From historic inns in the Old Town to sun-trap beer gardens at the foot of the South Downs and seafront pubs with a pint and a sea view, Eastbourne has a pub for every mood. Whether you’re after a quiet real ale by a log fire, a hearty Sunday roast or somewhere lively with live music, here’s our guide to the best pubs in Eastbourne — including plenty that welcome dogs and families too.
In this guide
Traditional & real-ale pubs · Gastropubs & great food · Seafront pubs · Meads & the Downs · Something livelier · Nearby village pubs
Traditional and real-ale pubs
If it’s a proper, characterful pint you’re after, Eastbourne delivers. In the Old Town, The Crown (22 Crown Street) is a welcoming traditional local with separate public and saloon bars, both warmed by cosy log fires and known for its strong real-ale line-up. Just outside the Old Town, The Hurst Arms is a popular traditional pub with around five real ales on tap — several from local brewer Harvey’s — plus sport on the screens, a pool table and a dartboard.
Closer to the seafront, The Marine (61 Seaside) is an oak-lined pub and restaurant that’s built a loyal following over more than 40 years, pouring Harvey’s and other ales alongside a menu of good-value classics, with over 20 gins and a sun-trap patio garden. For something with real history, the candlelit Dew Drop Inn is a characterful old local with superb real ales, live music and some of the best burgers in town, while the neighbourhood Victoria Hotel on Latimer Road is a quiet Harvey’s pub with homemade British food. And near the station, the town’s Wetherspoons is a reliable, affordable two-floor stop that regularly makes the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Gastropubs and great food
For a memorable meal with your pint, Eastbourne’s gastropubs are hard to beat. On South Street, The Dolphin is a firm favourite — a stripped-floor pub-restaurant with genuine coastal charm, a rear garden, an excellent range of real ales and a menu of Sunday roasts and modern British classics. Opposite the Town Hall, Bibendum serves quality pub food all day, with roaring fires in winter and a sunny terrace in summer; it’s known for generous portions, a well-regarded Sunday roast and an impressive gin selection, and it welcomes both families and dogs. For a large garden and a relaxed gastropub feel, The Rainbow is another good bet.
Local tip: many of Eastbourne’s best pubs sit right at the foot of the Downs or on the seafront — perfect for rounding off a Beachy Head or coastal walk with a well-earned pint.
Seafront pubs
Few things beat a pint with a sea view. On Grand Parade, The Belgian Café is a go-to for seafood and beer lovers, famous for its pots of mussels served every which way and an extensive Belgian beer list, all with views towards the pier. A little along the front, the Crown & Anchor on Marine Parade is a Greene King pub near the pier with a balcony overlooking the beach, five real ales and a well-loved plate of beer-battered cod and chips — hard to beat as the sun goes down.
Meads and the foot of the Downs
Over in leafy Meads, two much-loved pubs sit within a short stroll of each other on Meads Street. The award-winning Pilot Inn (89 Meads Street) is a country-style pub with a spacious beer garden, a cosy bar and two restaurants, pouring Long Man ales and serving British classics — its homemade burgers are the stuff of local legend, and it’s a hugely popular finish after a Seven Sisters or Beachy Head walk. Just down the road, the family-run Ship Inn is a fine Sussex local with a sun-trap garden and bright conservatory, a good range of local beers on draught and a genuinely friendly welcome.
Did you know? Two of the biggest names to look for on the bar are local ones: Harvey’s, brewed just up the road in Lewes, and Long Man Brewery, based at the foot of the Downs near Litlington.
Something livelier
For a night with a bit more going on, The Bohemian, right by the Devonshire Park Theatre, is a characterful spot — all peacock-window charm and cosy interiors — with live music, DJ nights and weekly quizzes, making it a great pre- or post-show choice. And The Hart, widely known as a leading LGBTQ+ pub in the region, hosts quizzes and theme nights, with a tropical-planted garden and a late-opening Club Room at weekends.
Nearby village pubs
Some of the finest pubs near Eastbourne are a short hop out of town, in the Downland villages. The Tiger Inn on the green at East Dean is a picture-postcard classic — open fire, low oak beams, real ales and hearty food, with the huge village green perfect for alfresco pints in summer. In Willingdon, at the foot of the Downs, The Red Lion is a warm, dog-friendly pub with a sun-trap garden, a log burner, Badger beers and a well-liked Sunday roast. The tiny Eight Bells at Jevington is consistently praised for its excellent Sunday roast, while The Ram Inn at Firle is a rural gem of flint and roaring fires, and the traditional Seven Sisters on the northern edge of town has a genuine country feel.
Good to know: pubs change hands, menus and opening hours from time to time, so it’s always worth checking a pub’s own website or social media before making a special trip — particularly for food times and Sunday roasts, which can sell out.
Best pubs in Eastbourne: FAQs
What are the best pubs in Eastbourne?
Local favourites include The Pilot Inn and The Ship Inn in Meads, The Dolphin and Bibendum for food, The Crown and The Marine for traditional real ale, and the Belgian Café and Crown & Anchor on the seafront.
Which Eastbourne pubs are best for a Sunday roast?
Bibendum, The Dolphin and The Pilot Inn are all well regarded for their Sunday roasts, as is The Eight Bells in nearby Jevington. Roasts are popular, so it’s wise to book ahead.
Are there dog-friendly pubs in Eastbourne?
Yes — plenty. The Pilot Inn, The Ship Inn, The Marine, Bibendum, the Dew Drop Inn and The Red Lion in Willingdon are all known for welcoming dogs, often in the bar and garden areas.
Which pub is best near the seafront or Beachy Head?
On the seafront, try the Belgian Café or the Crown & Anchor near the pier. For after a Beachy Head or Seven Sisters walk, the Pilot Inn and Ship Inn in Meads, or the Tiger Inn at East Dean, are ideal.
What local ales should I try?
Look out for Harvey’s, brewed nearby in Lewes, and Long Man ales from the foot of the Downs — both appear on bars across Eastbourne and the surrounding villages.
Hungry as well as thirsty? Browse our roundup of the best restaurants in Eastbourne, or discover the leafy neighbourhood two of these pubs call home in our guide to Meads.