Ale, man, ale’s the stuff to drink For fellows whom it hurts to think (from AE Housman, Terence, this is stupid stuff).
- Local real ale and wine producers.
- Pubs around Malvern.
- Refreshments on or near the Hills.
- Vegetarian choices in Malvern.
Also See
- Accommodation page now separated out from here: B&B, guest houses, camping, small hotels, self-catering.
- Cider and Perry (apples, pears), a speciality of the Three Counties, have their own page.
- Local and organic food suppliers are on the Sustained Visits page.
- Our geographic place guides will have some mentions of cafes, tea rooms etc. for towna and villages in the wider area: West of Malvern Hills, North and East from Malvern, South and East from Malvern Hills.
Real ale, wine
BrewBox has taken on the Malvern Cellar premises at 2 St Anns Road (“between the lion and the unicorn” pubs), Great Malvern, WR14 4RG. Closed Mon/Tues. A bottle shop for local beers, ciders and spirits, plus “we will add our own injection of fresh craft brews and real ales once our brewery is set up” – see Night Owl Brewery entry below.
For apple and pear based alcohol produced locally, see our Cider and Perry page.
Local breweries
The Hop Shed (was Unity Brew House), based at Suckley. Uses very local hops, with beers named after hen varieties as they brew in an old chicken shed. Available in various local pubs and shops, and online. Also onsite bar open Fridays 4:30 to 9pm, Saturdays 2 to 6pm.
Friday Beer Company, based Malvern Link.
Night Owl Brewery, based at what was the Crumpton Hill Farm Shop, aiming to open July 2024. Also see BrewBox above.
Malvern Hills Brewery: production ended, due to a bad back. Their beers have won a few CAMRA awards, used local hops and (was) fairly widely available in local pubs.
Lakehouse Brewery, based in Peachfield Road (near Malvern Common), appears to have gone.
Herefordshire
Wye Valley Brewery Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire, HR7 4HG (SO623502), next door to Plough Inn. Phone 01885 490505. The original brewery pub The Barrels is at St Owen St, Hereford, while the Rose and Lion is off Bromyard High St. Has taken on The Morgan, 52 Clarence Road, Malvern too.
Ledbury Real Ales – their beers are mainly sold within a 15 mile radius.
Herefordshire CAMRA has updates on changes to pubs and local breweries in its area. See their brewing revival page for a short history.
Check out Hereford Beer House – beer and cider shop and bar in the city.
Worcestershire
Teme Valley Brewery is based behind The Talbot Inn. Use own hops in This, That, T’Other beers and if you’re lucky, Porter. Pub food reported good, but very little veggie. Knightwick, Worcs, WR6 5PH. Phone 01886 821656, email: info@the-talbot.co.uk
Hobsons Brewery, Cleobury Mortimer, near Kidderminster. Award winning mild, seasonal ales etc.
Also see Worcester CAMRA web pages for local independent breweries and info on their Real Ale around the Malvern Hills guide – the county’s quarterly newsletter, Pint Taken, is reproduced on the web. Shakespeare Branch of CAMRA (shakesbeer) covers Evesham to Stratford.
Vineyards, fruit-based drinks
Coddington Vineyard Has listed farmhouse. Phone 01531 640668. The Independent said (May 2004): “With two acres in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Coddington is one of Britain’s smallest vineyards, and one of the loveliest too. Location, and its award-winning wines, make visiting a treat.” See info on Wine Anorak. Has a holiday cottage available, too.
Three Choirs Vineyard, near Newent, is one of England’s largest. Has (heavily booked) restaurant and guest rooms, and a tour. Phone 01531 890555.
St Anne’s Vineyard, Oxenhall, near Newent, is pretty small.
Paunton Court, near Bishops Frome: Frome Valley Vineyard (or try Facebook page if website doesn’t work.
Lovells Vineyard in Welland, family run and established in 2010.
Tiltridge is also managed by Lovells Vineyard. White and sparkling ‘Elgar’ wines. Upper Hook Road, Upton, WR8 0SA. Phone 01684 592906. Near Clives Fruit Farm (see Cider and Perry page).
Pixley Berries Fruit cordials based around their own blackcurrants. Near Ledbury.
Monkhide Another fruit liqueur specialist, but also produce fruit wines. Based Canon Pyon, Herefordshire.
Pubs worth a try
More are mentioned in our overview of local towns and villages, index here.
Nags Head, Bank Street, Malvern has an excellent range of beers. Good food (not the cheapest and best to book).
The Morgan, 52 Clarence Road, WR14 3EQ, a Wye Valley Brewery pub. Excellent, local, beers cheaper than most pubs, and live music some evenings.
Bear and Ragged Staff, Bransford (between Malvern and Worcester), has won various food awards.
