The Big 7 Travel magazine has released its top 30 best pubs for a pint in England, which is a hard thing to narrow down. Not a list we’d like to try and compile, but a list we’d like to try. From tiny village pubs to stunning coaching inns and all in between, England has some fantastic spots to enjoy a pint. Pubs filled with historic interiors and roaring fireplaces serve up real ale in a stunning setting.
Four of the 30 pubs featured on the list can be found in Yorkshire, which isn’t a surprise to us. We love to sup. So, what are the spots featured in the travel magazine’s list?
At number 27 on the list, the Yorkshire Dales pub The Craven Arms in Appletreewick is the first to be featured. Writing about the pub, Big 7 Travel highlighted the real log fires, gas lighting and properly cask-conditioned beer as reasons why this traditional pub features on the list. And we’d have to agree. It’s the perfect spot to finish a walk in the Dales, and it also serves up some banging grub.
Next on the list, we head to the Steel City, Sheffield, and the famous pub The Grapes. Narrowing down a good ale pub in Sheffield is hard enough, with the city being known as one of the best places for independent breweries in England. The classic pub interiors and locally brewed beer were the reasons chosen for its inclusion.
The smallest pub in York, The Blue Bell, features at number seven on the list. Established in 1798, the current interior dates back to a 1903 refurbishment, and the building itself is Grade II listed. It has five permanent cask ales on draught, with several more changing guest ales, so the selection never feels stale. The interiors are intimate and traditional, making it a great escape from the busy medieval streets of York.
And finally, an interesting addition to the list is Birch Hall Inn, the smallest pub in Yorkshire, which takes second place thanks to being described as a “genuine time capsule”. Don’t get caught out like we did — it’s a cash-only spot consisting of two tiny drinking rooms and a sweet shop separating them (only in Yorkshire!). The current management has owned the pub since 1981.
Check out the full list of the 30 Best Pubs for a Pint in England here.
Read More: 42 Yorkshire Pubs Featured in The Telegraph’s Best Pubs in the UK for 2026
