LONDON
Zetter Townhouse
Last year's overall winner, a Clerkenwell townhouse with cocktail guru Tony Conigliaro in charge.
49-50 St John's Sq, EC1V 4JJ; 020 7324 4545; the zettertownhouse.com
69 Colebrooke Row
Tony Conigliaro's small but perfectly formed centre of operations (and the overall winner in 2010).
69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA; 07540 528593; 69colebrookerow.com
Night Jar
Cocktails are listed by era – including Prohibition and postwar – in this dark, wood-panelled Shoreditch favourite.
129 City Rd, EC1V 1JB; 020 7253 4101; barnightjar.com
Gordon's Wine Bar
The city's oldest wine bar, open since 1890 in a location that was home to Dr Johnson and Kipling.
47 Villiers St, City of Westminster, WC2N 6NE; 020 7930 1408; gordonswinebar.com
EAST
The Beerhouse
Local cask ales and regular beer festivals, plus a sister microbrewery producing stellar pale ale.
1, Tayfen Rd, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 6BH; 01284 766415; burybeerhouse.co.uk
The Fat Cat
Unassuming Ipswich pub with up to 20 real ales on tap, including local favourites Adnams and Woodfordes.
288 Spring Rd, Ipswich IP4 5NL; 01473 726524; fatcatipswich.co.uk
The Red Lion
Manningtree's oldest pub rotates guest ales, with an East Anglian focus.
42 South St, Manningtree, Essex CO11 1BG; 01206 391880; redlionmanningtree.co.uk
196 Mill Road
Candlelit bar seating just 20 with well chosen cocktail and wine list.
196 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 3NF; 07984 151124
MIDLANDS
The Plough
Utilitarian decor, a fine balance between Old and New World wines and great bar snacks.
21 High St, Birmingham B17 9NT; 0121 427 3678; theploughharborne.co.uk
The Lord Clifden
Seven continental lagers on tap, Camra-endorsed ales and street art on the walls.
34 Great Hampton St, Birmingham B18 6AA; 0121 523 7515; thelordclifden.com
Tilt
Blues bar in Nottingham's heart whose signature cocktails include the Louisiana Swamp Thang.
9 Pelham St, Nottingham, NG1 2EH; 0115 950 1226; tiltbar.co.uk
Bell Alderminster
All you want in a country pub: meadow views and guest ales.
Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks CV37 8NY; 01789 450414; thebellald.co.uk
NORTH
The Parlour
Local beers from Beartown to Boggart, plus a "well travelled" wine list.
60 Beech Rd, Chorlton, Manchester M4 1LE; 0161 881 4871; theparlour.info
Friends of Ham
Serious about beer, wine, cheese and charcuterie.
4 New Station St, Leeds, LS1 5DL; 0113 242 0275; friendsofham.com
The Alchemist
Plush house plants and showers of fairy lights are a backdrop to what really matters here: cocktails .
Trinity Centre, Leeds, LS1 6HW; 0113 246 0540; thealchemist.uk.com
The Castle Hotel
200-year-old city centre pub that feels like a local.
66 Oldham St, Manchester, M4 1LE; 0161 237 9485; thecastlehotel.info
NORTHERN IRELAND
Muriel's Cafe Bar
Tiny Belfast bar and cafe that also serves good food. Muriel was a milliner, apparently.
12-14 Church Ln, Belfast, BT1 4QN; 028 9033 2445; facebook.com/muriels.cafebar
The Spaniard
The bigger, boisterous sister to Muriel's, big on rum cocktails and tapas.
3 Skipper St, Belfast, BT1 2DZ; 028 9023 2448; thespaniardbar.com
Cocktail Bar at the Merchant
Great cocktails in an art deco 5-star hotel bar.
16 Skipper St, Belfast, BT1 2DZ; 028 9023 4888; themerchanthotel.com
Filthy McNasty's
Shabby chic drinking den, with vintage records on the walls and hot dogs if you're hungry.
Dublin Rd, Belfast, BT2 7HD; 028 9024 6823; thefilthyquarter.com
SCOTLAND
The Tippling House
Dimly-lit and atmospheric, with an excellent whisky menu.
4 Belmont St, Aberdeen AB10 1JE, thetipplinghouse.com
Bon Vivant
Cosy, tucked away: the perfect first-date venue.
55 Thistle St, Edinburgh, EH2 1DY; 0131 225 3275; bonvivantedinburgh.co.uk
The Hanging Bat
Come for the beer: six cask, 14 keg, 20 draught and 100 bottled. Nice local nibbles, too.
133 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9AB; 0131 229 0759; thehangingbat.com
The Vintage
At 8 pages long, the drinks menu has something for everyone.
60 Henderson St, Edinburgh, EH6 6DE; 0131 563 5293; thevintageleith.co.uk
SOUTH
Venner Bar
This cocktail bar adjoining a laidback Bridport pub makes a mean Old Fashioned.
34 East St, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3LF; 01308 422878; facebook.com/vennerbar.bridport
The Thatch
Thatched cottage pub in Thame with an impressive wine list.
29-30 Lower High St, Thame, OX9 2AA; 01844 214340; thethatchthame.co.uk
The Black Dove
Live music, DJs, cocktails and beer.
74 St James's St, Brighton, BN2 1PA 01273 671119
blackdovebrighton.com
The Lion and Lobster
A cavernous Brighton mainstay with warm nooks for winter and a rooftop for summer.
24 Sillwood St, Brighton, BN1 2PS; 01273 327299; thelionandlobster.co.uk
WALES
Porter's
Beer, comedy, table tennis and mini golf.
Harlech Court, Bute Terrace, Cardiff, CF10 2FE; 029 2125 0666; porterscardiff.com
Chapter Arts Centre
Arts centre, with a bar that's worth a visit in its own right.
Market Rd, Cardiff, CF5 1QE; 029 2030 4400; chapter.org
Bar 44
Sherry, cava and tapas for a taste of Iberia.
44 High St, Cowbridge, CF71 7AG; 01446 776488; bar44.co.uk
Harbourmaster
Real ales and good food at this converted harbourmaster's house overlooking Cardigan Bay.
2 Quay Parade, Aberaeron, SA46 0BT; 01545 570755; harbour-master.com
WEST
Somewhere else
A casual, family-friendly deli and bar with daily happy hours.
65 Castle Street, Cirencester, Glos GL7 1QD; 01285 643199; somewhereelse.co.uk
The Milk Thistle
The drinks are as opulent as the setting at this four-floored cocktail bar in a historic building.
Quay Head House, Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS1 1EB; 0117 929 4429; milkthistlebristol.com
Hausbar
Classic cocktails and a speakeasy feel.
52 Upper Belgrave Rd, Bristol, BS8 2XP; 0117 946 6081; hausbar.co.uk
The Apple
Barge with quayside terrace and craft ciders.
Welsh Back, Bristol, BS1 4SB; 0117 925 3500; applecider.co.uk
