Standing on the swing bridge that crosses the mouth of the Esk, it’s clear that Whitby is a town of two halves. The water widens into a harbour that is tucked snugly between a pair of cliffs; on one side, the whale bones and Victorian townhouses of West Cliff; on the other, red-tiled roofs climb in layers towards the broken arches of Whitby Abbey on the East Cliff, black against the sky. Below the ruins, 199 steps drop to the cobbles of Church Street, and that is where the story of Whitby’s pubs begins.
This is a town that has always faced the sea, and for as long as ships have come and gone, there has been somewhere nearby to drink.
The harbour was the whole reason that Whitby exists in the first place. Between 1750 and 1840, more than fifty whaling ships sailed from here, and the trade made many local families wealthy. Two of its captains, William Scoresby and his son of the same name, became famous far beyond the town: in 1806 the elder Scoresby pushed his ship further north through the Arctic pack ice than anyone had managed before. A generation earlier, in 1746, a teenage James Cook had been apprenticed to a Whitby shipowner, John Walker, and lodged in the attic of Walker’s house on Grape Lane. He learned his seamanship in the town’s coal ships, and two of the vessels he later took around the world, the Resolution and the Endeavour, were built in Whitby yards. The house is now the Captain Cook Memorial Museum, a few doors from where you can order a pint. Not all of that maritime trade was glorious. Whitby ships were also hired to carry convicts to Australia, a reminder that the port’s prosperity had darker edges.
Like many harbour towns, Whitby also ran on its taverns and booze. Crews came ashore with wages to spend, merchants would make deals over a drink in the local pub, and the narrow streets near the quay filled with people who preferred to hide away in a dingy drinking hole. Church Street, once known as Kirkgate, has dwellings recorded at the foot of the abbey steps as early as 1370, and many of its cottages date from the fifteenth century. Its tight alleys and yards, the ginnels and snickleways that still thread the old town, made ideal escape routes for those fleeing the customs men and the press gangs who prowled the waterfront looking for sailors.
Smuggling, in particular, runs through Whitby’s history like a bottle of rum through a ship’s hold. The town and its neighbouring villages were a hotbed for the trade for generations, and the cargo included spirits, sugar, tea and even jewels. Tales of hidden tunnels beneath the old streets are told with relish, though the truth was usually not quite so romantic: contraband was normally stashed in caves, in basements, beneath floorboards and in outhouses, then carried inland by packhorse along the old fish and salt roads. One local guesthouse even suggests that some of the town’s famous ghost stories were encouraged by smugglers, who had every reason to keep curious visitors away from the churchyard where goods were said to be hidden among the graves. The Old Smuggler’s Café on Baxtergate still carries the name.
So the pubs of Whitby are as much a part of the town’s history as the harbour itself. The two are intertwined. They are places that grew up around the harbour to serve it and, in doing so, absorbed its stories.
The White Horse & Griffin on Church Street was built as an inn in 1681 and became the town’s first coaching inn, and Cook and Scoresby are both said to have hired crews there. Further along the same cobbles, a harbour-view bar on Grape Lane keeps a timeline above the counter tracing its building’s occupants back to 1639, from a sailmaker to a tobacconist, and Cook lodged just across the road. Drink in them, and you are following a route that mariners, merchants and smugglers once walked.
With so much history comes a good deal of folklore, and Whitby has more than its share of ghosts. Local lore holds that the White Horse & Griffin is haunted by a stern landlady of the late nineteenth century who slipped on the outside steps and died there, and guests have reported an uneasy feeling that they are not welcome. At the Golden Lion on Golden Lion Bank, the spectre of an oyster seller is said to walk past on cold nights, calling his wares through the dark. On Grape Lane, which was once known by a far ruder name, a little girl is said to appear wreathed in flames after a terrible accident in a bakery long since gone. Up the 199 steps in St Mary’s churchyard, a phantom coach drawn by headless horses is said to collect the souls of drowned sailors, and in the abbey ruins the ghosts of St Hilda and a bricked-up nun are said to linger. None of it can be proved, of course, and some of it may have started in a smuggler’s story. After a pint or two, it all sounds rather plausible.
