The Rose

It’s been almost a decade since Chris Hicks and Alex Bagner rescued this 200-year-old town-centre pub, transforming the local food and hotel scene. The darling of Deal’s floating out-of-town population, the Rose is as metropolitan as you can get on the east Kent coast, a modern-day hostelry that’s equally at home attracting drinkers as it is a destination restaurant for people who care about food. Run with well-honed professionalism, it's an utterly charming, welcoming space with lots of striking contemporary touches. The open-to-view kitchen offers an appealing, crowd-pleasing contemporary menu (from burgers and chicken schnitzel to halibut poached in brown butter with girolles and monk’s beard) and it shows admirable commitment to local producers. Snacks such as madeleines with duck liver parfait and Sauternes jelly are a constant strength, and you can’t leave without trying the olive oil cake. While there's a keg version of Walmer Ale brewed by Northdown Brewery, drinks focus on cocktails and well-chosen, reasonably priced European wines. With splendid bedrooms and a striking two-tiered summer terrace, it's a very good excuse for a mini-break.