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With a number of award winning breweries and unique venues, Nottinghamshire continues to be an ideal destination for any beer connoisseur.
Castle Rock Bewery is a local legend, founded in an attempt to combat an industry dominated by monopolistic brewers. They own and run over twenty unique pubs in the Castle Rock extended family, comprised of an eclectic mix of venues including city-centre craft beer bars, traditional country pubs, and community-led pubs in the leafy suburbs.
Keep reading to learn more about our favourites and plan your next meal out or drinks spot.
Vat and Fiddle
The Vat and Fiddle is Castle Rock Brewery’s beloved brewery tap, as the 1930s art deco-style building sits beneath the iconic blue tower of Castle Rock Brewery. It is comprised of multiple cosy areas with the adjoining Golding’s Room and Visitors’ Centre.
Thirteen cask beers greet you on entering the Vat, showcasing the largest available range of Castle Rock beers. They are joined by guest beers from local and national breweries, and an award-winning assortment of ciders.
To the rear of the pub, a large beer garden spills into the brewery yard. It’s the perfect spot to catch some afternoon rays and enjoy the freshest possible pint.
Embankment
The Embankment is a beautiful Grade II listed building designed by Albert Nelson Bromley. It was opened in 1907 as a Boots pharmacy and later became the Boots social club.
Food at the Embankment is an exciting mix of creative and classic dishes from head chef Marc and the team, ranging from pub favourites like scampi and burgers to globally inspired meals including tacos and flatbreads. On the bar you will of course find Castle Rock beers alongside guests from near and far, premium lagers and spirits, wines, and locally roasted coffee.
Located on the city side of Trent Bridge, the Embankment is the ideal spot for sporting fans visiting both Nottingham football grounds and Trent Bridge cricket ground.
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Canalhouse
The Canalhouse is an iconic Nottingham pub, housed in a Grade II listed former canal museum. It’s famous for having a canal that extends inside the building, complete with resident narrow boats and a foot bridge.
This trailblazing pub paved the way for Nottingham’s craft beer scene and is a must-visit venue for beer lovers. A versatile food menu is served daily, from pub classics and Sunday Roasts to changing specials.
With the canal as your backdrop, a large beer garden provides the perfect spot to while away the hours.
Lincolnshire Poacher
The Lincolnshire Poacher opened in the late 1980s and quickly earned a steadfast reputation for quality and choice of cask beer – a distinction it has never lost.
Perched halfway up Mansfield Road, the Poacher is a comprised of a main bar area, a snug, and a conservatory leading to a walled beer garden.
Today, the pub still offers the laidback atmosphere of a classic alehouse, combined with the variety of choice you would expect from any Castle Rock pub. Alongside a vast drinks menu, the Poacher cooks up hearty homemade meals every day.
Bread and Bitter
Housed in a former bakery and nestled away on Mapperley Top, the Bread has been serving the local community as a Castle Rock pub since 2007.
This unique building is comprised of several sections, with a traditional bar area, a light and airy conservatory, a dining area alongside the former baker’s ovens, and a small seating area.
Both the drinks and food menus are carefully curated to cater to different needs and tastes, with an emphasis on vegan dining and a popular Sunday Roast. The Bread has four craft keg lines, an exciting menu of spirits and wines, and a reputation for beautifully kept cask beer.
Willowbrook
This spacious and contemporary pub is made up of large open-plan spaces, with the rear housing a dining area and walled beer garden.
On the bar, you’ll find a welcoming line of 12 real ales, with two permanent Castle Rock beers and a range of guests. An excellent selection of premium lagers, ciders, wines, spirits and soft drinks are also available.
Great food has always been at the forefront of the Willowbrook’s reputation. A menu of pub classics, burgers and hand-rolled pizzas is served alongside a range of changing specials.
The Horse and Plough
The Horse and Plough is a charming pub in the market town of Bingham, Nottinghamshire.
It’s well-reputed for its quality beer and cider offering and has an array of awards to its name. Castle Rock favourites and one-offs feature on the bar alongside permanently available Bass, rotating guests, and a full drinks menu.
With a cosy countryside feel, the Horse and Plough is a lovely pub for a relaxing retreat. A recent extension has added a glorious beer garden, for those long summer nights and socialising alfresco.
Cricketer’s Rest
The Cricketers Rest is tucked away in Kimberley, a former heartland of Nottinghamshire’s brewing industry.
Nestled in a row of beautiful cottages, the Cricks is a snug, traditional pub with dashes of country charm. Sports fans are well catered for with Sky Sports and BT Sports, as are competitive quiz-goers, music lovers, and beer drinkers. This lovely pub aims to keep the spirit of Kimberley’s heritage alive, and always features Castle Rock staples on the bar.
A small walled beer garden to the rear is a lovely spot to spend a sunny evening, with a covered area for rainy days.
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Fox & Grapes
The Fox & Grapes is based in Nottingham’s thriving Sneinton Market, surrounded by small independent businesses and creative studios.
