EAST

Thirsty, Cambridge
Shop and bar selling a carefully selected, and priced, range of wine and craft beer.
46 Chesterton Rd, CB4 1EN; 01223 464436

Pint Shop, Cambridge
Ten beers on keg and six on cask (all from small brewers), grilled meat and strong bar snacks.
10 Peas Hill, CB2 3PN; 01223 352293

The Red Lion, Manningtree
Four-time runner up, Manningtree’s oldest free house has comfy sofas and traditional brews.
42 South St, CO11 1BG; 01206 391880

LONDON

Peg + Patriot, Bethnal Green
Inventive cocktails (made with in-house spirits) by drinks maestro Matt Whiley in the chic Town Hall Hotel.
Patriot Square, E2 9NF; 020 8709 4528

Noble Rot, Bloomsbury
Wine mag Noble Rot’s wine bar-restaurant opened its doors a year ago, but already feels like a favourite haunt. The terrific menu is by Stephen Harris and Paul Weaver of the Sportsman.
51 Lamb’s Conduit St, WC1N 3NB; 020 7242 8963

69 Colebrooke Row, Islington
Intimate cocktail bar with a seasonal menu and live music.
69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA; 07540 528593

MIDLANDS

Lord Clifden, Birmingham
A great beer garden and, for sports fans, a range of screens make this a great place for a pint, whether a guest ale or Budvar Yeast.
34 Great Hampton St, Hockley B18 6AA; 0121 523 7515

The Swan, Stafford
Camra-accredited former coaching inn with regular live music in the summer.
46 Greengate St, ST16 2JA; 01785 258142

Junkyard, Nottingham
Craft-beer bar and bottle shop with boozy snacks such as mac’n’cheese balls with IPA arrabbiata.
12 Bridlesmith Walk, NG1 2FZ; 0115 950 1758

NORTH

Picturehouse Social, Sheffield
This bar has it all: cocktails, craft beers, Italian-inspired street food (yes, that means pizza), live music and ping pong.
383 Abbeydale Rd, Nether Edge S7 1FS; 01142 581690

Distrikt, Leeds
Eat tapas, drink cocktails and dance to DJ sets. All events are free entry and there are plenty of weekly food and drink offers.
7 Duncan St, LS1 6DQ; 0113 243 3674

Friends of Ham, Leeds
FOH keeps it simple with top-quality cured meat, cheese, wine and beers, including low-alcohol and gluten-free options.
4-8 New Station St, LS1 5DL; 0113 242 0275

NORTHERN IRELAND

Sunflower, Belfast
Welcoming city boozer with lots of live music and pizza.
65 Union St, BT1 2JG; 028 9023 2474; @sunflower_pub

Duke of York, Belfast
Vintage Guiness-stencilled mirrors, leather stools, an old quarry-tiled floor, and Yeats painted on the stairs.
7-11 Commercial Ct, BT1 2NB; 028 9024 1062

Muriels, Belfast
Quirky cafe-bar with more than 80 gins from around the world.
12-14 Church Ln, BT1 4QN; 028 9033 2445; @muriels cafebar

SCOTLAND

1912, Bathgate
Bright, high-ceilinged café-bar with regular live music.
2 S Bridge St, EH48 1TJ; 01506 633133; @cafebar1912

Roseleaf, Edinburgh
Charming cafe-bar with a wide selection of malts, cocktails in china teapots and homemade rose lemonade.
23-24 Sandport Pl, Leith EH6 6EW; 0131 476 5268

Bramble, Edinburgh
It would be easy to lose a few hours in this cosy bar with the eponymous Bramble (gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup and crème du mures).
16A Queen St, EH2 1JE; 0131 226 6343

SOUTH

The Crown, Hastings
This friendly boozer keeps it local with ales, wines, spirits and cider from nearby producers.
64-66 All Saints St, TN34 3BN; 01424 465100

Fuggles Beer Cafe, Tunbridge Wells
Belgian and Dutch craft brews are the speciality here, with more than 100 brews on offer.
28 Grosvenor Rd, TN1 2AP; 01892 457739

The Thatch, Thame
Tudor gastropub, with continental beers and a short but thoughtfully selected wine list.
29-30 Lower High St, OX9 2AA; 01844 214340

WALES

Porters, Cardiff
Home to Cardiff’s first pub theatre, you can also find live music, comedy, films and open mic nights here.
Harlech Court, CF10 2FE; 029 2125 0666

Bar 44, Penarth
Tapas bar with a wide selection of Spanish sherry and wine, and Asturian cider on tap.
14 Windsor Rd, CF64 1JH; 03333 444049

Urban Tap House, Cardiff
Part of the Tiny Rebel Brewing Co and the first craft beer and cider bar in Wales – now in Newport, too.
25 Westgate St, CF10 1DD; 029 2039 9557

WEST

Venner Bar, Bridport
Hidden behind the Bull Hotel’s ballroom, you’ll find tempting cocktails, including the bracing Corpse Reviver No 3: Conker gin, Noilly Prat, Cointreau, lemon and Cornish pastis.
The Bull Hotel, 34 East St, Dorset DT6 3LF; 01308 422878

Small Bar, Bristol
Craft-beer bar with 31 brews, many from the south west.
31 King St, BS14DZ

The Church House Inn, Rattery
Quintessential English country pub with happy locals, a beer garden and a few legends.
South Brent, Devon TQ10 9LD; 01364 642220