The Ridge Golf Club - Maidstone

Visited for breakfast on the weekend ahead of playing adventure golf. The food was nice but the staff do not take food allergies seriously at all very worrying. All food is ordered at the bar, when ordering I advised the lady taking the order twice that I was allergic to mushrooms and to please ensure they weren’t included in the breakfast. I said it twice as I wasn’t confident she was paying attention , I did make it clear that it was an allergy not a dislike, she confirmed she understood. When the breakfast came out with mushrooms on it, I told the young chap delivering it that I was allergic and he took it away. He was back about 30 seconds later with the same plate but no mushrooms. I asked him if they had just been scraped off the plate and he admitted they had. I advised him I could not eat the breakfast on that basis and they couldn’t treat allergies in that way. He returned it to the kitchen for a second time and this time a new breakfast without mushrooms was provided. After this I asked to speak with the manager, indicating the issue and making her aware that the kitchen was not taking good allergies seriously. All she did was nod and agree that it was a good the waiter told the truth about the mushrooms being scraped off. She seemed wholly unconcerned that the kitchen behaved this way and did not take allergies seriously. Had I consumed the mushrooms or remnants, I would have vomited for hours. Other allergy sufferers would end up in hospital as a result of their lack of care which could be easily avoided. That said, the food we did finally eat was very nice.

My partner and I went to try afternoon tea at this restaurant as I was considering it for a group booking. Despite having booked in advance, we were not given a choice of tea or coffee, and had to ask for milk 10 minutes after our tea was served. The presentation of the afternoon tea was impressive and good value at £20 per person. There were an abundance of sandwiches with tasty fillings and fresh bread, followed by generous portions of scones and cakes. It was too much for us to finish, but we were provided with boxes to take the leftovers home. Unfortunately, the cakes did not live up to the initial impressions, as they were dry and stodgy when we tried them later in the day. As a result, I decided to book a different venue for the group booking.

I hadn't played at this golf course in many years, so three of us decided to give it a try. The cost was £35 for 18 holes and there were no discounts for seniors. Cash only was required because the system was broken. We wanted to warm up, so we went to the driving range. The ball dispenser was not working, but after a phone call, a very nice employee came to fix the problem. He even gave us a free basket of balls to use. The fairways were decent, but the greens were in poor condition. Putting was difficult as the balls did not roll smoothly. Many bunkers were also in bad shape, lacking sand and filled with various debris. It seems like they are investing money into a new area for mini golf, but the main course needs more attention. Overall, it was a disappointing experience and not worth the price. A fee of £20 would be more suitable for the current state of the course. We do not plan on returning anytime soon.

I booked afternoon tea for my cousins who came from Scotland to celebrate a 50th birthday. My husband and cousin played golf and then we met them for afternoon tea. The table was set up beautifully, the sandwiches were very fresh with a good variety and fillings were generous. The cakes scones were delicious. The staff were friendly, professional and provided excellent service. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Poor food lack of staff not good food not as described, would not go back. Vat added to bill not shown on menu. Table made from pallet wood.