From old-school boozers to smart gastropubs, here’s where the nation’s best cooks like to catch the gam
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Football pubs these days are varied, from old-school boozers to smart gastropub
What makes a good football pub? It depends who you ask. Some want cheap pints, a raucous atmosphere, huge screens and lots of banter. For others, a quiet spot where you can sit near a TV, hear the commentary or tuck into some quality grub is key.
Pubs offer a halfway house between being in the ground (expensive) and being at home (no atmosphere). With tickets for top-flight football matches prohibitively expensive for many, the more affordable option is heading to your local and having a few pints during a big match
They also allow those who don’t subscribe to sports channels to tune in, while some pubs offer a home away from home for those exiled from where their team is based. In London, the Old Red Lion in Angel has become popular with Norwich fans, while Liverpool supporters tend to flock to the Stapleton Tavern in Stroud Green
Football pubs these days are varied, from old-school boozers to smart gastropubs. The Tom Kerridge-owned Bull & Bear in Manchester, for example, has plenty of screens to catch the match while dining on a three-course set menu. Pubs might even be named after a footballing hero, such is their commitment to the beautiful game: The Royal Dyche in Burnley comes to mind, as does the Compton Arms in north London.
With Liverpool qualifying for this season’s Champions League final, many will be looking for options in the city. But where do top chefs go on the off chance their team is playing when they’re not in the kitchen? The Telegraph asked some of Britain’s best-loved cooks, and here’s what they told us
The Hemingford Arms, Barnsbury, Londo
158 Hemingford Road, London N1 1DF; hemingfordarms.co
“As a season ticket holder at Arsenal I always go to the home matches, and if it’s an away game I’m almost certainly working. That being said, I recently watched a match at the Hemingford Arms and it was fantastic. It had lots of character. I wasn’t going so much for the fan atmosphere as a nice place to watch the footie and have a drink and some food. It serves very good Thai food, and it may well become my go-to for an evening match.
Chosen by Anna Tobias, chef-director at Café Deco, Londo
The Coat & Badge, Putney, Londo
8 Lacy Road, London SW15 1NL; thecoatandbadge.co.uk
“I split my time between the UK and Hong Kong these days, but whenever I’m back in London it’s great to watch a match at the Coat & Badge. I’m a Fulham fan and there’s no better pub for atmosphere
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