Our Pick Of Must Visit Pubs In Cheshire
There are lots of must-visit pubs in Cheshire. From quiet country pubs to popular family inns, grab a drink in a beer garden or sit down to an evening meal. Find out which pubs have a fine reputation for food and those that welcome children and dogs in our guide to the 10 best pubs in Cheshire.
The Pheasant Inn, Burwardsley
This cosy 17th-century inn is on a hillside setting overlooking the Cheshire countryside with the Wesh hills in the distance. The Pheasant is a former farmhouse on the route of the Sandstone Trail long-distance walk. The pub is popular with ramblers comparing notes on where they’ve just walked and has pleasant views from the outside terrace. Inside, the characterful Pheasant is all about wood beams, with elegant décor and cosy nooks and crannies for colder evenings by the fire. The menu is packed with wholesome seasonal food with ingredients sourced from local farms and fisheries. Dogs are more than welcome, and The Pheasant has a kids' menu that to satisfy almost any ravenous brood.
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The Swettenham Arms, Swettenham near Congleton
The Swettenham Arms has a long-standing reputation as the place for food in the Dane Valley, lying between Congleton and Holmes Chapel. The inn is a popular one for walkers, cyclists and motorists touring the area in search of a Sunday roast. The pub was originally a nunnery that provided a gathering place for mourners at the village church opposite.
Today, diners and real ale enthusiasts congregate for traditional British dishes in generous portions. The Swettenham Arms is also adjacent to the Quinta Arboretum, and once you’ve finished taking in the horticultural displays next door, you can sip a pint in the pub’s lavender and sunflower meadow. Choose to dine alfresco with the kids, who’ll be kept entertained by the games box in the gardens.
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The Swan With Two Nicks, Little Bollington
As featured in Coronation Street and the Cheshire TV staple that is Cold Feet, the Swan With Two Nicks is a popular pub on Cheshire’s border with Greater Manchester. The name originates from the centuries-old annual census of swans that continues to this day at nearby Dunham. The Swan With Two Nicks is an old-fashioned English inn serving traditional pub food with an impressive menu.
Inside, The Swan greets you with log fires, wood panelling and locals supping an ale while their dogs lie at their feet. Outside, there’s a pleasant beer garden with terrace areas for outdoor eats.
The Swan is a short stroll along the Bridgewater Canal towpath from Dunham Massey Park with its Georgian manor and deer herd. As a result, venison is on the menu at Swan With Two Nicks, which is great news if you like your food to have a local connection.
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Bells of Peover, Lower Peover
The Bells of Peover, near Knutsford, has quite the story. After all, there aren’t many pubs where lunch was eaten while planning one of the most significant events in world history. It was at The Bells that generals Eisenhower and Patton discussed the D-Day invasion of Normandy in 1944. American troops were billeted at nearby Toft Hall and were regular visitors to the local pubs, joining the local farmers at the bar when off duty.
Today, visitors to the Bells of Peover are still greeted with the Stars and Stripes alongside the Union Flag at the pub’s wisteria-clad entrance. The Bells is a cosy pub with beams and panelling, open fires and nooks and crannies where you can browse Second World War artefacts, including the diary of a soldier who took part in D-Day. The menu delivers elevated classics with hints of fine dining, but in an informal enough setting that the kids can come along and join you.
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The Cholmondeley Arms, Cholmondeley
A converted country school, the Cholmondeley Arms is a 10-minute drive from Malpas and adjacent to the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle. High ceilings, tall Victorian windows and chunky iron radiators reflect its former use.
The Cholmondeley Arms serves up a menu of the posh pub grub. Seasonal specials are chalked up on the blackboard, which often include old school favourites that have been given a gastronomic twist. Here in the middle of the day? Sample locally-inspired dishes with your chosen lunchtime companions from the sharing plate selection. The pub is almost as well-known for its gin menu and has several hundred varieties to choose from.
While the pub is family-friendly, remind any kids joining you here to be on their best behaviour, as the former headmaster’s cottage is just next door…
The Swan, Marbury
Deep into Shropshire/Cheshire border country is The Swan at Marbury. A pretty whitewashed country pub near the village green with its little mere, the old black and white road sign opposite tells you that Whitchurch is three miles away.
Marbury has 11 listed timber-framed Tudor buildings, including parts of this pub. Walkers from the nearby Marbury Country Park are greeted by a lit inglenook fireplace on wintry days in the cosy interior.
The pub has a long bar, a dining area at the rear and a garden room overlooking the pretty terrace with pond and blooming annuals in summer. The food at The Swan is a modern British take on pub classics, with local touches thrown in for good measure. If you’re out walking and feeling peckish, there are hot and cold bar nibbles on the menu for just a few pounds. Children are welcome, but there isn’t a kids’ menu: just ask for a smaller portion and the kitchen staff will be happy to help.
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The Fishpool Inn, Northwich
This cosy, rather lovely-looking pub is right on the edge of the Delamere Forest. The Fishpool Inn is just a two-minute drive from the forest car park, making it easy to walk off a satisfying meal.
Inside, the inn is spacious, with plenty of room for families amid bare brick walls and a clay tiled floor. There’s also a dog-friendly dining area indoors.
The menu at The Fishpool Inn is extensive, with plenty of flavoursome mains plus salads, sandwiches, burgers and items from the grill. Pizzas from the wood-fired oven are also a favourite, especially for those sitting outdoors in the pub’s beer garden, where there’s loads of lawn space for little ones to roam.
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The Dog Inn, Upper Peover
The Dog Inn is a few miles south of Knutsford in the pretty village of Upper Peover. The pub has long been a local favourite, and now people travel from further afield thanks to its reputation in Cheshire as a place for good food.
The Dog dates back to 1805 and was once three cottages that housed a shoemaker and a grocery shop before converting to a pub. Old fireplaces and brickwork have been opened up in recent refurbishments to restore the inn to its Victorian hostelry roots.
Even the menu at The Dog warns you that the portions are on the large side, so you can tuck into English classics assured you’ll need a stroll afterwards. Sunday lunches are popular, so book in advance. Kids can dine at The Dog Inn until 9pm.
The Church Inn, Moberley
This award-winning 18th-century pub in Moberley between Wilmslow and Knutsford reopened in 2013 after extensive refurbishment. Since then, the Church Inn has gained an enviable reputation for its food.
There’s a large main bar and intimate smaller dining areas with flickering candles on antique tables for evening meals. Seasonal specials complete the locally-sourced theme, and there are regular guest ales from microbreweries on tap.
To the side of the pub is an outdoor eating area, while a beer garden leads down to an old bowling green. The pub is also the location for the Big Hill, a gin distillery, and tasting sessions are available.
The White Horse, Chester
One for all the family, The White Horse stands on Chester racecourse overlooking the pre-parade ring. On a race day, this is a prime spot for watching the horses with a glass of champagne in hand, but at any time The White Horse is a popular place for gastro pub dining.
Toasty log fires greet Christmas shoppers from the streets of Chester in winter. In summer, there’s a large outdoor area with a kids’ play park and you can eat in one of the covered outdoor booths.
As you’d expect, there’s a good children’s menu and the chance to create their own pizzas. For the grownups, the menu is full of Cheshire produce and locally-inspired dishes to try.
Whether it’s a day at the races or a family holiday exploring Cheshire, set up base at one of these campsites near Chester.
If an evening at the pub tops off a great day out, check out our guide to the best things to do in Cheshire to work up a thirst. For anything else, find out all you need to know in our definitive guide to camping in the North West.