The story
Chapter One is a modern European restaurant at Farnborough Common, Locksbottom, Bexley (BR6 8NF), and holds 3 AA Rosettes for 2026. Chef patron Andrew McLeish leads the kitchen, and the menu is built on seasonal ingredients, many of them British.
The restaurant runs a three-course à la carte menu at lunch and dinner. On Wednesday to Saturday lunchtimes, a three-course Menu du Jour offers a shorter selection of seasonal dishes. The Good Food Guide lists the restaurant as Very Good for 2026, and its reviewers singled out a venison pithivier served on potato purée with a rich venison jus. Desserts lean toward the classics, including Black Forest gâteau with cherry sorbet.
The informal Brasserie serves pasta, pies and prime cuts cooked on a Josper grill. Dishes on its menu include Maldon rock oysters and chicken Milanese. The terrace has a retractable roof, open in warmer months for sunshine and fresh air, and closed in winter when the space stays bright. In the evening, the bar and terrace are a quieter place for a cocktail.
The wine list runs from young Kentish bottles to Old World classics, with a range by the glass. The private dining room sits on the first floor, with its own bar and cloakroom, and seats up to 50 guests for celebrations or corporate events.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Located behind a handsome mock-Tudor façade on a busy road in Kent’s commuter belt, Andrew McLeish’s tastefully extended flagship is famously known for its diner-friendly pricing, dutiful professionalism and high levels of consistency (one correspondent, returning after a 20-year absence, found the place as impressive as ever). The spacious restaurant’s timeless decor is pointed up with lots of sophisticated trappings, while service is slick, friendly and attentive to a fault. Strong European influences are spread across the carte, which spans everything from warm jugged hare with horseradish espuma, puffed rice and hare satay to classic roast chicken with crisp Anna potato, creamed chestnut mushroom and chicken jus. We have also been impressed by the quality of the pared-back menu du jour, which offers well-crafted, seasonally inclined dishes inspired by McLeish’s culinary heritage. Fish is top drawer, from supremely fresh grilled mackerel on toasted sourdough with punchy tzatziki dressing to pan-fried, crisp-skinned sea bream served alongside crushed new potatoes, samphire and warm tartare sauce. However, the highlight of a recent visit was a serving of locally sourced venison transformed into a petite domed pithivier – a masterclass of culinary technique presented atop a silky-smooth potato purée with added punch from a rich, decadent venison jus. Desserts look to the old school for the likes of Black Forest gâteau with cherry sorbet, iced Armagnac parfait with plump macerated prunes or a perfectly light caramelised apple mousse served alongside a tangy apple sorbet. You could also dine in the more informal Brasserie (pasta, pies and prime cuts from the Mibrasa charcoal oven) or partake of a skilfully mixed cocktail in the intimate Bar/Terrace area. The expansive wine list offers youthful Kentish bottles, top-flight Old World aristocrats and a smattering of New World contenders, with a terrific range by the glass.
3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
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