insideKENT Magazine Issue 69 - December 2017 | Page 107

FOOD+DRINK
THE TEA HOUSE
THEY DIDN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT
THE PREVIOUS OWNERS OF POPULAR BADGER’S HILL FARM
IN CHILHAM FOR A STRETCH THAT LASTED ALMOST
25 YEARS BUT DREW TO A CLOSE IN 2013, CLAIRE – AND
DAUGHTER MEGAN ALONG WITH HER PARTNER DANNY –
ARE BACK IN BUSINESS IN THE SMALL VILLAGE OF SELLING.
DESPITE OPENING ITS DOORS JUST THIS SUMMER, YOU’LL
ALREADY BE HARD PRESSED SOME DAYS TO FIND A SEAT AT
SONDES TEA HOUSE AND GENERAL STORES, MUCH TO
THE DELIGHT OF A VERY BUSY TEAM HALF JOKING WITH
YOU NOT TO TELL ANOTHER SOUL ABOUT THE PLACE.
This family force has quite literally transformed
a rundown old pub in this Kentish village into
a daytime destination for the local masses,
and a handy place to pick up a few groceries.
A short train journey from Faversham, and
handily located just next to the station, the
building is split into two with one side
servicing as the shop, and the other acting as
the tea house. Much like a pantry, the store
comes with all your household essentials as
well as stocking a terrific range of local
vegetables, free-range eggs, and old
fashioned-style sweets in bonbon jars.
On the tip of the tea trend, Sondes boasts a
comprehensive menu of loose leaf teas, served
to your table with sand timers to facilitate in
making a perfectly balanced brew. If you’re
new to the wide world of teas beyond the
standard cuppa, there are daily tastings to help
you explore new tastes from herbal tisanes
and white teas right through to black. There
is a special and premium menu for the
connoisseur featuring high mountain
Taiwanese oolong teas and Japanese steamed
green teas.
The food offering is vegan and vegetarian
with a menu that answers to whatever
serendipitously comes together in the
mornings. Think heaving vegetable frittatas,
fresh salads, warming stews, and loaded pizza
breads. Large, beautiful cakes are locally made
in Ashford.
As always with Claire and co. the place is
wonderfully creative; carefully curated with a
discerning eye. The generation just before
Claire, Megan and Danny are antiques dealers
local to Faversham, located just off Preston
Street, and each room at Sondes is beautifully
and thoughtfully decorated with one-of-a-
kind furniture, leafy plants, and handcrafted
gifts from local makers to admire and
purchase. There is also a large garden to
the rear.
Service is charmingly chaotic, much like a
family household. The atmosphere is warm,
cosy and honest – very likely the reason for
its instant success. It’s a gorgeous place to
relax, eat delicious food, and feel as if you’re
at the kitchen table; a home away from home.
Sally Gurteen is the Master Storyteller for
JING Tea and can also be found blogging
about London and Kent from @thecafecat.
Sondes Tea House and General Stores
Selling
Faversham
ME13 9PL
01227 752725
107