The Lifeboat Ale and Cider House

With its sawdust floor and barrel tables, its well-worn nooks and crannies and its convivial local crowd, this cosy old boozer is the kind of English pub every nostalgic tippler dreams of. Even the cash register is vintage, ringing up memories of an earlier  era. Occupying a central spot in Margate's little Old Town, it's the perfect place to hunker down after a day at the beach and by far the best pub for miles around. The offerings are wonderfully local, with Kentish ales and cider from breweries including Gadds, Whitstable, Hop Fuzz and Westerham, wines from the county's excellent vineyards and fresh juices from its renowned orchards. While it's definitively not a gastropub, you should be sure to sample some of their superb snacks: the selection – cheese, sausages, pies – is simple but impeccable, with everything sourced locally and of the very highest quality. Try a platter of Chaucer Camembert or Ashmore Blue, or push the boat out with dressed crab and lobster, and while away a happy evening at this very special little place. They host regular live music and a quiz night on Wednesday.