Two Ribble Valley pubs named in Britain's top 100 by the Good Food Guide 2026
Two very different pubs making their mark.
Two Lancashire pubs have been named among the best in Britain.
The Parker’s Arms in Newton-in-Bowland and the Freemasons at Wiswell, both made the top 100 in the Good Food Guide 2026 list announced on Monday.
The Parkers Arms made number 42, while the Freemasons was ranked in 97th place.
Parker’s Arms
The Guide says: “It's the kind of place you want round the corner, but it's in the middle of a very beautiful nowhere,’ comments one reporter who loves everything about this terrific hostelry. The barman pulls pints and entertains everyone, chef/co-owner Stosie Madi sends out glorious plates of food, and Kathy Smith out front is the epitome of peerless hospitality.
“Farmers, fishing folk and walkers with dogs congregate here, and the pub’s close-knit family team does them proud, serving all and sundry ‘without faff or fuss’. The main menu is shot through with seasonal Lancastrian produce, from confit Tarleton tomato tart to chargrilled 40-day aged Bowland beef – although the pub is renowned for its majestic pies, constructions of exemplary roast-fat hot-crust pastry, generously filled with good things.
“To finish, the kitchen procures everything from Yorkshire rhubarb to Kentish cherries, as well as garnering elderflowers from the garden. The Bowland Brewery's exceptional ales top the drinks list, wines are accessibly priced and the Negronis infused with foraged wild pickings are a must. All of this, plus ‘long views of the fells’.”
A spokesman for the pub said they were “delighted and proud”. Adding: “Parkers will be 20 this January, a lovely precursor to our 20th year. When we took on the Parkers in January 2007 we could have never imagined the journey. The ups, the downs the wins and the losses. Moments like this highlight the journey.”
Freemasons at Wiswell
The Guide says: “This smart village pub has long been a notable Ribble Valley destination and a highly regarded fixture of the Guide, but the arrival of chef-patron Mike Shaw in 2025 has brought fresh appeal to the place.
“With a background at some of Britain’s country-house heavyweights – Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Hambleton Hall among them – Shaw’s cooking is inherently glossy and refined, but what keeps the Freemasons on level footing as a proper pub is the brilliantly warm welcome from Andrew Thompson, who casts a spell of conviviality on all who enter.
“As for the food, menus are cleverly pitched to appeal to both local punters and journeying foodies, from a simple two-course table d’hôte to a six-course tasting deal that opens with dainty snacks and showcases top-shelf ingredients gleaned from Lancashire’s larder. Either way, the opening salvo of soft, springy focaccia brushed with lamb fat delivers a glorious blast of flavour. Locally brewed cask ales will please walkers stopping by for a drink, while a smart terrace and four well-appointed bedrooms complete the picture.”