The Malt Shovel in Sevenoaks

Very good pub, with very good food. Beer kept in excellent condition. Can eat in restaurant or the bar. This time fish and chips was excellent. Monday nights they specialise in Thai which is very good and popular

No dogs allowed. Very strange vibe. I ordered apple pie and tea, after a walk. Possibly my worst dessert ever, definitely one of them at least. Avoid food there would be my suggestion. Maybe nice for a drink though.

Food is fantastic and portions are huge!

Delicious food, stopped here for lunch while out working. Great BLT good value for money and friendly staff ! Looked like a great beer selection also which I will have to come back for if in the area

We had a lovely quiet and very good meal on Saturday 18th the food was delicious and great portion sizes. Will definitely come again!

A regular at this pub. Can't beat it for value & quality. Staff are very friendly. Would highly recommend it

Always a pleasure to visit this place foods excellent and staff very helpful

As always, great selection of drinks, delicious food and a cozy atmosphere.

A nice meal. We felt a little rushed between our main houses and sweets.

Good home cooked food at reasonable prices, little quiet for a Saturday night in August, cold rainy weather probably contributed to people staying at home.

From the outside, this looks like a wonderfully old elizabethen pub. Not quite. When you go inside, it looks more like a restaurant. But in reality it seems to be a workable mix of both. There were what appeared to be regulars down one side of the room with the bar and the rest of the space is for food (which looked pretty nice). There is also an outdoor area out the back and tables in front. The Guinness was excellent as was the Harvey's Sussex Best.

Went on a Monday for their Thai night - food was fab! After having been to Thailand recently, it's hard to compare BUT the massaman was particularly yummy and had a great flavour. Green curry was delish, very traditional! Although the drunken noodles were yum, not as authentic as the rest. Satay chicken and duck pancakes, 4 per serving which was ideal! Overall a FANTASTIC meal! Staff are friendly and service is quick. Highly recommend a Monday night here!!

Lovely pub, great food, friendly staff. Hope to come back soon.

Historic venue. Plenty of choices including Tapas. Some days there is an extra choice ie steak night or fish night.

Great Sunday roast. Really good value and lovely friendly staff. Great choices noted on menu too if you are there on a different day or don’t fancy the roast (definitely recommended though).

Great grub. Nice ambience. Lovely village. Car park opposite for patrons only.

On arrival we were ignored by the (assumed) landlord. After a couple of minutes he said “you’ll have to wait unfortunately, I’ve been trying to take someone’s order for 10 minutes” When he returned we asked if there was a table free and he gestured “yes there’s one over there “ so we went over to where he had pointed and sat down. To be fair the food was lovely the waitress was helpful and friendly. Shame we’ve been put off by the landlords very unwelcome greeting. Wouldn’t go again.

It's been 20 years since I visited this pub, and I was pleased to see that it is still going! The service was top notch, and the beer well kept. I didn't eat here, but comments I overheard from other tables were positive, so I might give it a go next time.

Good food in a typical English pub.

Perfect lunch with my dear friend.

Discovered this pub for my mother's birthday. Six of us. The atmosphere was perfect. We was looked after 💯 Food was perfect and plenty of it!!! Will definitely be going back 😄 other photos are not on camera 🙃

Very rude and unwelcoming staff.

This is a favourite pub - easy to get to for us. Food is always good, generous portions, fairly priced. Car park and friendly staff. We come several times a year.

First time I've been here. But the food and service was excellent. Will be back.

Unenthusiastic welcome and slow service, I ordered the steak and Harvey’s ale pie which was worst ever had. Hardly any meat and mainly just gloop. Knife could not cut the pastry which was like firm, soggy cardboard. Thick cut chips did not seem cooked properly. Was told the pie had been made Monday evening and we went the following Friday! Seemed to me the pie had been reheated more than once. My wife ordered the steak and kidney pudding which was OK and we were not charged for the pie after complaining.

We got together here for a family lunch. The server was very sensitive to the fact we hadn't seen each other for a while and did not bother us unnecessarily. We enjoyed a good meal with excellent desserts.

The ribs are delicious! The staff are lovely, place is homely and feels like a proper pub. Again, the ribs are great, I've eaten ribs in a lot of places and these ones were juicy, tender and loaded with meat. My new favourite place to eat.

