Lancashire's Parkers Arms named UK's best gastropub
The gastropub, which was last year ranked number two in the annual list, claimed the top spot, pushing last year’s number one Suffolk’s The Unruly Pig into second place.
Parker Arms is run by chef-patron Stosie Madi and business partner Kathy Smith and has built a strong reputation for its regularly changing menu of dishes based around seasonality and availability. The pub is also currently ranked number 44 on the list of the UK’s Top 100 Restaurants.
This year’s highest climber was The Cadeleigh Arms in Tiverton, which rose 31 places from last year to number 17 on the list. Tucked away in the hills above the River Exe, the dog-friendly gastropub is known for its welcoming charm.
There are five new entries on this year’s Top 50 list including The Baring in London, which is the highest new entry at number 23; Adam Handling’s The Loch & the Tyne in Old Windsor (number 32); and The White Horse in Norfolk (34).
Other awards announced include One to Watch, which was given to The Victoria Oxshott, in Surrey, while The Oarsman in Marlow was awarded Newcomer of the Year. Brook House in Fulham won best Front of House Team, and Chef of the Year went to Tom De Keyser, head chef of The Hand & Flowers in Marlow.
“We are thrilled to see such a strong list of contenders this year, including five new entrants,” says Top 50 Gastropubs publisher Chris Lowe.
“The Top 50 Gastropubs provides a space for food and drink lovers the opportunity to explore the best that the UK has to offer.”
The south dominated this year’s list, claiming 22 of the Top 50 gastropubs, with 16 venues based in the north of the UK.
The Top 50 Gastropubs 2023 list:
1 Parkers Arms, Newton-In-Bowland
2 The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge
3 Freemasons at Wiswell, Wiswell
4 The Sportsman, Seasalter
5 The Kentish Hare, Tunbridge Wells
6 The Angel at Hetton, Hetton
7 The White Swan at Fence, Fence
8 The Hand & Flowers, Marlow
9 The Fordwich Arms, Kent
10 The Red Lion and Sun, London
11 The Mariners, Rock
12 The Cornish Arms, Tavistock
13 The Harwood Arms, London
14 Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax
15 The Coach, Marlow
16 The Beehive, White Waltham
17 The Cadeleigh Arms, Tiverton
18 The Pack Horse, Hayfield
19 Pyne Arms, Barnstaple
20 The Black Swan, Ravenstondale
21 The Moorcock Inn, Sowerby Bridge
22 The Guinea Grill, London
23 The Baring, London
24 The Masons Arms, Knowstone
25 Canton Arms, London
26 The Rat Inn, Anick, Hexham
27 The Pipe and Glass, Beverley
28 The Longs Arms, South Wraxall
29 The Dog at Wingham, Canterbury
30 The Felin Fach Griffin, Brecon
31 The Hardwick, Abergavenny
32 The Loch and The Tyne, Old Windsor
33 The Bull & Last, London
34 The White Horse, Brancaster
35 The Black Bull, Sedbergh
36 The Swan, Bampton
37 The Bell Inn, Langford
38 Scran and scallie, Edinburgh
39 The Dog & Gun Inn, Skelton
40 The Duck Inn, Stanhoe
41 The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne
42 The Black Bear Inn, Usk - Wales
43 Heft, High Newton
44 The Broad Chare, Newcastle
45 Woods, Dulverton
46 The Gunton Arms, Norwich
47 The French House, London
48 The Eagle, Farringdon, London
49 The Butchers Arms, Hepworth
50 Royal Oak, Whatcote
