Stourbridge's Old Wharf Inn named among Britain's 100 best pubs

A canalside pub just a short trip from Birmingham has been named among the 100 best pubs in Britain by The Good Food Guide, the only one in the region to make the 2026 list.

The Old Wharf Inn on High Street, Stourbridge, came 34th in the guide's 100 Best Pubs 2026, published this week, according to Birmingham Live.

A canalside favourite

The Good Food Guide describes the independent pub as "a staple part of Stourbridge". It sits right beside the Stourbridge Canal and has built a reputation for its food since reopening in 2019 after a renovation, with many regulars saying it serves one of the best Sunday roasts around.

The pub is co-owned by the wine merchants Nickolls and Perks, and the guide also praised its drinks. It said: "It's no surprise that the compact list has been carefully curated; otherwise, four rotating hand-pulled ales please the beer brigade."

What the diners say

Reviews quoted by Birmingham Live are glowing. One diner wrote after a third visit in two months: "Absolutely fantastic, from presentation to taste. Service here is always polite, friendly, and attentive." Another singled out the lamb, saying it "just fell apart" at the touch of a fork.

Regulars advise booking ahead, particularly at weekends.

About the list

The Good Food Guide, one of Britain's longest-established restaurant guides, publishes its 100 Best Pubs list to celebrate pubs that combine a proper welcome and good drink with excellent cooking. This year's list is wonderfully varied. It includes the Queens Arms in Eccles, which the guide says was built in 1828 and is ranked as the oldest passenger railway pub in the world, and now serves Japanese izakaya-style dishes under Hong Kong ownership. In Leeds, the Highland Laddie was given a new lease of life in 2025 and, the guide notes approvingly, even has a mustard menu. Village locals in East Anglia also feature strongly.

No pub within Birmingham itself made the 2026 list, which gives the city's landlords and chefs something to aim for next year.

Getting there

Stourbridge is around half an hour by train from Birmingham's Snow Hill and Moor Street stations, and the Old Wharf Inn is a short walk from Stourbridge Town station along the High Street. It is also an easy stop for walkers and cyclists following the towpath of the Stourbridge Canal, one of the most attractive stretches of waterway in the area.

The Old Wharf Inn is at 78-80 High Street, Stourbridge, DY8 4LY.