Throughout my years dwelling in Dublin, I found that there’s one measure, above all else, by which most Irish decide a pub. It’s not by the ambiance, meals or worth for cash – it’s by the standard of the Guinness.
’Is it an excellent pub?’ I’d ask my Irish housemate Cormac. If it was, his easy response can be: ’Ah positive, it does an excellent Guinness.’ It didn’t matter if the pub was an unheated tin shack on the aspect of a motorway; if its Guinness was cool, creamy and held its form, Cormac would price it extremely.
As any Guinness drinker will inform you, it’s not all served equally. Diageo (the proprietor of Guinness) sends out ’high quality groups’ to make sure a pub’s ’black stuff’ meets sure requirements.
Religious publicans obsess over their pump strain, cleansing routine and pouring method, whereas lots of of social media accounts are devoted to exposing the very worst Guinness being served.
In 2025, Guinness launched a ’Harp ranking’ – their equal of the Michelin Information for his or her finest 35 pubs within the UK.
Solely half of those institutions, nevertheless, make our Each day Mail finest Guinness checklist; in any case, I’d wager whoever was giving the rankings at Guinness hadn’t made it to 1,000-plus pubs within the UK earlier than giving their ranking.
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Hughie de Zulueta bravely spent the final ten years looking for Britain’s finest pint of Guinness
Guinness is now Britain’s hottest pint, accounting for one in each 9 bought. We’ve all heard about Guinness shortages and so-called Guinnfluencers ’splitting the G’ – the place drinkers use their first sip to carry the road of their pint right down to the horizontal stroke on the emblem’s G – however what about Britain’s finest pint of Guinness? The place is that discovered?
I’ve spent the previous ten years looking for the nation’s finest pint of the black stuff. My hunt, quietly documented on Instagram (@pint_of_the_black_stuff_please), has taken me to greater than 1,000 pubs nationwide – and I’ve now settled on my best possible ones.
So whether or not you’re planning Paddy’s Day or deciding the place to go for a quiet pint, that is my definitive checklist of Britain’s 50 finest pubs for a Guinness.
Be aware: To keep away from skewing outcomes, this checklist excludes Northern Eire. Many individuals consider that Guinness is solely higher on the island of Eire, and by no means fairly hits the identical large heights abroad – a view I subscribe to.
LONDON
Angie’s Free Home (Maida Vale)
If there have been a primary place on this checklist, Angie’s may be it. The genius of Angie’s is its humble simplicity – it’s one sq. room with a bar on the again, seven screens across the sides displaying all totally different sports activities (though it doesn’t really feel like a sports activities bar), a convivial native crowd, music at weekends, no meals (only a ’BYO’ coverage), and an absolute cream pint of Guinness. At £4.50 a pint, it’s additionally the very best worth in London. I used to be hesitant to incorporate Angie’s – wanting to maintain it my secret – so, you possibly can thank me later!
Coach & Horses (Covent Backyard)
Run by the identical Irish household because the Eighties, the Coach & Horses prides itself on its Guinness. The classic purple faucet field from which the Guinness is drawn is the primary giveaway that this institution takes its black stuff critically. Nevertheless, it’s solely once you style it that you simply realise it’s a ten/10 pint (and hits even higher alongside one in every of their scorching sandwiches).
The Auld Shillelagh (Stoke Newington)
That is the pub most frequently cited because the ’finest pint of Guinness within the UK’, and never with out good cause. The Auld Shillelagh (pronounced: ’Outdated-shil-ay-lee’) lights up that a part of north west London with its conventional Irish music (’trad’), dwell Gaelic (’GAA’) sports activities displaying, and devotion to persistently serving cool, creamy, black custard pints.
(theauldshillelagh.co.uk)
The Cow (Notting Hill)
The very first thing you discover about The Cow is its vitality and bustle. The second factor is that everybody’s on the Guinness. Drinkers are shoulder to shoulder and plates of oysters are handed round whereas the legendary barman, Petro, oversees proceedings. When you’re fortunate, you may even see David Beckham within the nook (it is allegedly his favorite spot for a Guiney-pig).
(thecowlondon.com)
The Devonshire (Soho)
Opened solely just lately in 2024, The Devonshire now sells extra pints of Guinness than another pub within the UK, reportedly round 20,000 per week. The brainchild of hospitality legend Oisin Rogers, you’d be forgiven for pondering the pub was created solely to have a good time the black stuff. Drawing 1000’s to its doorways every week, it’s additionally one of many few locations in Britain that gives Guinness Zero on faucet.
