17 of the Best Pubs for a family celebration
Published 05 November 2025

Describing their venue as a neighbourhood restaurant inside a 19th-century pub, the good folk at The Camberwell Arms have an appealing proposition on a busy road that slices through SE5. 'Compelling, simple, seasonal' food is the real deal, served up in relaxed, pared-back spaces where the bones of the old pub remain in its stripped floors, fireplaces and high Victorian ceilings. There's a hatch window out front so drinks can pass to thirsty locals on the pavement, and a private dining room with its own bar at the other end of the spectrum. The gauntlet is thrown down with 'Scotch bonnet pork fat on toast' – a dish of fire and fat, and not for the faint-hearted. Share a few small plates such as semolina gnocchi in a 'bright, fresh' San Marzano tomato sauce or charred onions with artichoke pesto and pistachios; otherwise, stick to the trad two- or three-course format. A bigger helping of grilled fish (wild bream or plaice, maybe) arrives with chips and aïoli, while thinly sliced porchetta is dressed with white peaches and rosemary. Two like-minded people can go for sharers such as half a spit-roast chicken (with blistered hispi cabbage and crème fraîche enriched with chicken fat) or aged Hereford rump steak with anchovy dripping. To finish, a 'beautiful' apricot and chocolate galette with crème fraîche and sour-cherry molasses sent one reader away very happy. Sunday lunches catch the eye with more of those sharers as well as roast potatoes cooked with sage and lemon. The drinking options include cocktails and well-chosen wines (from £26.50).

‘Community values’ mean a great deal at this Grade II-listed, 16th-century pub in a stunningly pretty valley. Saved from development by a group of locals, it's now a success story run by a 'young, vibrant and brilliant team' who also organise quizzes, walks and bike rides. Visitors are greeted by the warm glow of a roaring fire and wooden beams garlanded with dried hops – although the stunning garden is a magnet for families with kids. The kitchen makes profitable use of produce from its raised growing beds for an ever-changing ‘farm-to-table’ menu overseen by local boy Charlie Rawlings. Whether you plump for a venison ‘scrumpet’ at lunchtime, or go the whole three courses for dinner, the cooking is refined but hearty and completely flavour-driven – think black pudding with cider mustard sauce, chicken and ham-hock pie or pan-roasted cod with spring vegetables and butter sauce. Sunday lunch is also a winning ticket with a choice of three roasts followed by ‘puds’ such as Cambridge burnt cream. The short wine list plays second fiddle to an excellent selection of local ales and ciders.

Photographs by Ed Schofield

‘A real anchor in the community,' the Inn at the Sticks covers so many bases: at its heart is the pub and restaurant, with bedrooms upstairs, but it also encompasses an art gallery and a shop/deli, while the garden provides the backdrop for live music, events and summertime street food. The interior is rustic and uncluttered without being chintzy, and the place is blessed with some of the friendliest, well-informed staff you could wish for, while the menu is an ever-evolving line-up of ‘visually stunning’ tapas-style plates based emphatically on 'hyper-fresh' Welsh seasonal produce, with influences garnered from far and wide. You might find anything from boquerones with smoked mussels to crispy pork belly on creamed parsnip, Calvados sauce and wasabi emulsion, although veggie plates are the standouts – perhaps tandoori cauliflower florets or chargrilled hispi cabbage with chickpea and tahini houmous. Sunday brings further surprises – one visitor was delighted by a serving of zaatar-spiced roast Welsh lamb with crumbled feta followed by summer berry pudding with Greek yoghurt. To drink, there’s an excellent choice of ‘signature’ wines and beers.

Standing at a country crossroads on the edge of the Fonthill Estate, this handsome, ivy-clad 18th-century inn is a hugely enjoyable retreat and very much an all-rounder. ’Picture prefect’ from the outside, it really scores with its gorgeous interiors and succeeds in delivering ‘an exceptional country pub experience’ every time. Excellence combined with warmth is what makes it such a special place. Gentrified country-luxe decor defines the interior, and there’s a covered terrace opening onto an acre of mature gardens. The main menu is a carefully considered crowd-pleaser, although one reporter is drawn to the ‘tempting bar snacks chalked above the fire’. Whether you’re after a ploughman’s, a ‘Beckford burger’ or something more upmarket, the kitchen is always rigorous when it comes to sourcing local and regional produce. Fish and West Country meats share the billing, so expect anything from cured Cornish gurnard with black-garlic mayo and pickled celery to roast Prescombe partridge or West End Farm pork chop partnered by spiced sausage, squash and damsons. A well-spread global wine list suits most palates and pockets.

