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From pubs with rooms to gastropubs and beautiful beachside haunts, our editors have picked the very best pubs in the UK.
- Best Pubs 2024: UK's Best Pubs According To CAMRA - Time Out
We have our own rankings you might prefer. Here's our...
- Best Pubs 2024: UK's Best Pubs According To CAMRA - Time Out
- Overview
- 1. The Bell Inn, Aldworth
- 2. The Oxford Bar, Edinburgh
- 3. Southampton Arms, North London
- 4. The Dyffryn Arms, Cwm Gwaun
- 5. Ypres Inn, Rye
- 6. Pride of Spitalfields, east London
- 7. Basketmakers, Brighton
- 8. The Blisland Inn, Cornwall
- 9. The Magnet, Stockport
From well-kept beer to classic decor, some pubs just manage to get the basics right.
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Whatever trends come and go, there should always be a place for proper pubs — those iconic institutions that have been the cornerstone of British culture for centuries. A purist’s pub is their safe place — a calming quarantine of quiet contemplation, a serene antidote to modern-day madness, a cosy asylum where one can clutch a pint to one’s chest.
In such a pub, there should be no loud music, no spirit-sapping Sky Sports and ideally no fancy food that requires holding cutlery in a hand that could otherwise be wrapped around a drink. There certainly shouldn’t be any flashing fruit machines giving you the glittering glad-eye. Being served should involve orderly queuing and never, under any circumstances, a QR code.
This idyllic pub dates back to the 16th century, and it certainly shows — stepping through the arched doorway is like indulging in a bit of time travel. Low beamed ceilings, an enormous oak fireplace and a fabulous flagstone floor warped by the generations of thirsty ramblers keeps things cosy in winter, while in summer, the glorious beer garden is...
Auld Reekie is littered with lovely locals, ideal for those seeking refuge from the rain. But few commit themselves so steadfastly to plain and unfussy ‘pubbery’ quite like The Oxford Bar, famously frequented by novelist Ian Rankin and his fictional detective inspector John Rebus. Refreshingly clean of Caledonian cliches and attracting every kind o...
A sign proclaiming ‘Ale. Cider. Meat’ adorns the outside wall of this Kentish Town boozer, and that’s what it does — really well. Cold-shouldering the pernicious creep of ‘corporate craft’, the 16 taps on the small bar only dispense beers and ciders from independent breweries and cidermakers — but don’t worry, it’s not a hipster ‘craft’ hangout and...
Perched on the edge of the picturesque Preseli Hills, this time-warp tavern is extraordinarily old fashioned. Known as ‘Bessie’s’ after the legendary landlady who died in late 2023, it’s more a tiny living room than a local. On ringing a bell, the hatch is opened and just one beer, Bass, is served fresh. Beyond a handful of chairs and tables, there...
A tranquil pub with a white weatherboarded exterior, low-beamed interior with a log fire, and sprawling garden with views of Rye’s magnificent medieval castle. The focus at the bar is entirely on great beer, local cider and natural wine, while the food is simply pork pies, Sussex cheeses and cured meats.
This traditional East End institution in Brick Lane has evaded the tiptoe of gentrification in favour of basic boozer principles — drinking and talking. It’s a terrific throwback with a tiny bar full of old-school regulars and cool young folk drawn in by the remarkably reasonable prices. What’s more, it’s one of the few pubs to persevere with a car...
The old tobacco tins nailed to the walls are a nice touch at this lovely low-ceilinged institution. Each contains a joke, anecdote, erudite advice or surrealist scribblings courtesy of the leftfield characters that cram into this cosy, corner pub in Brighton’s bohemian North Laine. Purists may not like the fact that proper food is served but, fear ...
This dog-friendly destination is a genuine gem of a pub — and a rich reward after a ramble on the wild and rugged Bodmin Moor. There’s a bit of fancy food here but with tankards and Toby jugs dangling from the beams, the beer is, first and foremost, the focus. The heart-warming selection of hand-pulls on the bar has, unsurprisingly, won it a whole ...
You may have heard talk that Stockport is becoming trendy — with The Magnet attracting a lot of attention. And quite rightly, too. If everyone had a neighbourhood local like this, the world would be a better place. Spread across several rooms, it gets all the basic things bang-on with a no-frills focus on drinks, snacks and, crucially, the communit...
- Cask Pub & Kitchen, Pimlico. This award-winning pub is the ideal place for some pints of unique craft beers, being considered on of the first hotspots to offer such a fantastic selection.
- All Good Beer, Hackney. For All Good Beer (and plenty of wine), be sure to check out this beloved bottle shop and bar in Hackney. With plenty of playful beers and brews on rotation, highlighting some of the best local craft breweries in London, it’s your one-stop-shop for lesser-known booze brands and an all-around good time.
- Signature Brew, Walthamstow. This Walthamstow gem boasts an on-location taproom, as well as their own pub in Haggerston! Signature Brew has become one of the most beloved local breweries in London, thanks to the exceptional selection of craft beer available.
- The Southampton Arms, Kentish Town. Heading North, The Southampton Arms has a chokehold on many locals thanks to its unmatched charm, their awesome selection of ales, and drool-worthy bar bites.
Tap Into Britain’s Best Pubs. From the makers of the UK’s Best-Selling Beer & Pub Guide. The Good Beer Guide app puts thousands of pubs, beers and breweries at your fingertips. Using information compiled and continuously updated by pub-goers all over the UK, the app helps you find what you want, where you want, when you want!
Aug 28, 2024 · We have our own rankings you might prefer. Here's our favourite pubs in the UK, some seriously stunning boozers you might never have heard of, and the best beer gardens to bid summer farewell...
Mar 6, 2020 · Best pubs in the UK for a peaceful pint and gastro grub. From Britain’s oldest pub to Michelin star chefs, GQ have found you the best pubs in Britain with vast beer gardens and seriously...
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Jul 31, 2023 · Bars + Pubs. Our guide to the best breweries on London’s craft brewing scene. It wasn’t so long ago that London’s brewery scene was, well, a little flat. Luckily for all of us, those times are gone – these days you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to discovering the city’s ever-growing map of craft breweries.
