Top Gastropubs for a Day Trip from London
Time Out has released its 2026 ranking of the 21 best gastropubs in the UK, highlighting four exceptional venues that are just a short train ride from London. These gastropubs combine the best of British pub culture with fine dining, offering menus that rival top London restaurants.
The Wellington, Margate
Ranked third on Time Out's list, The Wellington in Margate serves hearty French-inspired dishes in a cozy setting. The handwritten menu changes regularly, focusing on whole-carcass butchery. Dishes include lamb with roast shallots and runner beans, lamb faggots with crushed peas, and duck breast with crispy leg, duck fat toast, and chicory. Chef and co-owner Billy Stock previously cooked at St. John, The Marksman, and Rochelle Canteen.
Killingworth Castle, Wootton
Just over an hour by train from London, the Killingworth Castle in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds ranks sixth. Known as 'The Killy,' this pub has welcomed travelers since 1637 and became a gastropub in 2012. The menu features Cotswold lamb, roasted monkfish, and chicken liver parfait on chicken-fat brioche. Time Out writer Phil de Semlyen noted that 'the pillowy slices of home-baked treacle bread are worth the journey on their own.'
The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge
Located in Woodbridge, Suffolk, The Unruly Pig is reachable by rail in just over 90 minutes. Its menu honors British ingredients with an Italian twist, changing seasonally. Past dishes include Orkney scallop crudo, grilled octopus with potato puree and 'nduja dressing, sirloin steak tagliata, and Iberico pork presa with cheek raviolo and stuffed courgette flower. It offers a three-course lunch from Monday to Friday for £35 per person, making it one of the best value gastropubs on the list.
The Bull, Charlbury
At number 17, The Bull in Charlbury is an hour and five minutes from London. Taken over by James Gummer and Phil Winser in 2023, the same team behind west London pubs The Pelican, The Hero, and The Fat Badger, it serves dishes like raw local beef with mustard, garden-fresh veg with pork and apple, and homemade soft-serve ice cream. Other highlights include the Bull Pie filled with chicken and ham in gravy, velvety short rib with onion, and sticky toffee pudding.
