The Best Cafes in West Malling, Kent, United Kingdom (2025)

Had one of (if not) the best brunches at Chef's Table. We ordered the Chicken and Waffles with bacon jam and maple syrup, Steak and Eggs as well as the mushrooms and potatoes on the side. All were delicious and the server went out of their way to ensure we had the best experience. A quaint setting with only 12 seats, we were the only diners which felt very intimate but we enjoyed this. Definitely enticed me to want to come back and try the A La Carte or Tasting Menu offerings!

Visited for the second time last week for brunch, and wow, what a beautiful brunch we had! Food was of amazing quality, presented beautifully and the flavours were fantastic. Service was attentive, friendly and we felt well looked after. Small, but cosy restaurant, we wish it was somewhat bigger so it wasn’t so difficult to book a table, but will definitely visit for a dinner soon.

My husband booked a table at this establishment for our wedding anniversary, I thank him very much for the chance to have this unique experience! Food and service were beyond my expectations, we were lucky to have lovely people around, the atmosphere was vibrant and relaxing. Definitely recommend!

We had a special afternoon here before Christmas. We are keen cooks and we like to go out to restaurants to have food that we couldn’t create at home and have a proper experience. This was certainly it. Every dish was out of this world. We found it hard to rank them at the end. I’m sure we will speak about this meal in years to come!

Great coffee, excellent prices, super service... and the cafe helps young people who've had a challenging start in life.

Went on a long walk from East Malling to Ryarsh and came across this little gem! Very clean, toilet facilities, staff were lovely, inside and outside seating 😍 we had take away tea as we carried on our journey

Excellent place to stop for coffee and cake. Can sit in or out... service with a smile

Absolutely lovely coffee bar, lovely staff very reasonable prices. We visit 2 or 3 times a week.Highly recommend 👌

Fantastic cafe

Nice place for a break

Very nice place to stay a while and have a tasty coffee

The vegan food and desserts were lovely, they also do gluten free. The staff were very friendly and accommodating, the cafe itself looks sweet and inviting, the vegan menu is a little small but what they do have is very tasty. Definitely looking forward to visiting again.

Vegan blueberry croissant £3! It was nice but over priced & their kitchen closes early so if you're vegan there's only 2/3 cakes, tea/coffee & smoothies.

If your gluten free looking for a lovely place for lunch, go here! It’s always so easy to find something on the menu, pretty much everything is catered for! I can come here and eat normally, and the brownies are so delicious, not just the only option for gluten free like usual! I can bring my dog as well, staff are always so lovely! Love coming here!

My favourite cafe hands down! Simple yet still has a strong artisan vibe with the best everything - cakes, breads, sandwiches, yoghurt, smashed avocado, soups plus drinks like matcha, spiced apple, cappuccino, babyccino etc. It’s a huge bonus that it’s steps away from the playground if you have kids. Plus you see plenty people with doggies come by due to the surrounding Leybourne chase fields and walks.

My favourite coffee shop! Food & drink always incredible and made with care. Staff are so friendly and the whole place has a really positive feel. Dog friendly too which means you can visit at the end of a walk which I love 🐾✨

Delicious baked goods and nice coffee! Reasonable prices and good service. We got the butterscotch and milk chocolate cookie and the cinnamon bun and both were extremely good! They had a few sandwich and toastie options as well as a cauliflower soup when we went. There is both indoor and outdoor seating.

There is nothing average about their food, it’s brilliant. I came here specifically to try the cheese and kimchi toastie and it did not disappoint. The bread was perfectly crisp and packed full of delicious melted cheese. The kimchi had a beautifully flavour to it. On the counter they also had some sweet treats, but also some savoury ones too. I picked up a cheese and sweet chilli jam swirl. It was beautiful soft with a punch of strong cheese and chilli. Inside the shop it’s very minimalistic but their sandwiches and coffee are where the effort has been put.

Well, this was a great surprise. I'd been working in West Malling all day filming, and my mother in law booked us in for dinner. She is rather discerning, and this was to be her third visit in a couple of weeks, so I had high hopes. We had the taster menu. See the attached pics and what a wonderful gastronomic journey it was. The kitchen team has obviously honed this menu to a level of layered brilliant flavour bombs. We loved this meal and every course was interesting and delicious. We had a nice, well priced Malbec, and I'll be back it it was a great meal. The staff and venue were attentive and yet relaxed. Thanks very much, and keep up the great work!

Another stunning meal at St Leonard’s! I come here every time they change the menu and it just keeps getting better. The food is seasonal, beautifully presented, and tastes amazing. They also have a really good wine selection and elegant cocktails. I’d recommend the Bloody Mary or the chocolate and hazelnut martini (this is really nice for dessert too). 10/10, definitely recommend.

We booked a private dining room for a family Sunday Lunch and opted for a lamb sharer. We were served beautiful warm bread rolls with a selection of butter and oil and a superb starter. The main Sunday roast meal was delicious with lamb that was so tender and tasty served with onions, garlic and herbs and a selection of vegetables, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes and massive Yorkshire puds. Absolutely fantastic meal with sticky toffee pudding and clotted cream to follow. The private room was spacious and set out for our family lunch and it was just what we wanted. We were able to eat in relaxing surroundings with our family. The staff were professional, polite and made are lunch very special. In the words of my granddaughter ‘we are in a super special room’. All in all a wonderful lunch and afternoon.

