The Rock in Sevenoaks

Do not go here if you are vegetarian or vegan. They had run out of the only vegetarian option other than burgers and could not come up with any other option.

We have been coming to this pub for years; a coffee following a walk, lunch or the most amazing roast served uniquely in a large roasting tin with all the trimmings and so much gravy a tea pot is needed! If you like unpretentiousness, good old fashioned pub atmosphere, countryside and the most inclusive welcome you could ever wish for then The Rock has it all. Thankfully it has not conformed to the “gastro” style adopted by most other pubs and instead stands above the others with it own style. An extraordinary pub with an extraordinary following. Don’t ever change.

Love it! - What a fabulous pub. We had Sunday lunch for 6 served family style, two roast shared in the centre of the table with plenty of trimmings. The beef rib was incredible and (not a usual fan of lamb) was absolutely delicious. Service was friendly, unhurried and cheerful even though they were unexpectedly down a couple of staff. Pub is small but thoughtfully decorated with a log burner and two of the most enormous but chilled pub dogs. A wonderful find....will be back for sure

A lovely classic pub in the Kent countryside, that's all you need to know. Plenty of events on offer, music, BBQ etc. Well worth a visit.

The most tastiest lamb we have ever had. A massive shoutout to Amber for being so friendly and wonderful and phoning us so that we could preorder our meat! And also to Danny, a lovely and friendly waiter who bought us a drink due to the waiting time (he also has 2 gorgeous dogs that we were very happy to meet). The customer service was amazing, they went above and beyond and couldn’t have done more for us, and the food was just another level. We are a lover of roast dinners and after reading the reviews we were really excited to try this! We aren’t locals, we were only in the area for the weekend, but we will be back!

One of the friendliest waitresses I have even met

A lovely pub with a casual relaxed atmosphere. We shared a steak which was beautiful. A lovely hidden gem of a pub.

Stopped in for dinner with friends, enjoyed the lovely atmosphere and great garden. Burgers were so-so but steak was very good indeed. Percy the pub dog was a very cute addition. Nice setting and good vibes.

This place (the building, the decor, the furnishings) absolutely oozes character. A quintessential English country pub, brought bang up to date with an interesting and flexible menu. Gilt-head bream with broad beans, sugar snaps and chorizo, anyone? Or a fish finger sandwich (thinly sliced battered fillets of real fish served between doorsteps of tasty local farmhouse). The bar staff were welcoming and efficient. Three local draught beers: the Larkin's and the Harvey's were in very good condition, the Lakedown not so much.

Pre order on a Sunday. Amazing..

We booked for Sunday roast, they only do a sharing roast. This is for between2/4 people pork or chicken and it was amazing. Falling apart meat, best gravy I have ever had, crispy roast potatoes, roast carrots and squash, leeks and cabbage and fluffy Yorkshires! Couldn’t fault it. Finished off with a rhubarb crumble. Also amazing service very friendly and stunning old pub.

Lovely pub, lovely staff. Roast was delicious!

My girlfriend and I went to the rock today for a Sunday roast. Never have I ever left a pub so amazed with the food and customer service. The staff were so passionate and the vibe was unreal. We were wowed with everything. Highly recommend to anyone.

Lovely pub, if I lived closer I'd visit regularly. Didn't eat there but it looks like it'd be really nice :)

The Rock is a little gem of a place, and so are the management and staff. The whole experience is one I'd like to do again. I just wish I lived nearer. The food was excellent and they couldn't be more accommodating. We were there Sunday 11th Aug, after visiting Hever Castle as a belated birthday treat. Thank you for making my day complete. Regards Carol.👋👋

Absolutely no words, amazing food, drinks, service and we were stranded without a taxi so Laurence the owner asked everyone in the pub if they could drive us back, after no one could he PERSONALLY drove us home and refused to take any cash for it, the man is a legend. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

Absolutely fantastic roast, so tasty. Very friendly and efficient service. We loved the pub dogs too!! If we lived nearer we’d come every week!

Fantastic Sunday roast at the world’s best pub. Utterly delicious, and very generous portions.

