The Best Restaurants in Birling, Kent, United Kingdom (2025)

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!

The food here is very good. Each of our seven courses from the taster menu was top quality. In line with its marketing, this is definitely a small and cosy restaurant. There are literally only 10 seats and - as far as I'm aware - only the taster menu is available. You therefore definitely need to book ahead. As it's a taster menu, you get a nice varied meal, and the menu changes each month. The food comes out promptly and in sync with the other diners. Some people choose the wine pairing option too, though a regular drinks menu is available. On our night, the chef introduced each of the dishes personally.

From the moment I walked in and was geeeted to the time all staff said thank you and good bye was amazing. The food, service and atmosphere was stunning. I will return again and again

I'm so glad we found this place, we've been two days in a row now. The restaurant itself is beautiful, the staff are all wonderful and the food is amazing. I'm looking forward to trying their Sunday roast next. Would definitely recommend and will absolutely be returning soon x

Went for a brunch with some friends and we were welcomed as soon as we arrived! The food was great and the restaurant is really lovely inside. Service was great, couldn’t fault anything from my experience!

Had brunch here twice now, a longer wait late Saturday morning, but to expected as it was busy. The Service is excellent, attentive waitress. The food is fantastic. Smartly presented and super tasty. Some more unusual choices, especially for vegetarians which is great. Even a separate menu for ve/vg. The Turkish eggs were sublime! And the Mediterranean breakfast was delicious and generous portions. Overall excellent value for money. Lovely decor and space. Coffee is fab too!

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!

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.

We don’t eat Mussels (although the Mussel menu had an amazing selection!), but visited and there were plenty of other options on the menu. Beef Bourguignon was delicious, it was rich, with a reasonable portion and tender meat. Great selection of drinks, wine was lovely and service was friendly and attentive. Nice atmosphere and will definitely return… although we really miss the Sunday roasts from years ago, they were always our favourite place for a Sunday!!

This restaurant has been on my radar for absolutely years and I finally got there! And, wow, did it exceed my expectations. Yes, it's a little pricey but the location, the building, the service and the food more than make up for it however, I would say, this is a place that's definitely reserved for a special occasion. I went for the classic mussels with white wine and cream but the choice of mussels dishes is quite large, about 15 to 20 I think. There's other more traditional foods like steak if you're not into mussels, again a nice varied menu. I had tap water so I can't comment on the alcohol but there was a good selection to choose from. Another table requested to try two wines as they couldn't decide which one to have and the server brought a sample of both so the decision could be made. I've not seen many places do that nowadays. All in all, a great restaurant, great food, no complaints here, just compliments all round.

Seriously amazing home made food ..very very good value for money .staff are very welcoming genuinely lovely pub

Been recently for some food and drinks, lovely little pub, big garden, good atmosphere, and the staff are so friendly! Think we were served by a girl called Katie great service!

Christmas lunch at The Freemasons today, fast service, friendly & attentive staff and lovely food - fanstastic value. Thoroughly enjoyed by all 15. What a lovely local pub!

Good old fashioned pub, decent food at reasonable prices. Friendly staff. Could do with a bit of a refurb but not so much it takes away the "old pub " feel

Had a great meal, the food was fantastic and well presented. The service and atmosphere was great, I will definitely be going back to this restaurant.

Had a lovely lunch here, staff were very friendly & the service was great. The food was delicious & of a high standard. Will definitely be returning!

The BEST roast dinner I’ve had in a long time!! Had the chicken and beef for the 2 meat roast and it did not disappoint!! The restaurant had a really cozy vibe to it that feels like a traditional pub and still feels clean and warm. The staff were brilliant! Quick service and very helpful. Had 2 roast dinners with 2 meats, a drink each and 3 scoops of ice cream which came to around £80. With what you’re getting and what it tastes like the food is definitely worth the price! Parking is tricky! Depending on when you go, I had to park down a side road and walk but the weather was nice for the walk. Definitely recommend this place!

