellent. Great service, lovely owner.

Had the best experience at Tallow this lunchtime! We had the tasting menu, and every course was amazing!! Fine dining at its best. Tallow did not disappoint, and there is no surprise why it was voted number 1 local restaurant! The service was impeccable, and we were very well looked after. Tallow I applaud you!

A wonderful evening with family Some amazing top-notch food. Very friendly and efficient staff

5☆ without a doubt. It's probably the best place locally for fine dining at reasonable prices. Amazing food, nice friendly staff and good atmosphere. Every dish was amazing and would have happily gone for the whole menu!

We were lucky enough to sit at the chefs table when we visited this hidden gem a few months ago and when some recent absurd reviews were brought to my attention I wanted to add an account of my own experience. Firstly I wanted to say how professional and knowledgeable the staff were. Ruby was an excellent som and host. She was friendly, enthusiastic and very patient with our party after a few wines! I also enjoyed her tattoos very much, not that I feel that had any bearing on our evening. As an intimate local restaurant we didn’t really know what to expect with the food but we were blown away. Every dish was flawless, there was not one we didn’t enjoy. Chef was extremely impressive and we felt privileged to be at his table. This establishment is well deserved of its recent Britain’s Best Neighbourhood Restaurant award and we would love to return.

Would never return... The food was mediocre. The portion size was absolutely pathetic for the price you pay! Menu is completely different to online. They are trying to be something they are not, only went here because of the false advertising on their social media... The atmosphere is horrible, it's like being in someone's kitchen, staff washing up next to you in a tiny room!! The two women are very rude and have no customer service skills and have no clue what they are talking about when it comes to the wine and food, haha! When we did not leave a tip for the rude women the look on one of their faces was disgusting!!! We had to go and eat elsewhere after spending over £100 each here! Save your money and spend it somewhere nice.

Waste of money. As soon as we sat down and looked at the menu we wanted to leave but we were trapped by the online booking fee that is charged if you cancel, £40 per person! The 2 girls who serve are very rude and I heard them speaking bad about the customers and they had no idea about the food. As soon as they realised there was no tip at the end for them they did not even say Thank you or Goodbye! The food portions are so tiny and so is the restaurant, false advertisement! Save your money and go somewhere worth it, I would NOT recommend. It is a joke!

Absolutely incredible in every possible attribute. Flawless.

Good but not great. The mushrooms had to be sent back and the kitchen agreed they were bitter. The duck was great. Other courses ordinary.

Warm, welcoming staff and possibly the best food in the area. Yes it’s expensive, but the entire experience still represents good value.

Amazing place love the attention and food

Lovely aesthetic, charming staff who couldn't be more helpful or accommodating. Food options inventive and varied, and everything tasty but could do with punching up a level in terms of flavour and combinations. For example, we had the hake (delicious, perfectly cooked) with cuttlefish (slightly chewy) and truffle gnocchi (delicious on their own but incongruous with the dish). Would definitely go back, worth a visit. Prices are on the higher end.

Everything was spot on. Such a nice atmosphere, with amazing food. Cannot fault it. Top chef and a lovely guy. Friendly chatty and polite staff. What more could you want 😊

Excellent food and beautifully presented but It’s pricey . Service was excellent too - my second visit

We had the ‘chefs table’ last night and the food was amazing. The setting, service and entire experience was first class. Robert the owner and chef cooks in front of you and 7 others explaining each dish of the tasting menu. It’s not cheap but very much worth it. Thanks for a wonderful night, we’ll be back.

Went here last night for my birthday at the chefs table. Absolutely fantastic!! Not only was the food great but watching this man cook and hearing about the dishes was just brilliant!

My husband had been wanting to go and eat at Tallow for awhile now, we finally managed to go today for a lunchtime, from the moment we walked in we were greeted and seated by Kate who looked after us for the duration and was just brilliant, to then experiencing the absolutely incredible food, the choices, the presentation and the taste was completely faultless. We had such a wonderful time and felt completely and utterly content. Thank you all so much plus the cocktails are a must.