This bright and airy single-room pub has ornamented windows to three sides, which earned the pub its nickname “Pretty Windows” in the mid-1900s. The outdoor seating area is perfect for enjoying the atmosphere of the market.
You can expect a diverse selection of cask, keg and craft beers on the bar, plus a great range of spirits, wines, coffees and soft drinks.
The Fox’s food menu offers a unique and delicious take on simple dishes like stone baked pizza, gourmet hot dogs and more.
Kean's Head
The Kean’s Head is situated in Nottingham’s historical and vibrant Lace Market. It is a charming and cosy single-room pub, nestled opposite the picturesque St. Mary’s Church.
Leading the way for the craft beer scene in Nottingham, the Kean’s was home to a ground-breaking stash of weird and wonderful beers from across the world. Today, the pub remains firmly rooted on the map as having one of the city’s most respected beer ranges, as well as over 200 rums, gins and whiskies.
The food is fresh, flavourful and provided by their resident kitchen hosts Paajis.
Poppy and Pint
The Poppy and Pint is a large community pub nestled in the leafy suburb of Lady Bay.
The modern and spacious pub is comprised of an airy main bar, a café bar, a conservatory, and a beer garden overlooking the local tennis courts. On the bar you will find an extensive drinks selection, including quality beers from local breweries. A vast and varied food menu offers homemade dishes to suit all needs and tastes.
Stratford Haven
The Stratford Haven is a charming, traditional pub in the thriving suburb of West Bridgford. It is located just a short stroll from Trent Bridge and the City Ground. A courtyard beer garden provides ample sheltered seating.
It has a distinguished reputation for the quality and variety of its cask beer offering and a dynamic keg beer range. Food is homemade and hearty, with a menu comprised of pub classics and unique feasts of flavour. Booking is advised for Sunday Roasts!
Yarn
Yarn is a craft beer bar in the heart of Nottingham. This modern, welcoming bar is part of the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall and is open to everyone.
It is a haven for beer lovers, with eight cask lines and 10 keg lines. A carefully curated menu of wines, spirits and soft drinks is available. For food, a modest but delicious selection of pizzas, grazing plates and more is served Monday-Saturday.
Visitors of Yarn can also choose to enjoy a drink and a bite to eat on the terrace, overlooking the Nottingham’s bustling city centre.
Barley Twist
The Barley Twist is a two-floor craft beer bar and wine cellar, housed in a former sweetshop on Nottingham’s Carrington Street.
On the ground floor you’ll find a one-room bar featuring original brickwork walls and high ceilings. A large TV displays train departure times from the nearby Nottingham station. Downstairs, a rustic cellar bar provides the perfect hideaway to enjoy a drink, in a cosy and relaxing atmosphere.
The Barley Twist’s carefully curated drinks offering showcases the craft of artisan products, from small-batch local beers to natural wines and rare sharing bottles. If you’re in a hurry, pop by for 30% off cans and bottles to takeaway.
This blog was written by Katherine Taylor, Marketing Executive at Visit Nottinghamshire.
Related
The Embankment was designed by Albert Nelson Bromley, the architect behind some of the most distinctive Boots pharmacy buildings, and opened in 1907 as ‘Boots Store 2.
Opened in 2000 on the lower floors of the former Canal museum, the Canalhouse is famous for having a canal that extends into the building complete with resident narrow boats.
The Lincolnshire Poacher opened as a Castle Rock pub in the late 1980s, rising from the shell of the Old Grey Nags Head. The Poacher quickly earned a steadfast reputation for quality and choice of cask beer – a distinction it has never lost.
The Bread & Bitter was officially opened by Barrie Judge on December 5th 2007. Back in 1991, Mr Judge shut his bakery on the same site. Now fully restored sixteen years later as a pub, his bakery ovens remain built into the wall in the central area of the pub, along with a “Brewers Graveyard”, full of artefacts from closed down breweries of yesteryear.
The Horse and Plough is a charming pub in the market town of Bingham, Nottinghamshire.
The Cricketers Rest, poised idyllically at the top a hill in Kimberly, is a warm and welcoming pub at the centre of its community. Looking the part amongst the cottages of the town, the Cricks is a traditional pub streaked with intriguing eccentricities.
Situated in the creative epicentre of Nottingham, the Fox & Grapes first opened in the 1830s and has been part of the fabric of the city’s pub scene ever since.
The Kean’s Head is situated in Nottingham’s historical and vibrant Lace Market. It is a charming and cosy single-room pub, nestled opposite the picturesque St. Mary’s Church.
The Poppy and Pint is a large community pub nestled in the leafy suburb of Lady Bay.
The Stratford Haven is a charming, traditional pub in the thriving suburb of West Bridgford. It is located just a short stroll from Trent Bridge and the City Ground.
Yarn is a craft beer bar in the heart of Nottingham. This modern, welcoming bar is part of the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall and is open to everyone.
The Barley Twist is a two-floor new craft beer and wine cellar, housed in a former sweetshop on Nottingham’s Carrington Street.
The Castle Rock family is made up of an eclectic mix of venues across the East Midlands
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