Royal Oak Cafe & Bar

You're standing on Harbour Parade watching the boats, and you duck into the Royal Oak knowing you'll find actual people in there—locals with opinions, not tourists after a photo op. It's the kind of place where the staff remember your drink and the crowd's mixed enough that you won't feel weird rocking up solo or with mates. The fact it's pulled a 4.8-star rating from 45 reviews isn't accident; people keep coming back because it works. Straightforward, unpretentious, and genuinely welcoming—which is rarer than you'd think in a seaside town that's constantly trying to reinvent itself.