The BarnYard is not one place. It is a restaurant on a Wednesday morning, a wedding venue on a Saturday, an orchard full of pumpkins in October and a winter wonderland in December, and which one you get depends entirely on when you turn up. This is the whole year in one place, so you can work out when to come.
Two things hold true across all of it. The restaurant is open Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm, with breakfast until 11:30am and the Sunday roast from 12:00pm to 3:30pm. And there is no evening service at any time of year, so everything below is a daytime proposition unless it is a private event.
ConfirmedThe dates in the diary now
These are live from our own listings rather than typed into an article, so they are current whenever you are reading this.
- Halloween, 31 October 2026. Details and booking.
- Mother's Day, 7 March 2027. Details and booking.
- Father's Day, 20 June 2027. Details and booking.
- Wedding open day, Sunday 20 September, 10am to 2pm. No appointment needed.
SpringMarch to May
What happens here in spring?
The orchards come into blossom around late April, which is the single best fortnight of the year to look at the place and the reason spring weddings here photograph the way they do. Before that, March is quiet and unglamorous, which makes it the easiest month to get a table.
Mother's Day is the fixed point. It is the busiest single day the restaurant has outside Christmas, it books out weeks ahead, and it runs as a proper lunch or a tier of afternoon tea rather than a rushed sitting.
Is spring a good time for a wedding?
April and May take about a quarter of our wedding year between them, and May is one of the two busiest months we have. Blossom is the reason. The trade is weather, so an outdoor ceremony in April needs a wet-weather plan you are genuinely happy with. We have written about that in more detail in the piece on how far ahead to book.
SummerJune to August
What is summer like here?
Busy, green and long. The Courtyard comes into its own, the gardens are at their best, and the light lasts until nine, which changes the shape of an evening event entirely. It is also the peak of the wedding season, so on a summer Saturday there will very often be a wedding happening elsewhere on the site while the restaurant carries on as normal.
Father's Day is the summer fixture, and works the same way as Mother's Day: a proper Sunday, booked well ahead.
What about high tea?
It runs on selected dates through the year rather than every day, because it needs planning and a large part of the room. Dates are listed on the high tea page and the popular ones sell out. It is the thing people most often ring up about after the event has already gone.
AutumnSeptember to November
Is autumn worth coming for?
It is our own favourite, and September in particular behaves like an extra summer month with slightly shorter evenings. The orchards turn from blossom to fruit, the light comes in low, and the crowds have thinned. If you want the venue at its best without the summer premium, this is when.
What happens at Halloween?
Halloween takes over the orchards for a week or so at the end of October, with a seasonal menu and a twist on the afternoon tea. It is aimed at families rather than at anybody looking for a fright, and it books up in the same way the other seasonal dates do.
When are the wedding open days?
Autumn is when most of them fall. An open day is the low-commitment way to see the place, with no appointment to book and nobody following you round. Dates go up on the open days page as they are confirmed.
WinterDecember to February
What is the Christmas season like?
It is the biggest thing we do outside weddings. The pavilion is dressed properly rather than tokenistically, and the programme runs to party nights, festive lunches and a Christmas Eve brunch. Details and dates are on the Christmas page.
The practical advice is unromantic: book early. Party nights go on sale in the summer, and the Saturdays in the middle of December are the first to go every single year. If you are the person organising a work party, pick your date before the end of September and you will have a choice.
Is there anything on in January and February?
Honestly, no, and that is the appeal. The restaurant is open as usual Wednesday to Sunday, there are no seasonal events competing for tables, and it is the easiest time of the year to walk in and get the table you actually wanted. It is also the cheapest time by a distance to get married here.
All yearThe things that do not change
Underneath the seasonal programme, the same things run every week we are open.
- Breakfast, 9am to 11:30am, Wednesday to Sunday. The most underrated thing we serve.
- Lunch, through until the kitchen closes at 4pm.
- Sunday roast, 12:00pm to 3:30pm, and comfortably the busiest service of our week. There is a whole article on what makes a good one.
- The Courtyard, where dogs are welcome, weather permitting.
- Private events in The Roost, the Apple Barn or the Arboretum, from birthdays and baby showers to company days and celebrations of life.
Planning aheadWhen to book what
How far ahead do things go?
As a rough guide: Christmas party nights in the summer, Mother's Day and Father's Day about a month out, high tea as soon as dates appear, and an ordinary Sunday lunch a week or two ahead. Midweek lunch you can usually get on the day.
Where do you check what is on?
The what's on page is the live list and is updated as dates are confirmed, rather than being a printed programme that goes out of date. If you would rather ask a person, the number is 01634 235059.
The short version: come in spring for the blossom, summer for the evenings, September for the best of both, October for the pumpkins, December for the whole production, and January if you simply want a good lunch without booking three weeks in advance.
Quick answersCommon questions
What is on at The BarnYard through the year?
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day lunches, high tea on selected dates, a Halloween season in the orchards, and a full Christmas programme of party nights and festive lunches. The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch Wednesday to Sunday all year, with the Sunday roast from 12:00pm to 3:30pm.
When is the restaurant open?
Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm. Breakfast runs from 9am to 11:30am and the Sunday roast from 12:00pm to 3:30pm. There is no evening service.
Do seasonal events need booking in advance?
Yes, and the seasonal ones more than anything else we do. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween and the Christmas dates all sell out well ahead, and high tea runs on selected dates rather than continuously.
When do Christmas bookings open?
Party nights and festive lunches go on sale during the summer, and the popular Saturdays go first. If you are organising a work party, the practical advice is to pick a date before the end of September.
What is the quietest time to visit the restaurant?
Midweek. Wednesday and Thursday run at well under half the pace of a Sunday, so the room is calmer and tables are easier to get at short notice.
When are the wedding open days?
The next confirmed open day is Sunday 20 September, 10am to 2pm. Open days are the no-appointment way to look round, and dates are listed on the open days page.
Can you visit The BarnYard without a booking?
The restaurant takes walk-ins when there is room, though at weekends there rarely is. For weddings, a viewing or an open day is the way to see the whole site, since much of it is in use for private events.
Is there anything on in January and February?
The restaurant is open as usual, Wednesday to Sunday. There are no seasonal events in deep winter, which is precisely why it is the easiest time of year to get the table you want.
Written by The BarnYardat Upchurch, Kent