By all means, go full tilt at the Bull's classical-leaning menu: from a crisp little Reuben's croustade brimming with beefy-pickly-cheesiness to a superlative soufflé. But, above all, the Bull is still a rural village freehouse (think lit fires, comfy old furniture, board games, quiz nights) where you can chat with the genial young owners, Sam Darling and Ben Davenport, who are invariably pouring drinks and running food to tables. 

Simpler dishes lean deliciously into that identity. Drop in for a cheese ploughman’s sandwich and a pint of the Bull’s own Rascality beer. An excellent pork pie has the fullest of fillings inside robust hot-crust pastry and comes with zippy homemade piccalilli purée. Mussels that teeter and steam in a heaped bowl are perfect partnered with bouncy garlic milk bread. 

The wine list suits the scope of the food. There are plenty of by-the-glass options below £10, but a ‘Push the Boat Out’ page tempts with three-figure bottles from classic domaines such as a St Estèphe Bordeaux (Les Pagodes de Cos, Cos d’Estournel 2012) – a fine choice with a shared côte de boeuf. There are also beautiful rooms in the pub's neighbouring guesthouse, the Pear Tree Inn, should staying over be the plan. But whatever your mood, occasion or budget, the Bull is a pub to have firmly on your Suffolk radar.

At the hub of a Sussex hilltop village, with a sunny terrace overlooking the local church, this reimagined 16th-century inn has all the nooks, crannies, inglenooks, oak beams and floral displays that you could wish for. Efficient, cheery staff keep things rolling along, bringing ‘pint milk bottles’ of water to each table as a matter of course. The place gets packed and everyone is here for the food – thanks to a confident kitchen that can deliver consistent crowd-pleasing dishes from a regular menu and a chalked-up specials board that included a tempting with a crab-topped crumpet with cucumber and almond cream.

Burgers, pies and battered fish keep the traditionalists happy, but there's room for invention too: a well-balanced goat’s cheese brûlée delivered on all fronts, with a fine lavosh cracker alongside, while cod fillet was perfectly pan-fried, with impressive accompaniments including a crayfish beurre noisette, silky-smooth celeriac purée, savoy cabbage and crispy Parmesan-crusted potatoes. Meaty choices range from Surrey ribeye steaks with peppercorn butter to haunch of local venison richly embellished with a braised shoulder tartlet, quince poached in mulled wine, potato terrine and a boozy sauce. And on Sundays, the prospect of three ultra-traditional roasts guarantees regular full houses.

The kitchen puts on a show when it comes to desserts: our deep-filled lemon tart had bags of citrus tang, with blackberry purée and blackberry sorbet on the side, while a dark chocolate terrine was lifted by a raspberry sorbet and maple-flavoured honeycomb. The well-considered wine collection offers oodles by the glass, including a range of Sussex sparklers.

A centuries-old village local atop a hill midway between Hadrian's Wall and the conurbations of Tyne & Wear, the Feathers continues to provide sustenance for locals and visitors alike. Inside, it looks the part with beams, log-burning stoves, Northumbrian ales and old-fashioned pub games as part of the offer, although the place has built its current reputation on locally sourced seasonal food, industrious home production and a commitment to ethical practices. The kitchen cures its own charcuterie, makes black pudding and pickles North Sea herrings (‘as good as most I’ve had in Scandinavia,’ noted one visitor) – as well as producing bespoke spirits including mulberry gin. They have a published list of more than 60 local suppliers, including foragers and growers, Northumbrian farmers specialising in rare breeds and day-boat fishermen catching sustainable species off the East Coast. An outdoor fire pit works its magic on flatbreads, grilled vegetables (used for vegan meze) and Haydon Bridge beef patties (slotted into brioche buns with Gorgonzola piccante and dill pickles). Otherwise, the kitchen’s eclectic approach sees battered haddock and fillet of wild halibut with chilli and rosemary velouté alongside braised local roe deer with celeriac purée, English lentils and emmer wheat or Spanish-style home-cured pork chop with fried potatoes and bravas sauce. For afters, the Northumbrian cheeses are well worth a punt, as are the homemade ices and homespun desserts such as blackberry and apple sponge with custard or steamed gingerbread pudding. To drink, vermouth-based cocktails and keenly priced, well-chosen wines fit the bill nicely.