That doesn’t mean that Whiby’s bars haven’t embraced modernity. Craft beer is as much a part of the town’s drinking scene as pints of mild and bitter. A Methodist chapel built in 1901 now pours beer from a Yorkshire brewery under original organ pipes, while bars like Esk Vaults and Arch & Abbey have a line-up of sours and juicy IPAs from some of Yorkshire’s best breweries. A micropub keeps one small room at the railway station, and a bottle shop on Grape Lane has a taproom barely larger than a ship’s cabin. Most importantly, high on the cliff, beside the abbey ruins, Whitby has a brewery of its own again, working from a converted cow shed, that may be one of the most picturesque drinking locations in the whole of the UK. In all, Whitby may be one of my favourite places to spend the afternoon sipping, and while the steps are steep and the cobbles are dangerously uneven, the beer is worth the climb.
The Best Pubs in Whitby
Whitby’s packed with pubs, and some of the best pubs are rarely grand, or even the busiest. Its prized boozers tend to be small, old and tucked into corners of the town where the lanes are narrow, and each tells of a different part of the town: Some are historic, like a seventeenth-century coaching inn on the cobbles, and others are a modern reflection of the move towards craft beer, like a harbour-view micropub in a building from the 1630s. These four give a good picture of how Whitby drinks, and all of them are within easy reach of one another.
The Black Horse, Church Street
Where: 91 Church St, Whitby YO22 4BH
When: Daily 12pm – 11pm
If you want Whitby’s old-world pub atmosphere, start here. The Black Horse is a small pub in a Grade II listed building dating to the 1600s, on Church Street’s cobbles. It has had several former lives, including as a funeral parlour and a spirits warehouse. It offers five rotating real ales, real cider and Belgian beer, so it’s a good pick for a pint before a wobbly walk up the steps; you just may need to make use of the benches along the way.
The Quirky Den, Grape Lane
Where: 11 Grape Ln, Whitby YO22 4BA
When: Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 1pm – 9pm; Friday & Saturday 1pm – 10.30pm
Tucked into a handsome building from the 1630s, The Quirky Den is a micropub and gin bar with an upstairs room overlooking the harbour. A timeline above the bar traces its previous occupants back to 1639, among them a sailmaker, a fruiterer and a tobacconist. Captain James Cook lodged across the street as a young apprentice in the 1740s, and his former home is now the Captain Cook Memorial Museum.
It’s a small space and gets busy, even during the afternoon, but the draw for beer lovers is Theakston Old Peculier served from wooden casks, which the pub says is unique in Whitby. Beer fans make the trip for it. There are also several other cask beers, keg options including lager, real cider, local ales, and a long list of gins. The downstairs bar is small, but the upper floor has a lovely view.
The Green Dragon Ale House, Skinner Street
Where: 4-5 Grape Ln, Whitby YO22 4BA
When: Dailt 12pm – 10pm
The Green Dragon feels like the odd one out on this list, but it’s also one of the most rewarding pubs to visit in Whitby. It’s just a few doors from The Quirky Den, on the same lane where Captain Cook served his apprenticeship. It opened in 2016, started by two brothers, and it began life, and still largely operates, as a bottle shop. The shelves in one room hold well over a hundred and ninety beers and ciders by the shop’s own count, from Yorkshire ales to craft cans to European specialities, alongside whiskies, gins and wines, and a wide range of gluten-free beers, a speciality the owners are passionate about.
There is another room to the side where you will find the bar, a small taproom with just a few tables. You can take a bottle from the shelves and drink it there, or choose from the few beers on draught. If you want to try a Belgian beer properly, the staff have the right glass for it. It’s a compact space, but that only adds to the atmosphere.