Went on a quiet Thursday early afternoon. Lovely food and big portions, well priced. 3 mains and 3 desserts, 2 pint Cokes and an alcohol free beer came to £77. Atmosphere of a proper olde English local countryside pub with regular locals. Friendly staff, quick service. Can't complain. Definitely visiting again!

To start ordered fish cakes and friend ordered the pate. Pate was average and toast over toasted, there were 2 fish cakes that were tiny and burnt. We also both ordered the liver, bacon, onions & mash potato, this was not like any liver I’ve ever had, tough with a completely odd texture, the mash was not creamy resembling something served in a 1980s school dinner, the gravy was bisto. Only had a couple of bites before paying and leaving. Our complaint was not well received and was handled poorly & very passively aggressive. Do not waste your time or money, you will be disappointed.

This place has the best food I think I've ever had in a pub - and Google just notified me im apparently in the top 10 of pub reviewers so guess I've been to a couple. Have come back multiple times and it's always been good. Gets busy on weekends - if your not local probs best to book. The fish or the pork belly is what I've had and its honestly that good. The shortest drive from London.

Sat outside in the sunshine was very nice for a quick stop and the wine was very nice! Only had drinks.

Great food. great atmosphere,great beer and spotless toilet!! what a great place to go for a drink and a bite to eat, first rate

A Hidden Gem with a Rich History – The Malt Shovel, EynsfordNestled in the heart of Eynsford, The Malt Shovel is not just a pub but a piece of history. Dating back to the 18th century, this charming establishment first appears in historical records in a will dated 1743 as a "messuage and malt house." Over the centuries, it has evolved into a beloved local spot, retaining its historical charm and character.While its history adds a unique allure, the food at The Malt Shovel is the real star. The menu offers a delightful array of traditional home-cooked meals that are sure to impress. From succulent steaks to hearty full racks of ribs, each dish is prepared with care and served with a smile. The chunky chips are a must-try – perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Small pub with garden near main area of the village. A bit run down and out of date inside, and garden not the nicest of places to sit (feels like a back garden, next to other houses gardens, overlooked). Service a bit slow and some of the staff visibly grumpy and despondent (felt like they would rather I wasn’t there when trying to order at the bar). Food and drinks ok, and fair for their price, but nothing special or noteworthy.

Lovely landlord, very accommodating

Rude staff. Not welcoming and tool ages to acknowledge us and even then no apology or a smile. Do not recommend.

Good selection of drinks and liver snd bacon lovely

Met with a friend for a meal on Sunday. Food was lovely and lots of choice. The owner and staff were very friendly. We were there quite a while but they didn't make us feel uncomfortable or that we had to vacate our table. Best pub meal in a long while.

Enjoyed a really great meal here with family, celebrating a birthday. Food was really good and I'm sure we will be going again!

Had a grey Sunday lunch. Host's we're very friendly as well.

Great food, lovely staff, bit i’ve been waiting pretty long for food

Been coming here for many years. There were four diners. Starters all good. Mains where all on the dry side. Fish was overcooked and dry. Meat pie beautifully flavoured but also dry. Gammon was too thick and although chips and eggs great. Maybe uncle should have had ham, egg and chips. Service was great x

Nice pub. An old fashioned 1960s pub. Lots of people eating food. Nice atmosphere (no one being to noisy)

Friendly atmosphere. A good range of ales.

A lovely pub in Eynsford. My partner and I wanted some lunch after our visit to the Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation and the Malt Shovel were very welcoming and fitted us in despite not having a reservation! I had the beef burger with chips which was cooked perfectly, and my partner had the full rack of ribs which were lovely - just the right amount of sauce, cooked perfectly and generous portions!! There is lots of choice on the menu to suit everyone and a specials board! This pub is good value for money also, and a very cosy, inviting environment.

Great pub! Amazing food and lovely service!!! Waitress are really too kind!

Is a lovely friendly place and lovely stuff and excellent food .

Great comforting and good value pub food, I had the Sunday roast with lamb and it was delicious plus starters and puds all round. Traditional pub setting, cosy and currently looking beautifully festive from the outside too. Lived close to the village for years and never been here but will be back.

