With the lack of a Club Bartellas newsletter since early 2023, I guess many of you had thought I’d retired or was on yet another cruise! Yes, just 10 days of quality rest and relaxation including the usual gastronomic research and development but way too much going on back at Meopham for me to hang my boots up just yet!

Fortunately with a terrific front- and back-of-house team who happily seem to engage effortlessly with you all, complacency is never on our agenda as we strive to up our ante on all fronts. Whilst it is not 'all about the food' our menus require frequent reviews and refreshment, likewise our service methodology especially with al fresco dining, rightly demanding regular refinements plus accurate weather forecasting, whilst the look and feel of the place can always benefit from some makeover of sorts.

The south-facing Terrace complete with bar has helped transform our outdoor offer especially for those of you who loathe and have virtually given up on the holiday airport rigmarole and uncertainty. Just for drinks, maybe some sharing platters too, the location lends itself to all options.

We’ll be scheduling through the coming months some liquor-led socials for daytimes as well as evenings such as Guinness & oysters, cocktails & canapés, wine & wisdom events which increasingly suggests that a 20 year celebratory event of our opening later in the year is on the cards too! Our recent award of 5 stars again from Gravesham Council after a four-hour rigorous Environmental Health Officer inspection should also be cause for celebration amongst the hard-working staff.

Provisional Christmas Day and Christmas party menus are out and up on the website; every year the interest gets earlier but you’ll find that already the popular times for Christmas Day are already booked with availability for the larger tables limited. Table d'hôte Christmas party menus for lunch start at £25 with dinner from £30 and no need for any pre-ordering.

For paid up Club Bartellas members there is the offer of a complimentary bottle of wine to the value of now £50, valid until 30th July - one bottle per member for the duration of the offer please.

Meanwhile, thanks for all your terrific support and kind comments as you continue to dine with us even more frequently, safely away from the increasing Meopham madness let alone the world at large. I’ve added dodgy drivers on the A2, mainly on international licences, who have yet to master their lane discipline and indicators to my list of pathetic politicians on their gravy train who we could all do without in our lives!

Look forward to seeing you all very soon.

As ever,

Ian

Ian@bartellas.com