CRAFT BEERS

Sit & Sip, Wokingham

Sit and Sip Wokingham white retro mismatched hanging lights leather seating industrial lighting and marbled walls

Sip & Sit in Wokingham boasts a spectacular craft beer and cocktail menu to tempt your tastebuds. Essentially, this is a tasting house that celebrates small producers, so if you love discovering a microbrewery or limited edition craft lager, you’ll find it here. The bar staff also channel their inner Tom Cruise to compete for the honour of Cocktail of the Month, so expect something you never heard of on the menu. It also surprisingly child friendly, so no need to leave them at home.

Double-Barrelled Taproom, Reading

You’re going to have to celebrate a day early if you fancy Double Barrelled Brewery and Taproom – it’s only open Fridays and Saturdays. The vibe is is deliberately industrial. No point fighting – it a brewery on an industrial estate. The taproom offers 12 draught beers and street food sellers El Contador will be spicing things up with their amazing Mexican dishes. Need a last minute gift? Shh, there’s a shop. Winning.

West Berkshire Brewery Taproom, Yattendon

If you’re after family friendly head to the Old Dairy in Yattendon and you’ll discover West Berkshire Brewery’s Taproom & Kitchen. The only livestock to be found here these days are my kids, the family dog and a few cows. It’s a super casual affair with an industrial vibe thanks to the large glass wall offering a birds eye view into beer utopia. The Taproom is a cool hangout with sizeable tented beer garden with dreamy countryside views. Book a table to eat and the main man will get a pint on the house.

The Last Crumb, Caversham

The Last Crumb in Caversham is a cool pub. The decor is fun, the food is a mouth-drooling list of wings, dirty burgers and pizza and they regularly rotate come of their beers to showcase small producers. Outside, you’ll find shipping containers with canteen style tables, each with an overhead heater and light. If Dad fancies himself as a hipster, he’ll feel right at home here and the kids won’t be complaining either.

GASTROPUBS

Five Bells, Wickham

The Five Bells Wickham thatched red brick inn with porch and sign with five copper bells

Head into Bake Off country (a place familiar with a big tent) and you’ll find the Five Bells in Wickham. It’s a stunning, thatched 17th century inn with a large garden and countryside views to die for. Chef-owner Duncan Jones does the most amazing roasts alongside pub classics and he might even fire up the BBQ. The Five Bells beer is also now brewed on site, it nwouldbe rude not to try it.

White Oak, Cookham

The White Oak in Cookham is a quality gastropub that manages to walk that fine line between special occasion but totally informal. The food is sensational (check out the set menu – a bargain for what you get), the vibe is laidback and the service top notch. Work up an appetite on a walk across Cookham and Cocks Marsh, an Area of Scientific Importance and covered in wild flowers at this time of the year.

Greene Oak, Windsor

Dad’s will die and go to heaven at the Greene Oak on the outskirts of Windsor. This modern gastropub has a lovely garden, funky horsebox tables and lived-in luxe inside. The atmosphere is relaxed, the food it unpretentious with pizazz – and we would expect nothing less from owners James Lyon Shaw and Jamie Dobbin, who met while working at The Ivy in London. If you can’t get a table, or would rather stay at home, pre order a Father’s Day Gourmet Box for the fam. It’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Golden Ball, Pinkneys Green

Golden Ball-Brakspear-sludgy green walls and william and morris style wallpaper

Quirky, cool interiors with a menu that will keep everyone happy – large and small. The Golden Ball has a lovely sunny terrace and garden, so space for kids to play and pretty nearby walks. They’ve also put up a big screen for the Euros. If the main man in your life is into footy, Italy will be paying Wales at 5pm. Bank those Brownie points and grab yourself a large G&T.

The Crown at Bray

Crown at Bray Heston Blumenthal white Tudor pub Bray Berkshire

Bray’s foodie brilliance extends beyond its Michelin stars. Yes, they get all the glory, but the village is home to other foodie outposts that are little easier on the bank balance but just as delicious. The Crown at Bray, is one of those places. A super-relaxed gastropub, offering good service and a delicious menu of pub classics done well. The garden is a show stopper.

The Dolphin, Newbury

The Dolphin Pub Newbury Berkshire orange velvet sofa cushions wooden floor and mix and match wooden tables and chairs

The Dolphin Newbury wouldn’t look out of place in old Laaaaandon Taaaaaaarn. Perch your peachy posterior on this gorgeous orange velvet banquette and work your way through a tasty bar menu of boutique cocktails, artisan spirits, craft beers, and quality wines. If you fancy soaking up some of the alcohol, you can tuck into full three courses.

Bel & The Dragon, Cookham

Nel and the Dragon Bookham Garden terrace walled area with tables and chairs, garden fountain and kids playhouse

Great pub, great food and a gorgeous garden. The Bel & The Dragon in Cookham ticks all the boxes as it caters for the whole family. Kids menu, light bites from the garden menu or bring out the big guns and go al la carte – the man in your life will be in meat heaven. It’s also a fave among the local celebs, so eyes peeled – Tom Hiddleston, Steve Backshall and Chris Evans have been spotted.

The Coppa Club, Swan at Streatley and Sonning

If Dad has more energy than a Duracell bunny, loves the water or is simply an adrenaline seeker, book him in for a Father’s Day Paddle at Coppa Club in Sonning and Swan at Streatley. He can work up an appetite and you can order the wine, soak up the sun and work your core laughing too hard. It’ll definitely be a Father’s Day to remember. SUP lesson £40.

Royal Oak, Yattendon

The Royal Oak in Yattendon is a stonking country pub with one of the loveliest gardens in the county. It’s swish enough for dads who are more at home surrounded by starched table linens and relaxed enough for the rest of us. The Oak also serve a fab Sunday roast – and kids and dogs are both very welcome too. So fun for all the family. Want to work up an appetite, there are some lovely circular woodland walks nearby so you can justify a massive blowout. Then take pew, and soak it up, babycakes.

The Dog & Duck, Emmbrook

Hanging terrarium Dog and duck emmbrook stylish pub bekrshire

The Dog & Duck in Emmbrook is on the outskirts of Wokingham. The stylish pub offers something for everyone. Sunday carvery, crowd-pleasing classics, small plates and sharing boards. Plus plenty of vegan options too. This is fuss free, good pub grub that’ll put a stop to the moaning minis. The Dog & Duck is also screening the Euros, so Italy v Wales is on at 5pm.

Cool places for a fun Father’s Day lunch

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