The FILO (First In Last Out), based in High Street, Old Town, features in a list of 48 top drinking establishments by the Telegraph.
The newspaper has published a comprehensive guide to the best pubs in every English county, with the FILO coming top in East Sussex.
The title’s travel expert shared the top pick in each corner of the country, based on years of research.
Sharon Bigg, from the FILO, said: “The First In Last Out, known locally as The Filo, has been owned and operated by the Bigg family since 1988. We are a cozy local, offering delicious home-cooked food, our own brewed real ales from our brewery and live music.
“In the winter, we light our unique open log fire, which is in the centre of the bar area. A real treat on cold winters days.
“We came here in 1988 and really started from scratch with the brewing and went on from there.
“Gradually it's just got larger, moving the kitchen out to the back area and employing more staff and, of course, brewing our beers. We moved the brewery up to five minutes away where we live and we now brew six beers. We're proud of those and we've won a few awards for those.
“We used to have a small bar area up here where we serve food, a small kitchen, but we've moved the brewery where we live, just up the road. And now we have a full functioning kitchen with some lovely staff producing all homemade food.”
The original brewery was made up of four milk pasteurising tanks that were adapted to become the mash tun, copper and sedimentation tank with a brewing capacity of five brewer’s barrels.
Mash tuns act as a large cooking pot, designed to stew the malted barley and other grains if used.
In 2000, a purpose-built brewing plant was installed and the name changed from St Clement’s Brewery to the FILO Brewery.
The brewery was then relocated a few hundred yards up the road, to a Grade II listed stable at Torfield Cottage in 2011.

1. The FILO (First in Last Out) in Hastings Old Town pictured on January 15 2024. Mike and Sharon Bigg.
The FILO (First in Last Out) in Hastings Old Town pictured on January 15 2024. Mike and Sharon Bigg. Photo: Staff

2. The FILO (First in Last Out) in Hastings Old Town pictured on January 15 2024. Mike and Sharon Bigg.
The FILO (First in Last Out) in Hastings Old Town pictured on January 15 2024. Mike and Sharon Bigg. Photo: Staff

3. The FILO (First in Last Out) in Hastings Old Town pictured on January 15 2024.
The FILO (First in Last Out) in Hastings Old Town pictured on January 15 2024. Photo: Staff

4. The FILO (First in Last Out) in Hastings Old Town pictured on January 15 2024.
The FILO (First in Last Out) in Hastings Old Town pictured on January 15 2024. Photo: Staff