(devonshiresoho.co.uk)
The Grenadier (Belgravia)
Tucked away down a quiet cobbled avenue, The Grenadier is now owned by Manchester United proprietor and billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The pub is the namesake inspiration behind his current automotive manufacturing enterprise with the ’Grenadier’ 4×4 (a mannequin is now completely parked outdoors the pub). The Guinness? First-rate, and finest loved within the wood-panelled inside alongside a serving of their beef Wellington.
(grenadierbelgravia.com)
The Guinea Grill (Mayfair)
A Mayfair establishment based in 1675 (with a pub on the positioning courting again to the 1420s), The Guinea Grill predates Guinness itself (1759) and has probably been serving the drink since its first brew. To today the pub prides itself on an excellent pint of the G – a truth that’s right down to that Guinness whisperer, Oisin Rogers (creator of The Devonshire), who, till just lately, presided over the bar. Order the Welsh rarebit, nurse an ideal pint, and spill out on to the mews together with your Guinness in hand.
(theguinea.co.uk)
The Nags Head (Belgravia)
With its well-known no-phones coverage, The Nags Head takes you again to when there was no know-how and no-nonsense. Love or detest their coverage, it serves a textbook pint of Guinness. Silky easy, wealthy with roasted malt, and unimaginable to fault. A Guinness-first pub in each sense – simply do not even take into consideration checking your cellphone whilst you drink it.
The Scarsdale Tavern (Kensington)
A rustic pub within the coronary heart of Kensington, The Scarsdale feels prefer it’s been transported straight out of the Cotswolds. A favorite hang-out of locals, and famously the positioning of Piers Morgan’s Christmas occasion – however don’t let that put you off. The Guinness right here is surprisingly easy and served in a heat, wood-panelled setting the place pints movement freely.
(scarsdaletavern.co.uk)
The Sheephaven Bay (Camden)
Probably the most dependable pint in Camden: an Irish pub dedicated to the black custard, and it exhibits – poured slowly, served chilly, with a thick, velvety head that lingers. You are surrounded by a full of life crowd, with the black champagne popping daily of the week.
(sheephavenbaycamden.co.uk)
The Toucan (Soho)
There is just one cause anybody goes to The Toucan: Guinness. Frankly, I’m not totally positive it even serves one other drink. That is much less a pub and extra a shrine to the black stuff. The partitions are decked in classic Guinness advertising, the bar stools resemble fake Guinness barrels, and the cabinets are stocked with Tayto crisps. The pour? Flawless. If you would like a pint in London that tastes as if it was poured in Dublin and teleported straight to you, that is the place to go.
(thetoucansoho.co.uk)
The Uxbridge Arms (Notting Hill)
Set on a quiet avenue in London’s fashionable Notting Hill, The Uxbridge Arms is owned by native Irishman Philip O’Sullivan – a person who has refined the almost good Guinness. Whether or not it is the gap from the barrels to the faucets, the pipes’ cleansing regime, or the pour itself, O’Sullivan has perfected a really positive Guinness certainly. Professional tip is to order a portion of their UFC (Uxbridge fried rooster) alongside your drink.
(theuxbridgearms.com)
THE SOUTH EAST
Oddfellows Arms (Pulborough, West Sussex)
A countryside haven on the sting of the South Downs. In a county stuffed with ale, this can be a beacon for the Guinness-lover. Like a moth to a flame, let your self be drawn in for his or her cool creamy pint, poured with care.
The Fiddlers Elbow (Brighton)
The undisputed king of Guinness in Brighton, this basic Irish pub is all the time buzzing and pouring the very best pint within the metropolis. Count on dwell sport, roaring laughter, and that thick, creamy Guinness that adheres to the glass all the best way down.
(fiddlerselbow.pub)
THE SOUTH WEST
Crown & Anchor (Ham, Wiltshire)
A hidden gem within the quaint Wiltshire village of Ham. The wood-panelled entrance bar serves as the guts of the pub, overseen by Ben, the barman who pours a Guinness that wouldn’t be misplaced in Dublin. It’s barely off the crushed monitor however well worth the journey for a quiet pint and a packet of their fiery chilli crackers. They’ve a really welcoming canine coverage; final time I used to be there, a cheerful pack of 4 golden retrievers stole the present.
