Britain’s 100 Best Pubs: last year’s top 10 (and how to vote now for 2026)
Published 04 August 2026

Vote now … for your favourite pub and you could win £250

Good pubs have always been about more than a place to eat and drink, they’re part of a community. This year, Good Food Guide is setting out to celebrate the best of them, to champion venues where outstanding ales and memorable food blend with great atmosphere and community spirit - pubs that people return to time and again.

Nominations for Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Pubs 2026 are now open. If you think your local has what it takes, cast your vote before 13 August and help us to shine a spotlight on the best pubs around Britain, along with the teams that work in them and the communities they create.

Here’s our countdown of the top 10 from last year’s list, so you can see exactly what we’re looking for. You can find all 100 here.

1. The Highland Laddie, Leeds

A cosy, community-loving boozer that nails the balance of proper pub charm and seriously good food – dark walls, velvet curtains and a bar stacked with cask ales, Guinness and rotating single malts. The menu ranges from oysters and woodfired bone-in steaks to top-notch sausage rolls and Sunday roasts, with nostalgic puds like Black Forest gâteau to finish. It’s classic Leeds with a genuinely classy edge – world-class food that never forgets its working-class roots.

2. The Kinneuchar Inn, Fife

This whitewashed 17th-century Fife inn is all about what’s on the plate – chef James Ferguson works wonders with local produce, from razor clams to Tamworth pork chops, in menus that change daily. Add candlelit rustic charm, cheerful hosts, and a cracking wine list, and it’s a proper countryside gem.

3. The Merry Harriers, Hambledon, Surrey

This charming country pub near Godalming sticks to the classic formula – cosy candlelit charm, top-notch local produce and food that ranges from adventurous (pheasant schnitzel, pumpkin risotto) to comforting (sticky toffee pudding). Sunday roasts are the star turn, backed by a genuinely impressive wine list.

4. The Beckford Arms, Wiltshire

This ivy-clad 18th-century inn is a genuine all-rounder – cosy country-luxe decor, roaring fires, and a menu that nails both pub classics and more seasonal, adventurous dishes. Add fast, friendly service and a well-chosen wine list, and it’s easy to see why it’s such a hit.

5. The Radnor Arms, Folkestone, Kent

A proper locals’ local tucked away from the tourist trail, with great beer, warm service and food that punches way above what you’d expect from a neighbourhood pub. The menu has a brilliant Southeast Asian twist running through it (thank the Filipino head chef for that), so you get everything from a killer Sri Lankan fish curry to a classic steak and fries, all done really well.

6. The Greyhound Inn, Pettistree, Suffolk

This gem of a village pub blends “proper cooking” with proper boozer charm – think St John-style simplicity, standout seafood (that turbot!), and brilliant use of local produce. Add great-value bar snacks and a genuinely classy wine list, and it’s a real all-rounder.

7. The Pelican, Notting Hill, London

This glamorous Notting Hill corner pub is a genuine neighbourhood standout – sharp, provenance-led food (spider crab on toast, bone-in sirloin to share) that’s a cut well above standard pub fare. Great beer, a smartly curated wine list and real staying power since 2022.

8. The Abbey Inn, Byland, North Yorkshire

Set against Byland Abbey’s stunning ruins, this Tommy Banks pub with rooms serves seriously original, farm-connected food – think Dexter steak tartare and dazzling Sunday roasts – with real flair and professionalism. Relaxed, handsome surroundings and a cracking Dexter cheeseburger make it dangerously good value too.

9. Inn at the Sticks, Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire

Located in the pretty village of Llansteffan, this stylish inn punches well above pub fare with its vibrant “Welsh sharing plates” – think a knockout beef and Perl Las pie or standout cockle popcorn. Great puds, an excellent wine list and rustic-chic surroundings seal the deal.

10. The Eagle, Clerkenwell, London

One of the original ‘gastropubs’, the Eagle stays refreshingly no-frills – order at the bar, grab a craft beer and tuck into gutsy, Euro-leaning classics like the legendary bife ana sandwich. Honest, unpretentious, and done with real love – exactly why it’s stood the test of time since 1991.

Think your local deserves a spot on this year’s list? Every great entry above started with someone putting their favourite pub forward. Vote now before nominations close on 13 August, and help us find the very best pubs in Britain for 2026.