About us

The Pilot Inn is a superb all year round venue for all the family which has something for everyone. It is not only famous for its superb fresh fish, but also has a fantastic reputation for a wide range of other freshly cooked dishes. We always have at least three superb real ales on tap which have included Theaksons Old Peculiar, Adnams Broadside, Abbot Ale and Green King IPA.

The Pilot sits within one of the most unique settings in the country, the sea is literally a stones throw away, with the English channels shipping and France easily visible on a clear day. The combination of untamed nature, huge skies and a strange ethereal peace, is one which has inspired artists, writers and countless others for centuries.

The World Famous Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway which is only 10 meters from The Pilot, is the smallest public railway on earth.

The Pilot Inn has an amazing and rich history and is crammed with artefacts and local historical information along with an extensive archive of locally related books and documents. One of the bars is built out of old ships timbers and houses a scale model of the Alfresia which was wrecked by the locals and used to build The Pilot in 1633.

Dungeness is the UK's only desert so as you can imagine it gets a fair amount of sunshine; but as this picture shows even sunny dungeness gets snow sometimes.

We at The Pilot are proud of our numerous excellent reviews on the internet, extensive press and TV coverage, along with critical acclaim in Time Out magazine, Travel and Leisure magazine and The Good Pub Guide.

The Pilot even has its own resident Ghost (the grey lady) who is extensively covered in Haunted Kent by Janet Cameron. The Pilot is a no smoking venue although smoking is permitted outside in the garden area. The Pilot Inn has over 180 covers inside and a further 150 outside (weather permitting!), with parking for over 70 cars. There is no need to book, although large parties of 20 people or more are advised to call in advance. We have full disabled access and facilities and well behaved children of all ages are always welcome.

The modern Pilot Inn remains an intriguing place with published reports of haunting's, and in more recent times extra terrestrials have even got in on the act. Have a look at this picture to see the 450 foot long fish that is reportedly the work of Aliens.