If you are someone who likes to experience the best of the best, you may enjoy a visit to the Merry Harriers in Godalming. The 16th century pub has recently been named in the top 50 Gastropubs in the UK, meaning it is officially one of the best places to indulge in a meal while sipping a pint.
The Merry Harriers is a traditional village pub which sits comfortably surrounded by the countryside of the Surrey Hills. TripAdvisor reviews have described the pub as being "perfect" and "exceptional".
Out of the approximately 638 pubs in the Surrey area, Merry Harriers is the only pub which featured on this year's top 50 list. This is a further testament to the exceptional experience which the Godalming pub has provided to customers.
The 2025 Estrella Damm top 50 Gastropubs is a prestigious annual pub ranking list which aims to highlight the best gastropubs in the UK and to showcase the hardworking individuals who run them. A gastropub is a term used to describe a pub which focuses on serving not only good beer, but quality food.
In November the Merry Harriers was also listed in the Good Food Guide’s best Sunday roasts of 2024. Which is a list which aims to highlight those restaurants, pubs and cafes that are the backbone of the British dining scene.
The Godalming pub clearly has some great food, with a seasonal menu which offers quintessential British cuisine, and of course some great drinks, from a number of Surrey beers and ale on tap and an extensive wine list from locally sourced producers. And, if you don't feel like driving home there are four bedrooms at the inn, or six garden rooms and five shepherd huts for those who want a bit more space.
The pub was taken over in 2023 by Alex Winch and Sam Fiddian-Green, and has since gone from strength to strength. This hard work has clearly paid off as the pub has received two seriously impressive accolades to show for it.
Alex Winch is a director of Pickle and Winch, and has worked as a sommelier for Como Hotels, manager at Portland Restaurant and Smoke and Salt. Sam Fiddian-Green has experience working as a pastry chef in Denmark, and grew up in Godalming on the Wintershall Estate.
To book, click the link to visit the website here.
