Six Welsh pubs have been named among the best in the UK in The Good Food Guide's second annual list of 100 Best Pubs in Britain. Carmarthenshire's Inn at the Sticks moved up one place to number nine, making it the only Welsh venue in the top 10.
Wales' highest-placed pubs
The Felin Fach Griffin, just outside Brecon, is the next highest Welsh entry at number 32. Cardiff's Heathcock claims a spot at 59, while Pontypridd's The Bunch of Grapes returns at 95. All four appeared in the list for 2025's inaugural outing.
New Welsh entries this year include Michelle Evans' Old Point House at Angle, the relocation of the former Paternoster Farm, which was a Good Food Guide favourite before moving nearer the coast in spring 2026. The pub serves home-grown and home-reared produce as well as local fish and seafood, with dishes like crab butter, homemade focaccia and slow-cooked meats now joined by added pub snack-style extras. The Old Point House enters the list in 86th place.
Newcomers and returning favourites
At 98 is the Bryntirion Inn near Bala, located on and owned by the Palé estate. The pub opened its doors in May this year at the gates of the five-star Palé Hall Hotel, following a £1 million refurbishment that refreshed the venue while retaining its landmark decor. Dating back to 1695, the pub was added to the Michelin guide in autumn 2025, less than six months after reopening.
Wales' top-rated pub, the Inn at the Sticks in Llansteffan, has been a pub since 1809, when it was known as the Union Hall Inn, and has been a hotel since 1881. The building became Grade II listed in 2002 before being taken over by its current owners, Teej Downs and Tracey Jenks. Last year the venue won the Welsh title for The Good Food Guide's Best Local Restaurants 2024.
Heathcock is a Cardiff dining spot and holder of a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand. The pub was brought back to life by Sarah and Tom Watts-Jones, who also own two affiliated bakeries.
Pub highlights and industry context
Another favourite of The Good Pub Guide and The Good Food Guide, Felin Fach Griffin sits between The Black Mountains and Bannu Brycheiniog. It offers local ales from breweries including Brecon Brewing, Antur Brew Co., Wye Valley, Rhymney Brewery, Monty's and Waen, alongside a roaring fire.
The Bunch of Grapes has been part of Pontypridd's hospitality scene since 1851, featuring an on-site microbrewery and a best-of-Welsh menu, and hosts events and food pop-ups. Its owner, Nick Otley, is a former magazine photographer who shot stars including Jude Law, Jason Statham, Kylie Minogue, and models Erin O'Connor, Sophie Dahl, and Iman.
Adam Hyman, owner of The Good Food Guide, commented: "While our industry continues to adapt to the new norm of what running a hospitality business looks like in Britain, our Best Pubs list once again shows that some of the best food and hospitality can be found in pubs."
The overall winner of the list is The Queens Arms in Eccles, Greater Manchester, widely recognised as the oldest passenger railway pub in the world, which took top spot for its mix of historic Victorian pub and Japanese Izakaya. The six Welsh pubs in the 100 Best Pubs are: Inn at the Sticks, Llansteffan; The Felin Fach Griffin, Brecon; Heathcock, Cardiff; The Old Point House, Angle, Pembrokeshire; The Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd; and The Bryntirion Inn, Bala.