Just stopped by on my cycle ride for a pint & some crisps, still, the young lady that served me did so with a lovely smile. Cute little pub, in peaceful surroundings & a chilled out atmosphere. There's seating outside at the front & beer garden to the rear. Will hope to return in the near future to try their food &, hopefully, give them five stars!

Lovely location, nice helpful staff, excellent food.

After driving just over an hour and a half to eat there and possibly spend the night with the camper. We were informed that the kitchen is only open until 6 am. We arrived at a quarter to seven. The owner's response is correct. So the stars were adjusted. Via Google Map you do not have the hours of the kitchen as on their site. Only on Sunday would the kitchen be closed at 6 o'clock. There was certainly a cozy atmosphere and I believed the kitchen was also worth a visit. In connection with staying overnight, I got this from the UK pub stopover. It is reported that staying overnight in the parking lot for a meal is okay. We arrived home safely. Greetings

Lovely spot made extra special by delightful and professional service by our serving lady....ales are really well kept and looks like they know what they are doing with steak.... seems like they were dry aging....

We visited for dinner on a Tuesday evening and found the food to be reasonable, nothing standout. What let us down though was the service; a bit grumpy front of house, of the four meals we ordered, two were wrong and had to be redone. By the time they came the first main seas finished and it was apparent that the fourth order had been forgotten. It was “rushed through” and eventually arrived when the othered were pretty well done. Or the cheapest and the service isn’t reflected in the price as there was barely an apology for what turned out to be OK food and poor service.

Great pub, food and staff. Really nice ambience. Dropped in for a light lunch and couldn't be happier. Highly recommended; two of the best pub dogs you will ever meet!

What can we say, like no pub roast we have ever had before and definitely the best!! You must come hungry. The staff were all lovely and obviously take pride in what they’re serving. We would love to come again.

Absolutely wonderful atmosphere and excellent food served by amazing staff. It’s also dog friendly and family friendly. It’s the good old traditional pub- I can’t praise you all enough. Really recommend the Sunday roast and their delicious gravy served in a teapot .🥰. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Very nice pub! Outstanding pub food

Stopped off for a cold drink and a sandwich on Saturday, excellent pub and friendly staff.

Thank you for your reply, it wasn't your fault we didn't have enough time to enjoy the food it was ours we were off to see a show. We enjoyed the atmosphere, weather & food very much. Next time we will make sure we have plenty of time. My husband and I had a Sunday roast on fathers day. We were served by Joe who was so friendly and welcoming. Wow the roast was served in a very novel way loved everything about it. Gravy in a teapot what a great idea. Thankfully the veg was cooked to perfection not this blanched stuff that some place do. The pork belly was so tender and tasty crackling my husband said that was excellent. Our only negative was we didn't have enough time to sit and enjoy for longer. Highly recommend. Lovely place, great service

A great place with unique vibe. We had delicious sandwiches with pulled pork and fish fingers served with home made chips. Loved it! Staff is extremely kind and helpful. And they have 2 beautiful pub dogs there!

I am an Amazon driver and has been working around the area for a couple of days , this is the best place in the whole area to get cold drinks and good food , really thanks for the cold bottle of coke !

This is without doubt the best pub in Kent. And since Kentish pubs are without doubt the best in the world, it follows that this is the best pub in the world. In fact I should probably keep my blabbermouth shut, or everyone will discover it and it'll be ruined. But hey - here goes. First of all, it serves Larkins - the best beer in the pub. And as we have established that this is the best pub in Kent, and Kentish pubs are the best in the world, you might be thinking that Larkins is the best beer in the world. Is it? Yes. You're right. It is. (Has anyone else noticed that the second pint tastes even better than the first? Why is that?) Then the people that run The Rock are brilliant - the perfect mix of friendliness and efficiency. The pub is unchanged pretty much from when I first used to go there in the 1970s, except that it now has modern loos, a car park, and a great beer garden. Ring The Bull is still there. The brick floor is the same. Nothing has been ruined. Hooray! Now, supposing you were to go to eat in the best pub in the world, with the best beer in the world, then presumably you'd be hoping to eat the best food in the world? Is it? No. It isn't the best food in the world. That's El Bulli. And it's closed now anyway. But, I tell you what: as pub food goes, it's right up there. Delicious roasts on Sunday, and a good menu of classics all week: you won't be disappointed at all. What a nice place. WHOOPS! No, actually, it isn't. It's horrible. Don't go - you won't like it. Go somewhere else. Definitely don't go. Especially when I'm there. Which is often. (Damn! Do you think I've put them off?)

