2 Best Nightlife in Rye, The Southeast

This cozy little micropub, set within a 17th-century pump house, offers eight (mostly local) beers on tap. The bar staff is friendly and chatty, and there's a real communal vibe to the place, with most drinkers sharing tables. If you get peckish, there are tasty pub snacks available; try the pork pie with mustard and chutney. If you like the pub furnishings, you can pick some up for yourself at the Waterworks Curios antique shop next door.

On the outskirts of the city, this pretty clapboard gastro-pub has an intriguing setup: instead of a bar, the drinks are piled up on a table in the middle of the room and served from there. Along with a good selection of local ales and craft beers, there's also a choice of ciders straight from the barrel and an extensive menu of artisanal gins. The food—from stacked burgers to bonfire pizzas—is great, too. There's live music every Thursday evening starting at 7:30 pm.