Married to a Mussel lover this fantastic restaurant offered not only 22 different types of mussel dishes but also a great starter and main course range and a dessert menu we were too full to test. We attended in a Wednesday lunch and hadn't booked but were treated pleasantly upon arrival. The building is beautifully kept and provides a great atmosphere for a meal and chat. We took a table next to the window so we could also people watch. The portions were very generous but quality also exceptional. I would definitely return many times and would highly recommend.

What a great place. We visited for the first time and enjoyed the Whitebait and the Courgette Fritters to start with. The Sea Bass was great and the Cajun mussels were amazing. We finished with Creme Brulé which was lovely. Would definitely recommend and will come back again soon.

Lovely lunch with friends the most incredible mussels menu absolutely delicious 😋

What a lovely place, absolutely fab! Found this place on Google after looking for places that serve mussels, as my partner and I have recently started enjoying them. I'm glad we came here. So much choice of mussels and their main menu also has a good selection. We will definitely come again, hopefully on a Monday or Thursday when they have their mussels nights!

Love this place - I discovered it during Lockdown and have been visiting ever since. Such a great charity too ! Great plants and garden ideas plus a lovely cafe and food shop too, and a little gift shop . The Pumpkins this year were brilliant !

Great little place to head to, to support their charity. Great, even with a buggy, easy to get around, plus a cute cafe. Maybe a little pricey for a pumpkin, but it's for a great cause. Lovely garden centre too.

We took our little 3 year old grandson to Spadework today to do some pumpkin picking and what fun we had. So very impressed with the whole pumpkin picking setup (even better than last year and that was really good!!). A wooden train, helicopter, seats and a playhouse for the little ones to play on and so much more as well as the great pumpkin field. Volunteers were so friendly and welcoming and helped to make our whole experience a great one at the same time supporting this fabulous charity. We shall definitely be back next year - thank you Spadework.

Wow what a lovely little sanctuary, a lovely garden centre run by lovely people. All friendly service. Had lovely meal in cafe, all fresh food prepared. Garden centre lovely an well stocked. I suffer from my mental health and this place is lovely and calming. Just what I needed. Will definitely be back soon.

We recently had our wedding ceremony, meal, and evening reception at the Swan on the 27th July. We cannot say anything but good things about the Swan. Anne Herring was an amazing wedding planner, she made us feel so special throughout. The service from start to finish was exceptional. All staff were so friendly and helpful. Everyone commented on how amazing the food was! If you are looking for somewhere to host your wedding, please visit The Swan, you won't be disappointed. We would like to say thank you so much to Anne and all at the Swan for a perfect day/night. Phil & Alex x

First visit to this incredible little gem today for our anniversary brunch, couldn’t find a single fault, not that we were looking however, staff were perfect! Welcoming, polite, friendly, felt like we were the only ones there because they were so attentive and lovely, would go back just to be treated so nicely, but the food was 5 star, perfect temperature, fresh, and really good options especially for me as a vegetarian, love love love this place! Will be going back asap!

Really good food and service. Went for Sunday lunch and the roast was delicious. Other options on the menu as well.

Lamb rump really delicious. Small, single hasselback potato accompaniment needed some friends, for £26 though! And the side of veggies at £5 also a derisorily small portion size. Service and vibe superb, so if the pointlessly miserly approach to vegetables is rectified, this place would be perfect!

Went here for a quick lunch. My partner says "the best chicken and bacon mayonnaise baguette" he's ever had. The staff were super speedy. Ordered and out within 5 minutes. Thank you very much

The staff here are great. Very nice and friendly always. I'm not sure how you could not like this place because you literally get to make your own sandwich, the prices are also great. The only thing is they will sometimes run out of things so make sure you get there early, although they will suggest an alternative if they don't have it. Perfect for your lunch break if you're local.

So, I’m working down in Kent ( Yorkshire lad) and like most people I’m always on the look out for a decent cafe. Imagine my shock when I find probably the best cafe in the uk literally 100 metres from where I’m working. A strong claim? The staff… 10/10 delightful and funny. The food choices 10/10… absolutely brilliant. Dozens of sandwich fillings, both hot and cold… Taste… 10/10 Drinks… 10/10 Now the big one! Price…10/10 SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE. And this does not reflect on the quality. Example: one coffee, yogurt pot (freshly made and topped with real strawberries) and a bacon sandwich…. A grand total of £7!!! The coffee alone would have cost that in London. If you work anywhere near the Memphis Belle cafe… take the time to visit and enjoy the food, drinks and the banter. One word of warning… if you can, pre order lunch time food. It can get very busy…. Which is a good thing… don’t you think?

Recently moved to Kings Hill, work from home occasionally and so happy to find this place a short walk away. The sandwiches are incredible, fresh baguettes, great choice of fillings and a very reasonable price! £3.50 for a fresh coronation chicken baguette!! A cup of coffee usually costs more now 😱