The White Horse & Griffin, Church Street
Where: Seasons, 87 Church St, Whitby YO22 4BH
When: Daily 8pm – 10pm
Few buildings in Whitby carry as much story as this one. The White Horse & Griffin was built as an inn in 1681 for Sir Hugh Cholmley, and it became the town’s first coaching inn. The first stagecoach from Whitby to London left from here in 1788, and both Captain Cook and the whaler William Scoresby are said to have hired crews at the inn. Charles Dickens visited too, and reportedly noted the oyster shell grottoes in the yard.
The inn closed at the start of the Second World War and was later used by fishermen to store lobster pots, before a long restoration brought it back as a hotel and restaurant. Inside, look for the large Bass & Co mirror in the hallway and the log fire in the bar and bistro. The main pub area is a cosy and compact space, but that is what makes it worth visiting. The bar serves two real ales, and the food leans towards fresh local seafood. The inn also has ten bedrooms, so you can stay the night above the pub.
Craft Beer Bars and Taprooms in Whitby
Whitby’s craft scene is small compared to Yorkshire cities, but punches above its weight for a town of its size. It’s distinctive, and most of its bars sit in unlikely buildings: a Methodist chapel, a former greengrocer’s, a shop that once sold dresses or china, and a room up a staircase beside a sandwich shop. These are the places to seek out for modern beer, whether on keg, cask or in the fridge.
Whitby Brewery
Where: East Cliff, Whitby YO22 4JR
When: Daily 11am – 9pm
The climb to the peak of Whitby’s east side can be strenuous, but there’s one thing – other than the Abbey – that makes it worthwhile. From the foot of Church Street, the 199 steps rise past gravestones and seagulls to St Mary’s churchyard, and a few minutes further along the East Cliff, beside the ruins of Whitby Abbey, a converted cow shed at Abbey Farm holds the town’s own brewery.
Whitby Brewery was founded in 2013 by Richard Wells, who learned to brew at university in Cumbria and wondered why a town with such a maritime past had no brewery to call its own. He began with a tiny unit away from the harbour, turning out around 100 litres a week with his father’s help, before moving in 2016 to this clifftop site. Over the years, the output has grown considerably, and this has become one of the most popular drinking spots in town, for good reason.
The shed has had a thoroughly modern conversion, and inside, the building is divided between a tiny bottle and bar area (only a few people can fit in there so queues regularly snake into the beer garden outside, and a drinking space where you can sip your pint alongside the within sight of the brewing kit, mash tun and copper included, or watch the chefs working the pizza oven and then dish out tasty slices to hungry drinkers. It’s a lovely space, but nothing compared to the courtyard, where the abbey ruins fill the view and the North Sea lies beyond. Board games sit on the shelves, and the brewery holds regular events, including live music and comedy.
The beer is good too. Four handpumps serve a rotating choice from the brewery’s seven beers, alongside its own lager. Jet Black, named for the fossilised wood that Whitby turned into Victorian mourning jewellery, is a berry-edged stout, while Saltwick Nab, a buttery, malty best bitter, takes its name from the rocky headland south of town. Whitby Whaler is a regular, and Santa’s Tackle, conditioned in rum casks, appears in winter.
Tours can be taken and finished with tastings in the taproom, although these are best booked ahead of time, especially at weekends. I remember a time when this place used to be fairly quiet, but whenever I have visited in the past year or two, it has been so busy that it’s pretty much standing room only. It’s particularly lively during Whitby Goth Weekend, but the atmosphere and live music make it worth braving the crowds.
