Kings Arms

The Kings Arms holds the corner of French Street and Regent Gardens in the middle of Teignmouth, close enough to the seafront that the walk from the Victorian pier takes a couple of minutes and the railway station is just as close on the other side. It is a proper local rather than a gastropub - real ales, ciders and ice-cold lagers, cold homemade bar snacks available all day, a pool table and darts board, and etched table tops that regulars will point out if asked. There is a hidden garden out back with a covered smoking area, plus seating out front for watching the town go by.

The pub runs on a weekly rhythm: quiz night on Mondays, live music every Saturday, and a meat draw on Sundays that pulls in a regular crowd. It opens seven days a week from 11am to midnight, later than most food-led places nearby, which makes it a natural stop after a day on the beach or the lido and play park a short walk away. It is straightforward and unpretentious, built around darts, ale and company rather than a food menu.