The country’s best gastropubs have been revealed in an annual list compiled by The Morning Advertiser. Those ranking 100-51 were revealed earlier in the week, but The Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs 2022 were announced in an invite-only hospitality industry shindig in Manchester on Monday 24th January.
Hundreds of chefs, pub owners and restaurateurs from all over the UK flocked to the Ticket Hall at Escape to Freight Island to find out what position their venue ranked in the highly rated annual guide. The event also recognised which pubs were rated best for Front of House, Best Newcomer and One to Watch.
The Top 50 Gastropubs list, now in its 13th year, ranks the UK’s best gastropubs according to the votes from more than 400 gastropub owners, food critics and other industry experts.
First place was awarded to Suffolk’s The Unruly Pig which was crowned the UK’s finest, moving up from last year’s Highest Climber category. Described as winsome, warm and witty and loved by many, The Unruly Pig is one of five East Anglian pubs topping this year’s list, more than ever before - with a further ten in the Southwest, four in the West Midlands and Wales,18 in the Southeast and London and five in the Northwest.
Top 50 Gastropubs, Publisher, Chris Lowe said: “After a tough two years for the hospitality industry, we are thrilled to see such a strong list of contenders this year, including a new number one and several new entrants! The Top 50 Gastropubs provides a platform for food-lovers to explore the very best offerings across the UK. We are delighted to host this year’s event in Manchester for the first time, highlighting the range of talent across the UK. I’m incredibly delighted for Brendan and everyone at The Unruly Pig to get the number 1 spot.”
This year there were 10 new entries on the list with the Highest New Entry revealed as Adam Handling’s The Loch and The Tyne, in Windsor. Adam’s take on the traditional pub menu showcases the best of British produce with a huge emphasis on sustainable practices and features ingredients on the menu from its own vegetable garden and orchard.
Sally Abé’s The Blue Boar in central London was voted One to Watch by the judges for its menu reflecting the very best of British pub dining, whilst Dylans The Kings Arms in St Albans won Front of House team of the year and The Princess of Shoreditch in East London, headed up by Great British Menu’s Ruth Hansom, earned Newcomer of the Year.
James Healey, UK Country Manager for Estrella Damm, said: “This is the seventh year that we have sponsored the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub Awards, an awards ceremony that celebrates high calibre ingredients, culinary excellence and innovation, qualities that are also shared by Estrella Damm. We want to extend our congratulations to all 50 gastropubs on the list and hope more pub-goers are lucky enough to experience their talent in 2022.”
The gastropub with the highest ranking within reasonable driving distance from Manchester was The Parkers Arms, Newton-in-Bowland in the Ribble Valley which was given the position of number two. The Freemasons at Wiswell near Clitheroe, run by Steven Smith who had the enviable task of catering for the event, came in at number five.The White Swan at Fence came in at number 26 ahead of The Moorcock at Norland Moor (30) and The Pack Horse Hayfield (number 32.)
Here's The Full Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs 2022:
1 The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge
2 Parkers Arms, Clitheroe
3 The Star Inn at Harome, Harome
4 The Angel at Hetton, Hetton
5 Freemasons at Wiswell, Clitheroe
6 The Sportsman, Whitstable
7 The Guinea Grill, London
8 The Fordwich Arms, Canterbury
9 The Mariners, Rock
10 The Hand & Flowers, Marlow
11 The Beehive, White Waltham
12 The Kentish Hare, Bidborough
13 The Coach, Marlow
14 The Cornish Arms, Tavistock
15 The Harwood Arms, London
16 The Red Lion and Sun, London
17 The Pyne Arms, Barnstaple
18 The Rat Inn, Anick
19 The Broad Chare, Newcastle Upon Tyne
20 The Hardwick, Abergavenny
21 The Bull & Last, London
22 The Masons Arms, Knowstone
23 The Pipe and Glass, Beverley
24 The Longs Arms, South Wraxall
25 The Swan, Bampton
26 The White Swan at Fence, Fence
27 The Loch and The Tyne, Old Windsor
28 The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne
29 The French House, Soho
30 The Moorcock, Norland Moor
31 The Shibden Mill Inn, Shibden
32 The Pack Horse, Hayfield
33 Heft, High Newton
34 The Felin Fach Griffin, Brecon
35 The Five Bells Inn, Cullompton
36 St Kew Inn, Bodmin
37 The Castle Inn, Castle Combe
38 The Canton Arms, Stockwell
39 The Higher Buck, Waddington
40 The Duck Inn, Pett Bottom
41 The Hovingham Inn, Yorkshire
42 The Plough, Coton
43 The Three Hills, Bartlow
44 The Hind's Head, Bray
45 The Dog at Wingham, Wingham
46 The Bell Inn, Langford
47 The Black Bear Inn, Usk
48 The Cadeleigh Arms, Tiverton
49 The Bailiwick Free House, Egham
50 The Cross, Kenilworth
For the full list, visit www.top50gastropubs.com