The Garden Room Restaurant & Bar is nestled within 15 acres of landscaped gardens at the historic Port Lympne Hotel, and surrounded by 600 acres of wilderness, dotted with some of the world’s most rare and endangered animals.
The Garden Room is open to the public for lunch, dinner, Sunday roast and Afternoon Tea 7 days per week. Entrance to the park is included with reservations for Sunday lunc and Afternoon Tea.
Where is The Garden Room Restaurant & Bar located?
Just under an hour from London lies one of Kent's hidden gems. A grade II listed mansion nestled within 15 acres of landscaped gardens and surrounded by 600 acres of wilderness, dotted with some of the world's most rare and endangered animals. With its stunning coastal views, a range of stylish restaurants and 14 different ways to stay, Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve really is a Kentish treasure just waiting to be discovered.
The Garden Room Restaurant & Bar is easily reached from the nearby towns of Folkestone, Hythe and Ashford, just 5 minutes from J11 of the M20 in Kent.
What cuisine is on offer at The Garden Room Restaurant & Bar?
The Menu
The menu, created by the Executive Chef Lee Edney, showcases the exceptional range of produce available in Kent, including ingredients sourced from their market garden. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Garden Room presents laid-back, unpretentious British plates packed full of flavour and quality seasonal ingredients.
Drinks
The extensive drinks menu includes a range of Kent ales, botanical cocktails and a carefully curated wine list. They champion small production winemakers who handcraft wines. Good soil and good wine making practices make for a great wine, which is why organic and biodynamic winemaking take centre stage. Their diverse wine list includes award-winning wines and features some of the world's greatest producers from the classic regions of the old and new world, as well as bringing innovative, up-and-coming wines to the forefront.
The Chef
Executive Chef, Lee Edney, is passionate about creating menus to suit all tastes with dishes crafted from the finest ingredients the latest harvest has to offer. Lee is a strong believer in supporting local businesses and being able to show provenance of food on his menus, from the produce grown in the reserve's own market garden to the dairy, meats and fish from local artisan suppliers.
The Kitchen Garden
Walmestone Growers was originally established to provide the very best food for the animals at Howletts & Port Lympne. Their produce supplies both Wild Animal Parks and can be found in local farm shops, box schemes and award-winning restaurants. The nursery produces over 30 different crops and 20 different herbs each year on the 8-acre site near Canterbury. Walmestone Growers keep everything as natural as possible, and nothing goes to waste. Pest control is achieved without pesticides by releasing natural predators in the polytunnels and hives of bumblebees pollinate throughout the farm and in the glasshouses. Using produce from their local growers puts small-scale, sustainable farming back at the heart of the food system and provides a wider variety of healthy, seasonal ingredients for their menus.
What makes a meal at The Garden Room Restaurant & Bar unique?
The Garden Room's Design
The Garden Room Restaurant & Bar boasts laid-back Mediterranean charm paired with delicious locally sourced food and botanical cocktails. Designed by The Aspinall Foundation's Creative Director, Victoria Aspinall, the former stableyard retains its old-world charm, welcoming atmosphere and provides an inviting space for couples and families to dine.
Other Information
History
Tread the halls of this elegant 1920s country house where royalty and aristocrats once came to eat, drink and be merry. The Cape Dutch style mansion was built for Sir Philip Sassoon for hosting lavish parties to entertain his famous guests. The eight themed bedrooms are named after some of these distinguished guests and the artists who painted the magnificent muralled rooms on the ground floor including Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Charlie Chaplin and Rex Whistler. Wander the 15 acres of Italian inspired landscaped gardens, originally designed by Philip Tilden, to discover the flowering borders, terraces, fountains, statuary and incredible views across the Romney Marsh.
