FOOD+DRINK
QUINTESSENTIALLY BRITISH WITH A HINT OF COOL, ELEGANT BUT LAID BACK,
CASUAL AND RELAXED YET JUST A BIT SPECIAL; AND SET ON BRINGING THE
‘LOCAL’ BACK TO TUNBRIDGE WELLS WITH AN ADDED ATMOSPHERIC CHARM
- SAMANTHA READY HEADS TO THE
WHITE BEAR
THE CHARMING PALE GREEN AND WHITE WINDOW ARCHED BUILDING, HOME TO THE NEWLY REFURBISHED
AND REIMAGINED WHITE BEAR, IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS. FORMALLY THE
TUNBRIDGE WELLS BAR & GRILL, THE YOUNG’S PUB HAS BEEN PAINSTAKINGLY RESTORED, TRANSFORMING
THE SPACE INTO A FRIENDLY, WELCOMING ‘HIGH STREET LOCAL’ WITH A DISTINCT EDGE OF INTERIOR
WOW, AND A SEASONAL FOOD AND DRINK MENU TO IMPRESS.
The main bar area is a welcoming, elegant plushness
of deep jewel tones, velvet sofas, exposed brick, and
wood finishes; however it is the beautiful orangery,
with its stunning retractable roof, that is the mouth-
drop, insta-worthy, wow factor.
Move over traditional pub garden...
By day, it is a contemporary outdoor dining space;
heavy stone-tiled floors, exposed brickwork and
quirky, cool finishes; string lights, nature inspired
chandeliers, the cool circular wood-framed table,
freestanding pergolas, and a myriad of hanging plants
and oranges. By night, the space is transformed by
subtle lighting and the thriving atmosphere into a
magical, almost fairytale experience; creating the
perfect setting for both intimate date nights and
roaring group gatherings, and for showcasing the
interesting, seasonal and tasty menu.
Taking a corner table for two, my guest and I were
impressed by the menu that had a clear local focus.
Not least in our opening drink; the aptly named and
specially devised, ‘Garden of England’. Served with
pride by the super friendly and super efficient White
Bear team, the delightfully fresh and delicately subtle
mix of Martin Millers gin, basil, strawberries (Kentish
84
of course), elderflower cordial, and soda, was a great
start to the evening and a great precursor to the
seasonal, Kentish produce led menu.
The White Bear is proud to be a British pub,
albeit with the added bonus of being located in such
a produce-driven county, and it was great to see
the menu of classic British cuisine loaded with
produce such as Whitstable oysters, Brogdale berries,
Kentish blue, and fresh produce from local farms
and fish suppliers.
We began with the roasted scallops; perfectly
seared and offset with the sweetness of local
blackberries, and the Brogdale apple, celeriac and
truffle soup; a heaving bowl of smooth, rich, winter-
warming goodness.
For our mains, despite the lure of classic favourites
such as the White Bear burger, steak and mushroom
Young’s special ale pie and the Young’s beer battered
cod tail and mushy peas, my guest and I were both
swayed by the White Bear’s steaks; all of which,
including our 10oz ribeye and 6oz fillet, are aged
for 28-days, (perfectly!) grilled over an English oak
fired barbeque and come with Kentish leaves and
fries, as well as a host of tempting side dishes,
including a delicious mac and cheese.
For pudding we opted for the classic chocolate
fondant and, to end on a Kentish note, the deliciously
different, and highly recommended, Kent blue
cheese, honeycake and caramelised figs.
We had just enough time for another ‘Garden
of England’ for the road, giving us an excuse to
soak up the thriving nighttime atmosphere for as
long as possible!
Lucky for us all the White Bear, as well as offering
generous and tasty evening meals, also opens for
mid-week breakfasts, weekend brunches and offers
proper sharing roasts every Sunday - giving us ample
excuses for a return visit.
White Bear
84 HIgh Street
Royal Tunbridge Wells
TN1 1YB
01892 318 010
[email protected]
www.the-white-bear.co.uk
whitebeartn1