Talented chef Alex Boyd and his wife Virginia opened Kumquat in April 2022 and since then the Pantiles-based restaurant, which specialises in elevated Asian fusion cuisine, has won a host of culinary awards. The latest is a coveted second AA Rosette as Eileen Leahy discovers… Alex Boyd is the chef patron and co-founder of Kumquat,…
Our Drinks Editor James Viner selects seven standout bottles for English Wine Week (20–28 June), highlighting the quality, value and confidence behind one of the wine world’s most compelling recent success stories… Once regarded as a curiosity, English wine has matured into a serious force. Sparkling wines remain the standard-bearers, while sweet and still styles are gaining…
Ahead of English Wine Week, James Viner meets Susannah Ricci, leading British National Hunt racehorse owner and proprietor of Yotes Court Vineyard the newest member of Wine Garden of England, near Mereworth… From Cheltenham’s winning enclosures to Kent’s greensand slopes, Ricci has built a wine business guided by the same instincts for timing, risk and reward that…
From crystalline Greek rosés to poised Provençal classics, our Drinks Editor James Viner selects eight standout bottles for stylish spring and summer drinking… France is the planet’s largest rosé producer, exporter by value, and consumer by volume. Yet the category is no longer defined by pale Provençal rosés. Drinkers are increasingly embracing Spanish rosado alongside characterful…
Ever since Charlotte’s in the Pantiles opened its gilded doors three years ago it has become one of the town’s most popular places to drink and dine. Here its managing partners, the husband and wife team Adam and Vanessa Peters-Ennis, reveal the secret ingredients to the establishment’s success… Congratulations on your recent third anniversary. What…
Blending bold Asian flavours with creative culinary twists, stunning cocktails and a funky interior Hachiko has quickly become one of Tunbridge Wells’ go-to hospitality hotspots.Eileen Leahy picks up her chopsticks and dives in to discover the delicious bites on offer… It’s a Friday night in early May when my husband and I arrive at Hachiko….
With its Michelin Guide and AA Rosette recognition and adventurous seasonal tasting menus, Bowleys has become one of the county’s most exciting dining destinations. Eileen Leahy pays it a visit… It’s not every day you receive an invitation to dine at a Michelin Guide approved and AA Rosette restaurant. But that’s exactly how my husband…
Spring isn’t just for blossoms – it’s also for bubbles! From Crémant, Champagne and Cava to two top local sparkling wines, Drinks Editor James Viner selects seven standout bottles for longer, warmer days… Spring has arrived which means it’s time for some uplifting, finely tuned fizz! Cool climates like ours, where grapes (high in acidity and not…
With spring finally here our Drinks Editor James Viner selects eight beautiful bottles under £15 that capture the season’s fresh, vibrant mood, for the tables of Tunbridge Wells… On 20 March, the vernal equinox marks the start of astronomical spring. ‘Budbreak’ or ‘budburst’ in the vineyard is subtle but decisive, signifying the grapevine’s awakening from winter dormancy…
Think red wine in winter has to be heavy and oaky? Think again, says Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine’s Drinks Editor James Viner who picks out eight easy drinking bottles to try… This season, lighten your red wine repertoire. I’ve selected eight vibrant, fruit-forward, mid-weight bottles – mostly unoaked or lightly barrel-aged – that sparkle with a…