Excellent food and brilliant service. Very good value for money. On very cold day the food was piping got and really tasty. Highly recommend.

Great food, service & atmosphere.

A large group of us went for lunch after the armistice parade - great service, friendly staff, and a lovely meal. Thanks to the staff for a fantastic experience.

Had to order coffee but mistakenly forgot to mention takeaway! The situation after that went badly by mumbling disrespectful conversation and then left my coffee in a soup cup, not a normal coffee cup apart from that the coffee taste was great.

Visited this pub for the first time today. We arrived at 1.30pm for some lunch. I have to say that the Malt Shovel is an excellent pub. The service, food and value for money are excellent. The prices are very fair considering the way the price of everything has rocketed over the last year or so. It's refreshing to find a place that still gives value for money and doesn't try to squeeze you for everything they can. The San Miguel was superb, my ribs were excellent and my girlfriends steak was spot on. Staff were also very accommodating with my two year old son which means a lot. We will definitely be coming back soon, the drive from Sidcup is definitely worthwhile 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Been here a fair few times, good service / good food / good prices and good parking - what more do you want, it’s our go to pub for a meal out.

Plenty of choice on the menu and quite a few options for vegetarians. Very clean toilets which is rare in so many pubs these days.

Great food, service and atmosphere

Nice village pub. More for foodies. Good friendly service.

Miserable overpriced microwave food Should not offer vegetarian option if can only offer up hardened, tasteless food obviously fresh out of a microwave. Grumpy man was dismissive and extremely obtuse

Visited for a week day lunch with a friend. Lovely atmosphere here. Attentive staff and wonderful food. A little gem.

Our first visit to this tidy, spacious establishment. For those of a certain age there are some comfort food items on the menu including liver and bacon, steak and kidney pud and spotted dick - other tastes are catered for. Mrs B. is addicted to fish and chips. Too many chips on the plate - a common practice and such a waste. They scored 8/10 though. The fish’s batter was thin and crispy. Gone are the days when I could manage steak and kidney pud followed by spotted dick, so I plumped for swordfish steak. It was a meaty generous portion with tasty new potatoes, accompanied by buttered cabbage, sugar snaps and chantenay carrots - all tasty and al dente. Pity about the soggy nuked broccoli. ‘Twas not the spotted dick of my “yoof” (when I would have had cream, ice cream AND custard with it), it was a lighter version, a smaller dick and not as spotty, with a hint of spice, That did not detract from my enjoyment ( just ice cream and custard, if you are wondering). All reasonably priced. And joy of joys - no service charge. Can’t wait to go back.

Food excellent, glassware sparkling, clean modern toilets. Staff polite and efficient. If they smiled and were more friendly the visit would have been perfect.

Fantastic food,friendly staff,nothing to much trouble,can't wait to go back

Visited here today for Sunday lunch.All five of us had a different starter.Each one was lovely.Three roast dinners,a salmon dish and a burger.We all enjoyed our main dishes and three of us made room for puddings.All of which were delicious.My only minor gripe and it is minor,as the food was enjoyed by all,would be a bit more veg to go with the three roasts.As i say it is minor but my personal choice.Have to say,it was a very late inquiry to try and get a slot,but they managed to fit us in which we were all grateful for.The service was was polite and friendly.My third visit here over a couple of years and will return. I would definitely recommend this pub if your passing and fancy a pint or a snack.Or both.

Mediocre food at best overcooked veg EXTREMELY overpriced at around £20 per meal Ruined day out.not on

The pub looks lovely with all the beautiful hanging baskets. We sat inside to eat, nice variety on the menu, decent prices, and good size portions of well cooked food. It was pretty busy so I'm guessing popular with the locals. Afterwards we had a look at the outdoor seating area, we would have sat there if we'd known about it. The toilets must have had a recent refurbishment, they look great. Only negative, my friend had the seafood tagliatelle and the prawns were in their tail shells. She had a mouthful of shell.

Heard good things about here, stopped past unexpectedly, ploughmans and scampie and chips. Unfaultatable! Great service, quick and fresh food. Beer was cold, a perfect country pub! We will be back!

