FOOD + DRINK
face-sized Yorkshire arrived accompanied by his very own gravy jug, which felt like the height of grown up sophistication to an eightyear-old.
All plates came piled high with roasted carrots, parsnips, crisp roasties, braised red cabbage and lashings of gravy with notes of red wine. Don’ t skip the cauliflower cheese- it was sublime. This isn’ t your grandmother’ s Sunday lunch, unless of course she trained at an award-winning gastropub, but it was just as generous, hearty and fulfilling.
So much so that we didn’ t really have room for pud, but this is The Radnor, so dessert felt non-negotiable. The burnt Basque cheesecake is evidently a rite of passage and dessert legends exist for good reason. An impossibly creamy centre, wood-fired caramelised exterior and an interesting pairing with pistachio ice cream meant it was gone in minutes, despite our collective fullness. Lyla was equally impressed with her dark chocolate mousse with dulce de leche, black cherry and chocolate foam, while Jaxon made short work of the kid’ s‘ Whoopsy Sundae’; a DIY take on an ice cream sundae that seemed to involve lots of Taywells ice cream, raspberry sauce, Biscoff crumb and chocolate, which he took great delight in throwing into his bowl, mixing to a mess and devouring entirely.
What strikes me about The Radnor isn’ t just the exceptional food, though those fire-kissed flavours and thoughtful pairings are remarkable. It’ s the atmosphere they have created: buzzing yet intimate, elevated yet unpretentious, distinctly Kentish yet nationally recognised.
The architecture and decor alone is worth a visit. But it’ s the complete package that keeps locals returning and has food critics taking notice.
The team is also great. Our server Chrissy navigated the packed dining room with impressive grace, checking in without hovering, anticipating needs before we voiced them and appearing with a takeaway box when we were finally beaten by the last spud( but in no way going to leave anything behind!). Meanwhile, Ben behind the bar had that impossible knack of remembering almost every punter’ s previous order, pulling expert pints while also crafting signature cocktails, my own Espresso Martini included, to perfection- balanced, smooth and dangerously drinkable, its no mean feat to rank on my Espresso Martini top list but that he did.
Sunday lunch, or indeed any of the food offering from bar snacks to midweek steak specials and a rather intriguing Saturday brunch, isn’ t just a refuel at The Radnor, it’ s an event worth clearing your diary for. Just make sure you book in advance!
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