Posted: 16th March 2018
ENJOY AN AUTHENTIC ITALIAN EXPERIENCE AT VILLAGE INN
An authentic Italian dining experience is now on offer at riverside inn The Chequers in Lamberhurst near Tunbridge Wells.
Italian father-and-son team Egidio and Giandonato Rosa took over the Shepherd Neame pub at the end of last year, and have introduced a new menu of delicious dishes from their homeland.
The food is being created by the pair and their Italian team, using authentic produce imported from the country.
Customers can dine at the pub from 12 noon to 3pm and 5pm to 9.30pm, Monday to Sunday. In addition to the main á la carte menu, there is a special lunchtime pasta bar menu, offering two courses for a set price, and a children’s menu. Senior citizens can also enjoy a two or three course fixed price menu.
Giandonato, 27, said:
“When I was growing up, my father was a chef and pizza maker who ran restaurants and cafes, and his passion for food was contagious. I moved to England to study, working in the hospitality industry in my spare time, and my father also came over to run an Italian restaurant in Tunbridge Wells. We decided to look for a joint project last year, and when we found The Chequers, we knew it was the perfect opportunity. We loved the history of the building, and it is in such a beautiful location.”
Originally built in 1137 as a manor house, The Chequers has been a pub since 1414, and currently has five en suite guest bedrooms. There was stabling for 58 horses, as the pub was a popular coaching inn, and the Rosas have devised an innovative use for one of the unused barns. They have just launched an Italian food market, open from 11am to 6pm every Saturday and Sunday. It sells authentic Italian produce including pasta, wine, sauces, fruit, cake, biscuits and preserves.
They have also opened a delicatessen in the pub serving Italian cheese, meat, olives, vegetables and breads all day, every day, which customers can sample in special platters in the pub, or take home.
Giandonato said:
“Our aim is to share our passion for Italian food, not only by serving an authentic menu of delicious dishes in the pub, but encouraging our customers to continue their exploration of Italian food at home.”
As part of this effort, The Chequers is also hosting a series of fortnightly Regional Wednesday Food Tasting events, serving dishes from a specific region of Italy. The next session, focused on Valle D’Aosta, will take place from 5pm on Wednesday, March 28.
Giandonato added:
“We have been delighted by the warm welcome we have received from the local community since we have taken over The Chequers, and will continue to work to ensure that we preserve the pub’s unique character, serving great beers, wine and spirits in a relaxed environment, while also offering a delicious, authentic taste of Italy.”
For more information visit the pub's website or call 01892 890260.
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