August saw diners flock back to restaurants in numbers unseen since the start of lockdown in March.

With the Eat Out to Help Out scheme offering cut-price dining, many people across Kent have taken advantage of the discount and headed out for a bite to eat.

But while price is one factor in deciding where to book a table, service is often another key factor in choosing where to dine.

Each month booking website OpenTable analyses more than 400,000 new diner reviews and uses the data to determine where guests are receiving excellent service.

Here are the ten top venues in Kent where, based on feedback during August, you can be sure of a warm welcome.

10. Ferrari's, Bexley

With a menu featuring tasty Italian-inspired food and wine, this restaurant in Bexley Village promises "a warm and friendly welcome and a vibrant atmosphere".

9. Chapter One, Orpington

This long-standing restaurant serves modern European dishes, and the Michelin guide says chef Andrew McLeish's cooking is "light and delicate, mixing classic and modern flavours".

8. The Bricklayers Arms, Sevenoaks

A lakeside public house, comprising three terraced cottages, the Bricklayers Arms is situated at the end of the picturesque Darent Valley Walk.

7. The Angel Inn, West Malling

Set back from Addington Green, The Angel Inn is housed in a picturesque 14th century building and serves a wide range of freshly prepared dishes in a traditional and inviting restaurant environment.

6. Buenos Aires Restaurant, Maidstone

This venue is known as a showcase for Argentinian beef and wines, with the meat cooked on an authentic parrilla grill.

5. Brettingtons, Rochester

Owners Alan and Steve invite their guests to relax at their table and enjoy excellent steak and lobster cooked just the way you like it.

4. The Wife of Bath, Wye

Acquired and refurbished in 2016 by the team behind the award winning Rocksalt restaurant in Folkestone, this restaurant uses the best local produce and is home to six en-suite bedrooms.

3. Crab & Winkle, Whitstable

Overlooking the working harbour, this seafood restaurant serves the freshest catch from local fishing boats.

2. The Chancery, Beckenham

Opened in October 2014, the family-run pub offers a contemporary, quality, seasonal menu.

1. The Poet at Matfield

An unassuming village pub named for war poet Siegfried Sassoon serves dishes the Michelin guide describes as "modern and sophisticated".

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