North Wales is home to some of the best pubs in the country, with an eclectic mix of real ale houses, award winning gastro pubs and retro community owned establishments ensuring that there is something that will appeal to everyone.

Ahead of your next visit to Bryn Defaid Holiday Park, we thought we put together our personal list of the best pubs in North Wales so that you can arrive with a full list of great establishments to visit as we enter the cooler winter months. 

1. The White Lion Inn - Llanelian, Colwyn Bay

Located in the small village on Llanelian just outside Colwyn Bay is the historic White Lion Inn which was recently named the “gastropub of the year” for 2024. It is your quintessential country pub with cosy log fires, slate floors, low beam ceilings and real ales. This creates an old-world feel but with freshly cooked meals that are very much entrenched in the modern day.

This is the perfect place to reward yourself after a coastal walk along Colwyn Bay promenade, with an exceptional menu made up of traditional pub classics such as roast dinners, pies, fish & chips and meaty burgers. Another modern trait is that they also make an effort to cater for those with alternative dietary requirements, with both vegetarian and gluten free meals featured on the menu. 

The drinks are up to an equally exceptional standard, with The White Lion Inn having featured in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide for the past 27 years consecutively. 

2. Tafarn y Fic - Llithfaen

It certainly isn’t the easiest pub name to pronounce unless you are fluent in Welsh, but the Tafarn y Fic is well worth visiting irrespective of your translingual abilities. 

Situated in the village of Llithfaen in the county of Caernarfonshire, the Tafarn y Fic is now the oldest community owned pub in the country. The local community purchased the pub during the 1980s when it came under threat from the brewery. With the building itself having fallen into disrepair, it took a significant amount of effort and resources to transform Tafarn y Fic into the establishment it is today which has recently been named the Best Pub of the Year at the  2024 Countryside Alliance Awards.

It isn’t just about great quality ales, beers, wines and meals from the ‘Y Daflod' restaurant, it is also about entertainment with the pub regularly hosting live music events, providing bar games and community events such as their community heritage trail walks. 

3. Pen-y-Bryn - Colwyn Bay

Another pub located close to Bryn Defaid Holiday Park is the Pen-y-Bryn, a Brunning & Price owned establishment which offers great food and an equally as good drinks menu made up of real ales, wines, spirits and much more.

Like the White Lion Inn, the Pen-y-Bryn is located just outside of Colwyn Bay high in the hills where you can sit out in the beautiful beer garden and enjoy panoramic views overlooking the sea and nearby Great Orme. 

With its open fire and rustic décor, the inside of the pub is also a great place to be as it creates a homely and rustic vibe which is perfect for a sophisticated meal out. Menu options are made up of the usual Brunning & Price fare such as their epic steak burger and exceptional sausages which are served with mash, gravy and vegetables. 

4. Mold Alehouse - Mold

If you are looking for a traditional British pub which serves no food, has no TV and focuses only on serving exceptional quality beers and ales, then look no further than the Mold Alehouse.

Located in a grade II listed building in the middle of town, the Mold Alehouse first opened its doors in 2016 and by 2022 it had been recognised as being the best pub in Wales by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Given this accolade, the collection of real ales available is as impressive as you would imagine. It includes a number of unusual flavours which are rotated regularly. A recent addition was the Hafod Brewing Company’s Apricot and Ginger beer which tastes as good as it sounds. There are also a range of ciders available for those who aren’t ale aficionados. 

5. The Corn Mill - Llangollen

Another Brunning & Price pub in the local area is The Corn Mill in Llangollen. As with the Pen-y-Bryn, this establishment offers exceptional pub food and an eclectic drinks menu. However, what really makes it stand out is its waterside location overlooking the white waters of the River Dee. These views are best enjoyed from the decking area during a warm summer's day.

The building itself is also a stand out, with the pub being based inside a historic corn mill which was erected in 1786. It served as a working mill all the way up until 1974 before falling into disrepair as had happened to many other Corn Mills in the era. This particular building was saved by Brunning & Price who hired architect Owain Evans to overhaul the Corn Mill, with the pub finally being opened in 2000 following a number of disputes with the local planning authority. 

Many of the food menu items are a cut and paste of those on offer at other Brunning & Price establishments, but there are some unique offerings including their Chicken coq au vin pie and Cider braised pork ribeye steak. Both of these are absolute taste sensations.