The Cosiest Pubs to Hunker Down In This Winter

The Broad Chare

The Broad Chare on Newcastle’s Quayside is a proper pub. Big on warmth and low on fussiness, settle into a comfy leather seat with a glass of fine wine in hand and stay awhile here. When it comes to food, dining is simple but promises the best quality, serving up daily specials including steak and kidney pudding, mince and dumplings and fish and chips. Or pick from the unusual bar snacks of pork crackling, crispy pig’s ears or Scotch eggs.
25 Broad Chare, Newcastle NE1 3DQ
0191 211 2144
www.thebroadchare.co.uk

The Lord Crewe Arms

With a cosy crypt, huge medieval fireplaces and delicious food cooked with confidence, we think this is the perfect place to while away a wet winter’s afternoon. The Lord Crewe Arms, guided by the imagination of Emma Broom, serve up seasonal dishes showcasing the best local ingredients (much of which are grown in the pub’s kitchen garden). The Crypt, an underground medieval vaulted chamber within the premises, provides a pub experience like no other, with a candle-lit ambience and delicious ‘bar bait’.
The Square, Blanchland, DH8 9SP
01434 677100
www.lordcrewearmsblanchland.co.uk

The Feathers Inn

The Feathers Inn is a multi-award winning pub with an enviable reputation for great food – and for good reason. An ever-changing menu showcases the very best of local produce, including duck eggs from Wylam and their very own black pudding. The cosy, country-style setting is perfect too – expect traditional fireplaces, rustic mahogany tables and intimate candlelit areas – the perfect spot to delve into a signature apple crumble with creamy vanilla custard.
Hedley-on-the-Hill, Stocksfield NE43 7SW
01661 843607
www.thefeathers.net

The Blackbird Ponteland

This historic pub dates back over 500 years, and remnants of its past can be found in every corner, from the beautiful Tudor fireplace to the ancient arched entrance way. Yet, sleek furnishings and contemporary touches bring the Blackbird bang up to date, as does the  seasonally-changing menu boasting country pub favourites like game terrine and fish and chips, which are always popular. Room for pud? Their signature homemade sticky toffee pudding is to die for, while a post-dinner G&T from their range of perfect serves might just make you linger a little longer.
North Road, Ponteland NE20 9UH
01661 822684
www.theblackbirdponteland.co.uk  

The Beehive

The Beehive is an 18th-century gastropub that oozes country charm. Explore their wide selection of delicious dishes from modern, continental cuisine through to traditional Sunday roasts, enjoyed in the warming surroundings of a traditional inn with low-beamed ceilings and snug dining areas. It’s the perfect spot for a post-dog walk pint too, with a separate dining room for dogs and plenty of paw-friendly treats available from the bar, while you’ll be buzzing with an eclectic drinks menu of fine wines, real ales and artisan spirits.
Hartley Lane, Earsdon, Whitley Bay NE25 0SZ
0191 252 9352
www.beehiveearsdon.co.uk

The Woodmans Arms

If it’s a particularly chilly day, there’s no place better to warm up than The Woodmans Arms. This award-winning gastropub offers comfort in spades, with traditional tartan seating booths, intimate lighting and a roaring stove, and their food is no different – expect comforting pub classics like homemade steak pie and beer battered fish and chips (which were named in the UK’s top three at The National Fish & Chip Awards 2019).
Whickham, Newcastle NE16 5BB
0191 488 8998
www.thewoodmansarms.com

The Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk

This charming, award-winning inn dates back to the 18th century, and is renowned for its warm welcome and friendly service. Great food is at the heart of what they do here, and the menu is an exciting combination of locally-sourced comfort food and innovative flair – think grilled seabass with tomato chutney, turmeric potatoes and coconut curry sauce. And, with a roaring open fire awaiting your arrival, what’s not to love?
Barnard Castle, County Durham DL12 9EB
01833 650213
www.rose-and-crown.co.uk

The Staith House 

This award-winning gastropub on North Shields Fish Quay is home to North East chef John Calton and his talented team. Retaining their Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2019, and making an appearance in the latest Good Food Guide, The Staith House’s food blows your usual pub fare out of the water – the Staithy fish pie, packed with fresh seafood, is a real hit. It’s all about the food here, but sitting right on the Fish Quay and with the beach just a short stroll away, it’s a great stop-off on a winter’s afternoon.
57 Low Lights, North Shields NE30 1HF
0191 270 8441
www.thestaithhouse.co.uk 