Everything you could want from a country pub (except perhaps a large garden) can be found in this attractively solid, Grade II-listed thatched inn. The low-ceilinged, oak-beamed room has a flagstone floor, a large open fireplace and almost every inch of wall space filled with ceramics, paintings and fascinating memorabilia. Landlord Robert Smallbone has been here for over 20 years and treats all his customers like old friends – an enthusiasm that inspires his friendly and helpful team.

Proudly listing local suppliers (‘The Mad Butcher of Winkleigh’ particularly catches the eye), the menu is best described as hearty Devon grub, and perhaps not the best place to take a strict vegetarian. A changing selection of soft-yolked Scotch eggs, served warm and crunchy from the fryer, and an individual beef Wellington with dauphinoise potatoes are highlights. Elsewhere, a wild venison burger topped with tangy Taw Valley Cheddar and a generous starter of breaded 'small fry' with garlic mayonnaise are reminders that the county is rich in both game and seafood. 

The list of desserts is almost as long as the main menu and ranges from sorbets to a chocolate and Devon stout steamed pudding, while the burnt cream made with blackcurrants grown in the village is big enough to share. The drinks list helpfully groups wines by character, although the pub is known for its well-kept local beers and ciders – so exploring what’s on tap is a good call.

‘The quintessential village pub’ is one visitor's verdict on this handsome Cotswold hostelry with rooms – and we wholeheartedly agree. The ‘Killy’ retains the charm of a cosy local boozer – villagers drink real ale and chew the cud around a wood-burning stove in winter – yet its kitchen produces highly accomplished and full-flavoured cooking.

Diners head for the recently extended restaurant, where flagstoned flooring and stone walls dovetail well with the 17th-century bar. Panache is apparent early in a meal, perhaps with a delicate yet boldly flavoured appetiser of cheese and truffle gougère with a parsley emulsion. A thick little slice of smoked trout could follow, perked up by a zesty buttermilk and lovage sauce poured at table by one of the chatty, clued-up staff. Better still is a hillock of mushroom cream surrounded by celeriac velouté, with slices of cep and crunchy hazelnuts adding to the end-of-year flavours.

Mains are similarly seasonal in style – notably a serving of juicy guinea fowl breast matched with nutty risotto-like pearl barley in a creamy chestnut velouté, the dish piqued by the bitter notes of caramelised chicory. A side of shredded ‘winter spiced’ red cabbage – tangy, sweet, rich – adds to the indulgence. Inventiveness and flair continue with desserts, witness a dark and luxurious chocolate délice, spiced with Szechuan peppercorns. The expertly annotated wine list keeps pace too, with big flavours galore – even in the kindly priced house selections.

The tidy 17th-century Kinneuchar Inn sits alongside Kilconquhar Loch, famous for its winter ‘bonspiels’ – outdoor curling jamborees for the uninitiated (hence the pub’s sporty signage). These days, however, its regulars have something different on their minds: the place is still a cosy local haunt capably run by a superb team, but most interest now centres on the food coming out of James Ferguson’s kitchen. Drawing on the full range of the East Neuk’s formidable natural larder, he creates ‘hearty dishes laced with Mediterranean vibrancy’. Menus change daily, so expect anything from creative seafood dishes such as grilled line-caught squid with Sivri Bibir peppers, chill and parsley to roast partridge with celeriac mash or grilled lamb leg with braised turnips, pearl barley and anchovy. And ‘you won't find a better pie for two anywhere,’ proclaims a devoted fan. On Sunday evenings, the kitchen serves up ‘herb-fed’ rotisserie chicken feasts for the whole family, and there are fried chicken buns to nibble on special occasions. Drinks include craft beers and cider, plus a short but enterprising wine selection.

