Whether you're a Tenterden local or looking for a gorgeous staycation spot in Kent, this charming village is not only a lovely place to visit, home to Hoof and Hook, a farm-to-table restaurant. It's just what you imagine of a neighbourhood restaurant in such an idyllic place; at home in a historic building brimming with original features like rustic ceiling beams and wooden-cladded walls, balanced with contemporary artworks, stylish furniture and dried flower installations.
Hoof and Hook is a family-run affair. In fact, the local founders have a farm just down the road and after feeling disapointed in the influx of soulless chain restaurants with menus of low-quality meat and no thought for the environment, they wanted to offer something different. At Hoof and Hook, every dish is created with sustainability and seasonality in mind, with many of the ingredients coming from just four miles away, such as the burger and steaks which come from their own cattle, who grow up grazing on Romney Marsh.
Thanks to the seasonal nature of the restaurant, the menu changes regularly, but online you can find a sample example. The lunch menu is served from Tuesday to Friday and might look like starters of homemade hash brown with braised beef, poached egg with spiced tomato jam, with mains like chicken tagine with garlic yoghurt and turmeric couscous, with desserts such as white chocolate cheesecake with Kentish strawberries and caraway puff pastry shards.
The main menu is rather large with smaller plates which can be enjoyed as starters or to share like Kentish mini tacos with pulled beef, Ashmore cheese, chimichurri, pea puree and sriracha chilli sauce or crispy prawn skewers with creamy katsu broth, mussels, samphire and salsify.
Check out the 'on the farm' section, with the Hoof burger which layers a 100% prime ground beef burger from Romney Marsh, served with cheddar cheese, tomato, baby gem lettuce and homemade pickles. There's also steak rump, rib eye and sirloin, as well as seafood options like the lobster, prawn and crab brioche roll.