A railway tavern in Eccles is named Britain's best pub

The Queens Arms in Eccles, Greater Manchester, is Britain's best pub in the Good Food Guide's 100 Best Pubs 2026, The Morning Advertiser reports. The ranking was announced on 2 November at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

The winner: a 19th-century railway tavern serving Japanese izakaya-style food. It beat The Cow in Notting Hill, London, into second place. The Highland Laddie in Leeds came third.

Closer to home: two more Manchester pubs made the list. The Marble Arch is at number 36 and The Trof is at number 76.

How it works: the list is chosen by the Guide's editors and regional inspectors after public nominations. It is made with Timothy Taylor's Landlord. The Compasses Inn in Tisbury, Wiltshire, took the Readers' Choice title and ranks sixth.

Also in there: 20 of the pubs also appear in the 2026 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs, including The Abbey Inn in Byland, North Yorkshire, at number 10.

Go if: you fancy skewers and a pint in an old railway pub, or a good Sunday out of the city. The full 100 is on the Good Food Guide website.