(crownandanchorham.co.uk)
New Inn (Clovelly, Devon)
One of many extra stunning locations I discovered an excellent Guinness was whereas heading down the steep, cobbled streets of this privately owned harbour village in North Devon. An absolute rocket ship-level Guinea-pig is the very last thing you count on. However moving into the New Inn and ordering a pint of the black stuff is a should. It’s as crisp, cool, calm, and picked up a pint as I’ve had. I pressed the owner for his secret sauce however did not pry that data out of him.
(thenewinnclovelly.co.uk)
The Brunel (Bristol)
A Clifton favorite, famend for its Sunday roast, bingo nights, and, importantly, an excellent pint of Guinness. Poured with endurance and care, this black elixir is easy, wealthy, and possesses a construction that would have been crafted by Isambard Kingdom Brunel himself.
The Kings Arms (Didmarton, Gloucestershire)
South Gloucestershire’s best: muddy boots, welcome canine, and reliably good Guinness. Pair it with a recent pizza from the outside oven, and you’ve got a near-perfect pub cease.
(butcombe.com)
Seamus O’Donnells (Bristol)
A tiny Irish bar filled with character, cabaret and Guinness memorabilia. Trinkets cowl the partitions and dwell music retains the place full of life. Practically all drinkers go for a Guinness; a telltale signal {that a} pub means enterprise – and it does, delivering a very creamy hit.
Warren Home Inn (Dartmoor, Devon)
Probably the most distant pubs within the South West – perched excessive up within the Dartmoor Nationwide Park – the place the log fireplace has been burning continuous for greater than 150 years (it allegedly hasn’t been extinguished since 1845!). A pint of Guinness sat subsequent to the well-known fireplace seems like a reward – easy, warming, and deeply satisfying after a windswept stroll throughout the rugged panorama.
(warrenhouseinn.co.uk)
EAST OF ENGLAND
Coach Home Resort (Royston, Hertfordshire)
A gray flint mattress and breakfast set alongside Newmarket Highway. The Coach Home’s drab, bleak exterior deters most passers-by and conceals its true id because the anything-goes Ushuaia of East Anglia. If you may get previous the Tottenham Hotspur-loving barman, you may end up having fun with a really sincere Guinness certainly – a number of I’d wager, requiring you to verify in for the evening in one in every of their rooms.
(coachhousehotel.co.uk)
The Jubilee (Norwich, Norfolk)
Tucked away on a quiet metropolis centre nook, The Jubilee is Norwich’s unassuming Guinness Mecca. No fuss, no fanfare – only a textbook pour each time. Chilly, creamy, and completely settled, it is the very best pint within the metropolis.
Shamrock (Ipswich, Suffolk)
The 2 large shamrocks on the outside are a useless giveaway that the Shamrock pub is severe about its Guinness. A suspicion that proves appropriate. It serves one of many sturdiest Guinness; it holds at a pointy tilt, is all the time served on the proper temperature, and delivers each time. There is a regular stream of the black stuff flying off the bar, making it the very best pour in Ipswich – no contest.
MIDLANDS
The Outdated Contemptibles (Birmingham)
Victorian purple brick, oak panelling, and a bar that stretches so long as a cricket pitch. The Guinness advantages from the quick distance between barrel and pump, making certain it’s all the time recent, all the time easy, and all the time served with a flawless, creamy head.
(nicholsonspubs.co.uk)
The Noticed Canine (Birmingham)
An old-school, family-run slice of Eire within the metropolis centre of Birmingham. Reside trad music, a full of life crowd and a bar the place Guinness is poured with absolute care. This can be a correct Irish pub the place the black stuff is handled with the respect it deserves – and all us drinkers reap the advantages.
YORKSHIRE & HUMBER
The Blue Lion (East Witton, North Yorkshire)
Nestled within the Yorkshire Dales, East Witton’s The Blue Lion is each a haven for foodies and a dream for Guinness lovers. The bar employees – clad in white shirts and black waistcoats and ties – appear to be they’re Guinness personified. Regardless of the climate, a pint of Guinness, paired with one in every of their hearty major programs, is all the time the popular alternative right here.
(thebluelion.co.uk)
The Crown & Anchor (Barnsley, South Yorkshire)
A quintessential Yorkshire inn that includes a roaring hearth and an unwavering dedication to an excellent Guinness. It is served cool (not chilly) with a thick, enduring head – the kind you may carve your identify into.
