As you can expect from the home of the nation’s favourite Greene King Brewery, there are plenty of excellent pubs for you to choose from in Bury St Edmunds. We’ve gathered some of our favourites, along with some exceptional gastropubs and a few of our most-recommended bars as well.
Nightlife in Bury St Edmunds
Pubs
Bury St Edmunds is brimming with brilliant pubs providing plenty of options for when you fancy a cheeky shandy. The Nutshell is famous for formerly being the smallest pub in Britain. The tiny boozer measures 15 feet by 7 feet and dates back to 1867. It’s a tourist attraction and needs to be ticked off any itinerary to Bury St Edmunds.
The One Bull is a stylish gastropub serving sublime cuisine on Angel Hill. It could have easily found its way into our recommendations for places to eat in Bury St Edmunds, but it’s equally an excellent place to go for a drink with a fine selection of real ales, wines and top-shelf spirits.
A similarly excellent gastropub that’s hidden away in the countryside is The Beehive, which you’ll find in the nearby village of Horringer. It’s close to Ickworth House, one of our top activities in Bury St Edmunds, so if you were plotting a visit and you want a pint or something to eat, it’s a top option with seriously tasty food and a beautiful beer garden.
The Fox Inn is a popular Greene King pub opposite Abbots Bridge. As you probably know, the Greene King Brewery was born in Bury St Edmunds before taking over the nation as one of Britain’s most popular brewers. The ales are excellent, the pub is rustic and has bags of character, the food is reasonably priced and the atmosphere’s always good.
Another excellent Greene King pub is The Masons Arms on Whiting Street. It’s the brewery’s flagship cask ale pub, so if you have a penchant for cool cask pints, then pop on over. Other honourable mentions go to The Bushel on St John’s Street, The Dog & Partridge on Crown Street and The Dove on Hospital Road. All are excellent local pubs with good ales, friendly staff behind the bar and legions of local fans.
Pubs
Bars
Bars
Petrus Wine Bar is right up there with our absolute favourite places to go for a casual evening’s drink in Bury St Edmunds. It’s a stylish bar on the corner of Whiting Street and Churchgate, so it’s within easy walking distance of most of the town’s top attractions. The 40-strong wine list is excellently curated, with choice bottles available by the glass. There’s a little suntrap of a courtyard and regular local live music as well.
Another popular choice is the Edmundo Lounge on Cornhill, with its bric-a-brac furniture, William Morris wallpaper and two floors of cosy seating. It serves food throughout the day and offers an excellent menu of tasty cocktails. Plus, it’s barely more than a 10-minute walk from our Bury St Edmunds hotel.
You’ll find Boosh amidst the busy shopping streets of the Butter Market. It’s a trendy bar with great decor, well-made cocktails, good music and friendly staff. It’s good for a casual drink during the week and a dance on the weekend when it gets a little livelier. The gin lounge on the first floor is an absolute delight but dangerous, as you’ll want to stay all night sipping your way through the gin menu that’s as long as your arm.
Last but by no means least, there’s The LP on Woodhall Street. It’s a stone’s throw from The Apex, the pick of our Bury St Edmunds entertainment venues, so if you’re seeing a gig or a show and you want a drink and a dance afterwards, The LP is our top recommendation. On the ground floor, it’s an excellent pizza restaurant, and upstairs you’ll find the LP club, which opens in the evening and hosts some of Bury St Edmunds’ most popular DJ nights on the weekend.