The Esk Vaults, Golden Lion Bank
Where: 5a Golden Lion Bank, Whitby YO21 3BS
When: Monday 6pm – 10pm; Tuesday to Thursday 1pm – 10pm; Friday 1pm – 11pm; Saturday 12pm – 11pm; Sunday 1pm – 10pm
Esk Vaults is easily my favourite craft beer bar in Whitby, and it really does feel like a hidden gem, tucked up a non-descript staircase beside The Greedy Pig on Golden Lion Bank. The pub started from a beer festival. In April 2022, at the first Whitby Beer & Spirits Con, organised by The Green Dragon Ale House and held at the Brunswick Centre, three friends decided to open somewhere different for the town. Liz, Danny and Chris, who brought experience from the Green Dragon, opened The Esk Vaults that November.
The beer is the main draw. The Vaults runs four constantly rotating craft keg lines across a range of styles, with fridges full of cans and bottles to browse as well. Beers are served in thirds, halves or two-thirds of a pint rather than full pints, allowing you to taste a few in one session. Add to this the relaxed and cosy atmosphere, particularly in comparison to the town’s harbourside pubs, and you have an almost perfect afternoon drinking spot.
The Taproom Whitby, Church Street
Where: Wesley Hall, Church St, Whitby YO22 4DE
When: Monday to Saturday 12pm – 11pm; Sunday 12pm – 8.30pm
On the always-packed Church Street, the setting of the Taproom sets it apart from the pubs and bars that sit alongside it. It occupies a beautiful building, Wesley Hall, a Wesleyan chapel built in 1901 that later became the town’s jet museum. Careful renovation has seen it converted into one of the most striking bars on the Yorkshire coast. Many original features remain, including the glazed wall tiles, the monumental roof rafters, the herringbone parquet floor, and the stained-glass windows. It’s a large, open room with a long bar, and the original organ pipes still rise above it. There’s also a small room at the back, if you want a quiet space to drink when the place inevitably becomes busy in the evening.
It’s the Whitby outpost of Helmsley Brewing Co, founded in 2020 in a long shed in Helmsley with just three fermenters, which makes it one of the smallest breweries in the county (and well worth a visit if you find yourself in this beautiful North Yorkshire village). You’ll find plenty of the brewery’s own beers on tap, alongside rotating cask and keg guests.
On top of this, food comes from Yuzu, a street food company operating from the kitchen, serving katsu curries, rice bowls, gyoza and bao buns. Portions are pretty generous, and ideal for soaking up a few pints. One thing to note is that this place shouldn’t be confused with the Whitby Brewery taproom at the top of the 199 steps, but it sits on the way towards the bottom of them, so it’s a natural stop on the way up.
Beer O'Clock, Flowergate
Where: 11 Flowergate, Whitby YO21 3BA
When: Daily 12pm – 10.45pm
Beer O’Clock is the newest spot on this list. It opened in late 2022 on Flowergate in the former Mason’s greengrocers, and it’s just a short, uphill walk from the harbour, tucked among the shops on the street. It’s even listed in the Good Beer Guide.
Despite this, I do feel that it isn’t the first place I would recommend for craft beer in the town. Although it describes itself as a micropub and craft beer bar, the tap list is a little lacklustre and the overall atmosphere can’t quite compete with Whitby’s taprooms or historic boozers. That said, the drinks range runs across cask, keg and continental lager. The usual line-up is around four cask ales, often including a dark beer and a couple of IPAs, with the likes of Timothy Taylor, Acorn, Brewyork, Attic and Titanic often pouring.
Arch & Abbey
Where: 2-4 Skinner St, Whitby YO21 3AJ
When: Monday to Thursday 2pm – 10pm; Friday to Sunday 12pm – 10.30pm
Arch & Abbey is another fantastic micropub (although it isn’t so micro) on Skinner Street, a quiet Victorian street set back from the harbour and the busiest part of town, meaning it is a fairly peaceful place to sip a pint even on a weekend evening. The building’s past is told two ways: Some say it was converted from a ladies’ dress shop and you can still see where the window displays stood, while another listing says it was a china and glassware shop belonging to the publisher of the Whitby Gazette. Either way, the beautiful Victorian shopfront survives, and the name comes from two Whitby landmarks, the whalebone arch near the harbour and the abbey on the cliff.