Located in an impossibly charming village about an hour's drive east of York, this delightful inn has been home to James and Kate Mackenzie since 2006, and it has gone from strength to strength over the years. Happily, the owners have never lost sight of their original vision of an informal country pub dedicated to impressive cooking with a local accent – ‘not fine dining but brilliant consistent food,’ according to one fan. There’s a commitment to Yorkshire’s bountiful larder, the same menu is served in the bar (no bookings) and restaurant, while afternoons bring sandwiches, soup and savouries. They even look after your children nicely with a sensible menu of roast chicken, sausage and mash, risotto and lots more.

James Mackenzie doesn't trade in dolls-house portions or superfluous smears; instead, his dishes are hearty and substantial – as in a generous serving of Dales lamb (BBQ rump and a crispy croquette of belly meat) alongside a delicate tartlet of spring vegetables and Yorkshire Fine Fettle cheese, plus nettle and mint purée, beer and barley jus. Our springtime visit included grilled asparagus served with a dressing of Yorkshire’s own chorizo, followed by a substantial dish of cider-braised rabbit topped with a wild garlic crumble containing pancetta, black pudding and cannellini beans. Asparagus turned up again in a special of wild halibut with Jersey Royals (doused with seaweed butter and served in a mini copper pan). Desserts are hard to resist, especially the exceedingly lemony, lemon curd parfait and meringue ice cream. And if you just fancy a little sweet something, try the ‘treats’ – a trio of macaroons or mini salted caramel doughnuts, hot from the pan and rolled in sugar.

The thoughtful wine list is a fine match for the food, with plenty by the glass and half bottle (including a Pomerol and Margaux at £38), plus a selection of ‘fine and rare’ vintages; there's also a selection of Thomson & Scott non-alcoholic tipples. Five luxurious bedrooms are located in the pub and a further four are close by in the village.

A serene village in the verdant Lyth Valley, complete with a pretty church and rolling hills, is home to this upmarket hostelry. Originally a blacksmith's forge at the beginning of the 19th century, its old bones make for a magnificent country inn, where beams and slates, real fires and real ales feel right at home across several spaces. It's been a dining destination for several decades and continues to deliver a menu that keeps its feet firmly on the ground, with produce from the owners' farm ensuring that food miles are kept to a minimum.

Lancashire cheese soufflé with caramelised red onions is a cross-border favourite, comforting and rich, or you could try a lighter option such as beetroot and pomegranate salad with goat's cheese and raspberry vinaigrette. Cumbrian lamb arrives with a miniature shepherd's pie, while fish might feature pan-roasted cod with cider and mussel sauce, plus a serving of mash to soak it all up.

During the week, lunchtime brings similar dishes, with the addition of pub staples such as fish and chips or local wild boar and damson sausages (with mash and gravy). Those damsons also appear as a sorbet with the Punch Bowl's renowned lemon tart. Sunday lunch (a weekly changing blow-out) brings roast beef sirloin with Yorkies and seasonal vegetables (some courtesy of the owner's farm). Well-chosen wines from £27.

‘A wonderful village atmosphere’ is one of the historic Red Lion's prime assets – although it’s not just a gem for the locals: ‘I live 40 minutes away and happily make the journey,’ admitted one fan. Inside, it’s down-to-earth, homely and full of drinkers. ‘Comfortable dining in rustic pub surroundings’ is the pub’s calling card and chef Sean Jeffers delivers an ‘excellent fusion of flavours’ backed by precise technique and thoughtful presentation. Local ingredients and produce from the garden are the building blocks for menus that deliver starry renditions of the pub classics as well as more creative dishes. At lunchtime, you’ll find smoked haddock mornay, ploughman’s, burgers and the catch of the day; in the evening, things move up a gear for the likes of smoked bacon and cod tortellini accompanied by leeks, pickled mussels, keta and capers. To finish, sticky toffee pudding is an all-round winner. The whole show is run by a ‘fabulous’ team who really know how to look after their customers. To drink, there are tip-top ales and a handy list of everyday wines.

