You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to pubs in Tunbridge Wells. There’s even an annual Tunbridge Wells Pubs Cup competition run by Marcus Novius!
But which are the best pubs in Tunbridge Wells? And more importantly, do they have Harvey’s Best Bitter on draught?
The Best Tunbridge Wells Pubs
In my opinion, these are the best five pubs in Tunbridge Wells…
- Saint John’s Yard
- Fuggles Beer Cafe
- The Guinea
- The Mount Edgcumbe
- The Opera House
1. Saint John’s Yard
I’m not the only one giving Saint John’s Yard the top spot. It’s won the Tunbridge Wells Pub Cup for the past four years!
Located right up at the top of town, Saint John’s Yard is a bit of a walk – but it’s worth it. Friendly staff. A huge beer garden. £6 burgers on a Sunday. What more could you possibly want? No wonder it’s often packed full of regulars.
They also serve a decent pint of Harvey’s and stock a good range of spirits, including Pipehouse Gin!
2. Fuggles Beer Cafe
Is Fuggles a pub or a bar? I’m not 100% sure. They call themselves a “beer cafe”. But they won CAMRA’s West Kent Pub of the Year in 2017, so I’m including them here.
Fuggles was created in 2013 and has ranked #1 for places in Tunbridge Wells on Foursquare ever since! Fuggles Tonbridge followed in 2017.
They have a huge selection of the best British and European beers, a hipster food menu, and they were onto the gin craze nice and early. Find a rare beer you like? You can probably buy some cans or bottles from Fuggles to takeaway!
3. The Guinea
The old ‘Guinea Butt’ on Calverley Road became The Guinea in 2017 and then went through a full transformation in 2018.
It’s now one of my favourite Tunbridge Wells pubs! A great selection of beers, ales and lagers. A high-quality food offering. And a mega happy hour – all of their cocktails are just £5 Monday to Friday from 5 – 9 pm.
If live music is your thing, The Guinea have a load of different acts and events popping up, as well as a fortnightly quiz night
4. The Mount Edgcumbe
Hidden away in the middle of Tunbridge Wells Common is The Mount Edgcumbe – a gastropub with a difference!
Mount Edgcumbe was actually one of the first places I ever went to for food in Tunbridge Wells and I’ve been back several times. Their Sunday lunch is particularly good and great value too.
They were also the very first place to start serving Pipehouse Gin! And if that isn’t enough to convince you to check them out… The surprise quirk of Mount Edgcumbe is the cave. Yep, it’s a pub with its very own cave!
5. The Opera House
Ok, so you wouldn’t normally expect to see any Wetherspoon pubs on a “best pubs” list. But The Opera House is no ordinary ‘Spoons!
The drinks and food are exactly what you’d expect – cheap and cheerful – but the building is rather special.
As the name suggests, this pub is set inside a restored Edwardian Opera House! That’s pretty special. It’s got to be one of the most interesting Wetherspoons pubs in the UK.
The Best of Tunbridge Wells
This blog post is part of my The Best of Tunbridge Wells series. Click here to discover the best restaurants, gyms, barbers, hotels, and more, in Tunbridge Wells.