From the outside, it looks like a regular Whitby bar, but the beer adds a little something extra: four constantly changing cask ales from small local breweries, a few craft and keg beers on draught, around six real ciders, and over sixty bottled and canned beers, including some low-alcohol options. The same team now runs The Waiting Room at the station, so it’s worth popping into both.
The Waiting Room
Where: 2, Whitby Station, Langborne Rd, Whitby YO21 1YN
When: Monday & Tuesday 3pm – 9pm; Wednesday to Friday 3pm – 10pm; Saturday & Sunday 12pm – 10pm
If you arrive in Whitby by train, this is likely the first beer spot that you will encounter, although visitors walk straight past it. The Waiting Room sits in the station buildings on Langborne Road, in the old Ladies’ Waiting Room, and makes the claim of being the town’s first micropub. It opened in 2016. The whole pub is essentially one small room with a bar in the corner, and, as the name suggests, it still has the appeal of a railway waiting area, just now with the added benefit of one that serves good beer. It’s a calm and quiet place to either start or end your trip to the coast.
There’s no TV, no background music, no jukebox, and no lager or spirits. Instead, you get a changing range of cask beers, a long list of ciders and a small selection of wines. Space is limited, but it never seems to get too busy in here. You can sip your pint in peace while looking out the station window towards the Abbey and harbour, or wait for the steam trains to come in.
Where to Eat Alongside a Pint
Whitby is famous for fish and chips, but many of its best pubs serve food. For a full run down on where to eat in Whitby, check out my complete guide, but if you just want a snack or quick bute between pints, many of the pubs and bars listed here can provide something for you.
The Esk Vaults and Whitby Brewery both offer pizza. The Taproom has street food on site, and the White Horse & Griffin is the place for fresh local seafood, even if meals are a little pricier. If you’re building a day around the pubs, mix a proper sit-down meal into the route rather than relying on pub snacks.
Beer Events and Festivals in Whitby
Although Whitby is packed at the best of times, it has an event calendar built around a handful of big weekends that see the town getting even busier, and the town’s pubs and bars lean into every one of them. Some are simple beer festivals, while others, like the Goth Weekend, have more of a carnival vibe and simply pack the streets and keep the taps busy. Dates shift from year to year, so check listings before making plans.
Whitby Goth Weekend
The town’s biggest weekend of the year first began in 1994, founded by Jo Hampshire, and now runs twice a year, in spring and again around Halloween. Thousands of visitors arrive in Victorian mourning dress, steampunk costume and every shade of black, and Whitby fills with live music, fringe events and the Bizarre Bazaar, an alternative market with more than 100 stalls spread across the Spa Pavilion, Whitby Leisure Centre and the Brunswick Centre.
For beer lovers, the point is simply the atmosphere. Every pub on this list is busy and leans heavily into the spooky theme, but be warned that Church Street and Grape Lane are shoulder to shoulder, and rooms book up months ahead. Pick your pubs early, expect queues at the smaller bars, and keep a table booking in mind if you want to eat. Whitby Brewery is a must-visit, as they host live music during the entire weekend and the view of the Abbey adds to the Gothic aura.
Read more: Whitby, Witchcraft and Bram Stoker’s Legacy
Whitby Beer Festival
The longest-running traditional beer festival in town is organised by the Whitby and District Lions Club and held in July at the Whitby Mission and Seafarers Centre on Haggersgate, on the harbourside. It serves more than 30 real ales, boutique beers and ciders from local and regional independent brewers, poured from casks, with pale ales, IPAs, bitters, golds, dark milds and porters alongside scrumpy and fruity ciders.
Entry is reasonable, at just £5, which includes a commemorative tankard to keep, and the beer is served in half-pint measures only. All proceeds go to the Lions Club and local charities, and last year’s festival raised about £5,000. It’s a relaxed, community-run event, and a good counterpoint to the more modern bars elsewhere in town.