‘Sitting on the terrace in summer, beneath the church, feels like a touch of Europe in rural Essex,’ remarked one reporter after visiting this slice of English heritage in the heart of Dedham. Run with consummate style by Piers Baker, the revamped 15th-century Sun Inn balances those heritage features (clattering floorboards, heavy beamed ceilings, real fires galore) with all the trappings of a contemporary dining venue and an on-point kitchen. Soups are ‘always a stand-out’ (perhaps spiced Crown Prince squash with lentil and coconut yoghurt), and pastas are highly recommended (tagliatelle with walnuts and Swiss chard, say); otherwise, aged British steaks receive the full treatment, while other dishes come with a noticeable Mediterranean accent – from house stracciatella with black fig and golden beetroot dressing to salt-marsh lamb chops accompanied by merguez-stuffed olive, aubergine and chickpeas. Desserts promise the comforting glow of, say, warm apple and spiced raisin tart. The attention to detail extends to ‘superb local beers’ and a carefully curated, predominantly Old World wine list with plenty by the glass and carafe at refreshing prices.

Taking its name from the warship HMS Surprise, this neighbourhood pub has stood on a quiet spot, a short walk from the King's Road, since 1853. In keeping with its neighbourhood vibe, green leather banquettes, a fireplace and peach-painted walls create a vintage/cosy feel. Indeed, the inviting ambience and good-natured staff are enough to encourage those popping in for a drink to linger and perhaps explore bar snacks such as seafood croquettes or Wiltshire cocktail sausages with mustard and honey dip. 

The straightforward menu runs from fish and chips to Somerset pork tomahawk and Sunday roasts (including a veggie option of pearl barley, celeriac and wild mushroom Wellington). We started with cured sea trout paired with thick-cut fennel finished off with apple slices and a lemony crème fraîche and dill, followed by a juicy Creedy Carver duck breast teamed with bubble and squeak, savoy cabbage and a topping of thyme crumble and blackberries. A seasonal dessert of English plums and Bramley apples with a light dusting of crumble and Cornish clotted cream made a pleasant way to finish. 

The drinks list leads off with cocktails, followed by craft beers, whiskies, and some delightful wines (especially if your tipple is Burgundy or Bordeaux), ranging from £34 right up to a Château Lafite Rothschild from the sensational 2003 vintage, at a whopping £950.

One couple who dropped in for morning coffee and pastries at this strikingly renovated hostelry opposite West Mersea’s church enjoyed the cosy, hospitable vibe so much that they returned for lunch – and weren’t disappointed. Seaside colour schemes, an open-plan layout and a trump-card terrace catch the eye, as does the kindly priced menu of uncomplicated modern dishes with pubby undertones. Rare-breed burgers, a gussied-up ploughman’s and, of course, Mersea oysters (from the waters of the nearby Blackwater Estuary) represent the traditional side of things; a rarebit of mussels with dill velouté and piccalilli or guinea fowl breast with black garlic, Tuscan-style butter beans, leg sausage and pumpkin offer something more creative. Dry-aged, grass-fed steaks are always in demand, while seasonal desserts might bring apple Bakewell tart or a chocolate délice orange with liqueur cream and orange compôte. Like other venues in Piers Baker’s group (the Sun Inn at Dedham and the Street Tavern in Colchester), this place is noted for its line-up of East Anglian ales, friendly staff, appetising cocktails and, above all, its well-assembled eclectic wine list.

Having conquered the populist bistro scene in the north-west, serial crowd-funding restaurateur Gary Usher turned his hand to the pub sector in 2023. The result was the White Horse – a pleasingly spacious and sensitively renovated old hostelry in a pretty village near Chester.  Soft colours, vibrant food paintings and glittering light fittings set the tone, with a big conservatory opening out onto the garden.

The menu is short but suits all-comers: a solo lunch of whitebait, steak frites and panna cotta hit the bullseye for one diner, while others have raved about the Korean chicken wings with pickled ginger, the melting pulled lamb shoulder, an ‘incredible’ dish of John Dory in tarragon beurre blanc and the mighty handmade cheese and onion pie. Usher’s legendary truffle and Parmesan chips are present and correct, while puddings are of the hearty, calorific variety (unless you prefer a triple chocolate brownie). And it’s all served by absolutely charming staff who know how to look after their regulars but welcome everybody with a smile. 

Weekday two-course deals are a steal at £25, and Sunday lunches receive a round of applause – as does the terrific line-up of beers. Cocktails and fairly priced wines also pass muster. Regular community-based events, a prolific guest chef calendar and a bakery pop-up on Saturday mornings 'help to keep things fresh,’ notes one fan.