STORY- FOOD & DRINK NEWS
FOOD + DRINK
KENT-LED DINING EXPERIENCE HEADING TO LONDON
A new sustainable dining concept led by Kent chef Will Devlin is set to launch in Covent Garden this summer, following a collaboration with hospitality group Levy and members’ club The Conduit
BALFOUR WINERY OPENS NEW VENUE: THE WINEMAKER’ S PUB
Balfour Winery has officially opened the doors to its newest hospitality venue, The Winemaker’ s Pub- a village pub rooted in English wine, British cooking and a strong sense of home.
Located in the heart of Goudhurst, the new pub completes Balfour’ s trio of places to eat and drink across its Kent estate, alongside The Winemakers’ Kitchen Restaurant and the more casual Cellar Door offering at the winery.
The drinks list focuses entirely on Balfour wines, allowing guests to explore the estate’ s range of English sparkling and still wines by the glass or bottle, including the iconic Balfour Brut Rosé and the showstopping Nannette’ s Rosé.
In the kitchen, classic British pub dishes are shaped by seasonality and local produce, with dishes such as cider-braised Kent pork belly, Balfour IPA steak and kidney suet pudding, and sourdough pizzas served all year.
Upstairs, four boutique bedrooms named after Balfour vineyards offer a relaxed overnight stay, decorated with upcycled wood from the estate. Guests can also purchase wines and estate-produced goods to take home, extending the experience beyond the visit itself.
The opening marks the next step in the winery’ s long-term commitment to wine tourism and hospitality, helping make English wine more emotionally and logistically accessible.
Devlin, founder of Acre- the purpose-driven hospitality group behind restaurants including The Small Holding and Birchwood Taywell- will bring his seasonal, farm-led ethos to the capital through a new offering at The Conduit’ s Langley Street location.
Launching in early summer, the project will begin with a unique café and wine bar concept before later expanding in autumn with a reimagined rooftop restaurant offering an à la carte dining experience.
“ This collaboration with Will Devlin and The Conduit is a powerful example of what’ s possible when values, creativity and operational expertise come together,” said Levy CEO, Jon Davies.“ It’ s about raising the bar for sustainable dining while delivering an experience guests genuinely love.”
Both dining concepts will reflect the guiding principles Acre is known for- seasonality, sustainability and respect for land, animals and people- with all ingredients grown and sourced from local producers across Kent and Sussex.
NEW LATE-NIGHT WINE OFFERING AT THE GOODS SHED
The Goods Shed has unveiled a new evening wine experience, expanding its offering with late-night openings and a curated selection of wines available on tap.
Now open late from Tuesday to Saturday, the Canterbury food market has introduced eight wine taps allowing guests to taste before they buy, drink by the glass or fill their own bottle, while helping to cut wine waste and transport impact.
General manager and wine buyer Toby has tasted close to 1,000 wines to shape the selection available on tap. Alongside wellknown favourites, the list also highlights low-intervention producers and lesserknown bottles, with a focus on growers and seasonality.
The extended evening opening introduced a relaxed, candle-lit setting among the venue’ s wine racks, with snacks available and the off-licence open until 9pm. Alongside this, Docker will open in the evening for craft beer, The Wild Goose will serve counter suppers from Thursday to Saturday nights, and the mezzanine restaurant will run day and night- four distinct offerings creating a lively, eclectic evening destination under one roof. www. insidekent. co. uk • 115