Pubs in Somerset were snubbed from the list, howeverThe timeless bar of The Highbury Vaults at the top of St Michael’s Hill(Image: Paul Gillis/Bristol Live)

Some of Bristol’s pubs are among the best in the country according to a recent national list. The Telegraph’s guide to the ‘500 Best Pubs in England’ was written by the publication’s expert, Will Hawkes, who has been writing about pubs for decades.

Visiting thousands across the country, he has tried and tested each one on the list, to give them his seal of approval.

Making the list are 10 well-known and loved pubs in our home city, while nearby there are also eight in Dorset and 10 in Gloucestershire. Surprisingly, Somerset pubs didn’t feature at all in the list. But you will find a fair few further south in Devon and Cornwall, as well as in Wiltshire and further afield.

Among those in Bristol making the list was the ever-famous Bag of Nails, known for its feline staff members, as well as one no stranger to lists like this – Highbury Vaults, dubbed by many as ‘Bristol’s most charming pub’.

Inside The Bag of Nails pub

Historic venues, including the Nova Scotia, which is situated in a Grade II-listed building and dating back to 1811, are also among the list. And you won’t be short of some real ales, freshly made pub grub, and those all important Sunday roasts.

Here are the Bristol pubs that made it on the list:

  • Highbury Vaults, St Michael’s Hill
  • The Kings Head, Redcliffe
  • The Barley Mow, St Philip’s
  • The Orchard Inn, Harbourside
  • The Swan With Two Necks, St Jude’s
  • The Avon Packet, Southville
  • The Green Man, Kingsdown
  • The Llandoger Trow, King Street
  • The Nova Scotia Hotel, Hotwells
  • The Bag of Nails, Hotwells

Pubs nearby that also made the list

While there were no Somerset pubs listed, there were quite a few in Dorset and Gloucestershire that made the Top 500 list. We’ve listed these below – you can find the full list, which also features some Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall boozers, here.

  • The Vine Inn, Wimborne, Dorset
  • The Sailors Return, Dorchester, Dorset
  • The Square & Compass, Swanage, Dorset
  • The Digby Tap, Sherborne, Dorset
  • The Ropemakers, Bridport, Dorset
  • The Kings Arms, Langton Matravers, Dorset
  • The Mitre Inn, Sherborne, Dorset
  • The Three Horseshoes, Burton Bradstock, Dorset
  • The Old Spot, Dursley, Gloucestershire
  • The Salutation, Berkeley, Gloucestershire
  • The Jolly Brewmaster, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
  • The Pelican, Gloucester
  • The Horseshoe, Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire
  • The Kings Arms, Newent, Gloucestershire
  • The Prince Albert, Stroud, Gloucestershire
  • The Queen’s Head Inn, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire
  • The Farmers Arms, Gloucester
  • The Drillmans Arms, Stratton, Gloucestershire

How they were picked

The Telegraph’s ‘expert’ Will Hawkes said: “I’ve written about pubs for more years than I care to recall, and have developed strong opinions about what makes a great one. Atmosphere, of course; fixtures and fittings that engender warmth, happiness and cosiness; good beer, particularly cask ale; and a sense of place.

“Of great importance too, I think, is that the cost of entry should be the cost of a drink. That’s why I’ve picked few gastropubs. I also haven’t included a lot of micropubs, since – while they often have superb beer – they can be short on ambience and history. A great pub needs character, and only the best micropubs reach that level.”