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The Landgate Bistro has gathered unto itself a basketful of awards and commendations that must be very tempting at times, but there is no sign of any break in the momentum of this friendly little place. Try starting with the delicious salmon and salt cod fishcakes served with a delicate parsley sauce. Because I'm a fan I would find it very difficult to resist the lamb's sweetbreads, with ginger and coriander, but for gentler souls the griddled cutlets of Gloucester Old Spot with a sage and apple sauce could make a pleasing alternative. Anybody who takes the trouble to serve pink fir potatoes goes up in my estimation, and they do here. The Jamaican chocolate cream should meet all needs. There is a commendably wide-ranging wine list with most under £20 and quality house French at £8.90.

White Vine House is situated in historical centre of the Ancient Town of Rye and dates from 1560. The building, which has seven letting rooms including a four-poster, has been lovingly refurbished. In particular its distinguished Elizabethan panelling now helps to create a unique combination of a fabulous atmosphere with the delights of their food.

The menu is modern brasserie in style and changes every two months or so. Starters could include marinated herrings with a glass of chilled vodka, Parma ham and shaved pecorino, Welsh rarebit and Normandy mussels. Mains include rib-eye steak with Cornish blue sauce and chunky chips, smoked haddock with poached egg and grainy mash, wild mushroom and parmesan risotto and Genovese lasagne. There is always a fish of the day such as pan fried mackerel with pepper and mango salsa and mustard cream sauce.

Make sure though that you leave room for their delicious, but rather calorific, puddings such as apple and cinnamon crumble and cream; treacle and walnut tart or ginger and almond bake with vanilla ice-cream.

This traditional village pub dates back, in parts, to the fifteenth century. Legend has it, that the original building was used as accommodation for the monks who built Iden church. It is also thought that there is a tunnel between the pub cellar and the church, although this has not been discovered. Today, The Bell at Iden serves homemade food, real ales, continental lagers, and offers an exciting wine list.

Among starters you might find chickpea and lemon fritters with yoghurt dressing and mixed salad leafs with mango and pomegranate. For main course the blackboard selection could include locally made Cumberland style sausages with mashed potato and onion gravy and free-range fillet steaks with pepper or béarnaise sauce served with beer battered onion rings and potato wedges. A strawberry and clotted cream cheese cake and treacle tart for dessert will provide a fitting finale.

The Place at The Beach occupies an impressive site on the beachfront and is a popular hotel amongst Londoners who long to leave the hustle and bustle of the city for a relaxed and peaceful weekend. The interior is kept contemporary with minimalist style in creams, fawns and browns creating a light and airy atmosphere.

Chef Austin Gould's cooking is delightfully simple and unpretentious yet flavoursome and well executed. Respecting seasonality and focusing on quality ingredients and high skill the kitchen presents interesting combinations such as mussels steamed in Biddenden cider with parsley and locally smoked haddock paired with spinach gratin. Amongst mains look for whole Rye Bay plaice grilled on the bone, competing for attention perhaps with The Place at the Beach's special fish pie.

Think of dark chocolate brownie with vanilla bean ice cream or apple cinnamon crumble coupled with custard to ring down the curtain.

Webbe's Restaurant at the Fish Café is the urban presence of The Wild Mushroom, not far away at Westfield, and run by the same team, headed by owners Paul and Rebecca Webbe. For those looking for light snacks, the café will provide from 11 am onwards, whilst on the first floor the restaurant opens from 6 pm to 9 pm every night of the week. A function suite provides ample space in this historic listed building for up to 70 people. There is no denying the obvious and fish predominates on all the menus but carnivores and vegetarians are by no means precluded.

In the café expect to find a good range of starters, shellfish platters, main courses and puddings with a special menu for children. Much the same approach prevails upstairs in the restaurant, except that the choices tend to be rather more sophisticated and substantial, which is naturally reflected in the prices.

This is certainly a place for everyone, with calming colours in the décor. Built in 1907 this was the first completely fire proof building its kind, a comforting thought should anything untoward happen in the kitchen.

Housed in a traditional Sussex weather boarded inn originally built in 1839, The Globe Inn, in Military Road is now revamped with a light, contemporary interior and a stove for those cold winter evenings. The pub garden is a blur of activity at summertime and is believed to be one of Rye's best pub gardens for eating and drinking.

The menu changes regularly and is a reflection of the season, so stuffed mushrooms with blue cheese and sherry, and warm tiger prawns tossed in garlic and herb butter features in the list of starters. This is closely followed by main courses of pork escalope with creamy Calvados, choice of rump or rib eye steak, and roasted fresh cod fillet with buffalo mozzarella, sweet cherry tomatoes and torn basil. At lunchtime you could drop in for anything from a homemade ¼ pound burger to the Globe Inn brunch of eggs, sausages, bacon rashers, mushrooms, grilled tomato and toasted rustic loaf.

Once a busy coaching inn, The George is now an even busier and much trendier hotel, with a thriving restaurant at its centre. The whole place has recently (2006) undergone a major refurbishment, one of those proper ones where the best has been retained and the changes are in the best of taste.

Head Chef Rod Grossmann formerly worked at Restaurant Moro in London, by chance owned by the proprietor's sister, Sam Clark. As with so many restaurants nowadays the emphasis is on the local seasonal ingredients, much of it starting life in the farms of Kent and Sussex or the waters of Rye Bay.

A day menu satisfies the passer-by looking for healthy nourishment and a couple of pints of what does you good, though the evening diner will find more sophisticated fare. Game terrine is served with onion marmalade and sourdough toast, or perhaps the stir-fried squid salad with red chilli and spring onions is more to your liking.

The oxtail stew with chorizo, mashed potato and sautéed curly kale is delicious, and the fruits of the sea may be evident in the form of coquille Saint-Jacques mornay, or a whole roast sea bream.

Service is fine and the wine list offers a selection that includes representation from the local vineyards.