The Rat Inn in Anwick, Northumberland, has earned glowing recommendations from TV stars and a leading food critic, who called it 'cosy as hell on a blustery night at the very edge of the Roman Empire.'
The pub, ranked 8th in a list of the country's best gastropubs earlier this year, is a favourite of actress Brenda Blethyn, who told ChronicleLive she and Vera executive producer Will Nicholson loved to eat there during breaks in filming. The award-winning actress spent 10 years in the region filming the ITV crime drama.
Michael Palin's praise
Michael Palin also spoke warmly of the pub during an appearance on BBC Breakfast last year, saying: "One of my favourite pubs in the country is called The Rat. It's up in Northumberland; it's the most beautiful pub, with lovely food and marvellous view over the river and all that. Whenever I go up there I go to The Rat."
The pub, which offers views of the Northumberland landscape from its beer garden and is a spot for stargazing, also received a visit from food critic Giles Coren. Writing in The Times, he described it as a 'stonking' beer pub and referenced the stargazing done there.
A proper country pub
The Rat Inn is located in Anwick, not far from Hexham, and is well-regarded as a place to warm up by the fire and enjoy hearty food as autumn approaches. The pub was delighted with Coren's review.
