Britain’s 12 Best Pubs reached by train
Published 26 November 2025

‘If you want a blueprint for what a local pub should be, this is it,’ insists a fan of this handsome Tudor building in St Albans’ Cathedral Quarter. ‘Personalities abound’ out front, the welcome is always friendly, and the pub’s interior evokes bygone days with its beamed ceilings and burnished wood surfaces. Much depends on the food, and chef Josh Searle is up to the task, delivering dishes that sit happily between dyed-in-the-wool pub cooking and grander restaurant-style creations. Anything involving steaks and chops gets a resounding cheer; otherwise, the repertoire might run from spiced Devon crab ‘soldiers’ with citrus fennel to pea and broad bean risotto with goat’s curd. One reporter also reckons the smoked potatoes with red miso and lime butter are among the most incredible things they've ever tasted. To conclude, indulge in a knickerbocker glory or a passionfruit Daiquiri sorbet. The pub also does ‘one of the best Sunday roasts ever,’ while the superb drinks selection ranges from a well-pitched wine list to cask ales dispensed from a green-tiled ‘beer wall’.

Between the Tyne and Gateshead Millennium Bridges, the Broad Chare stakes its claim to be a 'proper' pub in every sense. There are no fancy-dan decorative touches here; instead, bare wood floors, painted brickwork and a frosted-glass partition protecting the Snug set the scene. Eat upstairs or down, or in a garden at the back where the parasols and grassed areas feel faintly rural. When it comes to food, expect well-wrought versions of Scotch eggs and ploughman's lunches, but those in the market for more ambitious cooking will encounter an extensive menu of contemporary classics such as whipped cod's roe or a terrine of parsleyed brawn with pickles, followed by pedigree beef dishes, respectfully treated fish including hake or sea bass, with perhaps chargrilled summer squash for vegetarians. Properly filling sponge puddings and apple strudel complete the deal. Weekday 'worker's lunches' are a steal for the likes of Irish stew followed by greengages with Jersey cream, and Sunday roasts are a good way to top off the weekend. Beers are every bit as good as you would expect.

Currently part of the Public House Group (which also runs contemporary venues such as the Pelican in Notting Hill), the reenergised Bull has become a magnet for the smart out-of-town set, although ‘the locals can still be found occupying its nooks and crannies’. The departure of big-name chef Sally Abé early in 2026 hasn't affected the fortunes of the place one jot – judging by recent reports of ‘superb food’ and ‘exceptionally attentive staff’. A good time is had by all. There's plenty of finesse on show in the kitchen, which proves its prowess across the board: the ever-present ‘Bull pie’ is ‘exceptional’, or the whole table can splash out on a rib of beef with horseradish.  A pairing of mushrooms and monk’s beard has hit the spot, likewise a strawberry and custard bun for dessert; also, don’t ignore the ‘Bull Whippy’. The atmospheric, moodily lit interior feels just right – or you can head to the lovely garden space for a summertime BBQ. A terrific drinks selection includes an enterprising list of local cask ales alongside an adventurous wine selection.

Pure Totnes, this maverick pub with rooms runs by its own eco ‘Bull rules’ and promotes itself as ‘organic, radical and ethical’ – although the vibe is always warm and approachable. Menus change twice daily, the attention to detail is exceptional and dishes arrive ‘bursting with unique, bold flavours’ (without running riot). Served on quirky crockery, tapas plates with a strong veggie bias are the main contenders from the seasonal line-up, so expect anything from aubergines ‘under oil’ with apricot salsa and dukkah to a hogget chop with whipped tahini, chilli honey and sumac onions. If something more substantial is required, consider a bavette steak with turnip purée, romanesco and green sauce or share a whole crab with wild garlic mayo if it’s in season. To finish, Basque cheesecake is a sweet stalwart. Super-friendly staff are always on point, prices are affordable and the pub has a cracking drinks list with organic ales, cocktails ‘to die for’ and a sharp selection of adventurous European wines (organic, biodynamic and natural, of course).

The fact that the 55-mile Taff Trail passes its door underpins the uncompromising Welshness of this forward-thinking pub – no wonder it’s been dubbed ‘a jewel in the community’. 'The Bunch' is not only a staunch supporter of native produce, it’s also home to the Cwrw Otley Brewery and craft beer shop. As for food, local and sustainable ingredients lead the way, with spent grains from the brewery used for the excellent home-baked bread that features in everything from pulled brisket sandwiches to miso-glazed, sautéed mushrooms with vegan labneh on toast. Eclectic small plates open the show, before the BBQ and charcoal grill take over for punchy offerings such as a ‘dirty’ pork tomahawk chop or picanha steak with smoked artichoke purée. Sunday means roasts, while desserts could bring rice pudding or warm chocolate brownie. 'They also do the ‘best Christmas dinner I’ve had in 20 years,' says one diehard fan. Beer is the drink of choice, with a rolling roster of Otley ales (and others) at the bar. Just add regular live music, cheese nights and ‘classy quizzes’.