Marlbank Inn, west of Welland. Real ale, food, also does B&B and camping.
Pub Walks in the Malvern Hills (June 03) by local author Roy Woodcock. Countryside Books, ISBN 1-85306-788-1, £6-95. See Publishers.
Hill refreshments
Excellent ice cream (and rock cakes) at the kiosk at the bottom of British Camp/Herefordshire Beacon – Sally’s Place (Facebook page). Hot and cold drinks, plenty of food choices, “veggie friendly”. The Malvern Hills Hotel is just over the road – good beer and food but not the cheapest and restricted veggie choice, can be very busy at peak times.
The Kettle Sings is just by the junction of Chase Road and Jubilee Drive (about half way between Wyche Cutting and British Camp). Good views to the west. Tea room, lunches too, best to book ahead, may not be suitable for groups. 10am to 4pm, closed Tuesdays, phone 01684 540244.
Ruffz is a refreshments kiosk near Gullet Quarry/Swinyard car park (HR8 1EU). Open weekends spring to autumn (11.30 to 4.30), possibly other times – best to check location and times on their Facebook page before setting out.
Around the northern end
St Ann’s Well cafe Vegetarian and vegan, good cake, soup, etc. On the way up the hill from town, off St Ann’s Road, SO 772458). Built 1815, with the Octagonal Bar added 1843. Winter hours are generally restricted to weekends – check Facebook page for updates, phone 01684 560285.
The Brewers Arms in West Malvern – a little down from The Dingle, a community pub from Dec. 2022. Not open Mondays except Bank Holidays, or Tuesday lunchtime (at summer 2023).
Sugarloaf Cafe, Westminster Bank, West Malvern, WR14 4AY – a short walk up from West Malvern Road, and hardly any distance onto the hills. 9am to 4pm Mon-Fri, 10-5 Sat, 10-12 Sun. Excellent cake, cycle friendly. Phone 01684 588971.
Cafe H2O at Malvern Hills GeoCentre – just down from Wyche Cutting on the west side, at the back of the Wyche Innovation Centre. Light lunches (locally sourced / homemade) and refreshments, open daily, apart from Wednesdays, 9.30am to 4.30pm, weekends and bank holidays 9am to 6pm in summer.
The Chase Inn is tucked away to the south west of Wyche Cutting, on Chase Road. Wye Valley and other real ales. Check website re food. Open all day (from 11am Mon-Sat, noon on Sun), in season? Phone 01684 540276.
Down in Colwall (village on west side of hill): Cafe Morso (Facebook page) in Walwyn Road can be rather crowded at times, 8 to 5 Mon-Fri, 9-5 Sat, 01684 540144.
Yew Tree Inn, at the southern end of Colwall Green reopened Jan. 2023 and has a new kitchen too. Not open Monday or lunchtime Tues/Wed. 01684 355023.
The Loose Box cafe in the old stables at Barton Court, Colwall, WR13 6HN. Good cakes, range of teas and coffees, interesting light lunches. May have e-bike chargers available if you ask nicely. Open 9.30am to 3pm daily, closed Sunday/Monday (as at Sep. 2023, hours may change seasonally).
The Wyche Inn, just to the east of the rocky bit at the top of Wyche Cutting. Decent beer, and food choices look reasonable from snacks to main meals. Phone 01684 575396.
In Great Malvern
Abbey Road Coffee (between museum and priory church). Veggie/vegan food, 6 days a week. See website or Facebook page.
Faun at 31-33 Worcester Road, Malvern (the old Brays building) has both a deli and a kitchen ‘celebrating finest local food and drink’, open Tues – Sun. Strong cycling credentials: founder Jon White is a keen cyclist, and you may spot a branded e-cargo bike. Not sure if the rings on the terrace planters are intended for customers’ bikes though. (Ice cream trike made a brief appearance in 2022.)
Malvern Book Coop has coffee and cakes, 6 days a week. 2 St Ann’s Road, a little way up from the start of Worcester Road.
Bluebird Tea Rooms, 9 Church Street, Malvern, retains many original features from the early 20th century, when Elgar was a visitor. (His statue can be seen through the windows.) Across the road from Post Office, above the shoe shop. Open Tuesday to Saturday until 5pm.
Veggie options
Personal taste of the editor. See St Ann’s Well cafe on the Hills, too.
Rise Plant Kitchen is a cafe providing plant-based refreshments. 1 Edith Walk, Malvern, WR14 2AB. Open 9-5 weekdays, to 4.30pm Sat, 4pm Sun.
The Indian restaurant Anupam at 85 Church Street (down an alley then up some stairs) can be quite good value, although not as cheap as it once was. The food is good too.
Poolbrook Kitchen and Coffee Shop is worth a try.
In Malvern Link, Our Lizzy runs vegetarian cookery courses and demonstrations.