The Bingley Arms

Renowned among Leeds, York, and Wetherby locals and indeed seekers after the classic British pub from across Yorkshire and the UK, The Bingley Arms never fails to impress with its handsome aspect, great selection of ales and wines, and peerless gastropub food. Located down Church Lane in the picturesque village of Bardsey, The Bingley Arms boasts some serious pedigree, with a strong claim to the title of Britain’s oldest pub. Fancy a pint and some award-winning grub in a thousand-year-old public house notable enough to be recorded in the Domesday Book? You’ve found your venerable local here, less than half an hour from Leeds city centre.

The first known brewer to keep patrons in merry mead at The Bingley Arms’ was Samson Ellis, back in 953 AD. He must have been doing something right, as it appears that The Bingley Arms found its way into the definitive bureaucratic chronicle of Anglo-Saxon public life, The Domesday Book, helping put the particularly historic Yorkshire village of Bardsey on the map. The Bingley Arms continues to be firmly affixed to the map of the UK’s best gastropubs, with its Church Lane premises easily reachable from Leeds, Wetherby, and York. And handsome premises they are, with the solid stone public house’s beer garden centred on a yew tree that is reputedly older than the pub itself.

Chef Carl Shewan is responsible for the rustic, British tradition-led dishes created in The Bingley Arms’ kitchens. Shewan and his team scour the Yorkshire countryside for the best produce and ingredients, and it’s this fresh and locally-sourced approach that contributes to the memorable taste of dishes such as the smoked haddock and spring onion fishcakes and the chicken liver pate. The signature Bingley steak burger is an ever-popular option, along with the hearty steak and ale pie. Naturally, this all requires a long pint of real ale – and with the Bingley Arms regularly changing up their roster of guest ales there’s more than enough reason for dedicated CAMRA members to keep coming back for more. For those who prefer a glass of wine, The Bingley Arms has a well-stocked cellar with everything from robust Spanish reds to crisp Australasian whites and classic continental vintages in between. Perennially popular among daytrippers and families from Leeds out to catch this classic Yorkshire pub’s Sunday Lunch, it’s always best to book for Bardsey’s beloved Bingley Arms.