‘Where to start,’ wondered one reporter, adding ‘it’s always a brilliant visit whether I’m perched at the bar reading a paper, sharing a meal, or working my way through the beer pumps’. Something about the Crown hits exactly the right spot. It’s not just a pub but a real community hub, ‘a place people want to return to again and again’. The Old Town location feels like a local’s secret, and the interior is very artistically scruffy but quirky – distressed wood tables, mismatched chairs, plank floors, local artists on the walls. Food is the main draw. The kitchen keeps things simple, looks to the locality for ingredients yet mixes up influences in a true 'modern pub menu' way. Everyone enjoys the beer-battered fish-finger sandwich with chips, but there’s also venison kofta with tzatziki and pumpkin-seed dukkah, as well as handmade tagliatelle with courgettes and Twineham Grange cheese. To drink, there are local cask ales and a short list of reasonably priced European wines – and you can pop in for coffee every day from 11am. A true asset.

Bearing all the hallmarks of a traditional, country pub, the 19th-century Duck sits at the heart of its community and offers everything its locals could dream of – a welcoming bar, a generous, partially covered beer garden, dining in an assortment of rooms (including a private dining room), takeaways (extending to Christmas lunch, no less), and a village shop – all overseen by James and Sarah Parkinson. Veteran chef James takes care of all things culinary while Sarah ensures front of house maintains what our readers call a warm, family-friendly, 'nothing’s-too-much-trouble' vibe.

Keenly priced menus are concisely curated to make the most of local ingredients, while being sustainable and resourceful at the same time. Generosity is key, with a hunk of warm, salty, home-made focaccia serving as a teaser to rich, velvety chicken liver parfait (topped with grape jelly made from the pub’s own vines) plus Melba toast-style sourdough, and an unexpectedly liberal smoked duck breast salad interlaced with a creamy mustard rémoulade. To follow, crisped-up pieces of tender, slow-cooked shoulder of Penstone lamb arrive flanked by an intricately layered potato terrine, braised leeks, peas and deep, earthy thyme jus. On Sundays, roast beef sirloin is perfectly pink and tender, served with textbook roasties, a giant Yorkshire pud and seasonal vegetables.

Poached pears from a relative's garden brought a light and floral note to our flawless almond tart, which was given a further dimension with cinnamon mascarpone and a refreshing pear sorbet. Locally brewed Devon ales, including the pub’s own-label Muddy Duck, are offered alongside Devon lagers, Sandford Orchards cider and an eclectic list of over 40 wines, nearly half of which are sold by the glass.

The team behind the Empire Café reopened this much-loved neighbourhood boozer in spring 2025, and its new guise is respectful of its heritage, ticking all of the proper pub boxes: dark walls and velvet curtains creating a cosy atmosphere, a polished wood bar dolled up with shiny brass accessories, plus a tray of oysters on ice at one end waiting to be shucked to order. The interior of the flatiron-shaped building is lined by a continuous burgundy-leather banquette, encouraging chat between tables of regulars and first-timers. It’s a pub for and of its community. One fan marvelled at the balance of serving 'world-class food' while 'maintaining an air of working-class Leeds'.

The menu nods to pubs of all stripes, from chophouses to Desi to sandwiches-on-the-bar boozers. Bone-in sirloin steaks from Sykes House Farm are ordered in inch-thick increments, cooked on an eight-foot woodburning grill that fires the kitchen – custom-built to fit into a former fireplace – and served with a lick of peppercorn sauce. A dish of smoked mussels in a Pernod-spiked shellfish bisque atop fire-toasted sourdough, has been highly commended, as have Sunday wood-fired roasts of half-chickens or whole beef rump served pink.

A separate selection of bar snacks is enough to tempt anybody – half-pints of shell-on prawns, sausage rolls baked to order and served warm on a paper doily with homemade brown sauce, slices of ham carved off the joint and warmed through on the fireplace with butter-brushed dinner rolls, presented alongside a dedicated mustard menu. And everyone praises the grown-up versions of Black Forest gâteau, brûléed banana split, and other nostalgic puds.

The bar features well-managed cask ales, perfectly poured Guinness, local keg brews and a fridge of Belgian beers, as well as a dozen rotating single malts (all served from optics) with prices ranging from post-work sharpener to post-meal extravagance.

