Surrey

Feeling peckish? Right on cue, like a perfectly timed medium-rare fillet, the <a href="https://www.top50gastropubs.com/list/1-50" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Estrella Damm</a> list of the country’s finest gastropubs has landed. Compiled by a bunch of 350 of the UK’s top foodie folk and pub pros, it’s basically the gastropub Oscars – minus the awkward speeches.



This year, just one Surrey pub made the cut. Step forward <a href="https://merryharriers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Merry Harriers</a>, which didn’t just sneak in but rocketed from number 44 to a very respectable spot just outside the top 10. Not bad at all.



Elsewhere, it was less celebratory news for The Bailiwick Freehouse in Englefield Green, which sadly dropped off the list altogether after previously holding the number 60 spot. Ouch.



At the very top, things felt snoringly familiar. The Unruly Pig in Woodbridge, Suffolk – number one for the last three years – finally shuffled down to second place, making room for last year’s runner-up, The Devonshire in Soho. A change, yes, but not exactly a radical one.



And while the judges may not see Surrey as a gastronomic wonderland (we’ll politely disagree), anyone who actually eats out here knows the county is packed with cracking gastropubs serving seriously good food. Perhaps the panel just likes to stick with the usual suspects. 



Meanwhile, plenty of the pubs on the list are right on our doorstep. Which means fewer excuses, shorter journeys, and one very obvious next move. Race you to the table.







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-merry-harriers-hambledon-no-18"><a href="https://merryharriers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Merry Harriers</a>, Hambledon (No. 18)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1020" height="1390" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/The-Merry-Harriers-food-01.jpeg" alt="Plates of food at The Merry Harriers in Hambledon, Surrey.
" class="wp-image-63762" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/The-Merry-Harriers-food-01.jpeg 1020w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/The-Merry-Harriers-food-01-587x800.jpeg 587w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/The-Merry-Harriers-food-01-734x1000.jpeg 734w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/The-Merry-Harriers-food-01-294x400.jpeg 294w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/The-Merry-Harriers-food-01-768x1047.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px" /></figure>



What they say: a historic pub in the picturesque village of Hambledon with origins dating back to the 16th century. At the end of 2023 the pub was taken over by the innovative team of Alex Winch and Sam Fiddian Green, owners of the successful farm-to-table restaurant Hilltop Kitchen near Godalming. The daily changing menu is inspired by great British classics and its ethos of ‘farm to fork dining’ centres around locally grown and seasonal produce based on what comes from their own farm.



What we say: Whilst the Merry Harriers has taken a gorgeously stylish turn, it’s the food that has tongues wagging. 



Between them, Alex and Sam bring serious culinary credentials, with experience from top kitchens in London, Australia and Italy. They may have added a touch of star-quality swagger to Hambledon, but at heart this is still very much a proper village pub.



The menu changes daily and is tightly curated but never fussy, leaning into gloriously rustic plates that champion Hilltop Kitchen’s farm-to-fork ethos. In short: thoughtful cooking, beautiful ingredients, and the sort of food that makes you plan your next visit before you’ve finished the first course. <a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/pubs-inns/review-the-merry-harriers-hambledon-godalming-surrey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read our full review here.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-loch-amp-the-tyne-old-windsor-no-23"><a href="https://www.lochandtyne.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Loch &amp; The Tyne</a>, Old Windsor (No. 23)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="925" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/Loch-and-Tyne-Justin-DeSouza-154.jpeg" alt="Food plated up at Loch and Tyne Restaurant in Berkshire." class="wp-image-63760" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/Loch-and-Tyne-Justin-DeSouza-154.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/Loch-and-Tyne-Justin-DeSouza-154-800x493.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/Loch-and-Tyne-Justin-DeSouza-154-1000x617.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/Loch-and-Tyne-Justin-DeSouza-154-400x247.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/01/Loch-and-Tyne-Justin-DeSouza-154-768x474.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



What they say:&nbsp;Adam Handling is a foodie force who has extended his brilliance into the pub world, opening The Loch &amp; The Tyne in 2022. The venue is a pub and restaurant with rooms, with a luxury finish and décor that tells a story. Diners are presented with a good selection of menus, including lunch, tasting and à la carte. In 2024, it also swooped Estrella Damm’s Sustainable Pub of the Year.



