Faversham's Pubs & Where to Drink

Faversham is a proper brewing town — home to Shepherd Neame — so it's no surprise the choice of pubs is generous for its size. Whether you're after a pint after a walk along the Creek, a quiet corner in the old streets, or a glass of something more celebratory, there's a spot that fits. Here's a spread of the town's watering holes and what each is handy for, roughly grouped by where you'll find them.

Start in the heart of town around Market Place. The Bear Inn sits right on the square and is open daily for drinks and food, making it an easy meeting point in the thick of things. Just off the centre, The Elephant on The Mall and the town-centre Ship Inn and Three Tuns give you traditional options within a short stroll, while The Market Inn, a Shepherd Neame pub, opens from midday every day if you want to keep it simple and local.

Historic Abbey Street — one of the prettiest streets in Kent — has a couple of characterful choices. The Anchor serves food and drink and holds a 4/5 food hygiene rating, and The Phoenix Tavern is tucked into the same handsome stretch, both well placed if you're wandering the timber-framed old town. Nearby, The Three Mariners on Church Road is another Shepherd Neame house doing food and drink in the town centre.

Preston Street, the run down towards the railway station, is something of a pub trail in itself. The Vaults keeps long hours (11am–11pm on weekdays and Saturdays, noon–10pm on Sundays), while The Limes carries a 5/5 food hygiene rating and Furlongs Ale House opens in the afternoons and at weekends for a more relaxed, ale-house feel. The Leading Light is the one to remember for early starts — it serves from 8am daily, so it's useful for breakfast or coffee as much as a pint.

For pubs a little further out but still central to town life, the Sun Inn on West Street and The Castle on The Street both offer food and drink, with The Castle holding a five-star food hygiene rating. The Bull Inn, another Shepherd Neame pub, opens from 4pm on weekdays and noon at weekends, and the Railway Hotel is a dependable Shepherd Neame option handy for anyone arriving by train.

The waterside is where Faversham really shows its character. The Albion Taverna on Front Brents is a Shepherd Neame pub open daily from noon, sitting pretty beside the Creek — a fine spot for a drink with a view. Further along at Standard Quay, Bin-Ella Wine and Champagne Bar offers a more elegant, glass-of-fizz sort of evening in genuinely atmospheric surroundings. For the full out-of-town experience, the Shipwright's Arms at Hollow Shore is a remote, much-loved pub where the Creek meets the marshes, serving drinks and food to those who make the trip.

Beer enthusiasts have a couple of dedicated stops. Boutilliers Brewery and Tap Room on Selling Road pours craft beer brewed on site, while The Creekers Tap opens Wednesday to Sunday with varying hours and leans into that same taproom spirit. Between the Shepherd Neame heritage, the independent taps and the waterside bars, Faversham rewards a slow afternoon of exploring — just check current opening times before you head out, as several of these keep seasonal or part-week hours.