The West End
Superb martinis and a gentlemen’s-club-like ambience are the ingredients of this classic bar, where white-jacketed masters mix up perfect preparations…
Must-see nightlife in Great Britain
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Given it’s inspired by Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll’s nonsensical poem, this bar’s eccentric decor is to be expected, and the top-notch cocktails have…
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
At this Jazz Age–styled bar with chandeliers, velveteen chairs and dazzling murals, cocktails served in vintage glassware include locally inspired…
Paradise by Way of Kensal Green
Notting Hill & West London
With its statues, religious paintings, gaunt oil portraits, panelling and dense drapes, the wildly eclectic, eccentric, boho and gothic Kensal Green bar…
Powys
This tiny 16th-century inn, just over the bridge to Cwmdauddwr (the village adjoining Rhayader), is the pick of the local places to drink. It's so small…
Powys
Delightfully situated on a verdant hillside below the Pen y Garreg dam, these traditional Welsh tearooms are definitely worth a stop when driving in the…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Single-handedly propping up Shoreditch's cocktail scene this side of Rivington St, speakeasy-style Found employs a decidedly simple equation for success:…
Birmingham
Fictitious Victorian-era explorer/professor Hettie G Watson is the inspiration for the botanical-library theme of this bar in an 1869-built former bank…
The West End
Despite this 1602 coaching inn's Lilliputian dimensions, swarms of lawyers from nearby Lincoln's Inn congregate here after each day's business. Expect to…
Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)
In a 15th-century cobbler's home now lives Barmouth's most characterful pub, full of inglenooks, old ship timber and other eclectic nautical memorabilia…
Shropshire
Tucked off Wyle Cop, this seriously overhanging black-and-white beauty was built in the early 15th century and is where Henry VII stayed before the Battle…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Legendary Danish microbrewery Mikkeller is known for its collaborations, but its latest is next level. Mikkeller's founder met musician Rick Astley on a…
York
The man who famously plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and inspired Bonfire Night in the UK was born on this site in 1570. Walk through the…
Cardiff
For spectacle, atmosphere and boozy fun, The Alchemist is a guaranteed hit. Its speciality is molecular cocktails that smoke, fizz, change colour and…
Whitby
In a quaint old house on Whitby's most crooked lane, Green Dragon has grabbed the bull by the horns and dragged Britain's progressive craft-beer scene…
Leith
Drawing on Leith’s trading heritage with retro maritime design and themed cocktails, Nauticus is a traditional community boozer gone hipster. The…
Northumberland Coast
There's a lot of character packed into this pint-sized pub, which supports UK microbreweries with four rotating cask ales, craft beers and traditional…
Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri)
The eponymous Dylan Rowlands knows how to pair tasty little plates with wine, and demonstrates this ably here, in Dolgellau's best wine bar. Cheeses,…
Liverpool
This extraordinary bar, designed by the shipwrights who built the Lusitania, is one of the most beautiful bars in all of England. The interior is…
Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
This traditional pub in Twickenham overlooks a quiet stretch of the Thames from what must be one of the most English-looking streets in London. It boasts…
Edinburgh
This cosy, dimly lit basement bar is unpretentious and just a little bit grungy. The cocktails are outstanding, with an extensive list including the…
Cardiff
Owned by a self-confessed 'failed actor', this friendly, attitude-free bar has something on most nights, whether it's a quiz, live music, comedy, theatre…
York
When a place describes itself as a 'medieval drinking hall', it clearly deserves investigation. The ground floor and basement host an impressive shop…
Glasgow
Dwarfed by the lager megabrewery Tennents next door, Drygate is a proud craft brewery that makes a tempting East End pit stop. You can watch the beer…
Glasgow
A chic space, all concrete and glass, this cafe offers the best coffee we've tried in Glasgow. It's sourced properly, and served in delicious double-shot…
North Yorkshire
Could there be any more natural setting for a gin and tonic than in a country village watched over by a castle? This craft distillery in Ripley has…
Cloudwater Barrel Store Tap Room
Manchester
Take a warehouse space under the arches behind Manchester Piccadilly Station, roll in a double deck of beer barrels and set out simple seating, and you’ve…
North Yorkshire
Spread over three floors, this branch of Leeds' famous North Bar has a lively atmosphere no matter what night of the week you rock up on. It hosts tap…
Powys
A haven for lovers of real ale and cider, this snug, welcoming little taproom with hop-festooned, baby-blue walls is easily the best house of refreshment…
The West End
A favourite Soho drinking spot, Swift has a sleek, candlelit upstairs bar for walk-ins seeking a superior cocktail before dinner or the theatre, and a…
The Cotswolds
Much the nicest of Broadway’s pubs, its cosy bar and front garden filled at the weekend with lively locals, the Crown & Trumpet has been honoured by CAMRA…
Glasgow
Drinking in former banks is a Glasgow thing and this central brewpub offers some of the best of it. The wooden, high-ceilinged space has huge windows out…
Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
Right by the platform at Kew Gardens station (the only London tube platform with its own pub), this lovingly restored Victorian yellow-brick boozer is…
Nottingham
The Dragon has a fabulous atmosphere at any time, thanks to homemade food, a good beer garden and vinyl played on weekends. But it peaks from 7.30pm on…
South Devon
Craft beer with community spirit: this microbrewery is locally owned and run by Totnes residents, with profits helping to support the town's economy. The…
Yorkshire
This ambitious, gin-obsessed cocktail bar in the heart of Hull's Fruit Market area has dark-wood bar panelling offset by exposed-brick walls. The gin menu…
Dundee
Bentwood chairs, old laboratory stools and a handful of discreetly displayed Victorian zoological specimens pay tribute to the eponymous Dundee professor…
The West End
This intimate basement bar has DJs, comedy, drag-king cabaret, burlesque, live music and party nights, all in addition to a generally friendly and…
South Bank
Run by the founders of hop emporium Utobeer, Rake has an astonishing selection of suds, including rare brews impossible to find anywhere else in town…
Snowdonia & the Llŷn
In 2012 this unassuming little place became the first Welsh pub to win the coveted Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) pub-of-the-year award. Run by the…