What we say:&nbsp; Another jewel in Berkshire’s foodie crown – and handily just a short hop over the Surrey/Berks border – Adam Handling’s The Loch &amp; The Tyne in Old Windsor continues to fly the flag for great gastropub dining. This marks its fifth year running on the list, which is no small feat. The ethos here is refreshingly no-nonsense: minimal waste, hyper-local sourcing, and ingredients that are either carefully chosen from nearby producers or grown in the raised beds tucked behind the pub. Clever, thoughtful cooking that just happens to come with a pint? We’ll happily cross county lines for that.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-little-further-but-still-worth-travelling-for-try-one-of-these-beautie-s">A little further but still worth travelling for&#8230; try one of these beauties:</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-berks">BERKS</h2>



<a href="https://www.crownburchettsgreen.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Crown</a>, Burchetts Green (No. 22)



<a href="https://www.thecrownatbray.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Crown at Bray</a>, Bray (No. 89)



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kent">KENT</h2>



<a href="https://thedog.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dog</a>, Wingham (No. 12)



<a href="https://www.thekentishhare.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Kentish Hare</a>, Tunbridge Wells (No. 21)



<a href="https://www.fordwicharms.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Fordwich Arms</a>, Canterbury (No. 19)



<a href="http://thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Sportsman</a>, Seasalter (No. 26)



<a href="https://www.bucksheadsevenoaks.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bucks Head</a>, Sevenoaks (No. 90)



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sussex">SUSSEX</h2>



<a href="https://www.thehorseguardsinn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Horse Guards Inn</a>, Tillington, near Petworth (No. 90)







<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BUCKS</h2>



<a href="https://www.thecoachmarlow.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Coach</a>, Marlow (No. 29)&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.thehandandflowers.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The&nbsp;Hand &amp; Flowers</a>, Marlow (No. 68)&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.fiveelmsweedon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Five Elms</a>, Weedon (No. 79)



<a href="https://theoarsman.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Oarsman</a>, Marlow (No. 81)



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-london">AND LONDON</h2>



<a href="https://www.devonshiresoho.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Devonshire</a>, Soho (No. 1)







<a href="https://www.theredlionandsun.com/index" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Red Lion &amp; Sun</a>, Highgate (No. 3)



<a href="https://cantonarms.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canton Arms</a>, Stockwell&nbsp;(No. 11)



<a href="https://www.thebaring.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Baring</a>, Islington (No. 17)



<a href="https://www.marksmanpublichouse.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marksmand Public House</a>, Hackney (No. 23)



<a href="https://theherow9.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Hero</a>, Maida Vale (No. 24)



<a href="https://www.thekerfieldarms.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Kerfield Arms</a>, Camberwell (No. 25)



<a href="https://www.watermansarms.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Waterman&#8217;s Arms</a>, Barnes (No. 33)



<a href="https://www.thetamilcrown.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Tamil Crown</a>, Islington (No. 35)&nbsp;



<a href="https://thebullandlast.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bull &amp; Last</a>, Highgate&nbsp;(No. 39)



<a href="https://www.theknaveofclubs.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Knave of Clubs</a>, Shoreditch (No. 43)



<a href="https://www.frenchhousesoho.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The French House</a>, Soho (No. 47)







See the full list of <a href="https://www.top50gastropubs.com/list/1-50" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 50 Gastropubs here</a>.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-"></h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-might-also-like">YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE&#8230;</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/best-pub-sunday-roasts-surrey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Muddy guide to the best Sunday roasts across Surrey</a></li>



<li><a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/restaurant/the-michelin-stars-in-surrey-and-surrounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shine bright! Surrey&#8217;s Michelin restaurant stars</a></li>



<li><a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/uk/hotels-inns/best-michelin-hotels-surrey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michelin names the best hotels &#8211; and Surrey shines bright</a></li>
</ul>

The UK’s best 100 gastropubs in 2026 revealed – including Surrey’s finest!

You may also like