I feel well qualified to review this pub as I’m a Londoner but its not my local and I’ve been here many times over twenty years or so. You will find a couple of bad reviews here from the masses who find a beauty spot on uTube, jump in the car on a busy summer day and then expect England to be like it was before the internet told the masses about it. Visited many times with my elderly mum, with my wife and with walking and running friends and always find it to be great warm local pub with good pub grub. This weeks lunch was no exception. Good beer, large portions of hearty food and relaxed atmosphere. The Thai food nights are a popular choice aswell. So if you found Farningham, Eynsford and the lovely Darent valley on an internet search be prepared to book ahead, slow down and maybe come by train.

We were looking for somewhere to stop for lunch and tried this pub. We arrived at about 12:30 and managed to find a table which hadn't been reserved. A very friendly waitress took our order, Pork belly with vegetables and roast potato's and a Gammon steak with chunky chips, peas and two fried eggs. The food was superb with generous portions. As we ate our meal the reserved tables started filling up, so it must be popular with local people. I would happily recommend this pub and will return if I am in the area again.

My partner and I visited The Malt Shovel today (06.08.23) for lunch. My partner had the steak (which she likes 'cremated') - she commented to members of staff there that the chef had done this beautifully. My partner also loved the thick chips and the peppercorn sauce (which she requested two pots of). I had the Sunday Lunch - the meat (i.e. lamb) was nice and tender with no fat whatsoever and to top it off the Chocolate Fudge Cake with Ice Cream was delightful - nice and light.

We were made to feel very welcome at the Malt Shovel. The menu was good for meat eaters but had only one vegetarian option which was a burger. There were about six additional items on the specials board, of which two were vegetarian. See the attached photos of our meals, which were very good in both quality and quantity. The only disappointment was not having any room for a dessert, perhaps just as well because choosing one from the list would have been really difficult! 🙂

Excellent traditional pub food served by friendly, helpful staff.

Booked this after reading the reviews. My daughter and I were looking for somewhere cosy for a lunch together. This pub was lovely, we enjoyed a friendly welcome and extremely generous portions - starters and a main were a challenge to finish and were absolutely delicious.

Went here for lunch from start to finish the landlord was rude. No customer service, sarcastic answers, we normally sit out the front and just have a drink so havnt had much to do with him usually. Regret going in here and wasting money sandwiches were nice, jacket was cold charged us for 2 chips only wanted 1 but couldn't be bothered with the fuss. Won't come here again even for a drink

Not a bad meal, remember it is just a pub that serves food, atmosphere ok as well, parking can be a pain sometimes though

Great little pub which we visited for drinks after a trip to Castle Farm. The bar staff were really friendly and welcoming, parking is easy in a dedicated car park across the road and you can sit outside on the main road and literally watch the world go by.

Food delicious and staff very attentive. Will definitely be back!

Booked for 12 people but 22 turned up. We were all accommodated and had great service. The menu choice is amazing and all our meals were served freshly cooked and piping hot. Delicious pub food and great choice of real ale.

Came in here to grab a bite to eat after a day at eagle heights. Didn’t even get a chance to sit down before we walked out as they had told us they were closed for lunch. I then asked politely if there was anywhere else nearby they could recommend as I am not local and another man, unsure on whether he was staff or a customer, turned round to say ‘your mum’ clearly thinking he was funny. I found it extremely rude and the man behind the bar even laughed as well. It was unacceptable and unprofessional and I will not be returning!

After cycling 30km we needed a bit of lunch. Excellent tasting and well-filled sandwiches. A warm welcome too. Highly recommend.

Stopped for lunch half way through a bike ride. Service was quick, sandwhiches were really tasty and the pub interior was spotless. Definitely our go to pub next time we're in Eynsford!

Good food at reasonable prices..

Lovely meal. Hot. Tasty . Very relaxed atmosphere .subtle music.very clean.

Great food, excellent service. We arrived early for our booking, but it wasn't a problem and had an enjoyable meal. We will be back.