Amazingly old world pub, oak beams, beautiful. WE had 12 oysters, the bream and the duck. Absolutely awesome food.

Fantastic pub, superb real ales, like stepping back in time. The lady behind the bar was so welcoming, can't wait to return!!

Went for dinner for the first time and was surprised to see the diverse and creative menu which definitely lived up to the expectation when it came to taste as well. Friendly service and a fun quirky decor

The Rock is a lovely pub that has a homely feel and charm. Negatives would be that it can be cold in the winter and that the ceiling by the garden is low - these 'negatives' are unavoidable. Lovely staff and a very friendly atmosphere - dogs allowed.

Lovely little pub, full of charm and character. Very friendly staff. We were a table of 10 and all of us enjoyed our food.

We must go back as we "snacked" and then we saw the roasts!. Great beers too. Lovely sunny garden too.

Great service and lovely atmosphere and location garden really lovely.

I was very much looking forward to my visit with friends but sadly the quaint interior and good range of drinks was let down by the appalling state of the toilets! There were two options.. one ‘Unicorn’ loo with the most bizarre circus decor and two mixed sex loos so tiny I would think anyone larger than average would struggle to fit in. You have to lean across them to reach the taps and to do this the only way to do it given the limited space is to press your thighs against the ceramic rim.. certainly unsanitary!! Looking at the Unicorn loo (also a mixed sex loo) I should think it’s been a good while since anyone has cleaned it! The ladies sanitary bin squeezes up against you whilst sitting on the loo!! Both options are equally disgusting.. and certainly NOT clean! I get that a 15th Century listed pub doesn’t have many space options but at least clean it so it doesn’t feel as bad. Unless popping in for a quick drink, knowing I won’t need the loo, I would not return despite the warm welcome I received! Sort it out guys!

Local pub to me but I won't be visiting as they host hunting events for the those vile Red top wearing horse riders.

Will never drink here again, as they host fox hunting events. Awful pub

Amazing place and a hidden gem. Probably one of the best little pubs around with great personalised service, excellent food and a cozy atmosphere. Book in advance as it gets busy. Menu is small but looking great - exactly how it should be. Will be coming back here again for sure.

After a week of rank drizzly London the Rock was a literal TONic (with gin). I always prefer good atmosphere to good food, but this pub has both in a relaxed, unforced blend. Stepping through the low dark wooden door into a warm and busy bar area, the Tudor decor is like stepping back into an older time with no Netflix and phones but ales and steak and chatter…🥩 And as the night glided past us, it felt like someone’s last minute house party where we’d stumbled in and been welcomed. A party in the Tudor period, but with dogs, dinner and disco. Both food and atmosphere were memorable, cosy and fun with Saturday night energy, chatty easygoing bar staff, bill withers and what might have been the lock stock soundtrack blasting through the speakers. Merlot with the sirloin, sticky toffee pudding. Little chat with the DJ. Just good vibes. There was a Labrador under my feet during the entire meal and we didn’t notice because the vibe was so GOOD. What can I say, it made me glad my rubbish half arsed vegan phase is over. That said, the chips were banging. Vegans 🥑 can still have a cracking evening with chips and vibes at the Rock. Go there! Ps only thing I’d change is the Union Jack 🇬🇧 cushions, which left connotations of Nigel farage.

Amazing pub, atmosphere and food! Great staff too! Recommend the sirloin and got a lift home thanks to the manager!

Best Sunday roast ever!!! I look forward to the banoffee pie specially made on request.

