Best Pubs in Hexham

A Pint in Hexham: The Town's Best Pubs

Hexham sits at the heart of Tynedale, surrounded by farmland and fells, and its drinking culture reflects that: proper real ales, roaring log fires, historic buildings, and a welcome that feels genuinely unhurried. Whether you're after a nationally acclaimed gastropub, a centuries-old coaching inn, or a buzzing Wetherspoon in a converted Art Deco cinema, Hexham and its surroundings have something worth raising a glass to.

The Rat Inn, Anick

A mile north-east of Hexham in the tiny hamlet of Anick, The Rat Inn has earned a reputation stretching far beyond Northumberland. It has featured in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs for 14 consecutive years, landing at number 8 in 2026, and head chef Phil Mason was crowned Pub Chef of the Year by the Craft Guild of Chefs in 2023. The menu is seasonal and changes daily on a blackboard, using produce from local farms — but this is still very much a proper pub, with a warm, unfussy feel and views across the Tyne Valley to match any dish on the plate.

Dipton Mill Inn

About two miles south of Hexham along Dipton Mill Road, the Dipton Mill Inn is the tap house for Hexhamshire Brewery, one of the region's most respected small breweries. The brewery was founded in 1992 and now operates from the pub's own beer garden, meaning the ales — Shire Bitter, Whapweasel, and Shire Gold among them — travel no further than a few metres before they reach your glass. It has been named CAMRA's Northumberland Pub of the Year on multiple occasions, and is rightly considered a pilgrimage destination for real ale drinkers.

The Heart of Northumberland

Right in the centre of town on Market Street, The Heart of Northumberland is an independent free house occupying a Grade II listed building that was rescued from years of closure by a major refurbishment in 2015. The interior is all roaring log burners, locally sourced cask ales, and entirely homemade food — it was voted runner-up in the Observer Food Monthly Awards for Best Place to Drink. Unpretentious and quietly excellent, it's the kind of place that makes you want to miss your train home.

The Victorian Tap

Tucked into the corner of Battle Hill and Eastgate, The Victorian Tap dates to 1882 and has been a fixture of Hexham's real ale scene ever since. The L-shaped tap room wraps around a central bar with six cask ale wickets, typically featuring beers from regional breweries including Allendale, Firebrick, and Hadrian Border. Wood floors, open fires, and local memorabilia give it an authentically worn-in charm, while Wednesday night quizzes, live music, and a Friday DJ mean it's rarely quiet.

The Forum

Hard to miss on Market Place, The Forum is a JD Wetherspoon that opened in the former bingo hall section of Hexham's Forum Cinema — an Art Deco building that first opened in 1937. The cinema itself still operates as a community enterprise next door, and the pub retains original architectural features that remind you this is no ordinary chain venue. It's the most accessible option in town for an affordable pint in interesting surroundings.

The Grapes Hotel

On St Mary's Chare, just off the Market Place, The Grapes is one of Hexham's most reliably lively community pubs. It has a long history as a music venue and continues to host busker nights, karaoke, and live acts on a regular basis. There's a large beer garden to the rear that comes into its own in summer, and the pub draws a loyal local crowd that gives it a genuinely neighbourly feel.

The Coach & Horses

A short walk from the Abbey on Priestpopple, The Coach & Horses is a handsome coaching inn that reopened after a thorough refurbishment in 2022. It holds a Cask Marque accreditation, keeping a rotating selection of local real ales in top condition, and the beautifully restored walled garden with its own outside bar is one of the nicest spots in Hexham for a summer drink. Six en-suite rooms upstairs make it a sensible base for exploring the area.

The Boatside Inn, Warden

A few miles west of Hexham in the hamlet of Warden, The Boatside Inn has been serving travellers since 1782, originally as a stop for Tyne river crossings. It recently earned its first AA Rosette alongside a four-star rating, with seasonal menus drawing on the best of Northumberland's larder. It's an ideal stopping point for anyone walking or cycling the Hadrian's Wall corridor.

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Hexham's pub scene rewards exploration. The best of it sits slightly off the obvious path — a mile up to Anick, a couple of miles down Dipton Mill Road — but every detour is worth it. For visitors arriving by train, the town centre pubs are all within easy walking distance of Hexham station.