The service in this charming olde pub was superb, and the waitress/barlady and possible manager (not sure) was a young lady called Elllie. Very professional and keen to help you feel welcome. The ambience is wonderful, and the background music is pleasant and non intrusive in its volume level. My wife and I both had chicken liver pate for starters, which was exceptional and a meal in itself. We both went for the roast of the day, I went for the turkey and my wife for the lamb. The roast was well priced and decent for the price, though the vegetables were over done. This is a fabulous pub and those visiting Eynsford would be foolish not to give it a try. Demetri Turin

Amazing food in this place, haven't been for a few years but been back today and was just as good as I remember

Dropped by for lunch. Nice choices on the menu.

Stopped off here after a day at Eagle Heights on a bank holiday weekend. We got a table for two with ease, happy and attentive staff. They had a wide selection of foods, including pan fried duck, steak and kidney pudding, fish, vegetarian and lots more. We were served promptly and food was hot on arrival, additional sides we had forgotten were delivered quickly without trouble. We had a couple of ciders and two mains all just over £40 which is pretty good in today's world for an afternoon out. Excellent country pub find a stone's throw from the river. The car park is just opposite the old English pub across the road.

Very nice place and food was amazing 😊

Excellent pub , brilliant menu and staff are above excellent in customer services and prices reasonable 👍 Swim Tim

I tried their vegetarian burger, and I have to say, it was one of the best burgers I've ever had! The patty was delicious and packed with flavour, and the toppings were fresh and perfectly complemented the burger. The staff were friendly and accommodating, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The menu had a great selection of vegetarian and vegan options, which was a pleasant surprise. Overall, I highly recommend The Malt Shovel to anyone looking for a great place to grab a bite to eat. Whether you're a vegetarian or not, their vegetarian burger is a must-try!

Top Stars from this cyclist!!! Was so sad the tearoom has closed, this pub is opposite, has a beautiful beer garden and super tasty food (recommend the cajun chicken wrap!) As well as friendly helpful staff. We were able to leave our bikes securely at the side of the pub! Thank you so much, we will be back!!

Good food. Shame they don't allow dogs as close to walking routes.

Had a lovely evening with good friends.

Lunch visit- Nice food and friendly staff. Not fine dining- good pub grub... Light and bright inside.. Great parking. Worth a try I'd say.

A visit for lunch. Nice food, nice people!

Food good , landlord a bit moody

Was quite pleasantly surprised visiting this establishment at first, the village setting & quirky appearance was appealing & alcoholic choices were good however I soon learned that a certain member of staff, who turns out to be the apparent owner was an absolute disgrace. Quietly tucking into my drink minding my own business I was disturbed by a rapturous noise coming from behind the scenes. The male ‘owner’ seemingly balling at someone, who I guessed must have been an employee stating ‘you’re taking the piss’. At first, I thought this might have been the employee having made a mistake or done something wrong, however this was quickly followed by a barrage of further insults. I overheard the same ‘man’ further go into insults about pulling your weight and again repeating ‘you’re taking the piss’. Now, the fact this is a quiet village establishment, the service was brilliant & the staff were extremely friendly and couldn’t do enough for me is one thing, but hearing such a barrage of verbal diarrhoea coming from behind the scenes from the ‘owner’ really puts this place into perspective. I may not know what the apparent abundance of expletives was about, but what I do know is that it is totally unacceptable and not the place for such ‘discussions’. This has totally turned my review of this establishment, but if an apparent ‘owner’ can blatantly show this sort of behaviour inside their own venue then that is all I need to see. As stated, I do not know what happened behind the scene, but if I were the owner I’d be ashamed of my actions. He also left shortly afterwards like nothing had happened. We visited this pub randomly when passing by as it looked really quirky & different, however we will NOT be doing so again. If you’d like a quiet drink I wouldn’t recommend visiting here. A quiet ‘pit stop’ turned wrong and a very disappointing experience led by one sole party. If you can’t treat your staff with dignity & respect, then how can you treat your customers in the same degree?

Good home made food at reasonable prices, friendly staff and excellent beer looked after very well by Alan the owner.

Amazing food and wonderful atmosphere. Will definitely be returning

The food was good, even if the pub itself smelt like school dinners. Didn't go in their at first because the grey exterior wasn't very welcoming, neither was the grey interior. It was totally soulless but the food was good if you're passing and hungry.