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Water Lane, Hawkhurst, Kent

Water Lane

4.7
4.7
133 Reviews
£26 to £40
European

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 2 times today
  • Charming
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Healthy
Water Lane is a restaurant based within a working market garden in the High Weald of Kent. Guided by the seasons, our menu reflects its sense of place in the English countryside where we grow our own vegetables and use local suppliers. Our ever changing menu is simple but prepared with imagination and care by our Head Chef Jed Wrobel and his team.
The Good Food Guide 2023 describes us as 'A contender for one of the most charming eateries in Kent, it's pretty much impossible to resist the lure of this rural restaurant tucked away in a delightful walled garden...'
We are open Friday to Sunday 10am - 4.30pm, serving breakfast 10am to 11.30am and lunch 12pm - 3pm. We serve dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings between 6pm - 8.30pm. Our restaurant is currently located in the Carnation House glasshouse. We welcome well behaved dogs on a leash in our garden.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    European, Contemporary European, Contemporary British
  • Hours of Operation
    Fri, Sat 10:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–4:30 pm Breakfast Fri–Sun 10:00 am–12:00 pm Lunch Fri–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Area
    Hawkhurst
  • Cross Street
    Situated on Water Lane and shares and entrance with St Ronan's school.
  • Parking details
    Private Parking
  • Public transit
    Nearest bus stop on Rye Road, A268, Hawkhurst. <br />Nearest stations are Etchingham or Staplehurst, both of which serve mainline train routes from London and south east coast.
  • Additional
    Cafe, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch

What 133 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseEnergetic

Loved For

  • Kent

    Best Ambience

  • Kent

    Innovative

  • Kent

    Healthy

  • Kent

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Kent

    Vegetarian-friendly

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Nestled in a picturesque garden, Water Lane offers a "fantastic venue" with "exquisite" food and "friendly" service. Diners rave about the fresh, seasonal menu, featuring locally sourced ingredients, and the charming, relaxed atmosphere. A perfect spot for breakfast, lunch, or a leisurely coffee, Water Lane is "highly recommended."

133 Reviews
  1. Richard

    Brighton

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great Saturday morning family brunch at Water Lane. Nick and Ian do a brilliant job as hosts and the staff are so friendly and helpful with a large group and young children. Such delicious choices and the banana loaf with maple butter amazing. Great location and the glass houses just make it the most interesting place for brunch, lunch or dinner.

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  2. Sarah

    Gloucestershire

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on 16 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A great dinner full of autumnal flavours. Great location.
    Water LaneResponded on 17 November 2024
    Thank you for the 5 stars Sarah, this means a lot to the team. I have shared it with them of course. See you again soon.

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  3. Lisa

    East Sussex

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food, though small portions. Not terribly busy, so quiet ambiance but that didn’t bother us. Service good.
    Water LaneResponded on 17 November 2024
    Thank you for taking the time to review your experience here at Water Lane. The garden here is now sleeping so this is reflected in the low footfall on occasion. The Spring and Summer months are much busier. We are pleased you enjoyed the food and service. I have fed back to the chef about his portioning, thank you for highlighting that. kind regards Nick

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    London

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful place , good food good service will come again
    Water LaneResponded on 17 November 2024
    Thank you, we look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

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  5. Mary

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    What a stylish place and delicious food and wine - an original menu and we were made to feel so welcome. Do go - you won’t be disappointed!
    Water LaneResponded on 11 November 2024
    Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Mary. We appreciate it when customers do so. I'll share this feedback with the team. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Nick

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  6. Helena

    London

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on 8 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have visited several times but this was my husbands first visit. He was impressed with the number of English wines on offer and chose a delicious fizz. We both had the bavette steak which was perfectly cooked and the pumpkin purree and greens side went so well. Two pieces of cake as take out both delicious. Staff as always were helpful and friendly. Good value, lovely setting and a chefs love of food that really shows! Can’t wait to return. Thank you All
    Water LaneResponded on 9 November 2024
    Thanks for this wonderful feedback, Helena. We are extremely pleased your husband enjoyed his first visit. It's also great to hear that our English wines are being so well received, the fizz you drank is called Fitz. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon. We will share your feedback with the team here.

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  7. Ruth

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 3 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious breakfast. Perfect for meat eaters and veggies. Lovely setting in the greenhouse. Great, friendly service. Highly recommend
    Water LaneResponded on 7 November 2024
    Hello Ruth. Thanks for taking the time to review your experience. We are delighted to read that you loved breakfast. We look forward to welcoming you back. Kind Regards Nick

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  8. Stanford

    Kent

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 27 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our 4th visit and never fails to please, food always a delight and made with great fresh ingredients, only real complaint is it's to far away to visit more regularly. Will certainly be back when we are in the area.
    Water LaneResponded on 7 November 2024
    Thanks for the great review and we are delighted to hear your next visit will be your 5th. We very much look forward to welcoming you.

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  9. Nicola

    Kent

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 26 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This unusual venue falls on the side of extraordinary .In a greenhouse within a walled garden down a lane in the countryside near Hawkhurst. Home grown organic veg responsibly sourced food, what's not to like! The level of service suited me, casual and attentive but not fussy or intrusive. No music just the hubbub of conversation. The outdoor vibe with the furniture and décor is simple but functional. I was keen to eat out without compromising my no dairy or wheat diet. Our waitress helped me choose wisely and accommodated my needs resulting in an exceptional meal and delicious sides. I'm a big fan.....Thankyou
    Water LaneResponded on 11 November 2024
    Hello Nicola, thanks for taking the time to leave such a great review. It's great to read that you understand and enjoy our aesthetic here at Water Lane as well as the food. We look forward to welcoming you again soon. Kind Regards Nick

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  10. Michelle

    Kent

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 26 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious brunch is a beautifully restored Victorian greenhouse. The area was warm and bright with friendly and helpful staff
    Water LaneResponded on 11 November 2024
    Hello Michelle, thanks for the great review. See you again soon. Nick

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Water Lane is rated 4.7 stars by 133 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 2 times today
Google Map for Water Lane

The Walled Garden, Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 5DH

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Situated on Water Lane and shares and entrance with St Ronan's school.
  • Area
    Hawkhurst
  • Hours of Operation
    Fri, Sat 10:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–4:30 pm Breakfast Fri–Sun 10:00 am–12:00 pm Lunch Fri–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    £26 to £40
  • Cuisines
    European, Contemporary European, Contemporary British
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Parking
  • Public transit
    Nearest bus stop on Rye Road, A268, Hawkhurst. Nearest stations are Etchingham or Staplehurst, both of which serve mainline train routes from London and south east coast.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Cafe, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch
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  • Terms of Use
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  • Cookie Preferences
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