At the sharp end - We booked a birthday meal in advance for 8 people which didn't require a deposit, very handy, as it's always a faf getting the funds on time. The restaurant is situated in a narrow residential road and the parking is limited, so be wary. Decor was themed as pub with some butcher references. The bar and seating area is snug with plenty of people inside, so the temperature was good. The staff outfits were like butchers with their leather like aprons - interesting! The meals and food were excellent all accept the vegetarian options, the veggie meal ordered a little tasteless. Otherwise the service, wine and charges were definitely not cheap, Chateaubriand was £80 for two and again as mentioned the jus could have been warmer but we all agreed that we would visit again and recommend this pub....5/5

Spent a Saturday afternoon here drinking delicious cocktails and absolutely loved it. Fabulous range of cocktails for a pub, and all the ones I ordered were delicious, unique and beautifully presented. Decor is lovely, seating cosy and service friendly and attentive. Slight criticism is the as the afternoon turned into early evening service became overbearing as a member of staff approached our table persistently every few minutes asking if we were ready to order more drinks. There were only two of us and it was clear that our glasses were not nearly empty so it felt like we were being rushed, perhaps as they wanted to accommodate more patrons arriving. But I had a lovely time and would definitely return.

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

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!

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

We love visiting the Kings Arms they are always so welcoming. Our last few visits we have been with babies and toddlers and dogs - they were so accommodating and thoughtful. Food is tasty and good variety and the atmosphere is perfectly village pub!

Food was great They love dogs. Staff was polite Matthew was the person that was really dog loving so was all the other staff members

Lovely country pub with great atmosphere and friendly staff. Watched a live band Bad Panda's which was great! all in all a great experience!

We had a lovely family Christmas Sunday roast for 14 and it could not have been better. The food was lovely and the staff helpful and friendly. Would highly recommend.

Nice food for reasonable prices. All the staff were friendly and helpful and the venue is clean and really big. A service charge is automatically applied to bill at payment.

Large car park. Some steps to entrance. Friendly welcome on arrival. Good service and food.

We had a really lovely visit to The Moody Mare recently, the first of many I hope. Great staff and a really good selection of drinks. The most incredible aspect of the pub is the building. The atmosphere is really special and history is truly worth hearing about. The team have managed to keep both the important historical features but add some unique features, such as the teepees at the back of the pub.

The pub is beautifully decorated for Christmas, with the log fire burning, very welcoming. Our meal was first class. The fish and chips was fresh and tasty. The beef and mash, and the chicken pie was also enjoyed by my friends. Hayley served us, nothing is too much trouble for her, assisted by a friendly young man in charge of the bar. A great way to spend a Monday evening! Looking forward to our next visit, that's Christmas Lunch with our MG Car club. Thank you.

Good food and good beer and friendly staff. Also very dog friendly. Visited again, usually go once a week whilst dog walking. Today went for dinner and had by request roasted tomato and red pepper soup which was fantastic, followed by pie of the day, beef and mushroom today and it was brilliant. Wholeheartedly recommend this pub.

Took advantage of the take away roast dinner offering. Food was well packaged and hot. Portion sizes were perfect. Beef and lamb was good quality and a large variety of vegetables included. Would recommend.

Update 2024 December Had the Christmas set menu which was fantastic, the traditional turkey was fine and portion size was huge, so don't eat anything before your meal. I personally thought it was couple of quid over priced. Don't get me wrong the food was good and service was out standing. The bar staff worked very hard so give them a good tip. UPDATE December 2023 Had our Christmas meal here. Great service and friendly staff. But to be honest personally I was disappointed with the mushroom soup, Christmas meal was good but could have been hotter. Still have a number of good range of real beers. Good range of draught beers, food and service excellent. Would have been nicer if the restaurant area had been warmer. Service in the normal bar area was sporadic.

We came here as a family group of six, celebrating our son's wedding. Lovely relaxed atmosphere, good service, and amazing food. From the amuse bouche to the delicious chocolates with our coffee, we couldn't fault a thing.

The food is beautiful and more importantly cooked to perfection with bags of flavour. The puddings are bonkers but delicious. A good small wine list too. It was busy which made for a lovely convivial atmosphere. There are some lovely walks straight from the door if you want to walk it all off!

Great meal out with friendly staff and chef. We had the 8 course menu. Fantastic food & wine and our server Grace was very knowledgeable and friendly. Would recommend!

First time visiting this pub/restaurant, what a fantastic place, the staff are very friendly, the food is stunning. Proper high end cooking. The word that best describes the cookery is faultless. We will definitely visit again. I can highly recommend this place.