What a hidden gem . Food is everything you’d want and more for a roast, good quality drinks and super friendly / efficient service . thanks very much

Lovely old traditional countryside pub, great food.

Lovely pub restaurant in chiddingstone, food was fresh and beautifully cooked and the staff were really friendly and looked after us.

Local pub with a good vibe - Friendly and attentive staff. Roasts were delicious, reasonably priced and you felt very at home! Would go back again and recommend to anyone in the area to stop by

Without doubt the best Pub “Sunday Roast” we’ve ever eaten! Insanely Good!!!

Amazing Sunday Roast!! Really good quality food, great service and a great atmosphere… really enjoyed it and highly recommended!

Great atmosphere and food! Joe was amazing, even gave us a quick lift back to our accommodation when we couldn’t get a cab! Great guys!

Not great. Pub is ok, if a bit old-school with zero comforts. Beers is ok The 2 kids behind the bar seemed slightly out of their depth and the tall one was very arrogant….we buy the beer so you serve us, matey. Customer is King but your lack of experience showed through. There’s a distinct waft of ‘resting on laurels’ from years gone by. If you just rely on local trade (hogging the bar), you’ll be closed within a year. Get real…get commercial…and start running the business properly. The Fountain at Cowden is far better even though the landlord is a knob. Oh….and the food appeared all microwaved!

A big thank you to Joe and Karen at The Rock Inn for accommodating our group of Ramblers for lunch today. From our original booking, confirmation and on the day we were made to feel so welcome. The food was delicious, the pub atmosphere great and particular thanks to Karen - service was brilliant. A number of our group had not been before and we'll all definitely be back. Everyone said how good it has been, thanks again.

A big thank you to Joe and Karen at The Rock Inn for accommodating our group of ramblers for lunch today. From our original booking, confirmation and on the day we were made to feel so welcome. The food was delicious, the pub atmosphere great and particular thanks to Karen - service was brilliant. A number of our group had not been before and we'll all definitely be back. Everyone said how good it has been, thanks again.

A brilliant experience. Good traditional fayre with a smile.

A family of 5 meeting up after many years some from the USA, as usual the hospitality from Karen was exemplary and made use very welcome. The game pie was delicious as was the local beer. Atmosphere was incredible. Thank you.... See you Sunday for our usual roast...

We were testing restaurants to stop at on our up and coming, castles 5 day tour. Myself and my business partner tried a few near Hever over a 2 day period. Unfortunately, the rock was not good. The meat was very dry. The potatoes were boiled and not roasted. The vegetables were sloppy and inedible. When asked if we could have less overcooked vegetables, we were told that's how the chef prepares them and that was it. After this request, we had awful service. We weren't asked if we would like desserts and the table was not cleared whilst we were there. It felt as though they wanted us gone. Unfortunately, we had a bad experience and couldn't risk our customers having this experience. We strive ourselves on impeccable service and nothing is too much for our customers. We highly recommend the castle pub. They went above and beyond and a friendly welcoming atmosphere.

Been promising myself a visit and finally got there by virtue of a nice chap and a lift. First thing that hits you is the laughter from various aged and sized locals. Then the Roaring fire, friendly welcome, and friendlier dogs. So with the promise of pre ordered oysters we got drinks from the wide selection and took our seats. We had viewed the menu pre visit so selection was quick. Great starters, then we were presented with a 1.5kg steak pre cooking. Staff, attentive and jolly, served drinks and waited the table with an air that said they enjoyed their work and are invested. Steak was presented beautifully and tasted as good as it looked Accompanied with a tasty yet moderately priced wine we tucked in Yes there was room for desert. Rhubarb crumble as good as my nan’s Pleasantly surprised when we got the bill Go try it, you won’t be disappointed

This is how pubs should be. Nostalgic. Hands down best Sunday roast we’ve had in a very long time. Cracking atmosphere, The Rock took us completely by surprise.