Where to Stay in Whitby
If you’re aiming for a pub crawl around Whitby, it’s always best to plan ahead so that it finishes with a short walk to bed. The town is small enough that nowhere is too far, but you may want to look into which side of the harbour is best for you.
The East Side is the old town, with cobbled Church Street, Grape Lane and the foot of the 199 steps. There are plenty of pubs with rooms and a smattering of old fisherman’s cottages that have become rentals, and staying here puts you within a few minutes of The Quirky Den, The Green Dragon, The Taproom and the White Horse & Griffin, though the lanes are busy with day-trippers by day. The West Sidehas a more Victorian feel. It’s close to the station, the Swing Bridge and the cluster of bars around Skinner Street and Golden Lion Bank. West Cliff, above the beach, trades some convenience for views of the harbour and the abbey and a quieter feel in the evening. Plus, some of the townhouses here are beautiful. Whichever you choose, book well ahead for summer weekends and big events such as Whitby Goth Weekend.
Jet Black Jewel
Where: 10 Skinner St, Whitby YO21 3AH
Best For: People wanting to Embrace Whitby’s gothic side
If you want your accommodation to have a bit of character and some gothic touches, this is the place to come. Jet Black Jewel is a gothic-themed boutique guesthouse on the West Side, a few doors from Arch & Abbey, and it calls itself a destination rather than just a place to sleep. It has nine bespoke rooms, each themed around a piece of Whitby history, folklore or legend. Room names include Monkey Puzzle, which inspired the Jet Black Jewel theme, Penny Hedge, named after the ancient Whitby ceremony that is still marked each year, the Abbey of St Hilda Suite and the Maharajah Suite.
The style is deliberately quirky, but the rooms are comfortable enough without being anything fancy; you’ll find that they’re all en suite with a smart TV, a mini fridge, comfortable beds, tea and coffee facilities and good toiletries. You’ll even find a booklet of Whitby folklore left in the room.
Another advantage is the cafe bar on the ground floor, and while breakfast isn’t provided, they do a good coffee and even better brunch, as well as hosting live music and themed food nights, some evenings.
White Horse & Griffin
Where: Seasons, 87 Church St, Whitby YO22 4BH
Best for: History lovers and anyone who wants the East Side pubs on the doorstep
This is the stay for anyone who wants to sleep in one of the historical pubs that they’ve been drinking in. The White Horse & Griffin, at 87 Church Street on the East Side, is the 1681 coaching inn described above, and it has ten en-suite bedrooms, each named after a famous Whitby ship or skipper. Rooms include the Discovery, the Resolution, the Wakeful, the Scoresby and the Helga Maria, and are a mix of large and grand, while others are small and cosy. Many keep original character: sloping floors, exposed beams and stone walls, with steep stairs and separate entrances across four floors.
Beyond the bedrooms, the inn offers a three-bedroom annex called April Cottage, an 18th-century property with a full kitchen and a real fire, suited to families or groups. Breakfast is cooked by the kitchen, and the restaurant is one of the best in Whitby, known for seafood. Being on Church Street, you’re a short walk from the bottom of the 199 steps and a few minutes from The Quirky Den, The Green Dragon and The Taproom.
La Rosa Hotel
Where: 5 East Terrace, Whitby YO21 3HB
Best for: Romantic breaks and anyone who wants a view of the abbey from bed.
La Rosa is the most theatrical of the three. Housed in a Victorian townhouse at 5 East Terrace on the West Cliff, it describes itself as a vintage boutique hotel, and the interior is full of retro furniture, found objects and bric-a-brac.
The hotel says Lewis Carroll once frequented the house, and it names a room after him. There are eight individually themed rooms, including Lewis, Stoker, Sacre Coeur, Little Red, Saloon, Caravan and Arabesque. Stoker has gothic furnishings and a view of the abbey ruins, Sacre Coeur has harbour views and a freestanding bath, and Little Red has a four-poster bed. The Crow’s Nest, on the top floor, sleeps six in three double bedrooms.
