Superb food has earned The Dove a string of accolades and widespread recognition, but there are other good reasons to visit this delightful, ivy-clad country pub apart from the food.

The 18th century house has a large garden and sits in a peaceful rural setting, yet is easy to reach by car from the main A299 Thanet Way linking Whitstable and Faversham.

The Dove is welcoming and inviting. In the summer there is live folk, rock and jazz, an even greater incentive to visit, and in winter there is a bonfire night and Christmas events.

This gastro pub has a separate dining room in which food with contemporary, rustic and traditional flavours is relished. Much produce is grown in the pub’s own allotment on the premises.

The Dove was Shepherd Neame Pub Restaurant 2010. It also appears in several guides: Alastair Sawday’s, Michelin Eating Out In Pubs, the Good Food Guide and Good Pub Guide.