The Pack Horse Inn

The cosy inn and dog-friendly bar has a roaring open fire and is certainly a great place to recuperate and thaw out after a long walk on the nearby beaches, or a morning exploring the surrounding countryside. Popular with locals, walkers, shooting parties and anyone who happens to have stumbled across it, this welcoming inn also serves great, locally-sourced food in its restaurant which includes delicious salt and pepper quid with crispy whitebait and their Ellingham Dexter Beef Ragun all accompanied by a comprehensive wine list.
Ellingham, Chathill NE67 5HA
01665 589292
www.packhorseinn-ellingham.co.uk

The Bay Horse at Hurworth 

Winners of Living North’s Pub of The Year 2019, The Bay Horse at Hurworth is setting the standard for pubs with substance and style. Enter this 15th-century coaching inn and be met with quintessential country charm, from oak-panelled walls and a crackling open fire to the royal red Chesterfield sofas. Chef-Patron Marcus Bennett and his team continue to experiment with new flavours and cooking methods using locally-sourced produce, serving both modern dishes and classics with an authentic Bay Horse twist.
45 The Green, Hurworth-on-Tees DL2 2AA
01325 720663
www.thebayhorsehurworth.com

Battlesteads

Originally built as a farmstead in 1747, Battlesteads still retains many of its period features – most notably the rustic wooden fireplace with burning stove, where you can cosy up with a pint of their finest beer. The only trouble will be choosing which one, as alongside their regular brews, they’re known for having a selection of specialist beers on tap (our pick is the pale ale Magus by Durham Brewery). If the beer’s got you hungry, look out for dishes including oak-smoked duck, chicken and salmon from their on-site smokery.
Wark on Tyne, Northumberland NE48 3LS
01434 230209
www.battlesteads.com

Barrasford Arms

If you’re after a pub with a warming atmosphere, great ales and a marvellous menu to match, look no further than the Barrasford Arms in Hexham. Enter this charming pub near Hadrian’s Wall and be met with crackling open fires, traditional tartan furniture and exposed brick walls, before enjoying a true taste of Northumberland – their bar is stocked with a great selection of real ales brewed in the region, while the kitchen serves up proper ‘pub grub’ with a homely twist – think beer battered hake caught fresh from the North Sea.
Barrasford, Hexham NE48 4AA
01434 681237
www.barrasfordarms.co.uk

Chadwicks Inn Maltby 

A traditional country inn with great food (they have two AA-rosettes to their name) Chadwicks is full of character. Many of the original features have been retained in this 19th-century inn whose award-winning restaurant offers prime steaks, fish and chips and shepherd’s pie, and with stylish interiors coupling modern taste with traditional comfort, it’s not just the food that ticks all the boxes.
High Lane, Middlesbrough TS8 0BG
01642 590300
www.chadwicksinnmaltby.co.uk

The Queens Head

Pretty much everything you’d expect from a popular local, from the warm welcome and the sense of community to the delicious dishes which emerge from the pub’s kitchen. The cosy (dog-friendly) bar is a great place to catch up on a cold afternoon, the new menu includes proper pub classics alongside a whole range of new dishes, and the popular Sunday lunch is served until 6pm here.
Town Foot, Rothbury NE65 7SR
01669 620481

Newcastle Tap

Conveniently placed opposite Newcastle Central Station, and with an excellent range of 24 draft beers including eight cask ales, 16 craft keg beers and over 150 bottled beers from around the world (best soaked up with one of their specialty wood-fired margaritas), we won’t blame you for popping in for a post-journey pint at this industrial-style pub-cum-bar. But it’s not all pints and pizzas – there’s a great selection of artisan spirits, fine wines and bar snacks on offer too.
4 Neville Street, Newcastle NE1 5EN
0191 261 6636
www.tapnewcastle.com 

The Pickled Parson of Sedgefield

A relative newcomer after a name change and a major refurb, The Pickled Parson of Sedgefield is stylish yet cosy – think exposed brick walls with metallic highlights, while the menu offers everything you could wish for from a cosy country eatery. Artisan charticurie boards, chicken pie, beer battered cod – you name it. Make sure to leave room for dessert, though, the made-to-order chocolate fondant with hazelnut ice cream is not to be missed. At the bar find craft ales and wine from some of the world’s most interesting wine makers. Winner of our Accommodation of The Year Award 2019, it’s not just a lovely pub at the heart of the community, it’s a stylish place to stay too.
1 The Square, Sedgefield, Stockton-on-Tees TS21 2AB
01740 213131
www.thepickledparson.co.uk