Inside The Townhouse: Tunbridge Wells' Four-Zone Wine and Tapas Bar

Behind an unassuming black frontage on Calverley Road, The Townhouse has been turning wine, charcuterie and tapas into a night out for Tunbridge Wells regulars since 2012 - and it does it across four separate spaces under one roof, each with its own character.

The venue is split into what it calls its "4 zones." The Main Floor & Wine Bar is the entrance level - a relaxed, smart-casual bar with high and low seating that fills up as the weekend approaches. Upstairs, The Gallery is a first-floor room with its own private bar, popular for weekend dining and cocktails and often booked out for private functions. In the basement, La Bodega Cellar Bar & Club runs live events with a resident DJ from Wednesday to Saturday, alongside an extensive drinks list and its own food and catering packages for group bookings. And outside, The Garden - open year-round, not just in summer - offers full table service with sunny and shaded seating, something the venue says is unusual for the town centre.

Food runs all day, with lunchtime specials, and orders are taken until 10pm. The tapas list ranges from Spanish standards - patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo, croquetas de chorizo y manchego, pimientos de padron, albondigas, bacalao a la riojana and pulpo a la gallega - to a few house additions, including a beef stew with chickpeas and feta, honey-glazed chorizo picante, and vegetarian and vegan options such as falafel, chickpea "meatballs" and fried burrata. Charcuterie and Mediterranean sharing boards (£30-32) sit alongside salads, bar snacks and nibbles like whipped feta, mackerel pate and baked camembert. The signature dishes are the home-made paella - chicken and chorizo, seafood, or a vegetarian/vegan version, made fresh to order in small, medium or large (serving two to six) - and the restaurant's own tacos. Desserts include tarta de Santiago, churros, limoncello tiramisu and a cheese board, and the wine list runs to eight whites, eight reds, four roses and a fizz section topped out by Moet champagne, alongside a full cocktail, spritz and Fever-Tree gin list.

The Townhouse holds a 4.2 out of 5 rating from around 150 reviews on Tripadvisor and a higher 4.5 from close to 300 Google reviews aggregated by Birdeye. One recent Tripadvisor reviewer wrote: "Great staff great food very good cocktails and the perfect party vibe!" - a fairly typical theme, with reviewers consistently calling out the atmosphere and service, particularly for weekday lunches and evening drinks; as with any busy bar, it's worth booking ahead for Gallery dining or a weekend table in La Bodega.

Source: The Townhouse, Tunbridge Wells