Our 4th visit. The best sunday roast we have had absolutely beautiful and the staff are so lovely. Highly recommend

The place was nice enough, lovely old pub. Very quaint and traditionally decorated. There was sufficient parking for our group and the staff were very attentive. Unfortunately the food really let this place down. It's not cheap which you don't mind at all when the food is up to spec. Our group ordered from the main menu and the roast menu. The roast was £50 and it's a sharing platter. The waiter told us it was for 3 ppl or 2 adults and 2 kids so we ordered one for 2 adults and 2 small teens. We told them when we ordered that it was for us four and the rest of the table placed their orders, when the food came it was 3 of everything, 3 carrots, 3 parsnips slithers, 3 yorkies and 3 pigs in blankets and 9 roasties which were more like boiled potatoes as they were definitely not roasted, (3 of everything is an odd number was usually it would be a couple of a family ordering). It meant one of us literally had 3 potatoes and some cabbage and meat. One of the kids ordered Mac and cheese. This was awful, she had one bite and refused to eat anymore as it was the American packet cheese sauce, bright orange and swimming in it. Not a traditional man n cheese. We ordered desserts, £8 each I believe. Brownies were ok but the Eton mess was massed up meringue with cream and 2 pieces of frozen strawberries, not even real ones and it's strawberry season. Hugely disappointed. Drinks are also very expensive. £60 for a bottle of prosecco or £30 for a cheap white which we went for in the end. Such a shame the food let it down. We definitely won't be back as there are some amazing other pubs within a 2 miles radius. Edit- as you will see from the reply, this is the type of people that own this place. What do I have to gain from lying? I don't live locally or know anyone who does, I was a disappointed tourist leaving an honest response. "We mash the strawberries to a pulp to improve flavour" 🤣, hilarious. We use our own special mac n cheese recipe so it's not a traditional one, maybe tell kids that when they order. It definitely tasted very floury and packet like to us. But with a chef (who does weekly roast services over in Oxford ) and a baker in our party we are clearly wrong. We were definitely told the cheapest fizz was £60 as I clearly remember my father saying he wasn't paying that (all the women are usually fizz drinkers so we would usually order prosecco and didn't) maybe you had staff on that day that didn't know your menu well enough. All I'll say is, if you are told as a customer you are lying (for what reason? we left and paid, we aren't trying to get money off) and they protest that much, they clearly are having issues. Also it takes them over 6 months to respond to their reviews, slow, like the service. Edited my star rating to reflect their response.

They do the best stakes you'll ever try

An amazing Sunday Roast. Quaint little pub. Got a little lost as sat nav directions were not quite right but called and got the correct postcode. Staff were great, attentive and helpful, especially Joe. Food was amazing and plentyful. Highly recommend but make sure you book!

Really lovely local pub. Loved the dog friendly atmosphere and friendly staff. The food was delicious.

Friendly welcome, prompt service, well kept local Larkins beer and a delicious roast pork and chicken lunch with all the trimmings for carving at the table. Set us up perfectly for the walk home. I’ve always enjoyed popping in for a beer but now the food is really excellent too. A big thank you to Lawrence and the team

AVOID this disgusting establishment. They support the local hunt. Vile, sick and twisted landlords.

Absolutely no questions about it, this is the best country pub you’ll ever visit. Welcoming, warming, friendly, inviting and cosy. The fire, the staff, the owners, and most of all the FOOD. The freshest produce made in house to create such warming and delicious dishes. From a light lunch chicken and stuffing toastie, to a whole chicken roast served on a large baking tray with all trimmings for the family to feast on. This is the only place you’ll need to visit to really experience the best traditional British pub vibe. Cheers to you All at the Rock. See you again soon!

Didn’t like it here at all, cold, smelt of dogs, nope wasn’t happy,

Common theme it seems is that the food is very hit and miss. As a party of 4, we were all disappointed. One dish was overcooked, to the point of being burnt. Another was soggy and clearly undercooked. The landlady was completely disinterested.

