Thackerays

A wonderful Georgian house in Tunbridge Wells that is anything but stuffy. I had a wonderful experience and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a very nice little night out within easy reach of London. I only wish we had more time to explore the grounds and gardens, but we had to head back into London with an early train to catch. The service was wonderful, attentive without being overbearing and the food was delicious — I had a grilled fillet of hake which was perfectly prepared.

Also, the whisky selection is excellent (if you're into that sort of thing), Tunbridge Wells Life (tunbridgewellslife.co.uk). As they say, to lose is one thing; but it’s the manner of losing that matters. And when you lose two Michelin stars within four years, it’s fair to say there’s been a little more to it than bad luck. This year, Caroline Hazell examined the menu at Thackeray’s – where they still have a Michelin star – to see what lessons might be learned from their experience.

The Beacon

Whether you like to walk down romantic "love" trails or enjoy a bit of adventuring, it’s no wonder The Beacon is so popular. Once you’ve experienced the breathtaking views of the Downs from The Beacon’s "Path of Dedication," you are left wanting to go back and visit again. Beacon, as it is known locally, was once a mill and then became derelict. A local company which had previously restored the post office in town, then purchased the site, in 2003 and set about converting it to a wonderful boutique hotel (with 10 bedrooms) and restaurant.

". I've done a lot of hiking around the UK, and the Beacon isn't even my favourite place to hike, let alone one of the most beautiful places that I've seen here. But if you're into hiking, then it is definitely an absolute must-see. So what is The Beacon? It’s a delicate-looking villa located on a hill on the truly lovely Crowborough Beacon. From Prospect Terrace you can take some interesting photos of the Place, with Glastonbury Tor in the distance.

The Beacon is a hotel in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. It is situated just a mile from the town center and was built in 1684. The building now functions as both as a hotel and restaurant. Beacon of Hope, located just a mile west of Tunbridge Wells, offers breathtaking views of the South Downs. 4C (95F), making it one of the highest official temperatures ever recorded in the United Kingdom during August. The answer is 45m.

Zorba Meze Grill

If you want some serious baklava, Zorba is the place to go in Tunbridge Wells (actually, Kent). They recently expanded into the shop next door and the rebrand is looking superb. They always have something interesting on offer from kunefe (a syrian dessert platter with cheese, semolina and vaigue-a thin crispy pastry) to Ottoman eggplant if its your birthday tokefta kebab or marmitako with a glass of Turkish raki. Plus their Turkish coffee is always perfectly brewed.

This weekend my daughter and I ventured into Tunbridge Wells for a spot of Christmas shopping in their excellent independent shops, cafes and markets. For lunch we decided to try out Zorba Meze Grill.  Last year, we discovered my daughter's passion for pittas and so we've been on a quest to find the best pitta in Kent.  The winner so far (and runaway favourite!) is that of  Pegasus Pitta  in Sturry Road. What an absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced lunch we had.

When I went for afternoon tea a couple weeks ago, I noted that the new Zorba Meze Grill (Trewoof Cafe) was on my list of places to try but I wasn’t in a rush. This proved to be just the spot (table, that is) for my little get-together and we are so glad we found it.   The two ladies who run this place with hardly any help are amazing. Zorba Meze Grill is a fabulous restaurant in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

The Warren

Navigating the central mass of Lincoln’s second city-centre supermarket, The Warren (that’s what they call it here), you notice a lack of the bright lights and slick purveyors that lay you bare in an average Tesco. Instead, you are transported back to a simpler time, fashioning your own bread knife from an old steel shard taken from a derelict church window as dawn breaks over the rustic three-bedroom home you and your family have put up in for the night.

As you can tell from the above image, The Warren isn’t marked by a big red and white sign with ‘The Warren’ written on it. In fact, it doesn’t have any sign at all, which is why many walk past without even noticing it. But don’t worry, as Mark and Paul have thought of everything – they have placed ‘The Warren’ sign outside their shop and you can walk past that instead. F or somewhere that has been open for 4 months, I found The Warren pretty good.

When I say pretty good, I don’t mean the food (which was spectacular), but the decor and atmosphere, which you can only really speak to from experience. The Warren is small but well laid out, with three rooms to choose from and a giant loading door for moving exhibitions inside. Each room can comfortably display around 12 – 15 exhibits at a time so there’s always a good variety. With just over a year since their rebrand and with it being spring, the perfect weather for grilling, they wanted to extend their brand messaging to the roof of their building.

Soprano/Coco Retro

Maurizio and Ivan opened Soprano in the summer of 2009. It immediately gained a loyal following. Their bistro menu offers a range of Italian classics that use fresh, seasonal produce and house-made sauces and fillings. It is known for its delicious pizzas too. Most choose to eat at one of the small tables outside where they can watch the world go by, or they stroll along the High Street to take in the passing parade (often including members of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club).

Both restaurants are rather small and cosy with a lovely "homely" feel. The key is the food which is always great portions are just right and both in taste (especially the desserts) and in presentation, you can tell that great care has been taken by both Maurizio and Ivan themselves to ensure they present the customer with a meal that will command your respect. The Di Santo brothers came to the UK in 1974.

Over the years Maurizio’s love of good, simple food and his passion for cooking became apparent. It was a Saturday night at his home that he cooked an amazing pot roast meal for two of his friends. This is when he realised that he wanted to start a restaurant. Both restaurants have beautiful interiors and menus to match, with modern European cuisine, home-made pasta and wood-fired pizzas. Soprano is more formal, while Coco Retro is relaxed and informal with a great outdoor space and incredible ambiance (Soprano doesn't have any outside space).

The Di Santos opened Soprano in 2003, in order to introduce their Italian family-style cooking to the people of Tunbridge Wells. By 2007 they were opening a new restaurant, Coco, across the High Street and an instant hit with the local population. The Di Santo brothers opened up Soprano, a very popular restaurant in the centre of Tunbridge Wells and recently (March 2013) opened the spin off Coco Retro down on Charing Cross Road which specialises in classic Italian pasta dishes.

The Ivy

The Ivy is one of those temples of decadence (or an old movie theater, depending on how you look at it). When you walk in and are greeted by the hostess, you know that this restaurant is something special. The charming atmosphere continues as you are led to your table, which feels like the inside of a black box theater. It doesn’t take long to realize that this type of fancy dining is not for the faint of heart or wallet.

But should you save it for a special night out on the town or perhaps a first date?. The Ivy has two London locations but we love the one on Dover street the best. We often catch ourselves sitting in the bar area and grabbing dinner there during the weekdays. It's a great spot for lovers of British fashions that date back to Edwardian times. We especially love to go there at brunch time or if we've overindulged at dinner, the next day we can cure our hangovers with their tasty Bloody Marys.

The Ivy is definitely the restaurant where you can see all the celebrities in town having their lunch. To make this little story short, I can say that we came to Dubai for a business trip and had to leave dramatically in the same afternoon. We just had time for an early lunch at The Ivy. There was no time for deliberation as they were running late and they took us straight to our table.

I had been eyeing The Ivy ever since I moved to London. Everytime I walk down Portman Village, it catches my eye with its white walls and green shutters (what they call shutters here). We were recently invited to try the place out after our trip to Portobello Market. Here goes :). The Ivy on Robertson Boulevard has long been one of the most popular restaurants in West Hollywood. The Los Angeles restaurant is located near some high-end boutiques, including Valentino and Armani.