Close your eyes and envision what you deem to be a charming, quintessentially Kentish village and you will see something like The Rose Inn Wickhambreaux. Tucked just outside Canterbury amongst rolling green fields and luscious countryside sits this Kent treasure, a village depicting glorious British days gone by, complete with beautiful period houses, a picturesque river flowing through it and a manicured village green. On the edge of this village green sits The Rose Inn. An enchanting building painted white with its namesake growing prettily around the door, this of course is Wickhambreaux’s storybook answer to a village pub. If you didn’t already feel like you had accidentally stepped onto the set of The Darling Buds of May, step inside The Rose Inn and you certainly will.
The Rose Inn Wickhambreaux
The cosy bar greets you as you stoop through the doorway and into the warmth created by the glowing log burner that sits in the huge, ancient stone fireplace. Dating back to the 14th Century, low hanging beams and exposed brickwork frame the stage that is now a pub restaurant with a truly unique outlook on food and dining experience. Above the magnificent fireplace that takes centre stage, is a blackboard. Upon this blackboard is where The Rose’s daily menu is scrawled in chalk by none other than the acclaimed chef, (and now publican) Billy Stock. At just 30 years old, Billy has left the big names of London at which he gained his experience, to pour his creativity into crafting beautiful wholesome dishes with a focus on perfected flavour, as well as fresh, quality, local produce. It was Billy’s overall goal for The Rose Inn to be a community-driven destination, with a focus on providing a welcoming, easy-going and comfortable space for punters and diners alike.
Through championing local ingredients, Billy has cleverly developed seasonal dishes with a focus on provenance. The Rose Inn’s menu changes constantly, depending on which ingredients Billy stumbles upon that day. On the day that I visited, this included a tuna, broccoli and pangrattato for me and a whole roast quail with aioli for my Dad, to start. Small plates of sheer perfection in both form and taste were placed in front of us as we tucked into what would be a sensational meal without pretension but simply a focus on technically brilliant food. Next came celeriac with parmesan and hazelnut for me, calves liver with bacon, potato and onion for my Dad and a side of beautifully fresh buttered greens. I marvelled at how something as simple as celeriac could be so delectable in texture and taste! Rich in flavour and always made from quality ingredients, there is no need for mountains of food on the plate here – just small simplistic, perfectly crafted plates that would undoubtedly delight any epicurean and leave them comfortably full.
The taps also showcase Kent’s finest Brewers, and Billy, who works solo in the kitchen, carefully sources locally through his newly established relationships with suppliers and community members – sometimes, ingredients even magically appear at the doorway – such as homegrown ceps from a nearby garden. It was, after all, one of Billy’s priorities to keep the village and community front of mind whilst making The Rose a local dining destination to be proud of. Billy’s no-nonsense, rustic and simple approach really does let the produce shine through. This extended into our final course: for me brown butter and Kentish honey ice cream made with North Down Honey, and for Dad, Tunworth Cheese, chutney and fruit loaf. The perfect end to a meal abundant in flavour, quality and of course incomparable talent and creativity from chef Billy.
