Nottingham
Carved into the cliff below the castle, this atmospheric alehouse claims to be England's oldest pub. Founded in 1189, it supposedly slaked the thirst of…
Must-see nightlife in The United Kingdom
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Anglesey & the North Coast
Born out of a collaboration between four Welsh craft breweries (Purple Moose, Conwy, Nant and Great Orme), this heritage-listed 1920s boozer is a serious…
Belfast
In a cobbled alleyway off buzzing Hill St, the snug, traditional Duke feels like a living museum. There's regular live music; local band Snow Patrol…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
The monarch of London's after-hours scene, Fabric is a huge subterranean rave cave housed in a converted meat cold store. Each room has its own sound…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Seasoned with age and decades of ale-quaffing patrons (including Charles Dickens, who lived on the same road, and DH Lawrence), this old-school pub boasts…
Leeds
So successful has this craft brewery become that its beers are now stocked in UK supermarkets. But it's best drunk at the source, in the brewery's Grade…
Leeds
A former textile mill and one-time grotty dive pub, the historic building that now houses Headrow House was given a hefty makeover to transform it into…
North Star Coffee Shop & General Store
Leeds
This minimalist cafe and coffee emporium is attached to the production facility of Leeds' first independent roastery, near the Royal Armouries. Watch the…
Oxford
Squeezed down an alleyway and subdivided into endless nooks and crannies, this medieval rabbit warren dates from around 1381. The definitive Oxford pub,…
Leeds
Locals have Laynes to thank for the complete reinvention of the Leeds coffee scene; when it opened in 2011 there was nothing else like it in the city. Now…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
In an area famous for its edgy, don't-give-a-damn attitude, this exquisite cocktail bar stands out for its classiness and cocktail confidence. The drinks…
Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Behind the Fox & Anchor's wonderful 1898 art-nouveau facade is a stunning traditional Victorian boozer, one of the last remaining market pubs in London…
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Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Behind a nondescript, gold-knobbed door just north of the Old Street roundabout is this bona fide speakeasy, pouring award-winning libations from a four…
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Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
In a line of small riverside cottages facing wooded Oliver's Island (where Cromwell is alleged to have taken refuge), this excellent pub looks straight…
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Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court
The riverside location and fine food and ales make this bay-windowed pub – on the site of a former friary – a winner. There are entrances for low and high…
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London
Down a darkened alley through the eerie evening quiet of Smithfield Market is an unlikely spot for one of London's best cocktail bars, but the journey of…
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South Cornwall
At the bottom of a hill by Restronguet Creek, this thatched inn is one of Cornwall’s landmark pubs, in situ since the mid-1600s. It’s the picture of a…
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Notting Hill & West London
On a comparable spiritual plane to Paris' Shakespeare and Company bookshop, this eccentric, time-warped and convivial boho bar-cafe has been serenading…
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The West End
Perpetually busy, the pint-sized Lamb & Flag is full of charm and history: there's been a public house here since at least 1772, when it was known as the…
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The West End
Home of the Lonely Street, Concrete Jungle and other house cocktails named after iconic songs collected in the 'Savoy Songbook', the seriously dishy…
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Whitby
Walkers are pleased as punch when they find this place on the clifftop behind Whitby Abbey. There's just enough room inside the modern brew plant for…
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Notting Hill & West London
This classic tavern on the brow of Campden Hill Rd has history, nooks and charm on tap. Alongside a decent beer selection and a solid gastropub-style menu…
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Belfast
In a city full of buzzing bars, the Sunflower is an authentic corner pub, free from gimmicks and commercial glitz. There are local craft beers on tap, a…
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Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
Tucked away like a hidden seam, Discount Suit Company is one of the city's finest speakeasies – though on weekends you'll see that this closet-sized space…
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Belfast
At the Titanic Hotel, one of Harland & Wolff's two historic drawing offices has been transformed into a light-filled bar with an impressive barrel-vaulted…
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London
There's something Great Gatsby–ish about The Ned hotel: the elevated jazz pianists, the vast verdite columns, the classy American-inspired cocktails. Of…
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Plymouth
This gloriously unreconstructed Barbican boozer is all scuffed tables, padded bench seats and an authentic, no-nonsense atmosphere. Feeling peckish? Get a…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Dating from 1650 and hosting Bonnie Prince Charlie's soldiers in 1745, this history-steeped black-and-white inn was valiantly restored by local…
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The Midlands & the Marches
Dating from the 14th century, and claiming a resident ghost, Worcester's oldest and grandest pub retains original features, including timber panelling and…
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Oxford
For a summer-evening riverside drink, central Oxford holds no finer setting than the Thames-facing terrace of this imposing former warehouse – hence the…
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Aberdeen
The winner of Scotland’s Best Cocktail Bar 2017 is a relaxed and welcoming spot, quietly confident in its wide-ranging knowledge and expertise. Offers…
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North York Moors National Park
This microbrewery began life in a garage in 2011 and surprised even itself when its beer won a prestigious CAMRA Beer Festival award within the first two…
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Manchester
Occupying what was once the Victorian Gothic ground floor of the Refuge Assurance Building, this is not just Manchester's most beautiful bar, but arguably…
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Manchester
The year 2018 saw the revival of one of Manchester's legendary club nights, advertised as 'a non-stop exotic disco for homos, heteros, lesbos and don't…
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The West End
For a dose of colonial glamour with a touch of Oriental elegance, the sumptuous (often crowded) bar at the Langham hits many marks. Its cocktails (from …
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Kensington & Hyde Park
In a part of town traditionally bereft of choice, the K Bar is a reassuring presence. A hotel bar maybe, but don't let that stop you – the place exudes…
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Glasgow
This social enterprise cafe and venue incorporates a thrift shop and coworking space. But don't just come for the cause; it's a cracking spot in its own…
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Edinburgh
The decor at the Royal Dick alludes to its past as the home of Edinburgh University's veterinary school: there are shelves of laboratory glassware and…
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Nottingham
Rotating brews at this beer specialist include several from its own Nottingham-based Magpie Brewery, made from British hops and malts, plus hand-pulls…
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Oxford
This relaxed 17th-century tavern remains one of Oxford’s nicest pubs for a sturdy pint or glass of wine. Thomas Hardy wrote (and set) parts of Jude the…