Is it acceptable to mark down a place due to the toilets? When there are over 40 diners and only 1 customer toilet in the entire premises, and you’re paying over £100 a head for food, I think it is actually. It used to somehow feel a bit less enjoyable when it was The 26 but at least you had 2 toilets then. Now they’ve closed one of the loos. So you have to hang around in some sort of no man’s land purgatory; waiting neither on the stairs nor the landing, but desperately needing a wee (or worse). Food ok for the price. Service kinda ok for the price. Not worth the 5-star prices overall… it’s proper proper expensive … and, oh, have I mentioned one solitary loo between 40+ diners of all genders? EDIT 19/2/23- AFTER TALLOW’S CONDESCENDING REPLY TO MY REVIEW: 1. To insinuate a reviewer has a problem with a toilet being unisex is both rude and very outdated. To imply a customer is a prude when unisex has been standard in many bars and clubs for 20+ years is really not a good look upon your establishment. Unisex is not the problem. One cubicle in a busy expensive restaurant is. 2. 26 diners PLUS all the customers attending the private room hire party upstairs at the chef’s table have to share the one solitary cubicle. It is deceptive of you to suggest it’s not more than 26 people sharing the same toilet.

The service was outstanding - laid back, friendly and completely unpretentious. Very cosy atmosphere. The food was the best I've eaten in the local area - it's great to have a fine dining option locally that's not stuffy and self-important, and that's actually reasonably priced for the quality of food!

Gorgeous little restaurant, delicious dishes and very knowledgeable and welcoming team. Some of the best service we’ve had in a long time. Big love to Ruby and co!

We had the tasting menu & wine pairing. Not just a wonderful evening of fabulous food & wine but a complete experience with brilliant & knowledgeable staff explaining the details of how the food is prepared & presented.

Have visited a couple of times as we just love this place. The tasting menu is always a winner, beautifully created food. Location is just on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells, so would need to drive or arrange transportation if arriving from outside the area.

Absolutely lovely lunch. Food was impeccable, service was fantastic and a lovely chilled vibe.

A truly wonderful evening. The restaurant and staff deserve their reputation as a first rate dining experience and I would highly recommend a visit. We shall return as soon as we can make a booking.

Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. Service tops, quality of every dish was super. And a grat dining room. Will return ASAP. Thanks to all the team.

Nice intimate restaurant. Fairly interesting menu although the small holding, the poet and the square peg are better and less expensive

Fantastic. This is one of the best restaurants in Kent. The menu is an an amazing array of local produce prepared in creative ways. The chef was also very flexible with one of our party (at late notice) who is severely dairy intolerant. The waiting staff are attentive, friendly and informative but never hovering or pushy. I would highly recommend.

Wonderful food. The service was excellent. No pressure to leave. Lovely atmosphere. Thank you.

Lovely lunch with a nice ambience. Food was delicious and the service courteous and very knowledgeable. Highly recommended

Excellent food with every bite full of flavour! The staff were so knowledgeable on the menu and fantastic drink makers providing information on each dish as it is served. Lovely setting with a cosy intimate yet refreshing feel. I would highly recommend for a special occasion or a treat to visit hear to splash out and feel full of scrumptious food.

I read about Tallow months ago in the Guardian and I am so glad that I booked then and waited all these months to finally get to go. The food was excellent - we had the taster menu and it was thoughtful, interesting and just plain delicious. The wine selection is very good and reasonably priced. And the service was excellent too. We'll definitely go back (and it's a 1h:30 drive for us.

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. Staff knowledgeable about the menu which was small but enough choice for people with differing dietary requirements. Lovely little touches with everything fresh and beautifully cooked and presented. Good ambience, relaxed and friendly.

Avidly followed from The Compasses Inn and this visit did not dissapoint in the slightest, especially with the return of the marmite cream cheese. The food and service are second to none and this new venture has retained my ranking as favourite restaurant. Rob and Donna have outdone themselves yet again, can't wait to come back soon!

Five stars every single time ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another trip to celebrate a friends birthday who visited for the first time. Delicious food and wine fabulous service

Absolutely fantastic. Definitely on our list of restaurants we frequently use.

A five-star dining experience from start to finish. Every course of their tasting menu was sensational. Service was great too.

Fantastic meal most delicious food we've had in ages. Staff very knowledgeable about food and very friendly service

Overall the experience at Tallow was good, but exceptionally expensive at £80-£100 a head, which didn’t quite leave me wanting to rush back. It felt like being in a London fine dining setting but with the oddity of being in Southborough, with the disparate associated views from each windows. A recent trip to a different restaurant for the same amount felt like better value, if nothing else because it included an entire bottle of sparkling, not just 3, and it also included a whole extra course from the menu. Having loved the Compasses Inn and returned to it many times, I have to say, this didn’t quite live up to the expectation set by previous encounters. Worth a visit but certainly temper any expectations, as mine were severely dented.