Breakfast is the hotel’s signature. A picnic hamper is delivered to your door at a time you choose, filled with pastries, fruit, yoghurt and eggs, and breakfast is included when you book direct. It’s a continental-style spread rather than a full English, and while it is fairly modest, it’s a nice novelty. Downstairs, there is a cocktail library with books and vinyl, and a Victorian tearoom that opens from 10am.
Getting to Whitby
Trains to Scarborough run hourly from both Leeds and York. From Scarborough, buses also run hourly to Whitby, with the journey taking approximately an hour. If travelling by bus, the Coastliner service (£17.60 per day pass) makes regular journeys from Leeds via Tadcaster, York, and multiple other North Yorkshire towns. In 2018, it won the title of the Britain’s Most Scenic Bus Route.
By car, the A171 is the main route in and out of Whitby. From the South or West, follow the A64 towards the Yorkshire Coast, turning onto the A169 around Malton and through Pickering before joining the A171 just after Staithes. From the North, you can just follow the follow the A171 down from Guisborough.
Getting Around
Whitby is compact enough to be explored on foot. The River Esk divides the town into East Side and West Side, joined by the Swing Bridge, which opens to let boats through to the upper harbour. Most of the pubs in this guide sit within a few minutes’ walk of the bridge.
On the East Side, you’ll find the old town: cobbled Church Street, Grape Lane, and the 199 steps climbing to St Mary’s Church and the abbey. The West Side is more Victorian, with its own cluster of good pubs around Flowergate, Golden Lion Bank and Skinner Street. Expect steep hills, steps and uneven cobbles, which are always difficult to navigate after a few drinks.
FAQs
If you are planning a drinking weekend in Whitby, then you may have a few questions. Here are the ones visitors ask most often, from where to find real ale to which pubs welcome dogs, with short answers you can check against the sections above.
What are the best pubs in Whitby?
The White Horse & Griffin, The Quirky Den, The Waiting Room and The Green Dragon Ale House – all mentioned above – are the standouts for atmosphere and character. For craft beer, try The Taproom Whitby, The Esk Vaults and Arch & Abbey, and climb the steps to Whitby Brewery for a beer with an abbey view.
Are there many craft beer bars in Whitby?
Yes. The Esk Vaults probably has the best selection, running rotating craft keg lines; The Taproom Whitby serves Helmsley Brewing Co. beers alongside cask and keg guests, and Arch & Abbey stocks over 60 craft and bottled beers. The Green Dragon is a bottle shop with a small taproom, and Whitby Brewery makes its own beer on the East Cliff.
Are there any breweries in Whitby?
Whitby Brewery, beside the abbey on the East Cliff, has a bottle shop, a taproom and tours with tastings. Helmsley Brewing Co isn’t Whitby-based (their brewery is in the nearby, picturesque village of Helmsley), but they run The Taproom Whitby on Church Street.
What is Whitby known for beer-wise?
The Quirky Den says it is the only pub in Whitby serving Theakston Old Peculier from wooden casks. Locally, Whitby Brewery makes Jet Black, a stout named after Whitby jet, and Saltwick Nab, a malty best bitter.
Which Whitby pubs are dog-friendly?
The Waiting Room (space is limited), The Quirky Den, The Esk Vaults, The Green Dragon and Beer O’Clock, which has a dog station with water bowls and biscuits, welcome dogs. Arch & Abbey is also dog-friendly. Whitby Brewery allows dogs in the taproom on leads, but not on tours. You will find that almost all pubs in town allow dogs. Always check current policies before you go.
Can I reach Whitby without a car?
Take the Esk Valley Line from Middlesbrough, or the Coastliner bus from Leeds and York. Arriving by public transport suits a pub visit, and The Waiting Room sits conveniently at the station.
