Number Eight is nestled in the historic market town of Sevenoaks just outside London and offers seasonal dishes using produce from local independent suppliers.
Stuart Gillies and his wife Cecilia own Number Eight together, making it a true family-run business. The 16th century building boasts a courtyard terrace, floor to ceiling windows, solid oak flooring, banquet seating and a marble-topped bar, making it a cosy yet elegant setting for a meal or entire afternoon.
Comfort is the focus of Gillies' menu, using local artisan suppliers such as The Fish Shop and Batchelors. Dishes reflect Gillies' global travels, with entries such as whipped cod roe with hazelnut, green beans with homemade focaccia, truffled artichokes with creme fraiche dressing and Mache (lamb's lettuce) salad, buttermilk chicken with barbecue sauce and blue cheese shavings, confit duck leg with roasted ceps (a predominantly French wild mushroom), Rye Bay monkfish curry, roasted venison loin with swede mash and Dorset crab Fettucine with chilli, spring onions and garlic.
Drinks include English wines from local vineyards such as Kingscote, Gusbourne and Chapel Down, as well as other biodynamic and organic wines. House cocktails include a No. 8 sour, Tommy's margarita and Conker espresso martini. Private dining is also available in The Gallery, a more intimate space that seats up to 16, with young up and coming artists' work lining the walls.
Gillies says: “Cecilia and I are so excited to bring Number Eight to Sevenoaks. The opening of Bank House in Chislehurst in 2019 has given us the perfect launchpad from which to integrate ourselves further into the local community. Sevenoaks is such a vibrant town full of incredible independent operators, we can’t wait to be part of it all, sharing our passion for good honest food and great wine with locals and visitors alike.”