The Best Bars and Pubs in Wrexham

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Discover the best bars and pubs in Wrexham with This Is Wrexham’s new ‘Night Owls’ visitor itinerary.

The largest town in north Wales, Wrexham is perhaps best known for its ancient landmarks and rich industrial history. As a county, Wrexham is home to two of the seven wonders of Wales – St. Giles Church in the town centre (famous for its 135-ft tower) and the Gresford Bells at All Saint’s Church in Gresford. Wrexham is also well-known for its National Trust Properties, including Chirk Castle and Erddig Hall, along with the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site. 

There’s also plenty for food lovers to get their teeth stuck into in Wrexham, with a myriad of independent restaurants and a community centre with a food court housing several street food vendors. Discover some of the best places to eat in Wrexham in my previous post on the 2018 North East Wales Seafood Challenge.

Exploring the best bars and pubs in Wrexham

What many people don’t realise, however, is that this historical market town also harbours a lively and varied nightlife entertainment scene. The This Is Wrexham Tourism Partnership have developed a new visitor itinerary to encourage visitors to explore the many bars, clubs and pubs in Wrexham. Aptly-named ‘Night Owls’, the itinerary includes suggestions on places to stay and where to go on a night-out in Wrexham. This Is Wrexham kindly invited me to visit Wrexham and follow this itinerary so I could share my thoughts with you.

Launched in summer 2019, there are a total of 13 new visitor itineraries showcasing the businesses offering the best experiences for visitors, including a number of venues accessible via the This Is Wrexham Card, which offers savings on days-out and overnight stays. This Is Wrexham have also launched a new County map to enable visitors to find out more about the local area.

Check-in to The Lemon Tree, Wrexham

The first stop on the itinerary sees us checking-in at the striking Grade-II Listed Victorian Gothic building, The Lemon Tree, which has 12 en-suite rooms, a bar and a restaurant.

Decked out in romantic shades of ash pink, white and cream, with 19th Century neo-Gothic windows, cushioned window seating (to match the curtains and cushions on the bed), and a single pink rose (albeit artificial) sitting in a vase in the window above the bed, my room certainly has a touch of romantic charm about it.

While there’s no mini-bar, there are complimentary tea- and coffee-making facilities and it’s just a short walk down to the bar if you fancy something stronger.

Dining at The Lemon Tree

It was a good job we booked a table for dinner when we checked in, as by around 7.30pm, almost every table in the restaurant is full with a mixture of guests and locals. Add to this the two local lads performing popular indie rock ballads in the centre of the room and you’ve got a pretty lively dining atmosphere. The perfect place to line your stomach before a night-out, without running the risk of getting tired and heading home early after too much food.

With a menu described as ‘modern British’, The Lemon Tree is known for putting its own twist on locally sourced ingredients. Highlights of our meal include braised beef brisket with garden risotto and haggis croquette; smoked and poached salmon ‘cannelloni’ with aioli, pickled capers and shallots, gin-cured cucumber and bread shard; and strawberries and Champagne (textures of strawberry with shortbread, Champagne jelly and sorbet).

Our bill comes to around £63 – not bad for a three-course meal for two with drinks.

Where to go on a night-out in Wrexham

Having fuelled up at The Lemon Tree, it’s time to venture into Wrexham town centre to discover what the local nightlife has to offer.

So, where are the best bars and pubs in Wrexham to visit on a night-out? This Is Wrexham’s Night Owls itinerary has got us covered.

Tŷ Pawb

After taking a short stroll into town, we’re off to Wrexham’s multi award-winning arts and cultural centre, Tŷ Pawb. On Friday evenings from 6pm until 9pm, Tŷ Pawb (meaning ‘Everybody’s House’) hosts live entertainment including various bands, comedy acts, open mic nights and more, with a licensed bar, market stalls and a food court housing several independent vendors. Check the Tŷ Pawb Facebook page to see what’s on during your visit.

The Fat Boar

Awarded Best Pub in the Best Bar None Wrexham Awards earlier this year, The Fat Boar is an independently-run pub with a tempting cocktail menu to complement its extensive drink selection. This includes the locally brewed Wrexham Lager, said to have been drunk on-board the Titanic.

Try the Sloe Jam Fizz, made using Da Mhile Welsh sloe gin, Bottle Green elderflower cordial, Prosecco and fresh raspberry. If you’re not drinking alcohol, opt for a refreshing mocktail like the Fruity Martini.

The Fat Boar also hosts a number of themed food evenings along with rum, gin and wine tasting events and live music performances.

The Bank Bar

After a drink in The Fat Boar, This Is Wrexham recommend taking a short walk around the corner onto High Street, where you’ll find The Bank Bar. As the name would suggest, The Bank Bar and Bistro is based within a former TSB bank which closed in 1998 and reopened as a wine bar in 2001; the original vault can still be found in the basement.

This award-winning family-run business is perhaps best known for its wine list, featuring a variety of wines from Spain, Italy, France, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America. However, with options like Butterscotch Delight, Cherrytini and Blackberry Smash, the cocktail menu is pretty decent too.

Voodoo Moon Bar

Climb the spiral staircase of The Bank Bar to the second floor and you’ll find another bar which is currently being run by another local cocktail bar, Voodoo Moon Bar. Normally based on Brook Street, the permanent bar is currently closed for maintenance following a flood.

The Parish

Reaching the final ports of call on the Night Owls Itinerary, we pop into The Parish on Town Hill for a quick drink for the road. Known for its popular live music nights, this is one of the newer pubs in Wrexham but it’s already gained a firm reputation for its friendly atmosphere.

If you fancy partying into the early hours, head to The Ironworks or Wrexham’s largest nightclub, Atik. However, for now, it’s time for us to catch a taxi back to The Lemon Tree with Yellow Cars.

The morning after…

Before you check out of The Lemon Tree the next day, pop into the dining room from 7am to 9.30am and tuck into a hearty Full English breakfast or an open breakfast bloomer – you might need it! Alternatively, if you’re not feeling particularly hungry, perhaps you’d prefer some freshly baked pastries instead.

Fancy heading into town for breakfast instead? Lot11 Cafe on Hill Street seems to be a real hit with the locals, while King Street Coffee Company serves a lovely cuppa (although I have a sneaky feeling they may now have closed down).

For more inspiration on the best things to do and see in the area during your visit, take your pick from 12 other visitor itineraries created by This Is Wrexham and take a look at fellow blogger, Explore With Ed’s post on This Is Wrexham’s ‘Wrexham Wonder’s’ visitor itinerary.

The This Is Wrexham Tourism Partnership have been successful in receiving funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

Enjoy reading about Wrexham? Perhaps you might like to take a look at my other posts on north Wales:

• Coastal Dining in North East Wales
• Fine Dining in Denbighshire, North East Wales
• The Best Things to Do in Wrexham

Don’t forget to pin this post so you can refer back to it on your next trip to Wrexham!

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