Introducing our brand-new restaurant at Balfour Winery
Open for lunch, seven days a week, 12pm – 3pm.
Dinner Service, 7pm -10.30pm* Friday & Saturday (*last table booking 9pm)
Our new restaurant, The Winemakers’ Kitchen, is the perfect representation of ‘what grows together, goes together’.
Enjoy seasonal produce, from local producers, served alongside our wines that have inspired each dish. The menu, a collaboration between our head chef Dan Austin and Head Winemaker Fergus Elias, features recipes specifically designed to pair with Balfour’s award-winning wines. A unique experience to be enjoyed whilst in a stunning setting looking over our vines. Anchored in Kent, the Winemaker’s Kitchen is a must-visit to get a true taste of English provenance.
You can also add a pre-dinner tasting to any Friday or Saturday night booking.
Please note that The Winemakers’ Kitchen is located on the mezzanine level of our building and is only accessible by stairs. However, we can happily seat guests on the ground floor level which also has beautiful views of the vineyards if this would be preferable, please do get in touch with us on 01622 832794 and let us know.
Vegan Wine Dinner
Saturday, 18th January
Join us at Balfour’s Winemaker’s Kitchen on Saturday, 18th January, for a memorable vegan dining experience. This exclusive event features a beautifully crafted six-course tasting menu, designed to showcase the finest plant-based flavours of the season. Guests will be welcomed with a glass of Leslie’s Reserve Gold, setting the tone for an elegant evening accompanied by live music.
With just one sitting and a maximum of 80 guests, this intimate event promises an atmosphere of warmth and sophistication. Dinner will be served at 8:00 PM, following arrival at 7:30 PM. Tickets are £60 per person – reserve your place now for an unforgettable evening of exceptional food and wine.
The science of pairing
The ultimate food and wine experience
Our menu is a collaboration between our Head Winemaker and Head Chef, where wine is an integral part of the process.
Before dinner, we offer exclusive dining tastings not available to book, providing a chance to experience the unique relationship between wine and food. These tastings explore how flavours, structure, and other key components of wine interact with different ingredients, setting the tone for a truly immersive dining experience.
Wines are tasted for their individual building blocks – flavours, structure, alcohol, and more. Each of these elements changes how the wine tastes with food, so we carefully select ingredients for our menus that harmonise perfectly with our wines.
In most restaurants, this harmony happens by chance. At The Winemakers’ Kitchen, we’ve specifically designed our menu to pair with our wines – not the other way round.
Local, seasonal, exceptional...
From our Kentish home
This is the ultimate expression of “what grows together, goes together”. Our seasonal menu changes with the weather, but consistent throughout is our focus on high-quality ingredients, beautifully presented and served with pride and passion.
Before every season, our chef and winemaker sit down to assess what’s available for the coming months. They then assess each of our wines to find the perfect pairing.
Wherever possible we work with our local Kent producers to put together an exceptional menu, which resonates with the time of year and a sense of place.
An inspiring setting
Worthy of a visit, all year round
The Winemakers’ Kitchen is a carefully created space designed to inspire and reward those with curious minds, and curious palates. Enjoy wines, paired with seasonal dishes, overlooking the very vines and within the winery which that made them.
Take in the stunning views over our vineyards, under huge skies which meet the gentle sloping landscape of our Kentish home above our woodlands and orchards, whilst you dine.
Or browse our carefully curated artworks from internationally renowned artists which decorate the adjourning wall of our winery. Each selected by our co-founder, Leslie Balfour-Lynn, to inspire, and spark intrigue and debate.
Authentic Sunday Roasts
Available every week
Available every Sunday | 12pm – 3pm
Elevate your Sunday to the next level, with one of our superb, locally-sourced roasts – paired with our authentically English wines.
Whether you’re relaxing into the afternoon with a cosy lunch for two after a long walk through our vineyards (on one of our self-guided tours), or bringing the family together for a special occasion – this is the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Easy to reach
With our free Shuttle Bus service
Visiting one of England’s “best vineyards” (The Sunday Times) just got even easier, as last August we launched a free shuttle bus service – so that you can sip award-winning wines, in a stunning vineyard setting, just 45 minutes from central London – without needing to take a car.
Trains run every 30 minutes from Charing Cross and London Bridge to Marden Station – which is just 5 minutes in the minibus (or a forty minute walk) from our winery.
Our shuttle bus will run from Marden train station every weekend. Taking a circular route to and from our vineyards, during our opening hours at the winery (10am – 5pm). There’s no requirement to pre-book a slot – just hop on board. Upon arrival at Marden station , simply wait at the station entrance and our shuttle bus will arrive approximately every 20 minutes.
We are delighted to be England’s only Gold-Medal winning vineyard (VisitEngland) and can guarantee a visit to our estate, followed by a meal at our restaurant, makes for an unforgettable experience.
Exceptional Oysters
Available to sample, with your meals
Exclusively every Friday and Saturday evening, join us for “The Leslie’s Tasting & Paired Oysters” – enjoy fresh Porthilly oysters perfectly matched with complimentary samples of Leslie’s Brut, Rosé, and Gold.
It’s the ideal way to savour the season; or to add a little indulgence to your weekend.
