The Press Best Pub 2025 is The Crooked Tap in Acomb

After votes were cast online for a top 10, each pub featured in The Press, outlining what it does best and why it deserves to be voted the best pub in York 2025.

The Press has published the stories both online and in print, giving readers a chance to look at the options and have their say.

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Now, the votes have been counted and we can reveal that the winner is… The Crooked Tap in Acomb.

Owned by Crooked Brewery and run by manager Jimmy Hebbron, the Crooked Tap opened its doors for the first time around six and a half years ago and celebrated its first birthday on the eve of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Despite this, the pub kept going – opening the very next morning as a bottle shop and cementing its place in the community as a hub at a time where few other places were open.

Jimmy said: “It’s amazing news that we’ve won – just really lovely.

“We didn’t expect it at all. The theme with a lot of pubs in the competition seemed to be the community feel that they’d created for their locals, so it looks like Acomb spoke the loudest this time.

Live music at The Crooked Tap (Image: Provided) “We want everyone to be able to have a great time here – whether they’re coming in the good or bad times, they can pull up a stool and have a chat. There’s a bit of everything here for everyone.”

As well as the atmosphere in the pub, The Crooked Tap hosts regular events including weekly live music, a homebrew club, monthly book clubs, running clubs for different levels (including a couch to 5k group aimed at beginners), seasonal events, and different alcohol tasting nights.

Outside the pub, many of the regulars have created long lasting friendships among members with their book club members taking trips to Pool Bridge Farm and out for meals in Acomb together.

Jimmy added: “A lot of what’s going on here is listening to people’s ideas – the running group was our local’s idea and now we have 30 people who are part of our main group.

“Everyone’s invested in the pub, not just us. We try to include everyone; we like to be family friendly and dog friendly and that’s partially because most of us who work here have families who want to come along.

“We just really love the place.”