Pubs and grub

Near St. Mary's

The Hope Tap

The Hope Tap is a Weatherspoon pub situated at the western end of Friar Street. There is a always a great range of real ales including several guest beers, and the food is very good value. There is no music or TV so if you want to be able to talk it's a good choice.

Sweeny Todd's

Sweeny Todds is in Castle Street and is a Pie Shop with a difference. At the front you can buy pies to take home, but venture to the back and there is a small bar serving good beer and a restaurant area (extending into a warren of cellars) where you can enjoy a hearty pie-based meal for a very reasonable price.

Near St. Laurence

The Corn Stores

The Corn Stores, also known as Il Gusto, is on Forbury Road - just around the corner from St. Laurence. It's a Fullers pub so it has great beer, but it also has an Italian restaurant upstairs!

The Hobgoblin

The Hobgoblin is on the corner of Broad Street and the Butter Market. It's a fairly small pub but it serves a great selection of real ales and is a good choice if there aren't too many of you.

The Monk's Retreat

The Monk's Retreat is a Weatherspoon pub at the east end of Friar Street - right opposite the tower of St Laurence! As with all Weatherspoon pubs you can get a good selection of real ales and good value food, but while it is very convenient for St Laurence most of our ringers prefer the other Weatherspoons pubs in town.

Nino's

Nino's is an Italian restaurant in the Market Place, just opposite St Laurence. It serves a great selection of pasta and pizza.

Elsewhere in Reading

The Back of Beyond

The Back of Beyond, situated on King's Road near the junction with Watlington Street and actually not too far from St Laurence, is another Weatherspoon pub. There is always a great selection of real ales, including several guest ales, and the food is very good value. This pub is a firm favorite with many of our ringers.

The Hop Leaf

The Hop Leaf is on Southampton Street and serves a great selection of real ales fom the Hob Back Brewery. Well worth a visit.