An award-winning winery is opening an on-site restaurant next week.

To be known as The Winemakers’ Kitchen, the restaurant at the Balfour Winery in Five Oak Lane, Staplehurst, will take its first orders on Friday, December 1.

The business has had a record-breaking year with more than 850,000 bottles of wine produced and more than 20,000 visitors to its vineyards.

The new restaurant will specifically pair food ideas to wine in a menu created together by head chef Dan Austin and head winemaker Fergus Elias.

It will feature locally-produced food as far as possible and the business is inviting local growers and suppliers to get in touch, as Hedgerow Game from Marden and Crouch Butchers from Staplehurst have already done.

Restaurant guests will have views over the 400 acres of vineyards and when the weather is fine can sit outside on the balcony.

Leslie Balfour-Lynn, who co-founded the 21-year-old winery, said she hoped the new restaurant would capitalise on a growing understanding and appreciation for English Wine and eating local produce.

She said: “In 2023 at Balfour, we’ve already seen fantastic growth, including a record-breaking harvest which will see us produce over 850,000 bottles – well over double our previous high.

“The Winemakers’ Kitchen means even more people will be able to enjoy our wines in the most perfect way imaginable – with food specifically created to complement them, overlooking the very estate, and in the very building, in which they were carefully created.”

For opening times, check here.

The first 50 reservations will receive a free glass of Balfour Brut Rosé 2018 on arrival.

Last month, the winery was listed as being among the best visitor attractions in the county by VisitEngland.

It was given a gold award after scoring top marks in every category in a quality scheme assessment.