What a brilliant 12 months – when I heard KentOnline was launching a Food & Drink Awards to celebrate the very best of our vibrant hospitality trade I couldn’t have been happier.

I’m lucky to be tasked with reviewing some of our county’s great pubs and 2023 has been an exceptional year.

This not only means I get to enjoy some quite wonderful public houses but also meet some real characters, on both sides of the bar.

When I went through the full list of award categories I identified five that I feel duty bound to make nominations for.

But, getting to visit at least one pub every week, it would be impossible to make just one nomination in each category, so I’ve narrowed it down to my top three in each section.

It goes without saying I can easily choose a trio of candidates for my best pub of 2023, in fact narrowing it down to just three was the real challenge – but I’m going to make you wait a little longer before I reveal my top picks for Pub of the Year.

First I will share with you my top three nominees for the right to call themselves Kent & Medway’s Beverage Producer of the Year. That all three are great beer brewers will probably not come as a surprise. In no particular order, they are...

Wantsum Brewery: Based in St Nicholas at Wade, with a cavernous taproom, I rate a number of its beers very highly and have mentioned Ravening Wolf on several occasions this year.

Iron Pier: Another brewery I’ve had reason to applaud many times over the last 12 months. I’ve followed Iron Pier since its early days and have been impressed by the way the company has progressed.

Goachers: Often a go-to pint for me if it’s available, I’m not only a fan of the beers it produces but also greatly admire the work it has put into resurrecting the Little Gem in Aylesford.

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Next up are the people I plan to put forward for Hospitality Champion in Kent:

The first is Paula, landlady at the Chequers Inn, near Canterbury, who, ably supported by her other half Steve, is working incredibly hard and doing a fantastic job with this proper local pub, despite some seemingly misplaced disgruntlement from a few Petham villagers. Good food, great drink and a thoroughly upbeat welcome.

Second is Martin, who manages the George & Dragon in Tonbridge. This is a fellow who is happy to go the extra mile and understands exactly what makes a great local pub tick. No-nonsense food, the warmest greeting in town, live music and great, fresh facilities which he helped create himself.

Last, but by no means least, is Paul, who I met most recently when I popped into the Moody Mare on Seven Mile Lane, near West Malling. Immediately welcoming, it was clear from the start this is a very professional barman who takes great pride in everything he does. He poured a superb pint of Harvey’s and, once the kitchen bell rang, delivered me a superb sausage and mash. Oh, and he fixed the heater!

When it comes to the Restaurant of the Year, I have three more nominations to make...

Hot Wood Pizza in Westgate was absolutely buzzing when I visited. It’s not a massive place, and a fair bit of space is taken up with the kitchen and oven, but the food is fantastic (with some great options available) and the service is superb.

My second choice is perhaps more pub than restaurant, but the wonderful seafood both Mrs SD and I enjoyed at the Zetland Arms in Kingsdown, near Deal, meant it had to go on the list. A great venue and some superb dishes at affordable prices.

I know it’s a chain, but we love Thai food and the Giggling Squid in Maidstone was excellent. Expert chefs served up some beautifully fragrant and tangy dishes with wonderfully fresh ingredients. Definitely one which deserves a second, if not a third, visit.

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The next category is Food & Drink Hero and I’ve met a few over the last year.

Georgia at The Swan in Wittersham is living her dream and is a real bright spark behind the bar. For some reason the villagers, who say they value a local, haven’t taken this pub to heart yet and this heroine continues to battle against the odds.

My visit to the East Cliff Tavern in Folkestone was ‘interesting’ to say the least and with all the challenges it faces I was somewhat concerned for its survival. However, what can’t be doubted, is the commitment of stalwart landlord Richard. This is a man with a wealth of history and a bucketful of stickability.

My last hero on the list is Megan at the Valiant Sailor. She was carrying quite a nasty burn, suffered in the pub kitchen the previous Sunday, but was still upbeat, efficient and absolutely determined to do her very best for this brilliant family pub.

Finally, my three nominations for Pub of the Year (in the order I visited them) are as follows...

The Queens Head in Sutton Valence felt calm, warm and super-inviting. It had an excellent choice of great beers and I ate my fill. On top of this I discovered a great garden and the views from the front window are nothing short of spectacular. Add to this a healthy dash of history and cheery locals and the result is a superb pub.

Bizarre in the extreme and perhaps the quirkiest boozer I’ve ever visited, the Timber Batts (originally in Bodsham, near Ashford) offered a not-to-be-forgotten experience. But, just months after I raved about it, it shut up shop. However, I’m delighted to report I re-visited this joyful place again last week – it’s reincarnated itself as Timber Batts @Compasses in Sole Street, near Canterbury.

You could hear the joy this pub creates all the way down the road. The Prince of Wales in Herne Bay was a cauldron of heat, noise and joie de vivre. As a Friday afternoon venue I don’t think this one can be beaten. Lively and exhilarating in the extreme, there are absolutely no airs and graces in this seaside boozer, but it’s brilliant.

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