Eats

These north west gastropubs have just been named as some of the top 50 in the UK

Pubs worth travelling for...

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 23rd January 2024

The UK’s Top 50 Gastropubs have been named, and there’s a great showing for the north west – including a reborn boozer right in the heart of Ancoats.

The Edinburgh Castle shot into the prestigious list for the first time, landing at an impressive 24th place.

The city centre pub wasn’t the only one on our doorstep to make the Estrella Damm UK Top 50 Gastropubs list either – The Pack Horse, just outside Greater Manchester in Hayfield, also snuck into the top 20 this year.

Last year’s top-placed pub, The Parkers Arms in Newton-in-Bowland, managed to stay in the top 10 gastropubs in the UK, ranking seventh.

The Parkers Arms is famed for its pies and its idyllic setting, and was the host venue for last night’s awards.

Also representing the north west was Freemasons at Wiswell, and The White Swan at Fence.

Over in Yorkshire, The Star Inn in Harome, previously shuttered by a devastating fire but reopened for about a year now, was awarded the eighth spot in the list.

And despite being open for less than a year, Gary Usher’s Cheshire pub The White Horse made it into the top 100 list.

Gary Usher's The White Horse made the Top 100 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group
Gary Usher’s The White Horse made the Top 100 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group
Gary Usher's The White Horse made the Top 100 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group
Gary Usher’s The White Horse made the Top 100 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group

Upon receiving the award news, The Edinburgh Castle wrote: “Not only were we delighted to be included in the @top50gastropubs but to have come away as number 24 in the UK is a huge accomplishment.

“Thank you to all our wonderful guests, our dedicated team and of course @top50gastropubs for including us. We can’t wait for the year ahead! Now, we celebrate…”

The Pack Horse Hayfield shared: “Well, there it is! Our 3rd year in the @top50gastropubs, our 2nd year in a row in the top 20!

“What an honour and a privilege it is to be among our peers, voted for by the industry, it will always be humbling and surreal.

“Massive thanks to the brilliant @theparkersarms for hosting against all the challenges they faced today, and a huge congratulations to @unrulypig on returning to the top. It is so deserved.”

The Edinburgh Castle has ranked highlight in the Top 50 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group
The Edinburgh Castle has ranked highlight in the Top 50 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group

The Parkers Arms said: “Delighted to place no 7 in the UK which places us number 1 in Lancashire on the @top50gastropubs list. Thank you to all that voted for us.”

And The White Horse, who placed 68th, said: “What an honour this is! So so proud and to be up there with some amazing other pubs! What a fantastic start to 2024.”

Ed Bedington, editor of the Morning Advertiser, the pub industry’s main publication and the founders of the awards, said: “Pubs are a beloved institution and part of the UK’s culture, and this list of the most astounding and impressive food pubs in the country is wonderful to see.

“Pubs serve so many roles to so many people, and for operators like the Unruly Pig and all of our list, to be able to offer amazing food and wonderful experiences, up there with some of the best in fine dining, is brilliant to see.”

The full list of the Estrella Damm UK Top 50 Gastropubs 2024

  1. The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge
  2. The Cornish Arms, Tavistock
  3. The Mariners, Rock
  4. The Fordwich Arms, Canterbury
  5. The Sportsman, Seasalter
  6. The Red Lion & Sun, Highgate, London
  7. Parkers Arms, Newton-in-Bowland
  8. The Star Inn, Harome
  9. Freemasons at Wiswell, Wiswell
  10. The Hand & Flowers, Marlow
  11. Heft, High Newton
  12. The Harwood Arms, Fulham, London
  13. The Angel at Hetton, Hetton
  14. The Rat Inn, Hexham
  15. The Bridge Arms, Canterbury
  16. The Dog at Wingham, Wingham
  17. The Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax
  18. The Gunton Arms, Thorpe Market
  19. The Pack Horse, Hayfield
  20. Pyne Arms, Barnstaple
  21. The Coach, Marlow
  22. The Beehive, White Waltham
  23. The Broad Chare, Newcastle
  24. The Edinburgh Castle, Manchester
  25. The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe
  26. The Baring, Islington, London
  27. The Kentish Hare, Tunbridge Wells
  28. The Pipe & Glass Inn, Beverley
  29. The White Swan at Fence, Fence
  30. The Longs Arms, Bath
  31. The Bull & Last, Islington, London
  32. The Black Bear, Usk
  33. The Dog & Gun Inn, Skelton
  34. The Woolpack, Stroud
  35. The Barrington Boar, Barrington
  36. The Parakeet, Kentish Town, London
  37. The Masons Arms, Knowstone
  38. The Abbey Inn, Byland
  39. The Black Bull, Sedbergh
  40. The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea, London
  41. The Bulls Head, Craswall
  42. The Loch and The Tyne, Windsor
  43. The Guinea Grill, Mayfair, London
  44. The Dew Drop Inn, Hurley
  45. The Killingworth Castle, Wootton
  46. The Canton Arms, Stockwell, London
  47. The Double Red Duke, Clanfield
  48. The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne
  49. The Scran & Scallie, Edinburgh
  50. The Bull, Charlbury

Read more

Featured image: The Manc GroupTi

Eats

Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers

The Pen and Pencil, an absolute staple for brunches and drinks in the Northern Quarter, is celebrating a major milestone this month with a huge party and some unbeatable deals. 

