Top 50 Gastropubs

Top 5 gastropubs to visit this Christmas

By Amelie Maurice-Jones | 02/12/2022

Let’s be honest, Christmas is all about the food. Forget carols, crackers, and flying reindeers. The pigs in blankets, Bucks Fizz, cheese board, yule log and mounting box of chocolates are what really make the day.  

That’s why we’ve rounded up the best places to tuck into a festive feast this December. After two years of thwarted trading, Britain’s best gastropubs are pulling out all the stops to celebrate the flavours of Christmas.  

The Higher Buck, Waddington, Lancashire 

The Higher Buck’s Christmas plans kick off with a glass of Bucks Fizz just after noon on the big day.  

Guests will then be seated with a first course of Gin & Juniper cured salmon caviar, complete with shallots and capers.  

Smoked Duck breast with game scotch egg and Fillet of Brill with crab and Champagne butter sauce also feature on the £130 menu, as does Roast Lancashire Turkey with all the trimmings. 

Chocolate Orange Bar with Christmas pudding ice cream will round off the festive offering and a veggie menu is available on request. 

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 

A post shared by The Plough Coton (@theploughcoton)


The Plough
, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire  

This Cambridge-based pub is offering a broad selection with customers able to pick and choose a starter, main and dessert from its £41.50 Christmas Party Menu.  

Mains range from the Christmas-classic Roast Turkey Breast with all the trimmings, to Coq au Vin, mash & roast turnips to Stuffed Munchkin with curried butter beans & braised root veg. 

There’s a similarly impressive spate of starters, which include veggie options (Honey Roast Parsnip & Apple Soup, Baked Camembert with toasted focaccia, bacon crumb & red onion jam) as well as gluten free options (King Prawns poached in garlic, chilli & samphire butter, Game Terrine, tomato chutney, pickled radish, beetroot & mustard seeds). 

If you have room for dessert, Christmas Pudding and Orange & Grapefruit Tarte Tatin are on offer. There’s also Apple & Blackberry Strudel served with cinnamon ice-cream, and Burnt Cambridge Cream accompanied by shortbread & macerated berries. 


The Bailiwick Free House
, Egham, Surrey 

This free house in Surrey vows to showcase the “very best” of Surrey’s produce on its £65 Christmas menu which is designed to spoil you “as all proper festive feast should”. 

The festivities open with a Luxury Shellfish Cocktail which unites lobster, prawn & dressed Cornish crab with pickled cucumber, gem lettuce, Marie Rose and caviar.  

Roast Turkey Christmas Parcel is the name of the main course, which is accompanied by cranberry & orange stuffing, Brussel sprouts, smoked bacon and duck fat roast potatoes. 

For dessert is the aptly named Christmas Bauble. This is spiced cinnamon & orange parfait with candied cranberries, clementine and mulled wine jelly. Mince pies are then served as the final flourish.

The Canton Arms, Stockwell, south London 

The Canton Arms shows Christmas is all about sharing goodwill. In the pub’s signature style, its Christmas Feasting Menu is designed for the whole table to share. Dishes will be placed in the middle of the table, with three courses costing £44 per person.  

There are three starters: Plates of House-cured Charcuterie & pickles, House Beetroot Cured Salmon and Roast Forge Farm Pumpkin which is served with trevisse, pomegranate and hazelnuts. 

There’s no turkey on offer, and instead the Stowell-based pub have pushed the boat out with Chicken and Smoke Ham Pie and/or Rare Roast Denver Beef with madeira gravy for the main course. Accompanying this will be dauphinoise potatoes, dressed watercress and buttered sprouts. 

To top this all off, Pear, Chocolate & Almond Galette with Crème Chantilly is the dessert of choice. Mixed cheese plates can also be ordered as an extra on the day. 

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 

A post shared by Canton Arms (@cantonarms)



The Beehive, White Waltham, Berkshire 

While the Beehive is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, it’s offering a £50 Christmas Party menu to keep up the festive cheer in the runup to the big day. 

Starters on the three-course menu including Roast Butternut Squash Soup complete with croutons & crème fraiche. There’s also Smoked Salmon & Prawn Cocktail with pickled cucumber, chervil & toast. Chicken Liver & Duck Parfait is also an option, as is Crisp Pork Fritter. 

Traditional Roast Turkey with chipolatas, cranberry sauce & gravy is the staple Christmas main dish. There’s also a fish option – Pan-Fried Sea Bream with winter ratatouille, black cabbage & parmesan gnocchi, and oxtail & smoked bacon pie. Vegetarians are not left out, with a Chestnut & Mushroom Pithivier also on offer. 

Desserts include British classics Christmas Pudding and Treacle Tart, and chocolate lovers can pick a Milk Chocolate Parfait. There’s also British Cheese available for those with a savoury tooth.  

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 

A post shared by The Beehive, White Waltham. (@thebeehivetweet)