Walkers, book browsers and the literary glitterati all flock to this creaky 17th-century inn, with heavy black beams, low ceilings and features incorporated from a 14th-century predecessor built at the same time as Hay Castle. The atmosphere is as cosy as you'd hope such a place would be and the food is a hearty but refined take on pub fare.
Every Friday sees jazz played in the front bar, from 8.30pm.