(thecrownandanchor.com)
The Garrison (Barnsley, South Yorkshire)
Reside music, dwell sport and a Guinness pour that hardly ever misses, The Garrison is the beating Guinness coronary heart of Barnsley – the pints are flying out and the ambiance is all the time buzzing. And whereas the venue may be just a little rugged, the Guinness is a few of the smoothest on the market.
The Leeds Irish Centre (Leeds)
For greater than 50 years, this has been the Irish headquarters in Leeds. Right this moment, the Leeds Irish Centre boasts 4 lounges, dwell GAA, Irish dancing and a Guinness tradition that rivals Temple Bar. It’s positioned on the outskirts of the town, however stays a vital pilgrimage for lovers of the black stuff.
(theleedsirishcentre.co.uk)
NORTH EAST
Outdated George Inn (Newcastle)
The oldest pub in Newcastle, courting again to the 1500s and allegedly a favorite of King Charles I. Tucked simply off Market Road, it’s the very best spot for a Guinness within the metropolis – particularly when the barman works his magic on the froth, leaving markings on prime of your pint like a private signature. Simply beware the infant Guinness pictures they’re well-known for!
(socialpubandkitchen.co.uk)
Kirkstyle Inn & Sportsman’s Relaxation (Slaggyford, Northumberland)
A sporting inn in a quiet hamlet, the Kirkstyle underwent a significant renovation in 2023, and the outcomes are spectacular. Gourmand meals, good darts, and creamy pints await. Curiously, the Guinness right here is served in non-Guinness glasses – considerably of a rarity lately – and it appears to work. The pour is great, the pint easy and wealthy, and the journey out of your method is nicely price it.
(theksi.co.uk)
NORTH WEST
Duffy’s Bar (Manchester)
Set on an unassuming nook within the Chorlton space of Manchester, Duffy’s has turn into legendary for its Guinness. The Duffy household (Peter, his spouse Laura and their daughter Natalie) pour every pint with Irish love and precision. Easy, chilly, and completely settled, that is one in every of Manchester’s best Guinness.
Mulligan’s (Manchester)
Usually touted as ‘the very best Guinness in Manchester,’ Mulligan’s probably serves the best quantity of Guinness within the metropolis. It is a big area, and all the time busy. And if overactive pipes are the key to an excellent Guinness, then Mulligan’s positively has the sting. Subsequent to Deansgate, the purple paint, Guinness signage, and conventional woodwork give the outside a glance straight out of Dublin’s Temple Bar.
(mulligansofdeansgate.com)
O’Sheas (Manchester)
Primarily based on Princess Road, O’Sheas is weaved into the tapestry of Manchester tradition. The Pogues have performed right here, the Man United Class of ’93 partied right here, and Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley has drunk right here too. This can be a correct Irish bar, with dwell music, good meals (the O’Sheas egg is a should) and persistently sound Guinness.
(osheasirishbarm1.co.uk)
Pogue Mahone (Liverpool)
With its shut proximity to Eire and huge Irish inhabitants, Liverpool’s Guinness requirements are set excessive. However it’s this low-key pub – Pogue Mahone – which arguably comes out on prime within the metropolis for finest Guiney. Stepping inside is like stepping right into a celebration of Irish tradition, with nice trad music, improbable craic and crisp Guinness.
(apubcalledpogues.com)
Shenanigans (Liverpool)
One other Liverpool spot that proudly claims ’finest Guinness within the metropolis’ – and so they may be proper. Standing alone as a solitary constructing within the metropolis centre, it serves a pint that’s as creamy as they arrive.
(shenanigansliverpool.co.uk)
The Albert (Manchester)
Passing by The Albert within the Withington suburb of Manchester, you wouldn’t essentially assume to go in. When you did determine to enter, its sparse inside may make you query your self once more. Don’t be postpone! Proceed at tempo to the bar and order a Guinness that may gentle up the room for you. This can be a place the place those that know, know. And in relation to Paddy’s Day, they’re normally pretty beneficiant with their costs.
The Freemount (Manchester)
The Freemount, beforehand positioned on Oldham Road, is within the strategy of relocating (after failing to achieve an settlement on its lease). Wherever it settles for its new website, I guarantee you that the Guinness shall be simply pretty much as good as they’ve all the time served it. I, for one, shall be there straight after the opening to present it a strive. These are people who take their Guinness critically.
