THE LOCATION  

You will find St. Leonard’s in the pretty period heart of West Malling which is packed full of indie shops as well as fine dining options alongside the market town’s Medieval character. From relaxing walks in its parks to historic landmarks and pottering along the handsome high street – this location has it all. 

Plus, endless good-looking houses that you will find yourself snapping away at and wishing you had bought in another life. With Sevenoaks just to your west, Maidstone just to your east and London about an hour by train – you’ve also got transport links in all directions. 

Take note that St. Leonard’s doesn’t have it is own car park, so we parked in the main car park (behind Tesco) and wheeled our trolley dollies over so be wary of that fact when it comes to your packing.  

THE LOWDOWN  

St. Leonard’s is a recent addition to the town as it was launched in summer 2021 and from the off, we knew this venture was going to be top notch when we heard about the team behind it. St Leonard’s is the joint collaboration of Terry Brouet (front of house) who will be a familiar sight as he has been the welcoming face at many leading local establishments and Tom Genty (head chef) who had been working his culinary magic at Berry Brothers & Rudd prior to joining St Leonard’s so it’s little wonder that the food and wine pairings are so excellently put together. 

THE VIBE  

Interior designer and stylist, Jo Eastham is responsible for the stylish interior, and she is well known for her artistic flair, innate style and sense of fun which is evident with the old telephone in our bedroom to call Reception. Within the bedrooms, you can expect wood-panelled walls in muted colours, eye-catching artwork and sumptuously velvet headboards plus funky metro-tiles in our en-suite shower room.  

The restaurant is a light-filled atrium adorned with funky Picasso prints and an impressive sculpture created by the architect that built Shakespeare’s Globe, Thea Crosby. We are told that dogs and children are welcome – well lucky them – as this is a seriously sophisticated joint with the best-looking open kitchen we have seen in our Muddy travels.  

The bar makes you realize that you don’t have to compromise on those chic cocktail moments just because you live outside of the capital – the ambience (and the drinks, oh yes we tried them out) would give any high profile bar in London a run for its money. 

The team are hugely enthusiastic and charming and whilst the vibe is relaxed, it is worth digging out your more glam garments for a visit to St. Leonard’s to make the most of your fine dining experience. Special shout-out for the restaurant’s bathroom which has a built-in infuser wafting the most incredible smells every time you head in.  

PILLOW TALK 

It’s not just us that have fallen in love with St. Leonard’s as Sunday Times included it within its ‘100 Best British Hotels in 2021’ and Conde Nast labelled it St Leonard’s as one of the UK’s best B&Bs so we hope you are getting the picture that you really should be jumping on this bandwagon before it gets booked out.  

The four boutique bedrooms are contemporary and stylish and come with everything needed for a relaxing stay. We’re talking supremely comfortable Hypnos mattresses, fluffy towels, botanical bath products from Green Spring and crisp Egyptian cotton bedlinen, so the whole experience feels incredibly indulgent and spoiling.  

If it’s a couples’ break, you’re after we recommend the Sophia – the largest of the four rooms and its extra spacious bathroom is the only one that comes with a roll-top bath, walk-in shower and double sinks. Sadly, my husband was unable to join me at the last minute, so my sister nobly stepped up to the hard task of reviewing fine food and wine. There are no twins at St. Leonard’s so take note of that if you are going with a mate, but the bed was vast, so we barely noticed each other.  

SCOFF AND QUAFF  

The ethos at St. Leonard’s is about embracing seasonal British cooking, with an exciting European and Asian influences. Nothing is too fussy, letting the fresh, local ingredients and cooking skills be the real star. Menus change with the seasons, making the most of our superb local ingredients in this country.  

Evidence of the Asian twist to proceedings is in our Tempura nori salmon roll, wasabi mayo and soy caviar as a pre-starter (minds blown – you don’t often get good Asian food in deepest darkest Kent) with Ponzu marinated tuna loin, avocado, sesame, pickled red onion, coriander and crispy taco as a starter but if you want something more British in its delivery, my sister opted for the Crab mayonnaise tart with sea purslane, oyster leaf, lemon gel, brown crab and nasturtiums.  

For mains, we gorged on Grilled Irish Beef Fillet, Caesear Salad (served deconstructed for that extra wow factor) tempura smoked anchovy and jus gras with triple cooked beef dripping chips as a truly indulgent side dish and I still foam at the mouth when I think about my Sea Bream with fennel confit, courgette puree, mussel and cockel foam and char-grilled courgette with Mereworth green beans, chilli & sesame dressing on the side.  

Pudding was a shared Salted caramel cream, hazelnut, dark chocolate delice, caramelised white chocolate and dulce de leche. My sister is harder to please on the food front than I am, and we were both in agreement that it was one of the best meals we had enjoyed in a very long time and with food this good on your doorstep, why bother with the trek to London…?  

When it comes to cocktails, The St. Leonard’s (Dockyard gin, pink grapefruit, framboise liquer, vanilla, raspberry) is a work of art and my sister, who is a bit of a Vodka Martini aficionado of late, was also very happy with her lot. Expresso Martinis may also have been sampled on this occasion. Permission to go forth and order.  

As you can imagine with an ex-Berry Brothers & Rudd chef at the helm, there is an expertly crafted wine list to delve into and you can rely on their team to recommend wines that complement your chosen dishes. We went for an easy-drinking Albarino but there is a special section of the wine menu which reveals the higher price points for wine with award-winning English growers as well as European wines from highly regarded wineries that have been cellared by St. Leonard’s in perfect conditions for up to 25 years. 

This is a brunch destination in town regardless of whether you have stayed overnight, and we feasted on Eggs Royale and Granola, yoghurt, blueberry compote and maple syrup in the morning to blow out the cobwebs. One chink in the armour is that Breakfast is only served from 9am onwards which works well on a leisurely weekend away but erred on the late side for us during the week as our childcare options were due to expire at 10am so it meant a rushed feed. But it does showcase that this is a restaurant with boutique rooms rather than a mainstream hotel, which has its additional benefits.  

ANYTHING ELSE?

We are already planning a return visit tying in with West Malling market day, typically held on the fourth Sunday of each month, with all the shops open and bustling, with brunch or Sunday lunch (two courses at £32/three courses at £36) at St. Leonard’s as a reward for all that pottering.  

If you are stuck for novel places to celebrate, we are inspired by the idea of taking over St Leonard’s for their Private Dining option and you can speak to the team about Tom curating a bespoke and delicious menu for the occasion which will be sure to wow your guests – hello big birthday. 

Also take note that the Autumn Set Menu has just launched with two courses for £23 and three courses for £26 so a cost-effective way to enjoy the foodie show at St. Leonard’s plus eat seasonal food. The menu is available Wednesday to Saturday lunchtime and on a Wednesday and Thursday evening and is available alongside the A La Carte Menu so keep that one in mind too.  

THE MUDDY VERDICT    

GOOD FOR? Those hunting for London-esque quality when it comes to food and surroundings. It’s a brilliant brunch and lunch spot for mooching around West Malling and of course, the ultimate date night with those stylish rooms winking at you from above.  

NOT FOR? The foodie prices are the on the reassuringly expensive side of things, but this is worth pushing the boat out for and we would sacrifice two mediocre nights out in favour of a blow-out meal at St. Leonard’s – every time.  

THE DAMAGE    

Starters cost around £15, £25 for mains with sides at £4.50, and £10.00 for puddings.   

Room prices start at £120, with Sophia priced from £210 per night. 

St. Leonard’s, 47 Swan Street, West Malling, Kent, ME19 6JU, stleonardskent.co.uk, 01732 600128 restaurant@stleonardskent.co.uk