8 brilliant brunch destinations around Kent

Warning: contains avocado and lots of it…

 

If there’s one thing I love more than I love wine*, it’s brunch. On a weekday, my breakfast tends to consist of a cereal bar/ whatever I can find in the work kitchen/ a biscuit because I couldn’t find anything suitable. But weekends are a different story – that’s when brunches happen, and brunches are awesome.

Not only are they sociable occasions and a chance to catch up with your nearest and dearest, they also often contain avocado in some form. And I bloody love avocados.

I’m yet to brunch my way around the entire county (I’m working on it – if I could make a living out of being an official bruncher, I would), so here’s just a very small selection of my favourite places for a weekend treat…

Chegworth Farm Shop, Tenterden

The newest addition to the Chegworth family, this farm shop/ eatery opened its doors earlier this year and has become a popular place to sit, watch the world go by and of course, indulge. Their coffee game is strong, the smashed avocado on sourdough is fresh and quite frankly delicious, and then there’s the cakes…

Lime Wharf Cafe, Newenden

I’m so lucky to call this gem, situated on the River Rother my local. They offer a wonderful food selection including some top-notch tapas, but in my opinion their breakfasts is where it’s at. The Chef’s Special is my absolute fave – chorizo, egg, bacon and Tabasco all wrapped up in a bun. I could eat this every morning and never get bored. Try and get a table outside if you can – the views are well worth it.

Frederic Bistro, Maidstone

Situated right in the heart of Maidstone, this bistro is authentically French and authentically delicious. The scrambled eggs with salmon is always a winner, and teamed with the stylish interiors (cool patterned tiles and copper pots adorning the walls) it’s a ‘grammer’s delight as well as a brunching haven.

Stag Coffee, Ashford

Serving weekend brunch until 3pm, this cafe is well worth a visit if you’re in Ashford town centre. The Spanish breakfast sandwich is super tasty (and has avocado in, so I can’t not have it) but there’s also lots of egg-based options and pancakes too. Basically a whole load of yum served with awesome coffee to boot.

The Vinery Cafe @ The Walled Nursery, Hawkhurst

This eatery can be found in one of The Walled Nursery‘s Victorian glass houses, and as well as offering dreamy decor inspo they also have a pretty delicious breakfast/brunch menu. The produce is fresh and local so the menu is always changing…which basically just means there’s all the more reason to keep going back time and time again.

The Pantiles Cafe, Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells’ brunch game is strong, so it’s very hard to pick just one place – I could (and probably will) do a whole separate list of brunching destinations in the town, because if there’s one thing they know how to do well, it’s poach an egg and pop it on some sourdough.
However, the place I’m picking this time is The Pantiles Cafe, which can be found on…you guessed it, The Pantiles. As well as a great menu, they’re also in a fab location – this is the place to go if you have guests staying and want to impress them with both delicious food and a great setting.

Fego, Sevenoaks

I’m a big fan of Fego – not only is their food super tasty, they also cater really well for dietary requirements. You’ll find lots of healthy ‘clean eating’ options on their menu, but don’t worry, there’s still pancakes, breakfast burritos and all manner of egg options to choose from.

Bluebell Coffee House, Tenterden

I won’t bang on about Bluebell too much, because I’ve already dedicated a whole separate blog post to their delights, but I think they deserve to make it on to this list because they’re probably my most frequented brunch destination. Their pancakes are amazing, as are their scrambled eggs. And there’s actually an option on the menu where you can combine the two, which I would strongly advise you to do…

*Probably not as much as wine, but brunch is more socially acceptable at 11am.