Royal Oak

Head down Lower Road towards the river and you'll find the kind of place that actually belongs to Dover, not the guidebooks. The Royal Oak sits right here serving the people who live round the corner, the ones who know what they want from a pub. You'll get straightforward food done well—nothing trying too hard—and a drinks selection that makes sense. It's the sort of spot where regulars prop up the bar and visitors get treated like they've always been coming in. The vibe is properly relaxed, the sort of place you can spend an afternoon without anyone hurrying you along.