This is just the perfect English pub. Quaint but totally authentic, lively with locals and their numerous dogs. Great range of traditional beers. We came for Christmas Eve lunch. While the fish and chips was disappointing (soggy tasteless fish) ALL the other dishes were quite outstanding. Delicious fresh Whitstable oysters, great tankard of prawns, wonderful pork belly, tasty nut roast. We had all 3 desserts and they were all fab. Apple pie was substantiaI! Genuine, eager-to-please staff and a friendly owner. The building itself is lovely bit there is glorious medieval house adjacent which makes this an even more special place. The occasional glitsch is totally forgiven because the welcome and the atmosphere could not be bettered.

Met my family for a roast at the rock and we were not disappointed. Staff were super friendly with a warm ambience to the pub. The roast was excellent and there were good portion sizes. My husband remarked the apple pie was the best apple pie he’s ever had. Would recommend for great food in a lovely English pub :)

This place is a gem. Great food and vibes. Highly recommend!

A traditional real/proper pub, with sincere friendly, attentive staff, We chose the sirloin aged steak for our main which was cut and presented to us before cooking to our liking. Followed by an excellent Apple pie and custard, almost better than your mother used to make. An all round excellent meal. We highly recommend and would definitely return when next in the area. Thank you for a lovely meal.

We visited this place after a recommendation from The Castle Inn as their kitchen was closed already. We were greeted at the door, and we knew straight away the whole experience in this pub would be fantastic. As it was already late Sunday afternoon hours, their roast selection was limited, but we managed to get the last whole chicken roast with all the trimmings. It was a very good choice, and our family of 2 adults and 1 child had very generous portions. The food was delicious, however not enough green vegetables for me (mangetout, cabbage or something else). Gravy was full of flavour and came in a big pot, so it was plenty. As mentioned before, staff was very attentive and checked on us from time to time, so high five to them! The whole experience was great and will definitely be back when in the area. See you soon.

Lovely little pub, great food and a very cute outdoor area.

What a wonderful afternoon - fabulous food, very reasonably priced and very attentive chatty staff - will definitely be returning very soon 😊

Been here a few times, earn yr lunch by reuniting the bull with his ring! The couple who own/run this beautiful quaint pub are amazingly friendly. Food and service equally great, sorry no pix, couldn't wait to scoff the bacon burger and chips with a beautifully mixed orange juice and lemonade (amazing how many venues can mess up when mixing the latter!)

Stopped off here for drinks during a circular walk from Cowden station. Lovely old pub, hasn't changed much since I last visited 40 year's ago and still maintains it character. Staff were very welcoming and we enjoyed our drinks outside in the garden.

Amazing how different it is from the Leicester Arms Penshurst considering they are owned by the same person. Service was exceptional the food good. Felt as though you mattered compared to their other pub , where the service and food awful.

Exceptional as usual - Larkins Traditional so well cellared and served perfectly

An amazing little pub tucked away. Staff were amazing, food delicious and the added bonus of quite a few dogs to pat at the bar! Being in quite an old building, take care if you are tall, low ceilings and doors! We will be back!

Fantastic food, Friendly Atmosphere Excellent local beer, this place is a hidden gem.

Lovely unspoilt village pub. Staff were friendly and helpful, as were the locals. Good selection of beers, including some local breweries. Would recommend the sausage roll bar snacks, delicious! Dog friendly and there is a good selection of games.

Went for a big steak with my husband at the weekend. It was absolutely delicious, my only comment would be to offer alternative sides in case someone doesn’t want fries? The service was great as usual, we will be back! Definitely the best place to get a proper steak in the Sevenoaks to Tunbridge Wells area.

The menu was quite limited to a few burgers, fish and chips, fish pie and 600g & 900g steaks for two. Plus some starters and three deserts. No vegetables, mushrooms etc as side orders just five kinds of skinny fries and red cabbage slaw. So if burgers and fish are not your thing and you don't want a big steak (for two don't forget) then you would go hungry. Now it's fair to say that we did have steak and they found some cabbage and leeks and it was a good enjoyable meal but don't go looking for chicken, or potato instead of fries because there isn't any. When asking if sauces were available to accompany the steak only ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard were offered. It was not a very flexible approach that one might expect for the price. Service was courteous and pleasant but the one member of staff was juggling all the plates so to speak and had her hands full to the extent that we had to keep reminding her that an order was short of this or that on several occasions. This is a beautiful 503 year old pub with real atmosphere but with a better perhaps wider choice of food it could be great.