The bar and restaurant will be marking 10 years on Tariff Street in September – and it’s only right that we all pile in to celebrate with them. 

This spot is one of the city’s original bottomless brunch venues and is similarly famed for its happy hour offerings, and opened in 2015 to bring a taste of Manhattan to Manchester. 

Pen and Pencil took its name from the infamous New York City bar that was seen in Mad Men. 

And now as it turns 10 years old, it’ll be throwing one big party on Saturday 27 September, featuring 10 hours of DJs, free pints of Red Stripe at 10pm, and a special bottomless brunch offering. 

Those DJing on the day will include Drag Race UK’s Banksie, as well as Les Croasdaile, Mark Hogg, Danny Ward and A Deeper Groove.

Pen & Pencil has amazing deals for its 10th birthday
Pen & Pencil has amazing deals for its 10th birthday
Pen & Pencil is a Northern Quarter OG
Pen & Pencil is a Northern Quarter OG

The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party will kick off from 2pm and run until late – but if you can’t make that one, there’ll be celebrations all week (and, indeed, month) long. 

On Tuesday 23 September, you’ll be able to play for double prize money in The Pen and Pencil quiz, as well as enjoying happy hour drinks all night. 

Then on Friday 26 September, it’ll be an all-night happy hour, with free tequila shots at 10pm and music from DJs Nev Johnson and Gareth James from 7pm. 

All September long, there’ll be 50% off food every Monday, two-for-£10 cocktails every Wednesday, £10 burgers every Thursday, happy hour all night on Fridays, 10 dishes for £10 and two bloody Marys for £10 on Sundays, plus DJs on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers

There’s a new colourful art installation outside the venue inspired by the bar’s New York roots.

Owner Kevin Connor said: “We’re really excited to be celebrating being part of the Manchester community for ten years! 

“New York’s Pen and Pencil was a classic steak and cocktail joint, and we’re proud to have created our very own iconic Northern Quarter hangout. We hope everyone will join us in celebrating ten years on Tariff Street.”

Walk-ins are welcome for The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party on Saturday 27 September, but booking is encouraged – book your spot HERE. 

Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Manchester restaurant to give out FREE katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

In what is a small stroke of genius, a restaurant chain has decided to give out free katsu curries to anyone called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’.

Throughout September, award-winning restaurant chain Banana Tree – which has a Greater Manchester site down at Salford Quays – is shining the spotlight on its popular katsu creations, and as a clever way of celebrating National Katsu Day on 27 September has announced a pretty unique giveaway. 

That’s right – the restaurant will be serving up katsu dishes to people called Kat, Sue, and every delicious variation of the names in between.

Anyone named Kat, Katie, Katherine, Sue, Suzy, Susan, Suzanne – or close enough to qualify, the list goes on – can head to their local Banana Tree restaurant, and all they’ll need to do is show proof of name and they can enjoy a free katsu dish of their choice, worth up to £16.75.

The chain’s kastu lineup includes three star dishes.

First there’s the much-loved Katsu Curry, as well as the all-new Katsu Burger, which is made from either a crispy chicken or veggie fillet, spicy mayo, puffed noodle crunch, and a drizzle of Katsu sauce tucked into a soft Shokupan bun with a side of salt n pepper chilli chips. 

Then there’s also the intriguing newcomer, the Katsu Carbonara – which is described as being a daring East-meets-West mash-up and ‘unapologetically’ Banana Tree.

Banana Tree is giving away 1000 free katsu curries to celebrate its launch in Salford
Banana Tree is giving away free katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’ / Credit: Banana Tree

With each of these dishes usually priced around the £16 mark, the giveaway isn’t just a way of marking National Katsu Day, but it’s also a way to sample the some of the restaurant’s biggest crowd-pleasers entirely free of charge.

To avoid any confusion on who makes the cut, Banana Tree will reveal the full qualifying list of name variations on Instagram soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

“Our Katsu range is one of our proudest creations, so National Katsu Day felt like the perfect moment to have some fun with our fans,” a Banana Tree spokesperson said ahead of the giveaway.

Read more:

The free katsu offer is available for four days only from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, and you just need to head to the Banana Tree website to sign up to the Big Flavour Club here.

Featured Image – Banana Tree

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