Relaxed, welcoming feel with the perfect ambience is just the start… the food coupled with the passionate staff who know the dishes inside out, make this place the perfect dinning experience

Really sad to post a poor review of my experiences with this restaurant. I have sadly had a serious health scare that is going to require radical surgery, so I was looking for a break away from the stress. I communicated with this venue and booked a table, sadly I made an error and sent them a wrong e mail. Eventually as my booking approached I contacted them to clarify my minimal dietary issues. I was replied to by the joint owner who was astonishingly intolerant and supercilious and very patronising. After 1600+ reviews between trip advisor, hardens good food guide and elsewhere, I have some experience of fine dining (105 michelin stars) and have always been impressed by quality customer service, wholly missing from here. We had been looking forward to our meal, but the attitude caused a cancellation. Hoping the owners in this newish venue will develop a better sense of customer service. I ask for recognition of an ability to each cooked cheese, in this case simply told “we don’t cater for dietary issues” respect and courtesy is something customers hope for in venues seeking to satisfy diners requirements even n option isn’t available, then there are ways of communicating that rather than simple dismissal.

Delightful in every way. From the wagyu and brioche, the cosy design to the refreshingly chatty and genuine team 🙏🏻

Absolutely loved Tallow! A really friendly atmosphere, and amazing food. We went for the tasting menu, which involved an amuse bouche (little crunchy bite-sized croquettes filled with tender, tasty pulled pork and topped with apple gel), bread (sourdough, brushed with wild garlic and served with whipped truffle butter), honey-glazed belly pork on a crab and apple salad, rendang-spiced beef cheek with toasted coconut, whipped yogurt, and puffed rice (just stunning!), crisp-skinned cod loin with squid, crunchy roast potato, tomato vierge, sea vegetables and saffron mayonnaise, lamb loin and rump with bulgar wheat and peas, a fabulous chocolate and cherry cake, and (perhaps saving the best for last) a rosemary waffle topped with baron bigod cheese, with pedro ximinez-soaked golden sultanas. We opted for a flight of wines, chosen to complement each course. I would very happily go back to try the menu dishes which weren't included in the tasting menu, and probably again to re-try my favourites! I'm not at all surprised that Tallow made it to the list of the top 100 restaurants in the UK, despite being quite new; I really couldn't fault any part of our meal!

Tried to book 3 times cannot contact to book the phone they have a fancy online booking service that wants your card details you cannot book a table without doing this I have been to many top restaurants around the world and have been able to book a table without ease but trying to book this restaurant in my village is no easy. Technology is overtaking simple transactions trust has gone out of the window. There loss I am sure it is a lovely Restaurant as we were recommended to go there it was a Birthday lunch never mind we are now off to another good Restaurant for the Birthday lunch

A wonderful birthday treat. Amazing food, fantastic staff.

The best food I've had in a long time, plus an amazing atmosphere. Can't recommend enough!

The food, the atmosphere, the people 😍

What can I say, absolutely fantastic culinary experience! We live around the corner from this restaurant, and had been looking to eat there for a while, finally we got a reservation (it is a small and intimate venue, which makes for a great atmosphere). We arrived, and shown to our seat, the décor is simple, but really lets the food be the star of the show. And it was, we had the tasting menu (one of the most reasonably priced tasting menus I've experienced) and the portions were as expected, whilst not large in size they packed some really special flavours. The local wine we had was really great too, I like to support Kentish wineries where possible, and this one didn't disappoint. Well done to the Tallow Team, we will be back! If you haven't been I recommend a visit.

The food was phenomenal and had amazing flavors alongside beautiful presentation the building was warm and inviting all the staff were very nice and welcoming but Ruby our waitress in particular was brilliant she was really friendly and fun she knew everything about the dishes and explained each course thoroughly which made the whole experience even better will definitely be back soon

You know those meals that make you pause with the first bite and then make you nod your head and frown in approval a few seconds later? That's what you get with Tallow. Now I'm not sure if all the staff are related but it seems that way with the homely vibe you get there. Not homely in the sense of siblings fighting to the death while the parents are screaming at eachother but homely in the way that makes you feel like you're at your grandma's table. Every bite was a sensation except the cheese and apple pie, I wanted to be adventurous but it backfired on me as I'm not a cheese and apple guy, y'know?

