Thackeray’s, the fine dining restaurant situated in the iconic 17th Century home of Vanity Fair author William Makepeace Thackeray, is centre stage after revamping the restaurant, renovating the building and transforming the upstairs event spaces.
As one of the longest standing restaurants in Kent, Thackeray’s is a legendary institution; the Tunbridge Wells based restaurant celebrates the best of modern European cooking. For nineteen years this restaurant has had Michelin starred chef Richard Phillips at the helm and has trained and mentored many of the best chefs in Kent today.
“The new look has given the whole team new purpose. We have always been a destination restaurant with our guests travelling from all over Kent, Sussex, London and further afield to try our food. Whether it’s a one-off experience or a set lunch menu for one of our regulars, we consistently work hard to make sure that the service, the food and the ambience is exceptional every single time.
“With so many repeat customers we have to keep things fresh and exciting by developing and adding new seasonal dishes to our menus all the time,” says Thackeray’s Chef-Proprietor Richard Phillips. “Our lunch menu which changes fortnightly is very popular; at just £24 for 3 courses it is reasonably priced and well-received by shopping parties, locals and businesspeople wanting something a little extra-ordinary.”
“I’m at Thackeray’s three to four times a week working alongside my excellent team. I’m not in the kitchen as much these days but I oversee the running of the entire business with General Manager Gary Beach. We work alongside Head Chef Pat Hill who develops new dishes for our menus.
“We’re currently working on a new beef dish for our a la carte menu, it’s an amazingly lengthy process whereby it is 56 day aged, hung in grass fed herb infused tallow for 4-5 weeks. The resulting flavour just blew us away and once ready, it will be going straight on our menu.”
In November 2018, the gold leaf bar and lounge areas were transformed, after eighteen years, into what is now the Pinkterton function room, which accommodates up to 8 people sat on a round table. There is also the Lyndon Room, which seat up to 18 and Chalybeate room, which can seat 14.
Everything about Thackeray’s is genuinely unique; the building is an off-kilter almost fairy-tale style 300+ year old building and its famous former resident all add to the atmosphere. The food is rated consistently exceptional and has been for over nineteen years. With innovation, creativity, provenance and creativity at the core of its Modern European culinary interpretations. Never following fads or themes, consistency has been key to the continued success and excellent reputation of Thackeray’s.