Gorgeous little country pub. Polite friendly service, good menu and fantastic food (highly recommend the double burger). Seating indoors and out, very cute coutyard/garden. Dog friendly with free treats and water bowls.

Such a friendly pub - the staff were incredible, managed to fit all 15 of us, plus a dog!

Still a wonderful local with proper locals. Food was excellent and very good value compared to similar pubs in the area. Burger especially good. Looking forward to trying the roasts or the steak!

Went there with six friends in the evening and they kept the kitchen open after our phonecall until our arrival. Had a great pub diner and drinks and chats afterwards with the friendly locals.

Best steak I've ever had great place to eat or drink great atmosphere for friends or family.

What a fantastic little pub that we randomly stumbled across whilst going to chartwell house. There are a lot of beautiful old Tudor looking pubs in this area so there is a lot to chose from but I'd highly recommend the rock. Sadly we didn't eat but the menu and food we saw looked mint so will have to try it out soon. Also need to add the staff were super friendly and welcoming as well.

Perfect English country pub, with charming, friendly service, and excellent food and beverages ...

You would have a very hard time improving on a visit here as a perfect example of what it means to be in England, at least in several important ways. The givens are that it was a beautiful day, sunny, warm, and fragrant. Indeed, it was summer. The pub was modestly busy because it was a weekday, midday. Under these circumstances there are no doubt many pubs in Britain that might shine. And I will say that I have been to a few of them. But The Rock is literally the archetype of the country pub, with an excellent location, a charming old building, a welcoming garden, and a lovely, inviting dining room. But WAY beyond that, was the stunning, natural hospitality of the woman running the bar, which transformed the entire experience into something very special. We happened to arrive (walking from the station at Hever, on our way to the station at Cowden, on a near loop of almost six miles) just a group of almost twenty gentlemen of a certain age were trekking in from the opposite direction. One might have thought that this would have been a problem, but in fact not only were the gentlemen, well, gentlemen, but the woman at the bar was faultlessly, seamlessly, charmingly helpful, efficient, and looking out for all parties. It was a wonder to behold... When it was our turn we ordered some beverages and went to the garden, but we decided it was a bit warm and went back inside where we found a very suitable seat by a window in the small dining area separated by a step up from the main lounge with the fireplace and a little snug. We ordered some food (a ploughman's and a BLT, the only slight issue with was the perhaps day old bread with the ploughman's) which was excellent. I had a pint of local ale (and would have tried the local cider, but unfortunately the keg ran out when she tried to pump me one.) For dessert we shared the Eton Mess, which was just right. Sixteen years ago my sister and I were visiting her son when he was studying in London and she was inspired to visit Hever Castle and we planned this semi-loop walk to Cawden station, hoping to stop at The Rock. Tragically, when we arrived there, about 3:30pm, it had closed until dinner time. We were stricken, but I never forgot the lovely walk or the very attractive pub. I am happy to say that returning there today was one of the most satisfying experiences I have ever had. I strongly encourage you to take that walk and to visit The Rock and see for yourself. The bartender is a National Treasure!

My first visit was for SUNDAY lunch . But , I will definitely return . .Wonderful helpful attentive staff combined with clearly a very good chef . Limited menu, but what they do is very, very good full of flavour . Historic Pub .

We visited off the back of a recommendation and weren’t disappointed. The Sunday lunch was incredible, there was so much in the sharing plate. We will definitely be returning

Love this little local. As I know the landlords and staff I'm kinda biased but being able to go there and being on my door step it was a refreshing change. Took the dog and my son ..he loves the pub dogs as does mine and it is stress free and just chill especially on lovely summer evenings. Fish and chips was lovely decent portions and the boy approved of the burger so please visit its a little piece of paradise in deepest Kent x

Fantastic country pub in a beautiful rural setting.

Stumbled across this lovely pub, food was very fresh and well presented along with a lovely beer garden.