Lovely tasting menu with fantastic service 😋😊

This place is a treasure. Catering for not much more than a couple of dozen covers, the service is delightful. The food was an absolute pleasure throughout. A fascinating wine list including a good selection of local wines. This is not a place where you will eat quickly. We were there for lunch, and it took a couple of hours, but we didn’t care. It was for my son’s birthday and all four of us loved it

We celebrated our Anniversay with you last night, and what a treat it was. We were regulars at the 26 so already big fans of the quaint setting and ambiance. Tallow have taken the food to the next level, with bold flavors, stunning preaentation and non-pretentious portion sizes. The smoked lamb dish beats any London restaurant hands down. Thank you for spoiling us and ae will definitely see you again soon x

Fabulous birthday lunch, February menu was faultless and we enjoyed every course 100% and wine menu offered some perfect pairings. Staff we friendly, knowledgable and really considerate. Can't wait to go back.

Very nice restaurant. Staff pleasant and friendly with good and knowledgeable service. Food was nicely presented and very tasty. Portions not huge.

Intimate, handsome dining room with a well-fed wood burner, sympathetic lighting and thick drapes keeping things snug. The small menu lacked a red meat option, leaving us to select the fish (cod) and chicken from the 3 main course options (two animal, one veg). Gnocchi on the chicken dish was far too dense and floury - needs attention. Interesting starters immediately captured our attention - breaded partridge in a katsu emulsion (sadly partridge was on the dry side) and a pastrami-cured trout (pastrami seasoning undetectable). Beautiful cheese course for dessert, which softened the whole experience and kudos must be given for a lovely bread course too featuring whipped butter, crispy onions, nigella seeds cheesy scone, such comfort! Summary: Love a small menu, but this one needs a bit more representation. Service warm and generous, just like the decor, but a bit of a lag between courses. Dish elements need refining. Potential there, just needs polishing.

Underwhelmed but had merit.I was prepared to drive an hour to this new restaurant based on the reviews and I was underwhelmed by tbe experience. It’s only been open since November so maybe time will tell. The ambience is delightful. Warm and very tastefully fitted out. The menu restricted. Excluding vegan options you have two choices for each course. I do not expect a chicken or fish option at these prices. I opted for chicken. Lovely Christmassy flavours but the gnocchi was solidly compact and inedible. If you don’t know how to cook gnocchi, don’t include it as an element of the dish. The partridge starter beautifully presented with interesting elements but overcooked and dry. The pastrami cured trout starter with refined pickles was beautifully fresh but lacked any pastrami flavours. The amuse bouche was a triumph. A mouthful of intense mushroom and crisp base. The warm cheese scone a delight with butter spread topped with crispy onion and nigella seeds. The desert menu was also limited to two choices but both very good. The cheese choice was inspired. A Bigot God with burnt apple sauce and a round of delicious caramelised bread was sublime. Would I travel an hour again based on our experience? Probably not. If I lived in the area I’d give it another go. Service was warm and attentive but half an hour between courses was inexplicable given the limited tables and menu.

Excellent small restaurant. Very high quality food the ox cheek starter was one of the tastiest dishes I've ever had. Certainly the best ox cheek dish. Will definitely go again.

It was lovely to be back eating Robs wonderful food. The restaurant looks superb, and the FOH team were first class. A great way to celebrate a birthday. Be back soon.

Superb cooking and a warm welcome. I took my son for lunch to celebrate his end of school term. We both agreed we will be returning many more times with the rest of the family.

We booked for opening night at Tallow and we were blown away from the moment we set eyes on the dark moody looking exterior and see the warm glow coming from the fire and soft lighting inside! This place pulls you in from the street and welcomes you into the charming, cozy atmosphere! We ordered vegetarian options from the menu and they were all out of this world, the leek tart and macaroni and cheese were my favourites but it really was hard to choose! The wine list has been put together by the manager and what a wine list it is, Donna really knows her wine! A quick run upstairs to the little boys room and you get a quick glimpse into the chefs domain and where the magic happens! The private dining room is somewhere I want to spend every special occasion with the beautiful dark decor, dark wooden tables and chairs that hug you as you sit down! Seriously this is a place I want to visit with everyone on my very short friends list! We have booked again as the menu is changing for December so we look forward to a whole new foodie heaven when we come back! Thanks for the atmosphere, service and great food

Really excellent food and flawless, but warm, service. Went with my partner and mother for my birthday. Surpassed my expectations, which were pretty high already. Such a welcome addition to Tunbridge Wells!

So good to see Donna and Rob in their new venue. It's a lovely building and the room is beautiful. The food, what can I say it is superb. Looking forward to coming back regularly.