(thefreemount.co.uk)
The Salmon of Information (Manchester)
A pub devoted to the pursuit of Guinness perfection and enlightenment. The Salmon of Information serves a very creamy head, with a pint that holds its form. The pour is gradual and deliberate; making it a custardy hit. With a second website opening quickly, count on extra of the identical black magic coming to Manchester’s metropolis centre.
(thesalmon.pub)
The Station (Manchester)
I’ve not sufficient good phrases to say about this particular, unassuming place. Folks journey for miles to benefit from the Guinness right here. And for good cause. The Station is one in every of Didsbury’s best-kept secrets and techniques. Sit, benefit from the craic, have a Guinness, take one other (and one other), chat to your fellow drinkers, then stumble to the Domino’s subsequent door. You’ll go away glad and realising you may have relished Guinness of the best high quality.
(marstonspubs.co.uk)
WALES
Blue Bell (Cardiff)
Wales is not recognized for its Guinness, however The Blue Bell proves an exception. Close to Cardiff Fortress, it serves a pint pretty much as good as something throughout the Irish Sea. The amount of Guinness being drunk is a very good signal, and the style delivers.
(bluebellcardiff.co.uk)
The Bryn Hir Arms (Criccieth, Gwynedd)
Amongst all of the pubs on this High 50 checklist, The Bryn Hir Arms, nestled in rural Wales, is the one closest to Eire (solely 50 miles because the crow flies). Clearly, one thing has rubbed off from this proximity. It serves a cool pint of Guinness with a thick head, persistently creamy. An easy-looking spot with a beautiful backyard, nevertheless it’s the pint that retains individuals coming again.
Flute and Tankard (Cardiff)
Set in Cardiff’s metropolis centre, the Flute and Tankard serves if not the very best then definitely the town’s most constant pint of Guinness. The barman’s consideration to element is forensic, making certain high quality from barrel to pour and delivering a clear, fresh-tasting Guiney each time.
(thefluteandtankard.com)
SCOTLAND
Brazen Head (Glasgow)
At its core, the Brazen Head is a Celtic FC fan pub, boasting a vibrant ambiance – particularly on match days. Buses depart from the pub to the video games, and so they supply the best-value pint of Guinness round. It simply so occurs that additionally it is a easy criminal-level pint of the outdated G. The key certainly has one thing to do with all these Hoops followers frequenting the place week in, week out.
(brazenhead.internet)
Finnegan’s Wake (Edinburgh)
Located on Victoria Road in Edinburgh’s metropolis centre, Finnegan’s Wake is a basic Irish pub carried out proper. With dwell music, dwell sports activities, nice craic, and Guinness served because it should be.
(finnegans-wake.co.uk)
Jinty McGuinty’s (Glasgow)
Set on the cobbled stones of Glasgow’s Ashton Lane, Jinty McGuinty’s is the true deal – no gimmicks, no plastic shamrocks, only a correct Irish pub that takes its Guinness critically. The beer backyard even has a devoted Guinness patio; the proper spot to benefit from the black beauties served right here.
(jintys.co.uk)
Kay’s Bar (Edinburgh)
A tiny, hidden gem tucked off the crushed monitor, you wouldn’t choose Kay’s Bar at first look. Stepping inside although, the purple and wood-panelled interiors with an aged carpet exude pure appeal. Whereas away the afternoon in a spot that serves solely electric-grade Guinness.
(kaysbar.uk)
The Laurieston Bar (Glasgow)
The Laurieston Bar is a time capsule in central Glasgow. Each inside and outside, it appears to have remained unchanged because the Seventies. Thank God; if it ain’t broke don’t repair it – they discovered a components for nice Guinness and carry on delivering it. The pint is cool, creamy, holds its form, clings to the glass on the best way down, and hits house.
The Aragon Bar (Glasgow)
My favorite ingesting expertise on a current journey to Glasgow was at The Aragon Bar. Within the north west of the town, off Byres Highway with an unassuming exterior, the vacationer is unlikely to stumble throughout it. However those that know, know; The Aragon’s fame in Guinness circles precedes it. My go to right here was a black champagne-level occasion – a number of persistently high quality creamy Guiney-pigs adopted and I left extremely glad; you’ll too.
