Mayfly

Head out to Defiant Close in Hawkinge and you'll find yourself in a proper drinking local's pub—the kind of place where regulars know the bar staff by name and the soundtrack doesn't overpower conversation. The Mayfly's got that comfortable, lived-in feel; nothing's been designed to death, but everything works. You're there for straightforward pub grub done right, a decent selection of real ales that actually rotate, and the sort of generosity with portions that makes you wonder how they're profitable. It's become something of a neighbourhood fixture since opening, and the 1,578 reviews averaging 4.1 stars tell you people keep coming back—which in the age of Instagram-bait dining, is refreshingly honest.