Top 50 gastropubs in the UK for 2023 named: ‘Parkers Arms’ in Lancashire is No.1

Britain’s best gastropubs for 2023 have been named – and the Parkers Arms in Lancashire has snapped up the top spot.

The award was handed to the Newton-In-Bowland eatery by the prestigious Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs Awards at a ceremony at The Unruly Pig in Woodbridge, Suffolk – last year’s number one and this year’s silver medal winner. The ranking’s top five is completed by Freemasons at Wiswell in Wiswell, Lancashire (third); The Sportsman in Seasalter, Kent (fourth), and The Kentish Hare in Tunbridge Wells, Kent (fifth).

This year, Scotland’s highest entry, Edinburgh’s The Scran and Scallie, ranks 38th, while Wales’ top-performing pub, The Felin Fach Griffin in Brecon, comes 30th. Below is the lowdown on the mouthwatering top 10. Scroll to the very bottom to see the ranking in full, which lists a grand total of 100 pubs… 

1. Parkers Arms, Newton-In-Bowland – Lancashire

The best gastropubs in the UK for 2023 have been named by the prestigious Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs Awards – and Parkers Arms (above) in Lancashire is number one 

The judges say that you can expect ‘plates of food served with the intention of filling you up’ at Parkers Arms

Rising in the ranks from second place to first, Parkers Arms is described as a ‘little gem’ that ‘takes pride in sourcing local produce from the very best suppliers’.

What’s on the menu? The judges say that you can expect ‘plates of food served with the intention of filling you up’ paired with local cask ales and a wine list that ‘caters equally to cheerful lunches or long, indulgent suppers’.

Female-owned, the pub is headed up by Kathy Smith and Stosie Madi, and lies ‘deep within’ the Lancashire Hills.

The judges note that it’s ‘possibly the most idyllic pub’ on the list, adding that its ‘isolated location works in its favour, commanding stunning views of rolling hills whether you visit in summer or winter’.

2. The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge – Suffolk 

Landing in second place, Suffolk’s The Unruly Pig is housed in a 16th-century inn with ‘beams, crooked ceilings, log burners and a lush, green garden’

The judges say that head chefs Dave and Karl (left) are the ‘real powerhouse’ behind the kitchen team at The Unruly Pig. The pub serves food that’s ‘a pleasant cross between British and Italian (Brit-Italian) cuisine’

Housed in a 16th-century inn with ‘beams, crooked ceilings, log burners and a lush, green garden’, this Suffolk eatery is owned by the ‘witty and charismatic’ Brendan Padfield, who founded the pub following a 36-year career in law.

Described as ‘winsome and warm’, the pub serves food that’s ‘a pleasant cross between British and Italian (Brit-Italian) cuisine, giving diners a refreshing change from the usual pub fare’.

The judges at this year’s awards – now in its 14th year – reveal: ‘Head chefs Dave and Karl are known as the “dynamic duo” and are the real powerhouse behind the entire kitchen team.’ Menus change at least monthly and there are more than 60 wines available by the glass, as well as Cask Marque-accredited (a prestigious ale accreditation) and hand-pulled beers.

3. Freemasons at Wiswell, Wiswell – Lancashire

Third-place Freemasons at Wiswell (pictured lower right) is set in the pretty Ribble Valley village of Wiswell

Freemasons at Wiswell is headed by chef-patron Steven Smith (left). He ‘fuses locally sourced ingredients and his love of the classics with wild, sharp world flavours’

Set in the pretty Ribble Valley village of Wiswell, this pub ‘blends the ultimate gastronomic experience in a stylish, relaxed atmosphere’, the judges reveal.

Headed by chef-patron Steven Smith, the pub’s food is ‘all about contrast – experimental meeting traditional’. The judges say: ‘Smith fuses locally sourced ingredients and his love of the classics with wild, sharp world flavours… creating a delicious roster of food you have to experience to believe.’

You might feast on butter-poached native lobster tail with crispy claw wontons followed by a serving of Amalfi lemon meringue pie. 

The judges add: ‘As well as serving many outstanding dishes, Smith has launched an accommodation offering and his own spin on a chef’s table following a big refurbishment and revamp of the business, which was completed in 2019.’

4. The Sportsman, Seasalter – Kent

 Landing in fourth place is The Sportsman in Kent, where chef-patron Stephen Harris makes sure that produce served is sourced almost exclusively from the surrounding land

The judges note that The Sportsman is ‘remarkably affordable for an eatery of its standing’

‘Many foodies the world over have made a holy pilgrimage to The Sportsman in Seasalter, Kent, to sample the delights served within its walls,’ the judges say of this eatery.

Chef-patron Stephen Harris makes sure that produce served at the pub is sourced almost exclusively from the surrounding land, the judges reveal.

They say: ‘Harris,…