Best Places To Drink In Bath

Bath is basically a Roman spa town that got dressed up for a Jane Austen fan convention. You can’t throw a scone without hitting a historic pub. And, let’s be honest, after climbing all those hills (seriously, who designed these streets, a vengeful mountain goat?), you’ve earned a drink.

The Roman Baths (No, You Can’t Actually Drink From Them)

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: do not scoop a pint from the green, 46-degree Celsius bathwater. It’s full of lead, algae, and probably the ghost of a centurion with a bad attitude. Instead, go to the Pump Room right next door. You can sip the warm, mineral-rich spa water from a fountain—and immediately regret it. It tastes like a wet rock that’s been in a fight. Do it once for the story, then order a very dry martini.

The Salamander (A Pub That Hates Sunshine)

If you want a drink in a bar that feels like a hobbit’s guilty pleasure, head to The Salamander. It’s a tiny, dark, wood-paneled cave on John Street where the ceiling is low enough to scalp a tall elf. The beer selection is legendary, with local ales that have names like “Old Wobbly Noggin.” Pro tip: if you stand up too fast, you’ll hit your head on a beam and literally see the salamanders they’re named after. Worth it for the pints.

The Ale House (Where History Gets Rowdy)

On a street where the buildings look like they’re holding each other up, you’ll find The Ale House. It’s a tiny bar with a massive, rotating selection of cask ales. The bartender will hand you a beer board that looks like a ransom note made of chalk. You’ll feel very sophisticated until you realize you’ve ordered a pint called “Mudgie’s Stout” and it’s blacker than your soul on a Monday morning. Surprising fact: This pub is built into a former 18th-century slum. The ghosts here are probably just grumpy from the rent prices.

15 Best Bars in Bath, UK (Top Places to Drink) - Goats On The Road

The Canary Gin Bar (For When You’re Fancy, Briefly)

Want to feel like a 1920s detective with a trust fund? Walk up Queen Street to The Canary Gin Bar. It’s a tiny, copper-clad room where the bartender will treat your gin order like a sacred ritual. They’ll hand you a menu the size of a Bible, listing 300 gins and tonics that cost more than your dinner. Playful exaggeration: I swear, the tonic water here is imported from a single glacier in Antarctica that was blessed by penguins. It’s delicious, but warn your wallet—it’s about to get mugged.

The Bell Inn (The One Where You Get Lost)

This is Bath’s oldest pub, tucked down an alley that does not look like a street. You’ll find it between a bookshop and a shop that sells only cheese, which is honestly the dream. The Bell Inn has flagstone floors, open fires, and a ghost called “The Crying Cavalier” who supposedly moans near the fireplace. I’ve never heard him, but I did drop my change on the floor, and a dog barked at me. Close enough. Grab a local cider here; it’s so tart it’ll make your face look like a pug’s backside.

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Sub 13 (The Wine Cellar That Hides Like a Ninja)

If you’re tired of beer and ghosts, head to Sub 13. It’s a subterranean wine bar underneath a street called North Parade Passage. You’ll walk down a spiral staircase that makes you feel like you’re entering a villain’s lair. The wine list is intimidatingly French, but the staff will help you pick a red that pairs perfectly with your indecisiveness. Surprising fact: The owner once found a Roman well when digging the cellar. They left it uncovered, so you can literally drink wine while staring at a hole that ancient Britons used for trash. Very romantic.

So that’s Bath. A city of Roman history, Jane Austen vibes, and pubs that will mess you up in the best way. Cheers—and mind the beams.