This Soho Hotspot Has Been Voted London’s Best Gastropub

When The Devonshire landed in Soho back in November 2023, the pub quickly became one of the hottest spots in town, landing rave reviews for its impressive food and Guinness offering. Just over a year on, the hype has gone nowhere – so it’s no surprise the buzzy spot is London’s regional winner in the 2025 edition of the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list. But who else made the list?

Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs 2025 List Announced

Co-owned by former Guinea Grill landlord Oisín Rogers, Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll and ex Fat Duck-chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, The Devonshire was always destined for success. It’s housed in a large historic inn on the corner of Denman Street, with food served in the grill restaurant upstairs. Elevated pub fare is the focus, with a set menu offering two courses for £25, or three for £29, featuring dishes like prawn and langoustine cocktails, steak and chips, and sticky toffee pudding.

 

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The Devonshire came in second place in Estrella Damm’s 2025 list, with the top gong going to Suffolk pub The Unruly Pig. Located on the outskirts of Woodbridge, the gastropub first entered the Top 50 list in 2017, securing its first win in 2022, then topping the list again in 2024 – making this year its third time in the top spot. Led by chef-patron Dave Wall and head chef Karl Green, it focuses on local, seasonal British food with an Italian influence (here’s what we thought when we visited last year).

The Unruly Pig

Ed Bedington, editor of The Morning Advertiser, the publication behind the awards, said: ‘The Devonshire’s rapid ascent demonstrates the impact that thoughtful cooking, careful sourcing, and a clear identity can have, even in such a competitive market. The broader presence of London pubs in the rankings underscores their importance in shaping the gastropub sector nationally.’

Overall, it was a strong year for London. Other high-scoring venues to make the 2025 list include The Red Lion & Sun in Highgate, which came in at number six for the second year running. Another Highgate pub, The Bull & Last, secured the 10th spot, while The Harwood Arms, London’s only Michelin-starred pub, was ranked number 14. The Waterman’s Arms, which reopened in Barnes after a big refurb in September 2023, also made the cut, coming in at number 37. 

Started in 2009, Estrella Damm’s top 50 gastropubs list is voted for by a panel of food experts, industry figures and journalists from all over the UK.

UK’s Top Gastropubs For 2025

1. The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge, Suffolk
2. The Devonshire, Soho, Central London
3. The Star at Harome, Harome, North Yorkshire
4. Parkers Arms, Newton-in-Bowland, Lancashire
5. The Mariners, Rock, Cornwall
6. The Red Lion & Sun, Highgate, North London
7. The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe, Somerset
8. The Sportsman, Seasalter, Kent
9. The Cornish Arms, Tavistock, Devon
10. The Bull & Last, Highgate, North London
11. The Bull, Charlbury, Oxfordshire
12. The Gunton Arms, Thorpe Market, Norfolk
13. The Fordwich Arms, Canterbury, Kent
14. The Harwood Arms, Fulham, west London
15. The Angel at Hetton, Hetton, North Yorkshire
16. The Edinburgh Castle, Manchester
17. The Baring, Islington, North London
18. The Pack Horse, Hayfield, Derbyshire
19. The Woolpack Inn, Slad, Gloucestershire
20. The Rat Inn, Anick, Northumberland
21. The Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax, West Yorkshire
22. The Canton Arms, Stockwell, South London
23. The Loch & The Tyne by Adam Handling, Old Windsor, Berkshire
24. Black Bear Inn, Bettws Newydd, Monmouthshire
25. The Clarence Tavern, Stoke Newington, North-east London
26. The Black Bull, Sedbergh, Cumbria
27. The Abbey Inn , Byland, North Yorkshire
28. The Pipe and Glass Inn, South Dalton, East Yorkshire
29. The Coach, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
30. The Longs Arms, South Wraxall, Wiltshire
31. The Broad Chare, Newcastle
32. The Hand and Flowers, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
33. The Bull’s Head, Craswall, Herefordshie
34. Heft, High Newton, Cumbria
35. The Crown, Burchetts Green, Berkshire
36. The Silver Cup, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
37. The Waterman’s Arms, Barnes, South-west London
38. The Camberwell Arms, Camberwell, south London
39. The Dog & Gun Inn, Skelton, Cumbria
40. The Drapers Arms, Islington, North London
41. The Scran and Scallie, Edinburgh
42. Durham Ox, Crayke, North Yorkshire
43. The Eagle, Farringdon, North London
44. The Merry Harriers, Hambledon, Surrey
45. The Tamil Prince, Islington, North London
46. The Wild Rabbit, Kingham, Oxfordshire
47. The Three Fishes, Mitton, Lancashire
48. The Dog at Wingham, Wingham, Kent
49. The White Swan at Fence, Fence, Lancashire
50. Double Red Duke, Clanfield, Oxfordshire

Find out more at top50gastropubs.com