The beloved Old Wharf Inn has been ‘a staple part of Stourbridge’ since reopening its doors in 2019 following an extensive renovation. The name and the location overlooking the Stourbridge Canal basin might summon up nostalgic echoes of heavily laden barges and the Industrial Revolution, but the wooden-floored interior now has a stylish contemporary look. The menu offers an appealing blend of modern pub food and Mediterranean-accented flavours, and the kitchen is renowned for its mighty portions. Punchy snacks such as spicy devilled eggs open proceedings, ahead of, say, monkfish and ‘nduja stew or Devon White chicken leg with parsley sauce, pickled girolles and charred Evesham corn. For afters, affogato and sticky date pudding await. ‘Breakfast is great, but Sunday lunch is fantastic,’ declares one local fan, no doubt musing on the Aubrey Allen striploin of beef. Given that Stourbridge wine merchants Nickolls & Perks are co-owners of the pub, it’s no surprise that the compact list has been carefully curated; otherwise, four rotating hand-pulled ales please the beer brigade. ‘Efficient, welcoming staff’ are regularly mentioned in dispatches.

Of the many endorsements we’ve received for this smartly remodelled Victorian hostelry, ‘the locals’ local’ is the one we like best. Most visitors make a beeline for the Harbour Arm, especially during summer, so the Radnor Arms’ 'west end of town' location doesn’t get much passing trade and can feel like a real find. Yet this is the kind of prototype pub that every neighbourhood needs: divided equally between drinkers and diners, it scores heavily with its warmly welcoming service and value for money.

The rotating selection of guest ales and local beers, including the ‘best Guinness in Folkestone’, keeps drinkers on their toes, and the Southeast Asian thread that weaves deliciously through the modern menu is starting to attract attention – thanks to talented Filipino head chef Niel Talan. In the stylish dining room, you can eat a pork and prawn Scotch egg, a spiced buttermilk chicken burger with Kewpie slaw and pickled cucumber, or a first-class Sri Lankan fish curry. But there’s also good eating to be had, in more straightforward dishes such as grass-fed ribeye steak with Café de Paris butter and fries, or a designed-for-sharing wood-fired whole bream with smoked beurre blanc that one fan couldn’t resist finishing solo – ‘it was that good’.  

Moderation isn’t easy here, especially when the enticing selection is boosted by must-order sourdough flatbreads straight from the oven (the beating heart of the open-to-view kitchen). And desserts are no afterthought either, if our light, creamy Basque cheesecake was anything to go by. Bring an appetite. Like the food, the wide-ranging wine list is inexpensive and good quality, with a fair choice in the £20-£40 bracket and a decent selection by the glass (from £6.50).

Dunkeld is something of a foodie hot spot, and if you want a pub – particularly on a sunny day – then The Taybank is a must. In summer, the outdoor space feels like a festival, with fairy lights strung through the trees and terracing leading down to the river Tay. Big open marquees offer protection from both sun and rain – sometimes at the same time. The outdoor bar and kitchen dispense local beers and spirits, along with freshly prepared wood-fired pizzas and street-food snacks. Once summer has ended, the venue itself is an equally tempting proposition. Lunches are served in the rustic, cosy downstairs bar with seasonally changing dishes defined by produce from the owners' nearby four-acre, ‘no-dig’ walled garden – perhaps tempura cauliflower and courgette flower with crowdie or pickled radishes with cod’s roe. Larger dishes offer Scottish classics with a twist – say Cullen skink in a brandade or cured sea trout with whisky ponzu. Dinners are served in the elegant upstairs restaurant and could offer whole grilled brill with sriracha butter to share. Sunday lunches are popular and hearty.

Opened under new ownership at the end of 2023, this old red brick pub on a city-centre backstreet has a deceptively large and modern interior. For drinkers, there’s a bar and a cosy snug (along with high-quality real ales and cider on tap), while diners have various options: a section off the bar with round tables as well as seating for couples, a first-floor space (the Gallery) for private parties, and a bright ground-floor ‘Orangery’ overlooking the little urban garden.

Like the decor, the food is contemporary in style – a collection of small and large plates (available all-day on Fridays and Saturdays) served by enthusiastic young staff who also get an honourable mention from readers. There’s ambition here, both in the drinks selection (pairings from the well-thought-out wine list are offered with main courses) and the food, which incorporates fusion assemblies as well as pub food of the burger/meat-platter ilk.

Results can vary, with the stars at inspection being an expertly judged ‘small plate’ of three ox cheek tacos (tender meat and crunchy cucumber salsa, topped with a generous squiggle of spicy chermoula), and a moreish pudding of warm carrot and pecan cake with delectable ‘beurre noisette’ cream cheese and ice cream. Less accomplished was a ‘large plate’ of smoked tofu laksa (one of several diverting vegetarian options), where authentic Asian flavours were hard to discern among the general creaminess. A convivial hubbub and a groovy soundtrack of obscure 60s and 70s tunes (chosen by the staff) add to the vibe, and we've had abundant praise for the Sunday roasts.