Best Restaurants for Groups in Vigo Village

A friend mentioned Shwen Shwen during a recent UK trip, a Michelin-starred place in Kent run by Maria Bradford. I knew straight away we had to go. We weren’t prepared for how good it would be. Maria came out to greet us warmly, which set the tone for the evening. The room is elegant without trying too hard, with warm lighting, framed photographs from Sierra Leone, and a painting of Lion Mountain on one wall. The kind of space where you settle in quickly. The staff discussed the food with real knowledge, not rehearsed lines. The cooking is the reason we came. The spices, many from Sierra Leone, work especially well. Layered, confident, but never overpowering. You can taste how carefully each element has been built, smoked, slow-cooked, finished with restraint. Groundnut showed up in ways I hadn’t seen before, deepened into something almost velvety. Cassava and plantain were treated with the same precision you’d expect at any serious fine-dining restaurant. The seafood was beautifully timed, and the slow-cooked meats had that quiet richness that only comes from patience. Nothing felt dialed back or softened for the room. The flavors are bold, but the plating is refined, and the balance across each course was genuinely impressive. It’s the kind of cooking where you find yourself slowing down to figure out what’s in each bite, and then giving up and just enjoying it. What stood out most was the seriousness of the craft. This is fine cuisine with Sierra Leonean sensibilities, treated with the same precision and ambition you’d bring to French or Japanese cooking. The technique is there. The discipline is there. And it earns its star. Whether the cuisine is new to you or familiar, go. It’s one of the best dinners we’ve had in the UK, and I don’t say that lightly.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Fantastic service and amazing food! Highly recommended

This was a booking for a party of 4. Not the first time we’ve been here and wont be the last. The pub was very quiet, perhaps this a sign of village pubs on a Wednesday night these days. We didn’t feel rushed to order and the staff didn’t pester us. The food was excellent as always. 3 had the beef which was melt in your mouth cooked to perfection. All clean plates and sensibly priced.

First time visiting the pig and pickle at their Sevenoaks site , visited on a Wednesday evening which probably contributed to it being quiet . The staff were very friendly and quickly gave us the choice of which table we wanted to sit at which was good , the service was spot on not having to wait ages to order and we never felt rushed . Very impressed with the food quality . We’ll definitely be visiting again .

10/10 for the friendly staff and service. Excellent. They handled our large party really well. Thank you!