Leeds’ The Highland Laddie named Britain’s best pub
Leeds pub The Highland Laddie has taken top spot as The Good Food Guide has unveiled its first-ever list of Britain’s 100 Best Pubs.
Celebrating the resilience and evolution of the nation’s pub scene, and despite widespread closures, the Guide’s editors say the list highlights a new era of “proper pubs with proper food and proper beer” — a cause for optimism across the industry.
A new number one for Yorkshire
Topping the list for 2025 is The Highland Laddie in Leeds — a 100-year-old city-centre pub recently reopened by Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton, also behind Leeds’ Empire Café.
After spotting the pub for sale on Rightmove, the duo reimagined the space with a fresh energy and a menu that blends casual comfort with culinary creativity.
Sam and Nicole said: “We are absolutely over the moon to be recognised as The Good Food Guide’s No.1 pub in Britain! We’re even more thrilled to be flying the flag for Leeds and Yorkshire.”
Readers’ favourite and regional standouts
Reader nominations also helped shape this year’s results, with The Broad Chare in Newcastle taking home the Readers’ Choice Award. Owner Terry Laybourne said: “We all enjoy a little recognition, and this one is extra special as it comes directly from our customers — the people at the very heart of what we do.”
Other top performers include The Kinneuchar Inn in Fife (No.2), The Beckford Arms in Wiltshire (No.4), and The Pelican in London (No.7), reflecting how independent operators and small hospitality groups continue to redefine the modern British pub experience.
Editor’s insight: pubs with purpose
Chloë Hamilton, editor of The Good Food Guide, said the rankings showcase how pubs are thriving by staying true to their roots.
“We went searching for the pubs that nail the drinking and dining side of the equation,” she explained.
“It turns out the harder you look, the more you find — and they’re not all hidden away in the Cotswolds. The Highland Laddie, a city-centre slam dunk, is a very good case in point.”
Honouring heritage and innovation
Among this year’s notable entries is The Eagle in Clerkenwell — one of the UK’s first self-described ‘gastropubs’, still serving the same big flavours that helped define the movement back in 1991.
In second place, The Kinneuchar Inn in Fife earned praise for its hyper-local menu built around produce from the Balcaskie Estate.
Elsewhere, strong showings from hospitality groups like the Beckford Group (The Beckford Arms, No.4), The Pickled Egg Pub Co. (The Radnor Arms, No.5) and the Public House Group (The Pelican, No.7) demonstrate how scale, when managed with care, can enhance rather than dilute a pub’s personality.
Top 10 Pubs in The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Pubs 2025
- 1. The Highland Laddie, Leeds
- 2. The Kinneuchar Inn, Fife
- 3. The Merry Harriers, Surrey
- 4. The Beckford Arms, Wiltshire
- 5. The Radnor Arms, Kent
- 6. The Greyhound Inn, Suffolk
- 7. The Pelican, London
- 8. The Abbey Inn, North Yorkshire
- 9. Inn at The Sticks, Carmarthenshire
- 10. The Pack Horse, Derbyshire
- To view the full list, visit The Good Food Guide.
(Pics: Ricky Hart)
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