Our unspoken compulsion to queue. Custard creams. A stiff upper lip. Each intrinsically more British than the last. But perhaps the crowning ode to Britannia is simply our local pub. Or the pub we choose to call our local.
It’s a cultural institution. One of the few places we turn up, and sit alongside those we’ve known for years, or a random you don’t know from Adam. We go to celebrate, commiserate, argue, flirt, watch the match, devour a Sunday roast or down a good ale.
But what makes a pub great? It can’t be the provenance of a pork pie or décor alone. It’s something rather hard to bottle: a feeling. A sense of belonging, like coming home after a long trip. The best pubs don’t just serve their communities; they create them. Social media keeps us connected 24/7, while globally the loneliness index soars. Maybe the simplest form of connection may still be the most effective – going for a pint (other beverages are available!).
Here are six signs that a local may just have what it takes to become your local…
1 Everyone is welcome
Some may recall the indignity of being picked last at school sports day. A great pub treats you like its first choice. That instant wave of ease as you push through the door. A place where everyone’s welcome, from newcomers and young families to an old mate drinking alone.
It’s a universal leveller – income, education, gender and race are irrelevant. Opinions will differ wildly (from fierce political rhetoric to the merits of Greggs sausage rolls), but therein lies the beauty of the pub. It’s a place for heated debate, fuelled by a pint, but placated by a shared love of Arsenal (or the like). Just don’t leave before it’s your round.
2 Good food & drink = merriment
We may be divided by how to pronounce scone, but we unanimously unite on crisps. Their necessity in pubs, that is. Purists demand pork scratchings. Whatever your fancy, bar snacks are joyous, picky bits, whose calories don’t count. More substantial offerings, like handmade Scotch eggs, are graciously received. Just ensure the yolks yield easily.
Appetites must be sated. A suet crust pie, indecently bubbling over (don’t bother saying pie if it lacks a pastry base). Roast potatoes with a shattering crunch. Prawns luxuriating in a Marie Rose sauce, preferably made with that famous brand of ketchup. Finger-pointers brand me a tyrant, but all I want is quality. I think we all do. Kitchens that cook with pride and conviction keep us returning like greedy pigeons. Seasonality has its pleasures. Feed me kale and parsnips in winter, then stuff me with asparagus and rhubarb in spring, please.
There’s unfettered delight in a cracking drinks list. As a sommelier, I recognise when a landlord respects their patronage. The house wine must be good. Perhaps not everyone’s taste, but objectively a decent pour. A great pub spotlights brilliant producers at a fair price.
A hand-crafted pale ale is an exquisite find. Copper to honey-gold with warm malt aromas and citrusy hops. A great pub reveres this artisan feat, ensuring to store, manage and serve it properly.
3 The pub knows its people
You wanna go where everybody knows your name. If those words evoke a tune and pang of nostalgia, they’re meant to. ‘Cheers’ introduced us to characters we loved… and loved to hate: an American sitcom about a bar, or actually, its regulars.
Our pubs have their locals too. Known by staff and to each other. There’s often a ‘Sam’, the bartender, cocky but lovable. Or a ‘Cliff’, the one who sits in the corner dispensing deeply inaccurate facts. The pathos of the Cheers song is its contrast between the daily grind and comfort of fellowship.
A great pub makes us feel like we’re in it together; lifelong friendships live out here. A familiar space in an increasingly alarming world. With regulars who accept each other and get on with it.
The very best pubs create their own tribe. Here, we find our belonging, the connective tissue of our community.
4 Unmistakable character
No, not Victorian pottery pump handles, I mean personality. The pub owner sets the tone. Alfie Moon types dish out banter and warmth. Or we have a real-life landlord: Kevin Moran, who’s run The Nag’s Head in Belgravia for over 40 years with distinctive flair. Mobile phones are banned. As is swearing. Dare not hang your coat on the back of a chair, or you’ll be shown the door. His benevolent dictatorship is infamous, yet devoted regulars don’t blink twice.
Then there’s Bessie, who for decades ran The Dyffryn Arms near Fishguard. When she passed, her granddaughter Nerys took the helm, though her presence remains. Bessie’s (as known to locals) offers no food, or background music. It’s just one room, more snug lounge than pub. Bass draught beer is poured from the cask into a jug and served through a modest hatch. You must return your glass when done. It’s also strictly cash, due to poor internet reception. Bessie’s entices drinkers worldwide. Because you can’t manufacture such splendid absurdity.
A pub’s character can take years to build, or it may emerge fully formed. Like the Devonshire in Soho, immediately known for its stellar Guinness and typical West End vibe: boisterous and loud. Character is born and identity created through a symbiotic dance between landlord and patron. It’s what makes a good pub great.
5 It’s all happening here
Rosé with a snack of unconscionable gossip? There’s always something to do. Darts, speed-dating, meat raffles, the Tuesday night quiz. Even dwile flonking clings on – that sagacious pastime where one prances in a circle dodging beer-soaked rags hurled by opponents.
Indeed, getting loosey-goosey at karaoke is a loophole certain friends with limited skill sets exploit. What binds this hive of activity, is that it all makes sense within the context of your local.
6 You don’t want to leave
Do all these qualities exist in one space? I recall George Orwell’s ‘The Moon Under Water’, a fictitious manifestation of his perfect pub. Your local needn’t tick every box, but the best pubs compel you to pull up a chair, order a round and stay awhile. They are the incarnation of community spirit, enjoyed with ruthless simplicity. There are a few pubs I adore, but I’m yet to find my favourite.
On 2 November, Good Food Guide reveals its 100 Best Pubs for 2026: a celebration of the pubs getting food, drink and hospitality right, with character to spare. It’s a chance to discover somewhere new, revisit an old favourite or find the pub you didn’t know you’d been looking for.
The list is the result of a year spent criss-crossing the country, with undercover inspectors seeking out everything from a perfectly kept cask ale to a golden-crusted pie. Too many pubs to try, you say? Hold my beer.
Suriya Bala is a freelance food and drink journalist with a passion for great food, drink and the people behind it. WSET Level 3 qualified with distinction, she champions accessible, jargon-free wine knowledge and shares her discoveries on Instagram as @hungry_somm.
