The best Surrey pubs fall into two camps. There are the chef-led gastropubs that earn national lists, and the traditional locals that win on beer and atmosphere. Both are worth knowing, and the four below show the range.
The recognition, in brief
The Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs 2026 list was announced at Plaisterers' Hall, London, on 26 January 2026. Only one Surrey pub made the Top 50: The Merry Harriers in Hambledon, at number 18. The Bailiwick Free House in Egham is the only Surrey pub in the wider Top 100, at number 60.
Michelin's Surrey page lists three pubs: The Anchor in Ripley, The Victoria in Oxshott and The Bailiwick Freehouse in Egham. Surrey's four starred restaurants (Latymer in Bagshot, Sorrel in Dorking, Starling in Esher and The Tudor Pass in Egham) are not pubs, so the pub list is a separate and quieter field.
The Merry Harriers, Hambledon
On Hambledon Road, near Godalming, this is the Surrey pub to know if you want a country gastropub with real pedigree. It dates to the 16th century and still has oak beams and a fire. Sam Fiddian-Green and Alex Winch took it over in 2023, and the cooking leans on farm-to-table ideas. The chef trained under Sally Clarke and worked at The Harwood Arms.
Order a pint of Shere Drop from Surrey Hills Brewery with a scotch egg, then the pork chop or Mrs Green's steak and ale pie. The menu changes with the seasons. Its roast has also been listed among the Good Food Guide's best Sunday roasts. There are inn rooms, rooms with patios and shepherd huts, so it works as a weekend away as well as a lunch. It suits walkers, couples and anyone planning a birthday meal with a bit of character.
The Bailiwick Free House, Englefield Green
On Wick Road, by the Cheeseman's Gate entrance to Windsor Great Park, The Bailiwick is housed in a building from 1877 that began as a Victorian house and shop and became a free house not long after. Steven Ellis is the chef, his wife Ami is the pastry chef, and game comes from Windsor Great Park.
Choose between à la carte and tasting menus. Dishes named by Top 50 Gastropubs include pig trotter terrine, wild mushroom tartlet and Windsor Great Park red deer, plus Ami's seasonal parfaits. There is a terrace overlooking ancient woodland. Prices are rated £££ by Michelin and the Good Food Guide, which gives it a Very Good rating. CAMRA lists it as closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so check hours and book before you go. It suits a proper occasion meal rather than a casual pint.
The Anchor, Ripley
On the High Street in Ripley, The Anchor is a 400-year-old pub with low beams, listed by Michelin as Modern British at ££ and good for outdoor dining. Chef Steve Drake, who also runs Sorrel in Dorking, bought it in 2013 and later sold it to his protégés Mike Wall-Palmer, the head chef, and Dave Adams. Michelin's pictures show grilled mackerel, roast guinea fowl and venison loin, which gives a fair idea of the cooking. It is a good choice for a dinner that feels special without the price of a tasting menu.
The Crown, Horsell, Woking
At 104 High Street, Horsell, The Crown is the other side of the story. CAMRA estimates there has been a pub on the site since 1785. It has six hand pumps, three of them serving Thurstons beers brewed nearby, and two petanque pistes in the garden. It was named best pub in Surrey in the Telegraph's county-by-county list, and it was shortlisted again in the Telegraph's 2026 guide to the 650 best pubs in Britain. It has no website, so you simply turn up. This is the one for beer lovers and for anyone who thinks a pub should be left alone.
A word on the trade
The pub trade is under real strain. The Telegraph's pub editor wrote of "desperate operating conditions" but still "hundreds of magnificent pubs". Surrey has felt it: Surrey Live carried a round-up of pubs, restaurants and businesses that closed for good in 2025. That is a fair reason to book, go midweek and spend a little where you want the place to last.
Which to choose
A weekend away: The Merry Harriers, Hambledon.
A special dinner: The Bailiwick, Englefield Green, or The Anchor, Ripley.
A proper pint: The Crown, Horsell.
For more detail, see the Michelin Surrey listings, the SquareMeal entry for The Merry Harriers and the CAMRA page for The Bailiwick.
